"Drastic path to slimming down" was an appropriate headline for the article regarding Sen. Clegg's proposal to require health insurers to cover bariatric surgery (Monitor front page, March 4).

There are two issues here. First, government thinks it can solve our problems through regulation and mandates. It seems ironic that the solution for helping us get thinner is for government to get fatter through more regulation. The requirement to insurers does not happen in a vacuum. You are not just sticking it to the big bad insurance companies. There is no free lunch - everybody pays. What's next, requiring insurance companies to cover Jennie Craig and Weight Watchers?

Second is the issue of personal responsibility. Who is responsible for an overweight, unhealthy population? Is someone standing over you with a gun, forcing you to shove double cheeseburgers and fries down your throat?

I know there wasn't in my case. It was my poor choices that led to being 80-plus pounds overweight, with high blood pressure and blood sugar issues. In a vast majority of cases, these same poor choices are being made by those considering surgery.

Bariatric surgery is not a panacea that is going to solve the obesity challenge we are facing. It is a serious surgery that may be appropriate for a very small percentage of the population. It requires serious behavior modification and lifestyle change to be successful, as do more conventional methods of weight loss.

I do have a personal interest in this issue. I lost those 80 pounds; my blood pressure and sugars are normal. I did it through good nutritional choices, regular exercise, self-discipline and hard work. As a physical preparation consultant, I now work with clients with similar weight-loss challenges. I am not insensitive to those who struggle with being overweight and unhealthy; these challenges can take a real toll on a person, physically and emotionally. Helping people overcome these challenges and get on the road to health and wellness is my passion.

We must tell people the truth. Pills, potions, lotions, ab-blasters and, in most cases, surgery are not the answer. Each of us is responsible for our actions. Educate yourself about what you are putting in your mouth. Get off the couch and get your body moving. Seek help from a professional if you need it. You must take action; nobody can do it for you.

I applaud Sen. Clegg for his weight loss and for striving to live a healthier lifestyle. If he had to do it over again, would he rather have stayed healthy to begin with? After all, it was his choice.

(Dean Carlson lives in Epsom.)