Obesity at the Assembly

A question on obesity was raised today at the Assembly, to which Darran Miller's intellectual intervention was that we should not debate this issue as there are many overweight Assembly Members, and so we cannot tell others what to do! Well, he may have a point, but there are those of us who exercise on a regular basis and look after our health thank you very much!

I don't think that this warrants the Assembly sitting back and doing nothing to help other people, although I do agree with his argument that we should practise what we preach. I spoke during this debate also, and asked the Minister to meet with the WLGA to discuss planning persmission for fast food outlets in new Retail Parks, and whether there would be any possibility in limiting the amount of fast food outlets opened in any one development.

I know of many such Retail Parks with numerous fast food 'restaurants', with not one healthy eating option available for shoppers or workers alike. Many of these new Retail Parks have been built in relatively deprived areas, which were sold to communities by local representatives merely because they created a few jobs that would be created for local people, in low paid, McRubbish jobs.

I think there should be a debate about this issue, and a realisation that these developments are failing to assist our desperate need to become a healthy Nation. Obesity is on the rise, but unless we change the culture of the way we eat, this issue will only intensify.