THE PM’s decision to make tackling the epidemic of obesity (prompted by the discovery that it is a contributing factor to the increased severity of an individual’s response to Covid-19) that threatens to overwhelm the NHS, a priority, is long overdue.

Things haven’t been helped by the suggestion by some researchers that obesity is caused by a ‘fat’ gene – giving people an excuse not to change their habits (quite where this hitherto unknown ‘fat’ gene came from is a mystery!).

And the NHS itself could lead the way in the war on obesity by tackling the problem among its own staff. Every time I attend hospital as an outpatient I am astonished to see so many grossly overweight nurses and other staff.

It is also counterproductive that hospital shops are stocked with so much of the unhealthy food that is a root cause of the problem.

Obesity now accounts for between 40,000-50,000 early deaths every year in the UK alone.

People must stop making excuses for being overweight, change their lifestyles and start taking some responsibility for their own health.

ROBERT READMAN

Norwich Avenue West, Bournemouth