Unhealthy

When a report takes a year to compile and its authors visit six cities around the world (at no small cost) in pursuit of evidence, we expect it to be reliable. The report on obesity by the Commons Health committee did a huge disservice to the medical profession and the public when it featured the shocking claim that a three-year-old had died of obesity. The child's death was actually the result of a genetic condition and the decision to include the tale in the report's introduction, without checking its veracity, was irresponsible. More than that, the committee has gravely damaged efforts to make Britain wake up to its obesity crisis.

When a report takes a year to compile and its authors visit six cities around the world (at no small cost) in pursuit of evidence, we expect it to be reliable. The report on obesity by the Commons Health committee did a huge disservice to the medical profession and the public when it featured the shocking claim that a three-year-old had died of obesity. The child's death was actually the result of a genetic condition and the decision to include the tale in the report's introduction, without checking its veracity, was irresponsible. More than that, the committee has gravely damaged efforts to make Britain wake up to its obesity crisis.