header-logo header-logo

The obesity time bomb

24 January 2008 / Jennifer James
Issue: 7305 / Categories: Opinion , Public , Human rights , Community care
printer mail-detail

Health

The Insider has followed with interest the recent news stories about the state of the nation’s waistlines. We are apparently on the way to becoming the fat man of Europe and considering that would put us ahead of countries like France and Italy, where the natives have a reputation for enjoying their food and drink—and have food and drink worth enjoying—or the Germans, who basically eat animal fat washed down with carbohydrates in an alcohol suspension, that is saying something.

 

The law as a profession does tend to attract its fair share of corpulent practitioners, to say nothing of those who join the profession all svelte and lithe and end up after a few short years of dinners in the Inn—or à deux with the hottie who fixes the photocopier—and several seasons of binge drinking that would put Robert Newton to shame, resembling nothing so much as the Goodyear Blimp. Indeed, I have sat at table in Middle Temple alongside at least one barrister of such heroic proportions

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
Robert Taylor of 360 Law Services warns in this week's NLJ that adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) risks entrenching disadvantage for SME law firms, unless tools are tailored to their needs
The Court of Protection has ruled in Macpherson v Sunderland City Council that capacity must be presumed unless clearly rebutted. In this week's NLJ, Sam Karim KC and Sophie Hurst of Kings Chambers dissect the judgment and set out practical guidance for advisers faced with issues relating to retrospective capacity and/or assessments without an examination
Delays and dysfunction continue to mount in the county court, as revealed in a scathing Justice Committee report and under discussion this week by NLJ columnist Professor Dominic Regan of City Law School. Bulk claims—especially from private parking firms—are overwhelming the system, with 8,000 cases filed weekly
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
back-to-top-scroll