Healthy Dividend: Real Incentive to Change your Lifestyle

The NHS in Britain has had to cope with the increasing costs of caring for Obesity and it's effects for generations. Unlike other significant burdens such as Cancer and Alzheimer's disease, Obesity is an affliction that can be stopped in it's tracks and tackled head on without the need for 20 years of research into a drug which will cost Big Pharma billions to develop and which the NHS may not even be able to afford.

It's time to be proactive about obesity, not reactive. For some it's easy, the will power to eat healthily and exercise regularly means they can maintain a healthy weight. Clearly, this isn't the case for everyone, lots of people attempt to lose weight and invest in many different avenues that promise a healthier "you" and they are unable to maintain that healthy weight.

A "Healthy Lifestyle Dividend" is a real incentive for people to eat healthily and exercise regularly, to reduce the burden Obesity and its effects places on our NHS.

I'm convinced this would not be seen as 'picking on fat people", rather rewarding people who lead a healthy lifestyle. The question is, what should the reward be? What is the incentive? And how do you track how healthy people are in real time?

The dividend could simply be a grant of perhaps £1000 over a certain period of time, let's say 5 years. At the start of a 5 year period a health check is undertaken on the participant to establish whether the grant is appropriate. If it is the opinon of healthcare professionals that the participant will benefit significantly from the scheme (and hence will become healthier and reduce their potential cost to the NHS) they are accepted.

Regular health and fitness checks will be required to ensure participants remain focused on living a healthier lifestyle for the scheme to work. 

The main gain here for the NHS would be the effect on Diabetes, heart disease and Cancers. Those are the expensive afflictions which the scheme will make money on. Potentially a huge saving if used correctly.

Do I want a Religious funeral?

I don't often ponder what my last moments will be, how I will die or what my funeral will be like. But a recent family bereavement got me thinking. If I live my life as an atheist, contribute to my university atheist society and hopefully actively support atheism in the future.. Do I really want my funeral to be dictated by religious tradition? Do I want Christian hymns sung and Christian prayers spoken by a vicar whose views I would have ridiculed? (If I were alive).

The answer is of course "NO". The thought of my family and friends singing random hymns that are so general in sentiment they could and do apply to everyone who has ever lived is a bit scary actually. I really don't want that to happen.

If it did happen I'd want the vicar to tell everyone how important atheism is to me, much like religion is to others I suppose. He would also say that I didnt love/respect a god, but perhaps I loved the fact that I don't have to love/respect any higher power. I did my own thing. I believed in myself and was supported by the immediate people around me, not an almighty deity forged from ancient scripture.

The atheist snob in me would also demand that the vicar tell everyone how irrational religion is and that despite the emotional healing capacity of praying during mourning that is no reason to praise any God. I wonder if a vicar would do this.

I respect that my family may want a normal Christian funeral and I suppose I'd be dead at the time so it wouldn't affect me too much! I'd like to be remembered as an atheist though and cringey Christian hymns are not my style. (And never will be).

So it seems I may have to pre-order an atheist funeral where everyone sings songs chosen by me. My funeral hymn sheet will read:

Songs:
Bangarang by Skrillex.
World's Away by Jebediah (Lockie Leonard theme tune).

Then: Will's views on religion, family, friends, career (hopefully), hobbies.

Instead of a prair, maybe a personal message to my family would mean more.

Then everyone walks out to either "Eye of the Tiger" or "Geekin'"by Will.i.am.

I haven't decided yet.

Weight Watchers - lifestyle support or exploitation?

At first thoughts, a large serving of both.

Having convenient Weight Watchers ready meals with reduced sugar/salt/calorie content is really helpful. Part of the cause of someone being overweight may be simply a busy lifestyle that dictates their diet. Fast food/ready meals and prepackaged lunches etc. Classically high in salt and fat. Hence, a relatively exciting and healthy ready meal option is where Weight Watchers have done well in my opinion.

I also appreciate the work they do on a community level. Having Weight Watchers employees to talk to about your diet/lifestyle and being a member of a club is obviously going to improve an individuals ability to stick to a healthier lifestyle. (More healthy foods, more exercise etc).

There's always a catch... Weight Watchers charge £10.70 upon registration and members must pay £6.25 per weekly meeting. At first glance, not extortionate.

However, I dont think it is fair to charge any amount of money for what should be readily available - healthy, cheap food and a supportive environment which encourages a healthy lifestyle. Of course these things are the luxury of an ideal world and if they were accessible to all there would be no need for a company like Weight Watchers. So what's the issue?!?

It isn't so much the cost of the services companies like WW provide, it is the overriding principle that angers me. For instance, many families, often young (but not always) may be priced out of the services weight watchers provide in addition to the fact healthy fresh food is expensive anyway. It's this "pricing out" of the poorest in our society that is wrong about the WW set up.

The wider issue regarding affordable fresh food is both a serious and frankly farcical one. In the year 2014 the UK cannot ensure it's people can ALL afford healthy fresh food. It's a disgrace.

WW clearly is catering for people who can afford these payments. Perhaps WW should make clear to the public that fresh fruit and veg, excercise and a healthy lifestyle are all things that can be accessed without PAYING US your money and that WW also offers a supportive environment which you may not have at home. (And which has proved effective)

Not a slick business plan, but consumers deserve absolute honesty.