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.
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