Pierre Dukan, the nutritionist behind the popular but controversial Dukan diet, has suggested that France tackle child obesity by giving extra exam marks for slimness.
Dukan, who has sold eight million copies of his diet book worldwide, made the proposal in a 250-page book called An Open Letter to the Future President, which he sent out to 16 candidates for France’s presidential election.
The plan calls for high school students to be allowed to take a so-called “ideal weight” option in their final year exams, the “baccalaureat,” under which they would earn extra points if they kept a body mass index (BMI) of between 18 and 25.
Those already overweight at the start of the two-year course would score double points if they managed to slim down over a period of two years.
“It’s a fantastic motivator,” Dukan told Reuters.
“The baccalaureat is really important in France. Kids want to get it, their parents want them to even more, so why not get them to work together on nutrition?”
Dukan has earned an international reputation as diet guru to the stars, although his methods have drawn criticism from some health experts and weightwatchers who say his high-protein meal plan causes fatigue, bad breath and dizziness.
Source: www.news.yahoo.com/PARIS (Reuters)
