British government urges individuals to take personal responsibility for health

Wednesday, August 11, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer
Tags: health, personal responsibility, health news

(NaturalNews) Public health epidemics like obesity and diabetes have led some governments to impose new restrictions on people's food and lifestyle habits. But according to a recent Guardian article, the new U.K. government is now calling more on individuals, rather than the state, to start taking responsibility for health and wellness.

The report explains that the previous government in the U.K. took a very state-centered approach to improving public health, but the new one is focusing on a more individual approach. In fact, Andrew Lansley, the new U.K. health secretary, recently lectured citizens about the need for more personal responsibility in making better food and lifestyle choices.

Urging parents to stop smoking around their children and to set good eating examples is one thrust of the current administration. A continual emphasis on teaching parents how to feed their families healthier food is also part of the plan.

Another important methodology is, rather than simply tell people to stop abusing their bodies, show them how and why their lifestyles are actually hurting them.

"Ask a parent to give up smoking and they might refuse -- but demonstrate how smoking at home will damage their children's lungs, leading to bronchial illness, asthma and a lifetime of ill health and they might start to see things differently," explains Steve Field in his article.

One program currently being used in the U.K. that has been highly successful is the "Food Dudes" program that travels around to various schools and teaches children about the importance of eating more fruits and vegetables.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010...