Lifestyle choices such as smoking, doing drugs and overeating are increasing health insurance premiums well beyond the level of inflation.

How much is spent in Bermuda on the diseases that result — diabetes and cancer — however, will not be known until the new coding system is introduced in April, 2009.

Until it is in place the Insurance Companies will not know how much is spent on each disease and what caused it.

What the insurance companies do know is that choosing to smoke, overeat, do drugs and not exercise leads to increasing healthcare needs, more visits to the hospital and in general more cost to care for that individual.

That's why Argus Insurance launched their Wellness Programme four years ago along with their annual Health Fair, which is held in partnership with the Bermuda Hospitals Board and the Department of Health.

On the eve of their Health Fair, which will be in the Number Six Shed for the first time today, Mr. Simons said he hoped their theme of 'You are what you eat' will help get the message across.

He said: "We are pleased seeing the new organisations joining us in promoting wellness in the Bermuda community.

"All these problems are due to causes under an individual's control. The goal of the Argus Wellness programme is to encourage each person to take responsibility of his or her health.

"We have a responsibility to the public to encourage each person to take the responsibility for their health care. It amazes me that in 1982, I was the junior Minister for Health and obesity remains the number one health issue in Bermuda and the problem has grown."

In a 2006 survey by the Department of Health, 61 percent of adults in Bermuda were classed as obese or overweight up from 57 percent in 1999.

That number directly translates into increased insurance premiums and more money out of each individual's pocket according to Cindy Campbell, group insurance executive vice president of the Argus Group.

She said: "We have seen in the last five years an eight to 15 percent increase in the cost of insurance.

"It is driven by the price increases in the utilisation claims. The rate of utilisation is surging. We know that the hospital benefits went up six percent in 2006, according to legislation.

"But the cost per person went up 28 percent. On of the things that health professionals must hear year after year is that premiums are going up ten percent, but inflation is only three percent."

Not only do these lifestyle choices raise the insurance premiums, they also manage to age a person far beyond their biological years.

That's why one of the new events at the health fair today will be the Health Age Plus programme, which is a brief survey about habits that will translate how old the person really is.

Also at the fair will be representatives from all of the major health charities on the Island and physicians who will be able to offer advice.

Starting at 10 a.m. seniors will be able to have blood tests and at 10.45 the Minister of Health, Mr. Simons and David Hill the CEO of the BHB will officially open the fair.

Then from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. the public will have access to different health care services provided across the Island and a chance to learn what is in their food.

Mr. Simons added: "In general the population is unaware of what they eat and how it affects them; what the cumulative effect is. We really believe, as does the Department of Health, that the number one health concern is obesity."