BBC News: Personal responsibilty health agenda welcomed

The stress on personal responsibility for health is being welcomed by experts - but they warn people still need some help in improving their lifestyles.

Ministers have been vocal about the need for people to take charge of changing their own behaviour instead of relying on state intervention.

Experts have backed this stance, saying attempts by the previous government were "too bureaucratic".

But they said help was still needed over work, housing and education.

Unlike the NHS, the coalition government has yet to set out in detail what it wants to do on issues such as obesity, smoking, drinking and drug abuse.

'Lecturing'

However, ministers have attracted attention for some outspoken comments.

Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has criticised the "lecturing" nature of some of the interventions that accompanied Jamie Oliver's TV shows on school dinners.

And this week public health minister Anne Milton said doctors should use the term fat rather than obese.

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