Heart of the problem

The sidebar to your heart disease treatment cover story (“This is a game changer”, February 29) misses the point. The game changer would be if people were seriously informed about lifestyle choices.

Type 2 diabetes, unlike type 1, occurs well into a person’s life and the blame can be laid almost entirely on poor eating habits. Why is it that doctors treat the endgame without actively pursuing the reasons for the onset of the disease?

Doctors “hope” that new drugs will reduce the risk of heart disease for people with type 2 diabetes, but that’s not good enough. For these people, fewer deaths and a lower incidence of heart and kidney disease require just a few simple lifestyle changes.

Willow Alber
(Westport)

BRING BACK HELEN

Helen Clark’s strong and ethical leadership in dealing with Winston Peters in 2008, when she insisted he stand down as foreign minister, is in stark contrast to Jacinda Ardern’s weak response regarding Peters now (Editorial, February 15).

Clark gave a masterclass in political strategy this month when she ensured that Ardern and other ministers intervened over the RNZ Concert fiasco. If we want an effective prime minister who gets action, we should bring back Clark.

Greg Wilson
(Auckland)

NATURE, NURTURE AND OCD

The intricate dance between nature