By Ian Quinn
RCGP chair, Professor Steve Field, has launched an outspoken attack on the public for bringing upon themselves a ‘tsunami' of obesity.
Professor Field said patients should take more responsibility for their own health and that state intervention is not the answer to problems such as poor diet, smoking and drinking.
It follows a call from health secretary Andrew Lansley for the public to take more responsibility for their own health, amid indications the new coalition Government will spend far less money than Labour on tackling problems such as obesity.
Writing in the Observer yesterday, Professor Field said: ‘The truth is that too many of us neglect our health and this is leading to increasing levels of illness and early death.
‘Too many people do not face up to the hard facts, as they perceive them to be an attack, in particular, at the poorer members of society.'
Professor Field said every day GPs were ‘confronted by the harm caused by smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and the ‘tsunami' of obesity.'
Professor Steve Field: GPs facing obesity 'tsunami' Professor Steve Field: GPs facing obesity 'tsunami'
