Large in New Zealand
From the
UK Independent:
'Obese' migrant told to lose weight before making move
With years of experience as a submarine cable specialist behind him, Richie Trezise was looking forward to emigrating from Britain and using his skills to help New Zealand beat its brain drain. He had been headhunted by one of the country's biggest companies and was all set to begin a new life with his wife, Rowan.
There was a slight hitch, however. After Mr Trezise went to his GP for a medical, immigration officials told him he did not meet New Zealand's health requirements because he was too fat. The 35-year-old Welshman failed its body mass index (BMI) test, which measures the proportion of body fat to a person's height and weight. Mr Trezise's BMI was 42, classifying him as morbidly obese under immigration guidelines.
He was told he would have to slim before he was allowed in on an employer-backed skilled migrant visa.
"My doctor laughed at me. He said he'd never seen anything more ridiculous in his whole life. He said not every overweight person is unhealthy or unfit," said Mr Trezise, who plays rugby and used to be in the Army.
And the reason:
Robyn Toomath, an endocrinologist, of the New Zealand campaign group Fight the Obesity Epidemic, said the country could not afford to admit migrants who would be a drain on health services. "You can see the logic in assessing if there is a significant health cost associated with this individual, and that would be a reason for them not coming," she said.
Now this is a bit ridiculous. Some petty bureaucrat with too much time on their hands devises this utopian granfaloon and manages to get it implemented. Now, New Zealand cannot get critical people because they might be a bit larger than your average Kiwi.
NZ's problem isn't the morbid obesity of its immigrants, it is the morbid obesity of their government...
Posted by DaveH at November 16, 2007 8:43 PM