Choosing Health? A consultation on improving people’s health
The government carried out a consultation on the role that individuals and organisations can play in improving people’s health and produced a document called Choosing Health - Making Healthy Choices Easier.
The BBC conducted a poll on the Choosing Health consultation.
(The consultation was not a scientific poll. People were asked to answer questions by phone or online. A total of 9,479 people responded).
The BBC poll found the following:
Almost three-quarters of people (73%) who responded to a BBC survey wanted a ban on smoking in all public places as a way to cut tobacco-related illness.
There was also strong support (81%) for a ban on fast food and sweet adverts on television when children are watching.
Some 72% of respondents said crisps; chocolates and fizzy drinks machines should be banned from all school premises.
Two-thirds (65%) said that bottles of alcohol should carry a government health warning.
The BBC survey found a lower level of support for the idea of an additional tax on high fat foods - however, this was still favoured by 54% of respondents.
Sexual health
In the arena of sexual health 60% of those who took part in the consultation said that regular, mandatory screening for sexually transmitted infections should not be provided by the NHS for all adults over the age of 16.
However, a higher proportion of those aged 24 and under supported screening (53%) than those aged over 55 (43%).
Nearly two thirds of respondents (64%) said condoms should be freely available on demand to all secondary school pupils.
Again those aged 24 and under were more supportive (72%) than those aged 55 plus (39%).
Despite widespread support for action to combat issues such as smoking and obesity, there was little backing for the idea that people should be penalised for contributing to their own ill health.
Just one third (33%) said that patients whose medical condition can be linked to smoking, drinking or obesity should be given a lower priority for treatment.
Further information is available at the Department of Health website:
Choosing Health -Making Healthy Choices Easier
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