It may not be practical to blanket ban sugary drinks, but a phasing out, or a reasonable balance between sugar hits, healthier drinks and just plain water would help.

We must encourage healthy options in our schools, such as healthy breakfasts, more physical activity and healthier school canteen options.

We also expect our politicians to approach this vital issue with a better mind set and a good dose of bipartisanship than simply reverting to type.

A few years ago the previous state government had to be dragged screaming to a national policy of two hours minimum PE in schools.

On Monday, in response to the sugary drink policy by Labor health spokeswoman Rebecca White, the Health Minister Michael Ferguson dismissed it as "nanny statism at its worse."

No minister, just ask your colleague and parliamentary secretary Guy Barnett, an authority on obesity, who in 2013 advocated the removal of school vending machines where healthy options are not available. Sounds similar to Ms White's phasing out sugary drinks.

As a Liberal candidate in 2013 the former senator reminded us that Tasmania recorded the worse outcomes of all states, while obesity among children had worsened from one in five to one in three.

He said obesity cost Tasmania $1 billion a year, while hospital admission rates in Tasmania had increased by 40 per cent over the previous nine years.

We have the nation's highest obesity rates, highest smoking rates, highest diabetes rates while physical activity is well below national standards.

It is puzzling that Mr Ferguson would be flat out managing our ballooning health costs and yet is so dismissive of preventative health measures, simply because they came from the other side.

Ms White's ideas are anything, but lazy thought bubbles. The facts would suggest we are all too lazy and need to eat healthier food and be more active.