‘What Support?’ Maltese People Raise Concern For Lack Of State Aid For Weight Loss

1. Not many were aware of the help offered by the government

“I am not aware of any support coming from the Maltese government, and I’ve searched and asked around.” And according to some, “supporting the people of Malta should be the government’s responsibility.”

Only a handful of the respondents were aware of aid offered by the state. And those that weren’t were very vociferous about their having been ‘cast aside’ by the authorities.

“Absolutely not! They don’t promote anything health-related. And I even follow the social account of the superintendent of public health!”

Short of referrals to nutritionists, often done in the private healthcare sector, there was little else done to motivate rather than educate the public on weight loss.

“More awareness is needed, and more incentives and opportunities such as free gyms and pool memberships.”

“There isn’t a lot of information centred around losing weight. I lost weight only after doing the research myself.”

2. Addressing the rising cost of living should be at the top of the state’s agenda

“The government has yet to address the rising cost of living,” remarked one respondent. “So long as junk food is cheaper than healthy food, I will continue to eat junk food.”

Healthy food in Malta was not only deemed ‘not accessible’, but the double whammy of being inaccessible and unaffordable left Malta’s society with little option as far as food choice goes.

“Prices are increasing every day, making it harder to be healthy.”

3. Others said that living healthily should be ‘a personal responsibility’

“Why should the government support you? It’s your health, after all.”

Less than 10% of respondents said that the government shouldn’t have to combat obesity by conjuring incentives and schemes and that eating right should be each person’s responsibility.

“I don’t expect the state to offer support,” said one respondent. “Why should I pay tax for an issue that is entirely self-inflicted? It’s not fair on taxpayers.”

“You should want to take care of yourself and your health.”

4. So, if the government is not doing enough, then what should change?

The cost of living

Of the 460 respondents who answered this question, the appeal was that the state addresses the rising cost of living “effective immediately”.

Persons who took the survey said that the prices of food should be lower and even that the financial burdens to produce fresh, home-grown produce from farms be reduced.

“The government should stand shoulder-to-shoulder with farmers and help them by any means necessary. If they produce healthy food, we should support them.”

Respondents also remarked that government support should motivate people to lean towards more physical activity. After all, 72% of the Maltese are sedentary.

“There should be free, readily available gym memberships and aerobic classes. If not free, then at least at reduced fees. There should also be more practical info on losing weight because eating well and moving go hand in hand.”

“If anything, they should tax unhealthy foods and make fruit and vegetables cheaper to buy.”

“Maybe instead of giving €100 cheques before an election, we should get a gym membership and free consultations with professionals.”

The culture

Generally speaking, the Maltese know which foods fall under the umbrella of ‘healthy eating’. All that remains, however, is willpower.

There were other interesting ideas: “what about education on how healthy eating can be made tastier?”

“It has to start with educating youngsters at school. The government must educate them about food and physical education and help overweight kids understand that it could mean trouble for them down the line.”

The working life

“Our full time should be less than 40 hours per week, what time is left to exercise if I work all the time?”

Though with the reduction of weekly working hours being a long shot, others appealed to the state for the inclusion of breaks specifically designed for physical activity.

“They should reduce the working week to a four-day-week or 30-hour-week, to give more time to meal plan, prepare, exercise, and lead a more balanced lifestyle.”

The environment and public transport

“I would like to walk more, but there are no outdoor places to walk or run safely. It’s buildings and construction sites everywhere you look.”

Public transport was also a factor, with many relishing the dream of one-day making use of a transport system reliable enough to get rid of their respective cars. By doing so, they would walk more often.

“The government should promote walking in city centres, create a better infrastructure for running and biking, and take care of the environment to actually motivate people to want to get out!”

Where do we go from here?

57% of the respondents said that they are obviously overweight. Be it by weight, Body Mass Index (BMI), or by having a large gut.

However, 80% of 453 respondents said that they are ready to lose weight.

The desire to lose weight was mostly seen in persons over the age of 50, with many of them saying that their own experiences with chronic disease was the only motivation they had to lose weight.

Among the younger, it was not a lack of knowledge that held them back but rather a lack of motivation to take action.

What could the government do to motivate the Maltese to lose weight?