Discussion on Obesity Epidemic

Obesity Epidemic

According to latest the World Health Organization (WHO) figures, there were 300 million people who would be considered obese (Obesity crisis to hit today's children 2007). Nowadays, obesity epidemic and its adverse health effects are major health concerns in the world. How do people have to fight against this problem? Is there any solution to it?

Professor Ilona Kickbusch, an independent health consultant who previously worked with the WHO, claims that the cause of problem is how people's societies are organized. The environment in which people live forces them to do the sedentary life. Then, she suggests that education programs in schools should promote healthy eating and physical activity, and this policy has to be coupled with better urban designs which promote physical activity (Obesity crisis to hit today's children 2007). However, an international team of researchers announces that "using urban planning to fight the obesity will probably not work" (Elkington 2008). The results of trials reveal that people's weight does not change. The researchers claim that Public health people should turn their efforts in other ways, although there are a lot of similar plans.

Meanwhile, it has been said that the cause of childhood obesity is "more likely to be the unhealthy food eaten by children watching TV rather than a decline in physical activity. [...] Public health specialist Robert Quigley, who co-wrote the report, said this was probably related to the increased exposure to advertising of foods high in fat and sugar" (Kiong 2006). Although there is criticize that parents and caregivers have to take the responsibility for fight against this epidemic, Quigley and Watts (2005) claim what kind of choice are parents offering their children when 70 percent of the advertisements are for foods around schools and two-thirds of the advertisements on children’s TV are for junk food.

Then, it seems that the methodology to try to solve the problem was sifted. The experts focus on regulating unhealthy food supply and promoting healthy food eating. New Zealand is not the exception to this worldwide wind. For example, Associate Professor Robert Scragg argues that NZ Government should remove unhealthy food from tuckshops of schools to fight against obesity. Moreover, it is said that the legislative and tax controls, foods including on the advertising for unhealthy foods, are necessity (Johnston 2008).

Of course the food industry opposes this climate. For example, the foodsruffs asserts that a regulatory approach of Government is not the best solution and dose not need the Government stepping in with more regulations. The food industry is able to work with the Government on voluntary initiatives to support their fight against obesity epidemic. Additionally, they claims that "we think people should be able to make their own choice...they shouldn't be told by the Government what they should buy or what they should eat" (McNaughton 2008). However, Public health specialists Quigley and Watts (2005) argue that the individual healthy choice is impossible in this environment that is saturated with unhealthy messages, into food marketing propaganda mode of selling values, visions and concepts. Furthermore, they criticize that the individual choice is much more influenced by the availability, affordability, and accessibility of food. The health system must unite against the problems.

Now, the regulation of unhealthy foods and the advertisements becomes the worldwide movement to fight against obesity. It is reported that a voluntary code of practice for reducing the marketing of unhealthy food to children has been launched. The code of practice includes tight restrictions on TV and Internet advertising and a ban on unhealthy food promotion in schools. Of course it is vital that government and food industry leaders support the standards. This article introduces the UK's strict rules as the successful example. "A spokesman for the Food and Drink Federation, which represents the UK industry, said: 'As far as marketing in the UK is concerned, we are now one of the most heavily-regulated markets in Europe. 'As a result the marketing landscape has dramatically changed recently" (Junk food advert code launched 2008). Kiong (2006) also reports that Sweden and Norway ban marketing to children under 12. However, the effects of practices are questionable. The obese population in the UK has been increased, and then, it is reported that new ambulances had been developed and introduced to help emergency services cope with the growing number of obese people in Wale (Obese get new ambulances 2008).

Kiong (2006) also introduces the argument of Advertisers association executive director Jeremy Irwin that "people need only look at Sweden's and Norway's obesity rate. 'They've gone up, like any other country. It's a very good example where advertising is absolutely no cause because there isn't any'".

On the other hand, it seems that the awareness of general public to fight against obesity is relatively low. For example, the following articles warn people how their consciousness of this problem far from the reality faced them. The 2007 Consumer Attitude Survey from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) shows that 68 percent of New Zealanders are confident that the food supply as a whole is producing safe food for consumption (Healthy eating far from high priority with Kiwis 2008). Moreover, although 60 percent of the Manukau population had diagnosed diabetes or are classed as "at risk", half of the obese people do not believe that they are obese (Borley 2008). It seems that the first step of NZ government to fight against obesity epidemic should be the consideration if they purchase the new ambulances from the UK for their emergency services who may be in the same situation as the UK.

