WHO: Governments should regulate fast food to slow obesity

ascrit

So here is an interesting article.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/2/who-tighter-economicregulationneededtoreverseobesityepidemic.html

"Unless governments take steps to regulate their economies, the invisible hand of the market will continue to promote obesity worldwide with disastrous consequences for future public health and economic productivity," said Roberto De Vogli of the University of California, Davis, who led the study.

The researchers compared the number of fast food transactions with body mass index (BMI) in 25 high-income countries between 1999 and 2008.

They found that, as the average number of annual fast food transactions increased from 26.61 to 32.76 per person, average BMI increased from 25.8 to 26.4.

Thoughts??

Acg67

So here is an interesting article.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/2/who-tighter-economicregulationneededtoreverseobesityepidemic.html

"Unless governments take steps to regulate their economies, the invisible hand of the market will continue to promote obesity worldwide with disastrous consequences for future public health and economic productivity," said Roberto De Vogli of the University of California, Davis, who led the study.

Thoughts??

Yes that's exactly what we need, more government intervention. Hey how'd the centrally planned green energy pushg go in europe?

nomeejerome

Thoughts?

1. These threads do not end well.
2. Calorie surplus=weight gain (and that can happen with all types of foods)

ndj1979

over consumption of calories is what causes obesity…so if governments want to ban something, start there, and good luck..

Like ACG said, just what we need more government/nanny state intervention into our lives trying to tell us that they know better then the res of us….give me a break..

how is that working out with the healthcare law? Those idiots can't even run a website…

GingerLolita

I think governments should use education, not regulation, to battle obesity.

_Resolve_

I think people need to just be more accountable and stop making excuses.

Tomahawk3Niner

What happened to individual responsibility and self control?

Mr_Knight

Thoughts??

Typical bureaucratic nonsense.

Businesses supply what people want. People demand fast food.

You can't regulate that away.

kfuog

I think governments should use education, not regulation, to battle obesity.

This. Although research has shown that publishing the calories of each dish in fast food and restaurant menus has not changed what people order. Baffles me, as it totally changed what I order! I guess even armed with information, people will only change their behavior when they are willing to do so.

Tomahawk3Niner

Fast food doesn't hold a monopoly on high calorie, unhealthy foods anyway. Most any restaurant is going to have similar offerings in that regard, and people can and will make their own junk food.

kfuog

I think people need to just be more accountable and stop making excuses.

Very true, but see my post above.

The problem is that all of society bears the cost and burden of people who refuse to take care of their health. I think that's important--I think we should all take care of each other regardless of whether any given individual is good at being responsible for his or her health. I look at my friends and family and there are so many people I love who do not take care of their health, and many of them it is obesity that is one of the things that consistently plagues them. Yes, I feel they should be accountable and stop making excuses. But I also want the healthcare network to be there to support them, regardless of the choices they make.

Kevalicious99

Good luck with that. There is a reason there is an obesity epidemic ... people just want crap food. Where there is the demand .. there will be the supply.

_Resolve_

I think people need to just be more accountable and stop making excuses.

Very true, but see my post above.

The problem is that all of society bears the cost and burden of people who refuse to take care of their health. I think that's important--I think we should all take care of each other regardless of whether any given individual is good at being responsible for his or her health. I look at my friends and family and there are so many people I love who do not take care of their health, and many of them it is obesity that is one of the things that consistently plagues them. Yes, I feel they should be accountable and stop making excuses. But I also want the healthcare network to be there to support them, regardless of the choices they make.

I couldn't agree more, I am lucky enough that my Doctor and Health Insurance carrier all agreed I needed help when I was ready for it. Now that I have taken a new lease on life I try to offer guidance and help to whoever is ready to take the plunge and give it 100%. People have to be ready to change for themselves, learn about better choices and consistently make them. I wish there was more balance in the media, offset all the commercials about (pick your fast food) with commercials about running marathons, or century rides, spartan races, proving to yourself that you are worth the time and effort to make changes. But before all of that comes self control and mustering up the will power to change.

SugaryLynx

I'm going to go out on a limb. Call me crazy. I could probably get fat eating too many bananas, avacados, potatoes, salad, nuts. .. the same as what fast food could do. You can lead a horse to water. .. but he could also bypass it and eat all the things.

jonnythan

Misleading headline, as this isn't a WHO policy statement. It's a proposed possible part of a solution to obesity postulated by a researcher in the discussion section of a scientific research article published in a WHO journal.

It's like the difference between saying "US Federal Government Wants to Ban Football" and an article about brain injuries having the line "to eliminate football-related brain injuries, football may have to be eliminated entirely" in the discussion portion of an article published in a CDC journal.

ironanimal

I think they should just have narrower doors on the entrance to fast food joints. Or like, Y-shaped ones, so bodybuilders can get in but you keep the fatties out.

MinimalistShoeAddict

So here is an interesting article.

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/2/2/who-tighter-economicregulationneededtoreverseobesityepidemic.html

"Unless governments take steps to regulate their economies, the invisible hand of the market will continue to promote obesity worldwide with disastrous consequences for future public health and economic productivity," said Roberto De Vogli of the University of California, Davis, who led the study.

The researchers compared the number of fast food transactions with body mass index (BMI) in 25 high-income countries between 1999 and 2008.

They found that, as the average number of annual fast food transactions increased from 26.61 to 32.76 per person, average BMI increased from 25.8 to 26.4.

Thoughts??

Correlation does not mean causation. Consuming too many calories causes obesity not fast food.

There are tons of people on MFP and elsewhere who eat fast food all the time are extremely healthy and fit. In this group are many professional athletes. Fast Food is not the cause of obesity.

_John_

Meh, wth...I like Taco Bell anyway...

WhiteRabbit1313

Thoughts?

1. These threads do not end well.
2. Calorie surplus=weight gain (and that can happen with all types of foods)

^^THIS. THIS. THIS!

YOU control what goes in your mouth. Stop looking to the government to do what you should be doing for yourself.

RivenV

Did anyone else see that South Park episode about KFC chicken and medical marijuana? Basically, it's Scarface with Cartman acting the part of Al Pacino and KFC replacing cocaine. This is a result of government mandates restricting locations on KFC to specifically exclude low-income areas--since KFC promotes obesity in low-income earners... uh, obviously.

I think the last thing we really need is moar government regulation. We could probably use a little more personal responsibility.

Carnivor0us

Someone should tell WHO that fast food doesn't cause obesity.

WinWinGo

If government wants to slow obesity, fast food prices and convenience should be applied to healthier foods and vice versa. Or it could focus on educating people and encouraging the practice of Preventative medicine.
Instead it's gonna keep letting big corn dictate food prices and get tied up in legislation that helps only the people who don't need it.
Not a big fan of government meddling, tbh.

cmriverside

In for aliens, pretty sure it's just a matter of time in here.

k8blujay2

Yeah, because we can't get fat off of food we make at home... or at Applebee's.... Seriously, what's the government going to do... give us all rations that meet a caloric limit every day? I think not.

katielshelby

...but...but...who will be there for me when I have an awful week and I want a super sonic double cheeseburger with bacon and mayo with a side of cheese fries??

:brokenheart:

yarwell

Shouldn't the WHO be worrying about curing AIDS, malaria and all those other things that are measurably fatal. Or maybe giving back some money to their parent UN to do something constructive in Syria and other conflict zones. Developed countries are grown up and can work this stuff out for themselves.

DjinnMarie

Are they going to remove all high caloric foods from grocery stores too? Take my wine and cheese from me and Im going to blow something up. My cheese is 100 calories an ounce! A mcChicken is 300 calories. You do the math.

DjinnMarie

Shouldn't the WHO be worrying about curing AIDS, malaria and all those other things that are measurably fatal. Or maybe giving back some money to their parent UN to do something constructive in Syria and other conflict zones. Developed countries are grown up and can work this stuff out for themselves.

Im more worried about the number of parents not vaccinating their kids. Polio scares me more than mcdonalds.

neanderthin

Japans fat tax.

http://www.overcomingbias.com/2011/11/japans-fat-tax.html

Japanese waist limits are stricter on men, yet since men are taller health-based rules would be stricter on women.
The thinnest rich nation (Japan) passed a big law to make itself thinner just as the biggest medical spending nation (USA) debated a big law (Obamacare) ensuring it would spend more on medicine.

SezxyStef

Are they going to remove all high caloric foods from grocery stores too? Take my wine and cheese from me and Im going to blow something up. My cheese is 100 calories an ounce! A mcChicken is 300 calories. You do the math.

I agree let them try and take my favs...

But I am Canadian so maybe we don't have to worry.

Mr_Knight

Are they going to remove all high caloric foods from grocery stores too? Take my wine and cheese from me and Im going to blow something up. My cheese is 100 calories an ounce! A mcChicken is 300 calories. You do the math.

Math?!

Great, bring education policy into this, too.

:laugh: