Columnist Murray Campbell is remarkably perceptive in noting that lifestyle
approaches to health promotion cost governments little, divert attention
from more important public policy issues, and aim to give the impression
that governments care about the health of their citizens (The provincial
nanny's not in your face -- yet, January 7).  What he did not note is that
all community medicine graduates at the University of Toronto -- and
Provincial medical officer of health Basrur was one -- are taught that
there are profound ethical and moral issues related to governments
espousing "lifestyle" or behavioural approaches to health, that the
evidence of their effectiveness is limited to say the least, and that these
approaches can lead to further stigmatizing of citizens already
marginalized by political., economic, and social policies.  In the end, the
evidence is clear that these exhortations to choose healthy lifestyles do
little to promote health.  Dr. Basrur -- and her political masters at
Queen's Park -- should be ashamed.

   Dennis Raphael, Ph.D.
   Associate Professor & Undergraduate Programme Director
   School of Health Policy & Management
   Atkinson Faculty of Liberal & Professional Studies
   York University
   4700 Keele St.
   Toronto ON M3J 1P3
   Ph: 416-465-7455
   E-mail: [log in to unmask]
   Website: http://www.atkinson.yorku.ca/draphael

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