Local MSP Brian Whittle has challenged the First Minister to put improving the health of Scots at the heart of her agenda as Scotland deals with the legacy of the coronavirus pandemic.
During First Ministers Questions, Brian, the Scottish Conservative’s Shadow Health Minister, highlighted research that suggests people who are obese or suffer from conditions like diabetes are at greater risk of being seriously affected by Covid-19. The South Scotland MSP has long argued for a greater focus on early intervention to reduce the number of Scots diagnosed with preventable conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and respiratory conditions like COPD.
Now, Brian believes one legacy of the coronavirus outbreak must be that we redouble our efforts to help people live healthier lives. Scotland has long had a reputation for poor diet, excessive drinking and smoking which have given us some of the highest figures in Europe for a host of preventable conditions.
Whittle is a former Olympic athlete who has used much of his time in parliament to promote greater use of healthy local produce in schools and call for communities across Scotland to have more opportunities to take part in sport and physical activity.
Responding to Brian’s question, Nicola Sturgeon accepted his calls for greater efforts around prevention of illness and agreed that encouraging people to maintain a healthy weight and tackling obesity should be a priority in the future.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“Although being fit and healthy is no guarantee that viruses like Covid-19 won’t hit you hard, the evidence suggests that it can help you fight off the virus more effectively and improve your chances of avoiding the worst outcomes.
There many preventable conditions that can make you more vulnerable to other illnesses and we need to do more to tackle them. By reducing the number of people with preventable conditions, we not only improve their lives but also reduce the pressure on the NHS because fewer people need treatment; it’s a win, win.
I’m pleased the First Minister recognises the importance of this but her words in the Chamber need to be backed up by action. We’ve been talking about these issues in one way or another for years, but we haven’t don’t anything like enough to help people live healthier lives.”
