It has been suggested that since people choose to smoke and choose what they eat and drink and whether they take any exercise, that the ill health caused by factors such as smoking and obesity is a matter of personal choice and not an issue of social justice or a concern of national government. However, lifestyle ‘choices’ are influenced and to a large extent limited by the social, economic and environmental conditions in which they live.

The following examples illustrate this. People’s level of physical activity is an important determinant of how long they will live and how long they will have a healthy life.