Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/321747
maltatoday, SUNDAY, 1 JUNE 2014 News 7 MIRIAM DALLI THE numerous campaigns launched over the years in the hope of tackling an ever-increasingly obese and over- weight population have yet to pro- duce concrete results. Malta can boast of the dubious honour of having the highest levels of obesity in Western Europe, as one study after another has continued to show. According to the latest study pub- lished in the Lancet, 74% of men and 58% of women in Malta are over- weight or obese. According to the latest study, not a single country achieved success in reducing obesity rates in the last three decades, and obesity is expect- ed to continue rising steadily. In a bid to tackle this issue, the parliamentary secretary for health is planning subsidised gym member- ship for overweight individuals. In comments to MaltaToday, a spokesperson for parliamentary sec- retary Chris Fearne said the Health Ministry was taking the situation "very seriously". "The parliamentary secretariat, to- gether with the parliamentary secre- tary for sports, will soon be issuing a call for gyms across the island to participate in an initiative to provide subsidised gym memberships for overweight individuals. This will be done as part of a holistic program for individuals to achieve weight con- trol," a spokesperson said. The health ministry was also seek- ing collaboration with the Ministry for Education to improving access to healthy diets for school children. The government however has no plans to tax fast foods, nor to subsi- dise healthy food. This was originally suggested by GP Daniel Sammut, co- author of 'Audit of the diagnosis and management of adult obesity in a Maltese general practice'. The study appeared in the Malta Medical Jour- nal last year. Leading a healthy lifestyle also means eating healthy food such as fresh fruit and vegetables and fish. However, it transpires that not every household affords to eat healthily on a daily basis. According to data issued by the National Statistics Office in January 2014, some 13% of households could not afford to eat a meal with chicken, meat, fish or a vegetarian equivalent every second day. It is estimated that treating Mal- ta's obesity problem could cost the country's coffers up to €35 million by 2020. Estimates released earlier this year by the health ministry showed that the country could save €3 mil- lion a year in healthcare costs if 4.3% of obese people lost enough weight to be classified as overweight. Fast-food consumption not necessarily the culprit Personal trainer Jovan Reljic blames poor dietary habits and lack of exer- cise for Malta's obesity rates. "For many years, many have been quick to attribute rapid increases in child obesity rates to fast-food consumption as the root cause. Yet, studies have uncovered a more complex problem: poor all-day-long dietary habits and lack of exercise," Reljic said. He argued that the biggest issue may not be the odd fast-food meal, but the increasing amount of proc- essed foods and sweetened beverages available in our homes, consumed by our children without much thought. "Children in particular are spend- ing more time at home, in front of their computer screens, on their smart phones and playing video games… and most likely snacking while doing so." He explained that the repercus- sions of this were quite drastic. A very problematic "energy balance" – less energy expenditure and a sharp rise in energy intake by way of empty calories – is giving rise to the obesity epidemic. Processed foods such as crisps hold very little nutritional value and high amounts of calories. Even the way Western society is changing leaves an impact. Accord- ing to Reljic, the solution may not lie in simply taxing fast food, but rather to actively create educational cam- paigns and increase awareness among parents. "Parents must realise how damaging certain food is. Sometimes parents are side-tracked by hectic working hours which almost always leads to conven- ience: for example, the soft drink they just gave their child comes in a larger bottle than they used to consume in their youth… and contains a whop- ping 45 grams of sugar." JAMES DEBONO HUNTERS who own a building within the Majjistral Park will be al- lowed to keep their weapons locked in their own property. Presently the law forbids anyone from keeping any weapon used for hunting in the Majjistral park after 10.00am during the hunting season. Therefore, anyone who was keep- ing weapons in any building located in the park was technically in breach of the law. But the legal notice has been changed to accommodate hunters who can keep such weapons locked in a building within the premises of the same park. The aim of the new regulations is to grant an exemption to persons hunting within the boundaries of the Majjistral, Nature and History Park to store unloaded firearms or other weapons, ammunition or equipment used for hunting in locked-up com- partments in buildings located with- in precincts of the Majjistral, Nature and History Park. Hunters will only be allowed to store weapons in locked up compart- ments in buildings, which they "law- fully possess". Hunting in the park has been a long standing issue, and in 2009 an online petition calling for it to be banned at- tracted over 1,000 supporters in less than a week. The previous government had originally proposed a hunting curfew after 9am, but failed to enforce it. A Legal Notice issued last year banned hunting in the park prior to two hours before sunrise and after 10am. Hunters will only be allowed to store weapons in locked up compartments Subsidised gym memberships for overweight individuals Hunters to be allowed to keep weapons inside Majjistral park Operational Programme II - Cohesion Policy 2007-2013 Empowering People for More Jobs and a Better Quality of Life The Project is part-!nanced by the European Union European Social Fund (ESF) Co-!nancing rate: 85% EU Funds; 15% National Funds Investing in your future +)$- *+-(+ "#, #, "&&(! -) && '*&)2+, 0") -"#(% -"- -"2 '2 ()- )#(! ,.6#(- 2 02 ) )+*)+- )#& ,*)(,##&#-2 ( -(' 0#-" )-"+ (-#)(& 5)+-, -) +- ')+ #+ )#-2 #( &- -" '*&)2'(- ( +#(#(! )+*)+-#)( #, )''#-- -) ')-#/- ( ,.**)+- /.&(+& *+,)(, -) 3( ( +-#( '*&)2'(- ,." -"- -"2 #(+, -"#+ )0( #(*(( ( +!#( ,(, ) #!(#-2 (2 ,." *+)!+'' '.,- (,,+#&2 #(&. ,")+- *+-#& '*&)2'(- -+#(#(! *+#)4 - #, #( -"#, )(-1- -"- 0 + ,%#(! 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