The obesity problem as a challenge to liberal political theory

Spread of obesity and diseases that it causes brought to justified warnings of an epidemic. Author starts from classical liberal differentiation between self regarding and others regarding acts, and then raises the issue of the possible liberal approach to obesity problem. He presents real causes of the obesity, and proceeds with two different visions of contemporary liberalism: one, abstract, which doesn’t pay attention to context in which we have to draw the line between self and others regarding acts, and second, advanced, responsible liberalism of contemporary liberal democratic state which cares a lot about the context, including international one. From the first perspective state would be obliged not to interfere in overweight problems of its citizens. From the second it would be forced to do so for many substantial reasons. Although author justifies right and even duty of the state to deal with obesity problem, he insists that for the time being it is mostly reacting in wrong way: since idea of individual autonomy is not perceived in adequate way, state reacts to the consequences and not to the causes of the problem.