Fat, Obese, Exercise, Cancer, Vitamin C Crap

Can't locate the original sources for this story; nevertheless: under new government plans, primary schools will have to measure childrens' height and weight and send the details to their local health authority. They will then calculate the MBI (Body Mass Index) and send letters to the parents, informing them of the results. They will not be able to use words such as 'fat' or even 'obese' (or even 'exercise'). Story via the Guardian.

I had assumed that the use of the word 'obese' over the last decade was in itself a PC device to avoid the offence given by using 'fat'; and was, in fact, a clinical term. Even that seems not to be enough.

What's also interesting about this story is the fact that this legislation has not been announced or discussed anywhere. And that the primary schools, having collected the information on behalf of the PCTs (and presumably without any extra cash or support for the time involved) are not themselves informed as to the results. Although, obviously, if you're a teacher, you have a pretty good idea if any of your pupils are 'overweight'.

This is just another small intrusion of the state into peoples' lives - and to no point. Either parents are told directly that they are responsible for making their kids obese and ought to do something about it, or they're left to get on with it. Avoiding 'offence' by pissing around with semantics will achieve nothing.

"Cavendish added: "Use of the word obese shuts people down. They associate it with 10-tonne mums and half-tonne kids ... We have not banned it, but we have chosen not to use it. There's no point giving them a letter that does not have any impact on their behaviour.""

And there's that other bloody word again - 'impact'. Try using 'effect' more often; it's usually more accurate.

As for irresponsible journalists and 'miracle cure' stories: Vitamin C as a cancer cure has re-emerged again, this time in Maryland. Story via the Beeb. Vitamin C does not cure cancer, full stop. The eminent scientist Linus Pauling went off on a limb about this a couple of decades ago, claiming that Vitamin C cured the common cold AND cancer. So convinced was he of his (flawed) research that both he and his wife put themselves on a high-dose regime. Unfortunately they both died - of cancer.

'Alternative medicine practitioners have already administered high doses of intravenous ascorbate.' - that's almost proof in itself that this is bunkum.

What's annoying about this article, however, is the acknowledgement that, well, actually, there is no proof that Vitamin C cures or slows down cancer. What was the bloody point of running the story, then? Journalists must know the effect this kind of story has on the public, especially those diagnosed with cancer. It's irresponsible to present this nonsense as news.