Scotland needs to start believing in 'miracle' cure for national obesity crisis

According to the latest Scottish Health Survey, nearly a third of adults in this country are obese – up from less than a quarter in just two decades. Furthermore, almost two-thirds of Scots are overweight to the extent that it poses a risk to their health. Added to the appalling numbers of drug and alcohol deaths in Scotland, these figures create a picture of an unhealthy and unhappy nation.

A thread that runs through these statistics is poverty. The cheapest food is often loaded with calories but little in terms of genuine nutrition. And people who lack hope are more likely to turn to comfort eating or, in the worst circumstances, alcohol and drugs.

The sheer number of people who are overweight has reached a point where it is having a significant effect on public services and the economy. Obesity is linked to an array of health problems including heart disease, cancer and asthma, increasing the pressure on the NHS and also the bill to the taxpayer – money that could otherwise be spent on economy-boosting infrastructure.

A vision of hope

All of this is pretty depressing. However, there is hope.

It comes in the form of a vision of Scotland as a “sporting nation”, a place where everyone, from the youngest to the oldest, has a ‘sport’, which could be anything from walking or simple Tai Chi style movements to football, rugby or long-distance running.

The benefits of Tai Chi, and any form of exercise, are well-established (Picture: Andrew Wong) | Getty Images

This is a vision that The Scotsman has sought to encourage over the years. However, at a time of cutbacks, the budget for efforts to improve access to sports is an understandably easy target.

But creating a sporting culture is not simply about spending public money. It is about providing leadership, changing attitudes, encouraging community groups, and instilling confidence in people who are not particularly athletic that there is a sport for them. The Parkrun movement – which includes ‘Parkwalk’ – and “from couch to 5k” apps are examples of what can be done.

Scotland desperately needs leadership on this issue. The rewards of greater physical fitness would be immense: we would be healthier, happier and financially richer. Exercise has been described as a ‘miracle’ cure. It’s time to start believing.