Oh For Crying Out Loud... the World's gone MAD!

Monash University public health expert Dr Nathan Grills says Santa Claus promotes obesity, speeding, drink-driving.....

With his portly belly and a fondness for a brandy-fuelled spin on the sleigh, Santa Claus is hardly the picture of health or safety.

Now his wild ways are catching up with him, with calls for a radical overhaul of his bad boy image. A study by Monash University public health expert Dr Nathan Grills found Santa could be promoting obesity, speeding and drink-driving, and damaging millions of lives.

The childhood legend should be used to promote a healthy lifestyle, the study, published in the British Medical Journal, found.

It suggested Santa slim down by ditching the cookies, mince pies and milk, and instead snacking on his reindeers' carrots and celery sticks. Santa also should trade in the sleigh for a bike or throw his sack over his shoulder and hit the global road on foot.

And the brandy should definitely be banished, because of its pound-piling potential.

It could also put Santa at risk of drink-driving, given that he visits billions of houses and takes a tipple at each.

His reckless behaviour could also encourage extreme sports such as roof surfing and chimney jumping - not to mention speeding.

At the very least he should buckle up or don a helmet, the study says.

Santa also has the potential to spread infectious diseases, the review warns. If he sneezes or coughs around 10 times a day, all the children who sit on his lap may end up with swine flu.

Food & Nutrition Australia dietitian Sharon Natoli agreed that pictures of Santa drinking and smoking were inappropriate. But she added: "I think it's going a bit far to suggest Santa slim down as he is an international icon rather than a role model."