WE cannot condemn out of hand anything which may improve the diet of the people of Wales, more than half of whom are overweight or obese.

But some of the details in the launch of the Great Welsh Food Debate smack of a government trying to interfere in people's lives and choices.

There is no hint yet of how much this three-month public consultation will cost but given that a roadshow is to travel the length and breadth of Wales it won't come cheap.

Of course people are eating unhealthily in this country. According to the latest research more than half of the population of Wales is overweight, with nearly a fifth classed as obese.

But we fail to see how the injection of a large amount of government funding will drastically change that, any more than healthy eating advice has changed much over the past 25 years.

Of course the Welsh Food debate is not just about improving health but also about providing new markets for Welsh farmers and food producers by encouraging schools, hospitals and the like to buy local food.

All well and good, although our concern here is that price has to be a factor, otherwise local tax-payers will be left with a hefty bill.

The key to improving diet and subsequently the health of Wales is to improve the economic standing of the majority of residents.

In our view that is where the Assembly should be concentrating its energies.

In every survey on healthy eating wealth is one of the key indicators with people on low incomes tending to have the worst diets.

Boosting the economy by attracting inward investment and creating jobs is the single quickest way to improving the health of the population.