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Nearly a third of children in Scotland are obese or at risk of being overweight.

It is a major public health issue, with children in the poorest areas of the country most likely to be fat.

For years, political parties have agreed that action must be taken to encourage youngsters to exercise more – particularly those in deprived communities.

So what has Glasgow’s SNP-run council decided to do?

Scrap free swimming for children in the city.

It’s a retrograde step that threatens to result in less exercise for kids being brought up in poverty.

Of course, ultimately it’s the SNP Government who are imposing draconian cuts on local authorities that force

councillors to make such budget savings.

(Image: Daily Record)

But don’t hold your breath for an SNP councillor to challenge Nicola Sturgeon about Glasgow’s budget settlement.

The First Minister said last week that “obesity is a serious public health issue which cannot be ignored”.

While her pledge to tackle junk food promotions is something we can all get on board with, her headline-grabbing idea was a proposal to ban two-for-one pizza deals.

It’s pretty pointless to ban pizza, First Minister, if your councillors are going to ban free swimming as well.

Two-for-one pizza deals aren’t about stuffing your face with extra pizza.

Who sits down on their own and eats two pizzas?

It’s about a couple or a family saving money on a treat.

If the pizzas are from a takeaway they could be feeding a family of four.

If they’re from a supermarket, one might go in the freezer.

(Image: Media Scotland)

Tory and SNP austerity is hurting working households across the country.

Wages have not risen with inflation, particularly in the public sector.

People hunt out a bargain.

The debate about tackling Scotland’s obesity epidemic needs a much more serious approach.

Banning two-for-one pizzas will have no impact when the fridge is still full of processed meats and sugary drinks.

In 2009, Labour MSP Richard Simpson, a GP for nearly 30 years before entering politics, proposed a Bill in Parliament to prohibit the sale of food with a trans fat content exceeding one per cent – mirroring the law in Denmark.

His idea was to build on the public health improvements seen with the smoking ban and the introduction of free fruit for schools and nurseries.

The aim was to largely eliminate the consumption of industrial trans fats – so-called “Frankenstein fats” – and reduce cholesterol levels and the number of deaths due to coronary heart disease.

Most trans fats, which have no nutritional benefits, come from processed foods such as biscuits, cereals, cakes, pastries and chips.

The idea was backed by medical experts, and those at the launch left vowing to never eat a sausage roll ever again.

It was a serious proposal with a serious aim.

But it failed to get cross-party support, with the SNP ensuring the Bill could not proceed.

Rather than daft gimmicks such as banning pizza deals, the Scottish Government should be examining what meaningful action could be taken to end the obesity epidemic.