‘People should adopt ‘old-fashioned’ ways of staying healthy’. Is Chris Whitty correct?

Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical officer for England, recently published his annual report saying that we should rely on ‘old fashioned’ methods to keep us healthy as we age, especially when it comes to eating healthy and exercising regularly. However, this statement is arguably oversimplified.

We are all aware that exercise and eating well keeps us fit and healthy. In fact, it is indisputable. But perhaps this simplification is causing part of the issue.

Assuming that people immediately know how to exercise properly, and how to eat healthily can be dangerous. In fact, big companies profit off of misleading consumers about the nutritional quality of their products by marketing certain foods as ‘healthy’ foods when they are quite the opposite.

One craze at the moment is products that are high in protein. The label is emboldened, claiming: ‘20g of protein’, as if this is the golden ticket to well-being. But that is not all the product contains.Taking a further look at the ingredients list, often shows shockingly high levels of sugar, calories, and saturated fat.

The same goes for products that are labelled as reduced fat. These “buzz words”, which consumers are taught to consider healthy, trick many people into making the less healthy choice.

Similarly, many people are uneducated on how to exercise. This means that it seems incredibly daunting to get started.

The government has put measures in place to help enforce Whitty’s suggestions.

The free ‘Couch to 5K’ app, provided by the NHS, is one example of how exercise has been made more accessible. Public health minister, Paul O’ Brien describes it as a ‘brilliant way to get fit and healthy for free, as people look to exercise for less due to the rising cost of living’.

Additionally, enforcing a sugar tax on sugary drinks, and the use of food labelling are policies which are very helpful in curbing unhealthy food habits.

The government is also supportive of local and national schemes that encourage healthy eating, one example being the Change4Life public health campaign which includes tips on portion control, sugar reduction, and easy recipes.

But are they doing enough?

Introducing the sugar tax actually had very minimal effects. Though sugary drinks may be more expensive, it is still cheaper to buy sweets or chocolate, than it is to buy a box of fruit.

Additionally, making artificially sweetened drinks cheaper may not be a great solution to health either. There are increasing studies suggesting correlation of these sweeteners with migraines, poor gut health and some minor links to cancer.

One potential suggestion is to subsidise the price of fruit and veg, and make it cheaper, by using the money collected through the sugar tax, and potentially expanding the tax to sugary snacks too. By lowering the prices of healthier foods in general and inflating the price of unhealthy ones it will ensure that those with limited financial resources are not forced to make unhealthy food choices. Another easy fix would be to make labels even clearer, removing misleading buzzwords.

Despite this, the government's dedication to education on the matter is encouraging.

Ultimately, the responsibility of health lies overwhelmingly with the individual. Though the Government can help educate, it cannot eat the food, or exercise for you. That lies with the individual.

Edited by Faith Suronku-Lindsay