On junk food and the "free market"

[alp227]

The Guardian (the British paper in the limelight lately over Edward Snowden) has this new article: "Junk food still marketed to children as companies bypass rules". I like how the UK bans TV commercials for candy/fast food during kids shows. But I think this new suggestion by the WHO goes a bit too far:

Food companies are accused on Tuesday by the World Health Organisation, the public health arm of the UN, of finding ways to bypass the rules on advertising unhealthy products to children and fuelling the obesity epidemic.

Attempts by the authorities in Britain to clamp down on marketing to children through television advertising are not enough to protect them, a major report by the WHO says. There are tough rules on advertising during children's TV programmes but not on shows such as ITV1's Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, which research shows are widely watched by younger viewers.

Increasingly, food companies are also targeting children through computer games, mobile phones and social networks such as Facebook.

The WHO report calls for tighter regulation across the whole of Europe of the marketing to children of foods high in fat, salt and sugar.

"Millions of children across the region are being subjected to unacceptable marketing practices," said Zsuzsanna Jakab, regional director of WHO Europe. "Policy simply must catch up and address the reality of an obese childhood in the 21st century.

"Children are surrounded by adverts urging them to consume high fat, high sugar, high salt foods, even when they are in places where they should be protected, such as schools and sports facilities."

Britain has done more than some other European countries to guard children against advertising for unhealthy food, snacks and sweets, says the report, but it is not one of the five countries – Denmark, France, Norway, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden – that have fully implemented the EU code on restricting marketing to children. There are, says the report, gaps and weaknesses in the UK regulations.

There are strict rules to prevent foods with high salt, fat and sugar content being advertised on TV during children's programmes, and the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, said this reduced children's exposure to advertising for crisps, sugary drinks, fried chicken nuggets and the like by 37% between 2005 and 2009. But, says the report, there has been an overall increase in advertising for junk foods at other times of the day "and children continued to be exposed to HFSS (high fat, salt and sugar foods) advertising, especially during TV programmes between 6pm and 10.30pm".

This is what is called family viewing rather than children's TV.

Wow, and we wonder why Europeans consider the US Democratic Party "center/centre right"? In the USA we've got an entire junk food apologist industry based on the capitalistic "let the free market decide". And Fox News and talk radio and right wing ideologues buy right into it, and that is why such media throws a collective temper tantrum over McDonald's daring to make Happy Meals a little bit more HEALTHY and talking shit about Michelle Obama over her nutritious food campaign...all in the name of free market and less government.

And Thom Hartmann has debated such windbags, such as Julie Gunlock of the Independent Women's Forum "Women for Food Freedom" campaign for opposing federal ban on school vending machines (Youtube(dot)com/watch?v=YfzG0uVe8SY) and Jacob Sullum of Reason magazine just saying PARENTS should say NO rather than relying on gov to regulate advertising:

Now I agree with getting rid of McDonald's ads from kids' media, y'know Nickelodeon, Saturday morning shows, Disney Channel. But from general audience primetime shows like Britain's Got Talent or X Factor whose audience includes adults as well? While I support regulated capitalism not exactly state controlled enterprises I've got to set the line somewhere. Where's the push for banning alcoholic beverage ads from TV sports coverage like the Super Bowl? And I've seen plenty of fast food and unhealthy food advertised on sports shows and I think I've seen some fast food ads on America's Got Talent when I used to watch it regularly. What about banning fast food ads outdoors for the sake of the children?

Thing is, when right wingers push back against regulating junk food or hell even labeling food whether GMO, junk food they'll say "oh just let the free market decide". i call BS because it's probably codeword for let the companies fuck us over.

[kestrel91316]

1. I'm doing an end run around the junk food corporations.

I have switched to a whole foods-plant based-low fat diet. Dinner tonight is garlic mashed potatoes with kale, a whole artichoke, and fresh strawberries for dessert. Oh, I did have a little cubed tofu with soy sauce and furikake seasoning as an appetizer. No meat or dairy or eggs or added oils at all.

Screw those purveyors of death and disease with a rubber hose.

[Betsy Ross]

2. Enough tofu for protein requirement? nt

[kestrel91316]

3. No idea. Doesn't matter, because the potatoes have plenty,

even aside from the soy milk in them.

Protein isn't an issue when you are getting enough calories from your fruits, veggies, legumes, and grains over the course of time to maintain weight. No need to combine protein sources in any given meal, either.

Americans eat way too much protein. Show me an American vegetarian or even vegan with kwashiorkor and we can start talking. And I am saying this as a meat and dairy and egg LOVER, not some wacko vegan activist.

You can find out more about this way of eating on any of a number of websites if you are so inclined.

http://drmcdougall.com/free_2e.html
http://engine2diet.com/

Those 2 can get you started. Also, the documentary http://www.forksoverknives.com/

Here's a nutritionist's take on the complementary protein thing: http://www.forksoverknives.com/the-myth-of-complementary-protein/

[reformist2]

4. A good rule of thumb - any food that has to be advertized, you probably don't need.

[Betsy Ross]

5. I rely on legumes and grains for protein

and add seeds and nuts to baked goods and salads. But I would expect to get much protein out of a potato.

[kestrel91316]

6. Certain South Americans lived for the most part on potatoes

in ancient times - think "Peru" and "Incas". They were followed by the Irish, whose population exploded when that's virtually all they ate. The only flaw there was the monoculture of a single variety that had no blight resistance, and that ended badly for them, but it wasn't because potatoes lacked nutrients.