Launch a competition for fittest locality

The weight problem affecting the large majority of Malta’s population is particularly discouraging to a society raised on what was once deemed a healthy Mediterranean diet.

The measures adopted by local councils and the central government are definitely not enough to address this serious issue. More awareness should be promoted among families, schools and other public domains with regard to healthy food and the importance of exercise so as to reduce health-related problems in future.

One small but significant initiative would be for all local councils to embark upon a ‘healthy’ competition to vie for top spot as the healthiest, fittest or least overweight town or village in Malta.

Obviously this would have to be calculated as statistics, which should not be hard to implement.

Organising one-day activities (as quite a few local councils and the central government do) is tantamount to expecting chain smokers to quit smoking after a day of abstinence, which is quite unlikely.

Schools should be encouraged to facilitate physical activities during and after school hours and should look at introducing PE at least three times a week rather than the meagre and ineffective one day a week, especially for older children.

Parents should be approached for possible social assistance should the weight of their children be a concern and a hindrance to the children themselves.

Living on an island where sports venues and gyms are quite close to residential areas should make government officials shudder when they consider that Malta ranks so highly among EU member states in terms of obesity.