One big question facing society today is how do we deal with childhood obesity in America .Obesity in the past 20 years has tripled in children. This has especially effected minority comminties, "50 percent of adolescents in some minority populations are overweight". Heart attacks and type 2 diabetes may become a common disease for many if not most young adults.The question remains how do we deal with this epidemic ? who do we blame? In my opinion theirs only one place to point the finger at, the food industry, but what to do ? Should we fight the food industry or work together with it. The food industry, favors , of course the work it out together approach. Presently the food industry lobbying groups are invited to Agriculture Department meetings, participate in professional nutrition conferences, and have testified before Congress on obesity legislation. .I think to truly understand the food industry and what their doing we must draw a disturbing but true parallel with the tobacco industry.The same tactics used by the tobacco industry for years is now being used by the food industry. Largely because of industry resistance, it took decades before the war on tobacco reduced rates of smoking significantly.
The American Academy of Pediatrics determined in 1995 that advertising to young children is "inherently deceptive and exploitative". But yet every year, of every month,of every day, of every hour, of every minute the food industry spends an estimated "$10 billion dollars" to influence and manipulate the eating behavior of children.
The average child views "10,000 food advertisements per year", "95 percent of them for fast food, soft drinks, candy and sugared cereals" ,all high in profit but low in nutrition. Toys, games, collectibles, movies and popular personalities can all be linked fast food marketing campaigns. Soft-drink companies have made lucrative contracts with poor school districts tying financial incentives to sales.
While at the same time the entire federal budget for nutrition education is "equal to one-fifth of the advertising costs for Altoids mints." Children now consume about "15 percent of their total calories from fast food, 10 percent from sugar-sweetened soft drinks and only half the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables."
The obesity epidemic has many causes, but none more than diet. Fast food is served in massive portions, contains highly processed carbohydrate and horrible trans fats with little to no fiber. The contents of this fast food is central to the increase risk for obesity, diabetes and or heart disease. Excessive soft-drink consumption is related in scientific studies to increased calorie intake, weight gain and obesity.
The food industry argues that more research must be done before anything can be done on regulating advertising and sales; that physical inactivity and not the food should be the actual target for change; that parents must teach their children to eat responsibly; that vending and soft-drink machines in schools provide freedom of choice; and that no food or company should be demonized or made responsible.While this is all true , the food industry must be held accountable as well.
The food lobbyist use money and power to influence national nutrition policy. Even the country’s main professional dietetic association has fallen victim. Legal Times reported that industry pressure led to weakening of USDA dietary guidelines aimed at reducing consumption of added sugar.The nation cannot afford waiting, this is become more than a small problem but a problem growing fat off the backs of Americans no pun intended. The food industry must demonstrate that it will be a trustworthy . Federal and state officials must find a response to this public health crisis,they must find ways to protect children from the ravages of poor diet , physical inactivity, and the food industry. National legislation on the prevention and treatment of obesity and stopping food advertising to children must be made.
The American Academy of Pediatrics determined in 1995 that advertising to young children is "inherently deceptive and exploitative". But yet every year, of every month,of every day, of every hour, of every minute the food industry spends an estimated "$10 billion dollars" to influence and manipulate the eating behavior of children.
The average child views "10,000 food advertisements per year", "95 percent of them for fast food, soft drinks, candy and sugared cereals" ,all high in profit but low in nutrition. Toys, games, collectibles, movies and popular personalities can all be linked fast food marketing campaigns. Soft-drink companies have made lucrative contracts with poor school districts tying financial incentives to sales.
While at the same time the entire federal budget for nutrition education is "equal to one-fifth of the advertising costs for Altoids mints." Children now consume about "15 percent of their total calories from fast food, 10 percent from sugar-sweetened soft drinks and only half the recommended amount of fruits and vegetables."
The obesity epidemic has many causes, but none more than diet. Fast food is served in massive portions, contains highly processed carbohydrate and horrible trans fats with little to no fiber. The contents of this fast food is central to the increase risk for obesity, diabetes and or heart disease. Excessive soft-drink consumption is related in scientific studies to increased calorie intake, weight gain and obesity.
The food industry argues that more research must be done before anything can be done on regulating advertising and sales; that physical inactivity and not the food should be the actual target for change; that parents must teach their children to eat responsibly; that vending and soft-drink machines in schools provide freedom of choice; and that no food or company should be demonized or made responsible.While this is all true , the food industry must be held accountable as well.
The food lobbyist use money and power to influence national nutrition policy. Even the country’s main professional dietetic association has fallen victim. Legal Times reported that industry pressure led to weakening of USDA dietary guidelines aimed at reducing consumption of added sugar.The nation cannot afford waiting, this is become more than a small problem but a problem growing fat off the backs of Americans no pun intended. The food industry must demonstrate that it will be a trustworthy . Federal and state officials must find a response to this public health crisis,they must find ways to protect children from the ravages of poor diet , physical inactivity, and the food industry. National legislation on the prevention and treatment of obesity and stopping food advertising to children must be made.
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