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The Obesidemic Environment
Sponsored by the Government and Business, but blamed on the innocent individuals.
The obesity epidemic has been facilitated by deliberate action. It's not an accident, its the result of your government's political unwillingness to fund essential activities.
The failure to take responsibility for public health at government level, wins political donations and business allies. Politicians may see it as a win/win proposition. They don't understand what they have done.
They encourage public private partnerships, that distorts the public understanding of what is and what is not healthy food. Sponsors control the message.
The government "saves money" on scientific research, and on feeding children at school, and in the funding of sporting activities. And then pays the price many times over in the epidemic of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart attacks and strokes. The government encourages this mindless activity, even offering additional money to ensure it continues.
We allow, no, we encourage, Nestlé to educate our children in schools and our athletes, about nutrition. What they teach is nutritional nonsense, although it's still acceptable to our very poorly educated dietitians. Very few dietitians have a sound training in biochemistry.
In most countries the Dietitians Society is dependent on the food industry for funding. We allow the food industry to tell us what we should be eating.
Stop blaming children who are overweight, and their parents who share the same fate. They're not weak-willed. They are eating the diet the Dietary Guidelines have told us to eat, assuming it's "healthy."
The recommended diet is fattening, look at the pigs, and look at us, same diet same result.
Toast for breakfast in school.
The NZ Breakfast in Schools Programme is called "Kickstart." Weetbix and skim milk, the cheapest possible food, (sometimes toast) is given with official approval, claiming that it's healthy. That's the same food we feed pigs to make them fat. When we feed our children that way, what do we expect to happen?
I wonder in how many schools, well meaning but poorly educated people offer the kids a little sugar to encourage them to eat more. This is "the school for future diabetics."
