Fataggendon?

I suppose that the one actual benefit (if you can ever think in those terms) of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK is that it focuses people's attention on health. Public Health England (PHE) are clearly using this emergency to push for a somewhat overdue attack on the levels of obesity in the country (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/jul/25/public-health-england-calls-for-action-on-obesity-in-covid-19-fight). It is very clear that people with a Body Mass Index (BMI) that takes them into the 'obese' or the 'very obese' categories are likely to have a very much worse experience if they are infected with the virus than are people with a 'normal' BMI. The former are more likely to need hospitalisation and support of their breathing (they are also more likely to die). Unfortunately, the UK has 'world class' levels of obesity, especially in the younger age groups. PHE is claiming that being overweight is a risk factor for complications following a Covid-19 infection. This actually may be something of a simplification ,because 'underlying health conditions' are known to make the infection tricky. Being overweight increases the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes as well as atherosclerosis (that is linked to coronary heart disease and strokes). No matter what the nature of the precise link between BMI and Covid-19 morbidity is, it would clearly be of great benefit to individuals and the NHS to reduce levels of obesity in our populations (preferably without 'fat shaming').  BMI is determined by a balance between the calories taken in (i.e. eaten) and those utilised in exercise. The PHE strategy seems at the moment to focus on 'junk foods' and its advertising (an area that has been very difficult to control because of commercial and lobbying pressures). It would clearly be of benefit if vulnerable people (especially children) were not constantly assailed with advertising/temptations to buy such items. Having said that, you can become overweight by consuming too many calories from 'healthy food' and/or taking too little exercise. I suspect that it will be harder to get that message across as well as creating situations where calories are more carefully regulated and opportunities for exercise more freely available (especially in the poorer areas of society).