Yes

by Wayne Leon Learmond

Created on: May 03, 2011

The food industry should certainly be held responsible for the promotion of unhealthy foods to young children. They know full well that if they target the children during ‘ad’ breaks on television, then it is very hard for parents to say ‘no’ to their offspring. Indeed, huge companies like McDonald's, Kentucky Fried Chicken - plus the countless supermarkets and superstores that are found throughout our city centres - have not helped at all in the fight against obesity within young children.

The word here is ‘profits’. Profits is what it is all about at the end of the day. However, although the food industry makes huge sums of money off the backs of hard-pressed parents - the majority of which are obese themselves - they do nothing to combat the growing curse of obesity. Indeed, there was talk that some governments would bring out legislature forcing the food industry to act more responsibly. They would force the food industry to bring their prices down on things like fresh fruit and vegetables.

However, it seems that they are fighting a losing battle. The food industry argue that they have to keep prices at a certain premium because they have to pay farmers the going rate for growing the food and then dispatching it to the supermarkets who also take their cut.

They also have to pay overheads which have to be met and so they justify such high prices for fresh fruit and vegetables because of such things. The added problem is families themselves, who although they may want to buy fresh fruit and veg, are put off by the sheer cost. This then causes a domino affect, in which supermarkets offer two for the price of one, on things like cans of beans, bags of crisps, bread, cereals and many other unhealthy foodstuffs.

Families, when faced with the choice of expensive fruit and vegetables or, purchasing food that although it may be unhealthy, will save them money, then naturally they will veer toward the latter. Coupled with this the pressure from the food industry themselves, advertising such deals as ‘two for the price of one, or ‘three for the price of two’ - plus the added pressure mothers and fathers receive from their children - then one can see how easily obesity has spread and grown within children as well as adults.

Although laws where passed in recent years forcing food companies to show the exact ingredients and vitamin contents [if any] of foodstuff such as cereals, processed meats, and other items, the laws have not gone nowhere near far enough, as the message about fast foods and processed meats is still very slow in getting through to all parties.

Parents, the food industry, the media and governments have to do more in combating obesity within children. With that said, there is talk that the UK Government is about to announce a ban on all advertisements of fast foods BEFORE 9 p.m. If this law is passed, then it will put paid to the food industry being able to target children during daytime hours. There is also talk of fast food chains becoming outlawed near schools, again, this would put paid to children being able to leave the school premises at break time, to purchase chips, pies, etc.

However this is a long and slow process, and while there continues to be delays the food industry still has carte blanch over our children and how they target them. They are directly responsible for how they advertise their products, and how they target children specifically with intensive, tempting ‘adds’. Hopefully soon, unhealthy foods such as processed pies, meats, full fat dairy products, and the like will be looked upon as badly as smoking.

But until that day comes and until prices come down on fresh fruit and vegetables, then parents will continue to buy the cheapest, unhealthiest foods on the market. We all have to have responsibility here toward our children - who are the future. Governments, the food industry, the media, schools and parents ALL have a part to play in fighting and combating obesity within our children. The curse of obesity will continue to grow until it is challenged head on by everyone. After all, the food industry especially, has been playing with the health of our children for far too long.

Parents and schools have a responsibility too, but they can only do so much, because they do not control the prices that are put on fresh fruit and vegetables. Food companies should be forced to bring their prices down on fresh fruits and vegetables if they do not, then they should be hit with huge fines - hit them where it hurts; in their pockets. Once prices come down on fresh fruit and vegetables, which they have to eventually - maybe then obesity will be beaten.

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