In this age of obesity fast food and takeaway outlets around the world are making record profits, an indication that people are not taking care of their health. For a better indication take a look around you at the percentage of fat people there are. Worldwide we are fast approaching the point when 50 per cent of the world's population will be a seriously overweight.

Unless something is done about it now, today's fat children will be tomorrow's fat adults who in turn will produce more fat children.

The lesson to be learnt is not to just lose weight. We also need to change our attitudes so that we don't get fat in the first place.

We need to have a mental reappraisal of good eating and exercise. We all need to know what nutritious and sensible eating is. We need legislation and action that endorses it in every possible quarter.

Instead of just throwing money at the problem governments and all of us should get tougher and more specific. Here are just some suggestions:

Start banning bad things like the fast food and takeaway hamburger and chicken chains. If they want to stay in business let them become healthy fresh food outlets.
Overhaul the school meals scene. Only healthy fresh nutritious food to be served, like in the old days. Tuck shops should go healthy or be banned.
Make food and healthy living a compulsory school subject and teach kids good habits.
Do something about the soft drinks industry. Make them promote no sugar products much more.
Hold health education classes in workplaces.
Don't elect fat politicians.
Fire all fat bureaucrats
TV stations accepting advertising from unhealthy food and drink sources to lose their licences

Just because we live in a democracy doesn't give people the right to poison each another. The food and drink industries primarily care about monetary profit. Health is a secondary consideration. Besides, governments acted on tobacco products because smoking is a health hazard so why can't they act on food hazards.

For the sake of the human race, let's set things on the right course. Let's lighten our load.