Yesterday's Sunday Times Review had a good piece on obesity:
"The Walt Disney Company last week announced plans to restrict junk food commercials on its television programs aimed at children. A few days before, Mayor Michael Bloomberg took steps to restrict the sale of supersized sugary drinks in New York. But isolated changes may not make a substantial difference at a time when Americans are gaining weight as a nation. Reducing obesity will require a broader shift in the culture."
"The causes of obesity are everywhere. Societal factors play a big role: the lack of safe places to play, walk or bike; sedentary jobs; less time devoted to cooking and more eating out; bigger portion sizes in packaged and prepared food; and incessant marketing of junk foods that are high in calories. Sugar-sweetened drinks accounted for at least 20 percent of the increases in weight in the United States between 1977 and 2007, according to one study cited by the institute."
This makes me think of chef Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution which aired on TV here a few years ago. Despite its noble goals and the popularity of the show, it was cancelled in
the summer of 2011 due to a lack of commercial support for the campaign.
I was frankly staggered by the amount of opposition it received (some of which can be seen in the video clip below). Even Michelle Obama has taken plenty of criticism from the right for
her nutritional campaign to encourage kids to move more and eat
healthier fare!
Raj Patel, professor at University of California at Berkeley, has a lot to say about junk food.
http://rajpatel.org/
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