Model introduction and first body paragraph
It is often argued that providing more sports facilities is the most effective way to improve the health of the population. While easy access to gyms and swimming pools certainly encourages some people to take regular exercise, I would argue that diet plays a far greater role in long-term well-being, so building facilities alone would have only a limited impact.
The main reason for my view is that the most widespread health problems today are closely linked to what people eat. Heart disease and type 2 diabetes, for instance, pose a serious threat to millions of people, and the excessive consumption of sugar and processed food is one of their main risk factors. A new swimming pool will do little to address this issue if residents continue to rely on cheap fast food. Governments would therefore achieve better results by imposing a tax on sugary drinks or by raising awareness of healthy eating in schools. Such measures tackle the root cause of the problem rather than one of its symptoms.