Making Money Out Of Fat People

GMTV (the UK's version of breakfast TV on a sofa) is pleasant and nice. All the presenters clean their teeth, have sex once a week never stooping to use pornography, and don't do anything to upset anyone ever. A couple of weeks ago, GMTV rounded up 5 fat people into a pen and took them off to a cold island off the Scottish coast. Called 'Fat Club' or something, they were packed off to a retreat at the expense of a variety of pharmaceutical and nutritional companies. The watching population sat at home tucking into its Frosties, and thanked God it wasn't them, patting its collective belly contentedly.

Tabloid supplements, celebrity supermarket magazines are up to it too - reproducing the same seared tuna and green bean recipes plus the exercise tips, week in week out. We're a fat nation, and there's money to be made from offering up a dream of getting thin from the comfort of armchair. God help us if we have to get up and do something about it.

So surprise surprise - GMTV's lead story at 7.30am this morning was a spin on the latest piece of research from UCL saying that being fat's all in the genes. They know their market well - just the thing to put a leaden-footed spring in the step of Britain's morbidly obese. Surprise, surprise - plenty of others have jumped on it too.

There seems to be a lot of people not really talking to each other. A joining up of all the hot air is required. Perhaps a celebrity chef, a scientist, a government minister and a cuddly breakfast TV show could for once - put commercial interests aside - and tackle the fact people are fat and getting fatter. Trouble is - people getting fatter is a nice little money earner. Why bother?