Could World War II style rationing help fight modern obesity?

With health experts already waging a war on obesity, a number of people are beginning to compare the healthier days of World War II style rationing, with our current obesity pandemic. On the 8th January 1940, the UK began to cut back on amenity expenditure in a bid to strengthen the war chest.

The system imposed by the Food Minister at the time; Lord Woolton, encompassed a ration book. It was focused on meat, cheese, butter, margarine, sugar and cooking fats.

Woolton also had an effective PR department which had been successful in educating the population of the importance of a healthy diet at the time. Although somewhat patronising by today’s standards, they thought up characters such as Doctor Carrot and Potato Pete. What was also different in the 40s was the fact that people pay heed to government schemes.

Modern comparisons

Although we have seen a reversal in modern times, with health organisations now calling for a reduction in the amount we eat, experts have been able to illustrate a number of paralells. The accredited author, Phillip Pullman told a newspaper that he was in favour of World War 2 style rationing if it were to benefit us as a society.

Although an interesting point, many are divided as to whether a similar scheme would help to tackle an obesity crisis which is now global. Equally, would society take to it and eat less? Famous TV Chef Marguerite Patten who was as wartime advisor for the Ministry of Food, believes that it won’t, claiming "There is no point in bringing back rationing, but there is in bringing back healthy eating and bringing back 'no waste'. That was one of the golden rules”-BBC, 09.

As a nation, we are currently in the grip of an obesity pandemic, with 32% of men and 29% of women having been diagnosed as obese in the UK alone, government schemes are arguably failing. Anybody suffering with a weight condition is advised to see a trained health practitioner who will be able, if deemed suitable, to prescribe treatments such as Xenical and Reductil, both of which have been proven to help treat serious weight conditions.