Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2008-09-24-Speech-3-390"
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"en.20080924.34.3-390"2
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"Mr President, obesity is one of Europe’s greatest health challenges, but some may say what has it got to do with us here in the European Parliament? Or indeed within the EU?
There are at least two reasons. One is, as the rapporteur has already said, obesity-related diseases account for more than 6% of taxpayer-funded national health budgets in the EU. We all have to pay for it. Secondly, different EU countries are tackling the issue differently, and all have much to learn from each other.
So may I congratulate the Commission for their White Paper in triggering this debate, and I would just highlight a few key points. We generally welcome the Commission’s proposal on food labelling, but felt it would be inappropriate for this report to pre-empt the detailed discussions which will be necessary on this specific issue.
On obesity, evidence shows that the problem is much more about how much exercise people take rather than just how much food they eat. It is about calorie output, not just about calorie input. So it would be totally wrong to blame the food and drink industry for causing the problem, or indeed for failing to provide a sufficient solution.
The reality is in fact much more complicated. We need more activity-friendly communities offering more bicycle routes, better town planning, more promotion of public transport, more parks and sports facilities, more school playing fields and yes, better education. We need many aspects of our lives to change.
So may I congratulate the rapporteur on his wide-ranging report and his very difficult task, picking up from his predecessor, and dealing with so many shadows with so many ideas of their own. I particularly thank him for accepting some of my amendments including those concerning the problem of malnourishment, particularly in hospitals and care homes for the elderly. It is most important that we look after the more vulnerable in our society.
Some people make themselves vulnerable, and, if I may conclude with a sweeping generalisation, one of the problems of society today is a lack of personal responsibility, a belief that every failing is someone else’s problem, that someone else will solve it. More regulation simply feeds this perception; more self-regulation and self-discipline is the answer. We need to encourage greater personal responsibility, and that way we will all make greater progress as a society."@en1
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