Olympian Turned Politician Appears to Praise North Korea and Cuba for Handling of Obesity
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Two-time Olympic rowing medalist and aspiring politician James Cracknell said during an interview with Sky News on Tuesday that North Korea and Cuba were examples of countries that had obesity under control, explains the Blaze.
“If you think of the two countries of the world that have got a handle on obesity, what do you think they are? Which two countries?” he asked the co-hosts of the show. Before waiting for an answer from the co-hosts next to him, Cracknell continued, “North Korea and Cuba. See, they are quite controlling on behavioral change — you have to get people to buy into it.”
The Sky News‘ Jonathan Samuels was visibly stunned by the premise, and had to try to gauge the seriousness of Cracknell. He retorted, “Well, people are starving in North Korea, aren’t they? They’re not obese because they haven’t got any food.”
Cracknell brushed off the comment and kept going.
“Exactly. But there were sanctions and everything else — the example is, it’s behavioral change,” he said.
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According to the Blaze, Cracknell is planning to run for Parliament in 2020 as a member of the Conservative Party, and hopes to make government crackdown of obesity a central issue in his platform.
The leaders of North Korea and Cuba, both Communist regimes, have a history of depriving their citizens of food while spending millions of dollars of luxury items for its own members of government and military programs, explained the Blaze.
Following his appearance with Sky News, Cracknell took to twitter to try to explain that he was “citing as examples of intervention controlling/influencing behavioral change [sic] funnily enough not the route the U.K. adopts.”
Other is Cuba, citing as examples of intervention controlling/influencing behavioural change funnily enough not the route the U.K. adopts https://t.co/PLfun8t1x3
— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) April 18, 2017
He continued to tweet, admitting his poor communication of the issue.
On @SkyNews discussing obesity & influence that the state can/cannot effect behavioural change USA most obese Cuba least, UK needs own path
— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) April 18, 2017
Thanks, criticism well deserved. Sad a crass comment created more reaction than effect Non Communicable Disease will have on future of NHS https://t.co/reoTz1A7Di
— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) April 18, 2017
Stupid analogy deserved criticism. Most obese country US least Cuba. FMCGs defining policy (US) horrendous dictatorship (Cuba/NK) both wrong https://t.co/reoTz1A7Di
— James Cracknell (@jamescracknell) April 18, 2017
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