Pay obese to lose weight, Australian doctors urge

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2007

SYDNEY (AFP) — Overweight people should be paid to attend weight-loss programmes to reduce the impact the growing obesity epidemic is having on the healthcare system, a group of Australian doctors said Wednesday.

Obesity has more than doubled in Australia in the last 20 years and is placing an uncomfortable strain not only on waistlines but on health services, the Australian General Practice Network said.

To combat the spiralling problem, it wants the government to give the overweight a 170 dollar (141 dollar US) subsidy to do something about their expanding physique.

The network, which represents general practitioners, said effective weight-loss programmes were often too expensive, particularly for those with modest incomes.

"We believe that this...