Lean times for waste culture - The Guardian 5th November 2007

Alan Johnson's éclat ('Fit towns' plan to tackle child obesity, November 1) captures what many have been arguing for years, and he is to be congratulated for taking such a broad view of the changes required. There is now considerable evidence that whole-community investment, rather than relentless moralising or scaremongering about individual lifestyle choices, would be the more powerful partner to firm policies on poverty and the regulation of quality of food, alcohol and tobacco. Like sustainability, the improvement of health demands both long-run commitment and imagination: it will require investment in services and facilities that, yes, encourage healthier lifestyles, but also engender sociability and inclusion, life skills, self-esteem and mutual respect. And the "comprehensive approach" need not and should not be restricted to children and young people.

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