Healthy living laws 'inevitable' - Friends Prov

Government legislation to restrict unhealthy behaviours like smoking, drinking alcohol and eating fatty foods is inevitable if we are to retain a free NHS, according to a new report.

And it is also unavoidable that individuals will have to take a greater role in their own health, it adds.

Friends Provident's Visions of Britain 2020 indicates that the public recognise the need for penalties, but in spite of this they are not doing enough to look after themselves.

Almost half of those surveyed (45%) claim to support a minimum price on alcohol, 44% approve the introduction of a 'fat tax' and over a third (38%) agree that the NHS should not prioritise people that fail to look after their health.

However, this viewpoint does not chime with current behaviour as less than one in five claims to adhere to Government guidelines on calorie intake (18%) and exercise (19%), while just a third (34%) follow official guidelines on alcohol consumption.

And while three quarters (76%) of people believe they are responsible for their own health, this does not translate into healthy living.

Experts consulted in the report claim this apparent ambivalence to today's guidelines will force Government to take a new prescriptive approach, and could lead to an increased need for private healthcare.

Dr Sarah Brewer said: "We all know that we should follow a healthy low fat diet, eat at least 5-a day etc. But how many actually do anything about it? Unless an unhealthy diet and lifestyle is penalised in some way no-one will change."

Dr Patricia Macnair added: "There will be more responsibility on the individual to maintain their own health but there won't be a lot of money coming from the state to help people to do that. It will increasingly be up to them."

These views are supported by Trevor Matthews, chief executive officer of Friends Provident, who believes the public need to learn to look after themselves more or face paying the penalties.

"Our report reveals that there will be a fundamental and permanent change in the provision of free healthcare in the next decade," he said.

"The study identifies a disconnection between our aspirations for healthcare, and our behaviour. We all need to adopt healthier lifestyles or else risk being faced with penalties in the years ahead."