Sir, - In her article "Guilt in the Gut" (Weekend, May 22nd) Kathryn Holmquist goes too far in encouraging fatalism about weight increase. There is no doubt that most genuinely obese people have a genetic predisposition to weight gain, and dieting is of little or no use. Many of the people identified by the Department of Health in its survey do not, however, fall into this category.
While long-term, one-to-one, professional advice on weight reduction would be ideal, dismissing an initiative such as National Healthy Eating Week is a little too easy. Even small changes in lifestyle on both sides of the energy equation (i.e. decreased energy intake and increased energy utilisation) can have beneficial consequences for us all. To say that we choose not to eat more fruit and vegetables because the temptation to do otherwise is irresistible is a cop-out.
If people can be motivated to give up an addictive substance like nicotine for the good of their health, they can certainly be motivated to make some minor changes to their diet for similar reasons. Initiatives such as National Healthy Eating Week have a role to play in this regard. For example, even processed foods and convenience meals are now available in low-fat varieties. Snacking between meals can increase total fat intake considerably, and is an area where many of us could cut back.
It is on the other side of the energy equation - energy utilisation - that so much more could be done. As a nation we are becoming more sedentary in our habits. We need every encouragement to take some exercise. It is not necessary that we all join a gymnasium or fitness centre. Apart from the expense, it can be very difficult to find the time. A brisk walk for 20 minutes during lunchtime will burn off some extra calories, and will also benefit the cardiovascular system. It is easy to forget the advantages of walking as a form of exercise. It can be fitted in at any time of the day. It requires no special clothing or equipment. It can be done anywhere, yet few of us see the possibilities for walking in our daily lives until some "exercise" initiative points them out.
There is another long-term spin-off from a regular walking routine. Exposing our children to such a routine can help inculcate an awareness of the advantages of exercise at an early stage, which can have lifelong benefits. - Yours, etc., Brian Kelleher,
Ballinteer, Dublin 16.