Sir, – Your article on the obesity strategy quoted the Minister for Health as having stated that "Ireland risks becoming the fattest nation in the world" ("State on way to be 'fattest nation' in world", September 23rd).
Ireland is nowhere near being or becoming the world’s fattest country. Countries in the Middle East and the south Pacific are far ahead of us.
We saw recently in the UK Brexit debate that scare tactics by government can have the opposite to the intended effect, so that this kind of exaggeration and hyperbole should be avoided. What is needed is a moderate, rational, factual conversation about the obesity issue, without scaremongering, and action from our Government rather than just aspirations. – Yours, etc,
GARRY BURY,
Dalkey, Co Dublin.