Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-01-31-Speech-3-183"
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"en.20070131.22.3-183"2
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"Mr President, obesity has been described by the World Health Organisation as the greatest health threat facing the West, following a radical increase in the last 30 years. In many EU countries, over half the adult population is overweight, with nearly one-third of all adults categorised as obese. There are also three million children in Europe already in the obese category, with a further 14 million considered overweight. Children have even been observed developing diseases normally associated with old age, such as Type 2 diabetes.
There is a major problem, it is getting worse and it affects us all. In my own country our National Audit Office has quantified the economic consequences of obesity to be around half a billion pounds annually in direct health costs, plus a further two billion pounds in wider costs to the economy. As taxpayers, we all pay for the problem, so we are all stakeholders in finding a solution. Something must clearly be done, but the issue is, who decides?
This thoughtful report from Mrs Ries makes clear that it is not for the EU to decide. There can be help at EU level by sharing best practice, promoting new ideas, etc., because health promotion is an agreed EU competence. Health provision is for Member States. However, responsibility lies not just with Member State governments or food and drink manufacturers, but with parents and individuals themselves. We do not want a big nanny state or a big nanny Europe only permitting us to do what it considers good for us. We want to help people decide for themselves, and that is also why we have referred to the Television Without Frontiers Directive, calling for Member States and the Commission to develop codes of conduct regarding children’s advertising, rather than compulsory controls. For avoidance of doubt, I am referring to the revisions approved by Parliament to that directive last December.
Finally, we should remember that calorie inputs represent only half the problem. I am delighted that the Commissioner in his opening remarks referred to the other half, which was energy output, i.e. that people of all ages should take more exercise. I am also delighted that he referred to the need for governments and others to promote competitive sports and stop selling off school playing fields.
Everyone has a responsibility to address the problem. It is time that everyone faced up to it. I congratulate the Commission on its paper and particularly the rapporteur for the care and thought that she has put into this report."@en1
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