Apparently we just can’t have nice things, because there has been a call to ban snacking on public transport in the UK after researchers found it could help combat rising rates of childhood obesity.
A report, published by England’s chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies, recommends that eating and drinking while on urban buses, trams and trains should be banned to counter unhealthy eating habits.
The ban would be applied to adults as well as children and the report states there would be exceptions for drinking water, breastfeeding and anyone who has a medical requirement to eat.
Social media users have complained about the suggestion, claiming that the ban would be inconvenient for people lead busy lives who need to ‘eat on the go.’ There’s also the fact that the best part of a long train trip is tucking into a biccie or two.
However, Davies’ report also makes a bunch of other very valid points that, if implemented, sound like they could help quell the obesity epidemic.
Other recommendations include letting children grow up “free from marketing, signals and incentives to consume healthy food and drinks,” invest in environments that create opportunities for children to be active and healthy, and making better use of data and technology to help change the future.
Keep in mind this suggestion has only been made for UK residents, and the report was written by Davies who is the country’s outgoing chief medical officer – so there’s no confirmation it will ever go ahead.
However, we do have similar issues going on in our own backyard that need addressing. According to the Heart Foundation, one in four Queensland children is overweight or obese, and about 60% do not get enough physical activity.
Perhaps it’s a matter of baby steps and we start by banning stinky food and other gross behaviour from public transport first. The commuters who insist on eating boiled eggs and trimming their toenails on the train are first on the list.