Give slim students extra marks, says French diet guru

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 book worldwide, made the proposal in a 250-page book called An Open Letter to the Future President, which he sent out yesterday to 16 candidates for France’s presidential election.

The plan calls for secondary 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 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.

“It’s a fantastic motivator,” Dukan said.

“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?”

Weight gain is becoming an increasing problem in France and experts say sedentary lifestyles and poor nutrition are to blame.

World Health Organisation figures show 50.7% of the population were overweight in 2010, including 18.2% classed as obese.

“There’s a real problem. Since the 1960s, the number of overweight people in France has risen from 500,000 to 22 million and it’s going up every year,” Dukan said. “When you reach those levels, it’s no longer a health problem, it becomes a political problem, and the leaders of the nation need to worry about it.”

As well as the suggestion for students, Dukan’s book contains a further 119 suggestions on ways to fight obesity. One idea is the creation of a French fast-food restaurant serving more nutritional versions of burgers and fries.

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.