The government's forthcoming public health white paper should consider other options aside from imposing personal obligations on individual citizens to take responsibility for their own health, if it is to succeed in improving the health of the nation, according to a leading health think tank.
In the second of three discussion papers on the topic of health obligations published today, Professor Edward Peck, Dr Perri 6 and Dr Sue Laverty from the University of Birmingham's Health Services Management Centre present the view that shifting the focus of obligations to public bodies and producers and distributors of unhealthy products could have a larger impact on public health.
They argue that regulating or even banning consumption or use of certain products can change habits and improve public health. Targeting suppliers of widely acknowledged health "bads" such as cigarettes, alcohol and fatty foods with further regulatory measures could be key. Options to consider include: