A growing body of evidence suggests that a highly processed Western-style diet, which is now rapidly globalizing, promotes obesity and the most common global chronic diseases. In tandem, the amount of information on food packaging has been steadily increasing.
Current labeling sytem may be somewhat confusing to consumers. Consumer has to be better educated (community effort, self learning, school etc) to understand essentials of good nutrition. Overconsumption of calories (and lack of certain essential nutrients) is the major issue now.
Yes, you are correct. A good labeling system will certainly help.
I always have to wonder:
1) Aren't 100% of those paying for processed foods over 21 and - they'll tell you - making "personal choices." If they tell you that marketing communications are simply too persuasive for them not too succumb to the appeals, commonsense says that they can an equally personal choice and throw all of their TVs into the nearest dumpster. A lot more effective than the brown paper bags in which alcoholics put their addictive product.
2) Do the numbers to see if it makes sense to kill branding as we know it in our free society b/c 80% of the population want somebody else, or the government, to be responsible for the consequences of their actions. Now, figure, how many people work for food processors. Multiply that times their median household income, their amount of disposable income to buy "stuff," and then figure their average income tax contribution, how many houses and "stuff" they put into them and that's the indirect contribution of the food processors to the economy. Particularly, figure how many healthcare dollars food processors provide to their employees which you and I don't have to pay more taxes for to provide hundreds of thousands of families that healthcare protection. Finally, figure the net gain for the economy: the cost of your proposed nanny-care, the increase in taxes to pay for the healthcare protection they won't be getting from the food processors, and the cost of trying futilely to persuade 80% of the population to stop, think, and make the right nutritional decision.Please laugh uproariously at this point.
In-depth attitude research among consumers pinpoints a segment that averages about 20% - like every other consumer segment on the planet - who will do the right thing.The 80% tell you: (1) Hey doc, we're all to die some day. So I'm going to eat, drink and sit around all I want and have fun instead." or, (2) "Ohhhh, doctor, I just can't stop eating that candy. Ohhh, doctor, what pill can you give me so I don't do that?"
For 35 years I saw patients who answered like the 2 above. I finally learned to just look at them lovingly and say, "Very good. We'll see you next time."
Dr. Henry Franceschi
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