MANY readers will be shocked by your report New Scales Needed: Patients too big to weigh (May 28).

In it you say that dieticians in Swindon need to invest in an extra dozen heavy-duty scales to weigh the growing numbers of morbidly obese patients, as existing scales only weigh up to 25 stone, some patients are 30 stone or more.

This situation is not surprising when the Commons Health Select Committee Report found that bad diet is a major national problem.

Children are ruthlessly exploited by pressurised advertising to consume processed foods high in fats, sugar and salt.

Sedentary lifestyles and over dependence on the car are ruining young as well as older lives. Clearly it is time to take firm measures to ensure the nation has a healthy diet and that the consumption of junk, convenient food is reduced in favour of more whole food and a major increase in the production and consumption of healthy organic food.

Also, a major look at individual lifestyles and reducing the dependency on the motor vehicle is steadily becoming more urgent.

BILL HUGHES

Goddard Avenue