In conclusion, obesity epidemic cannot be easily solved. The causes of problem may be how our societies are organized and individual choices no longer work well in this environment. Therefore it seems that people cannot solve this problem individually and the governmental support as in tight restrictions on TV and Internet advertising and a ban on unhealthy food promotion in schools is necessity. However, people also should not only rely on it. They should aware their own problem and should tackle to make their better individual choices.


List of references

Borley, C. (2008, March 4). 'Shocking' risk of diabetes uncovered in Counties-Manukau. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10495941

Elkington, N. (2008, April 2). Sprawling neighborhoods not linked to obesity, study finds. REUTERS. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN0240565120080402

Healthy eating far from high priority with Kiwis. (2008, April 4). The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10501956

Johonton, M. (2008, April 3). Ban junk food from school, says expert. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10501711

Junk food advert code launched. (2008, March 15). BBC NEWS. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7297084.stm

Kiong, E. (2006, July 5). What's in a Kiwi kid's bedroom? Television. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=111&objectid=10389813

McNaughton, M. (2008, March 14). Obesity regulations unnecessary, says Foodstuffs. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=164&objectid=10498108

Obese get new ambulances. (2008, March 18). BBC NEWS. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7303478.stm

Obesity crisis to hit today's children. (2007, April 2). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/obesity-crisis-to-hit-todays-children/2007/03/15/1173722614886.html

Quigley, R. & Watts, C. (2005, July 15). Challenging beliefs about the marketing of food. THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL, 118(1218), 1-4. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1218/1554/

My draft for discussion

I’m not sure how I have to develop my discussion to match for the bolg format required in this assignment. So, I had made the draft using the similar form to academic essay at the present. This is only the draft (so, please ignore my grammatical mistakes and so on), and I intend to change this draft to match the requirement after talking with the lecturers, reading your blogs or receiving your comments. Please leave your comment.



Obesity epidemic

According to latest the World Health Organization (WHO) figures there were 300 million people who would be considered obese (Obesity crisis to hit today's children, 2007). Nowadays, obesity epidemic and its adverse health effects are major health concern in the world. How do people have to fight this problem? Is there any solution of it?

Professor Ilona Kickbusch, an independent health consultant who previously worked with the WHO, claims that the cause of problem is how people’s societies are organized. The environment in which people live forces them to do the sedentary life. Then, she suggests that education programs in schools should promote healthy eating and physical activity, and this policy has to be coupled with better urban designs which promote physical activity (Obesity crisis to hit today's children, 2007). However, it is reported that an international team of researchers announces that ‘using urban planning to fight the obesity will probably not work’. The results of trials reveal that people’s weight does not change. The researchers claim that Public health people should turn their efforts in other ways, although there are a lot of similar plans (Elkington, 2008). Meanwhile, it has been said that the cause of childhood obesity is ‘more likely to be unhealthy food eaten by children watching TV rather than a decline in physical activity […] Public health specialist Robert Quigley, who co-wrote the report, said this was probably related to the increased exposure to advertising of foods high in fat and sugar’ (Kiong, 2006).

Then, it seems that the methodology to try to solve the problem was sifted and the experts focus on promoting healthy food eating. New Zealand is not the exception of this worldwide wind. For example, it is reported that Associate Professor Robert Scragg argues that NZ Government should remove unhealthy food from tuckshops of schools to fight the obesity. Moreover, it is said that the legislative and tax controls for unhealthy foods including on the advertising is necessity (Johnston, 2008).

Of course the food industry opposes this climate. For example, the foodsruffs asserts that the governmental regulation is not the best solution and dose not need the more regulations. The food industry is able to work with the Government on voluntary initiatives to support their fight for obesity epidemic. Additionally, they claims that ‘we think people should be able to make their own choice… they shouldn’t be told by the Government what they should buy or what they should eat’ (McNaughton, 2008). However, Public health specialists Quigley and Watts (2005) argue that the individual healthy choice is impossible in this environment that is saturated with unhealthy message, into food marketing propaganda mode of selling values, visions and concepts. Furthermore, they criticize that the individual choice is much more influenced by the availability, affordability, and accessibility of food. The health system must be reoriented to focus on the causes.

Now, the regulation of unhealthy food and the advertisement becomes the worldwide movement to fight the obesity. It is reported that a voluntary code of practice for reducing the marketing of unhealthy food to children has been launched. It includes restrictions on TV and Internet advertising, a ban on unhealthy food promotion in schools. Of course it is vital that government and food industry leaders support the standards. This article introduces the UK’s strict rules as the successful example. ‘A spokesman for the Food and Drink Federation which represents the UK industry, said: “As far as marketing in the UK is concerned, we are now one of the most heavily-regulated markets in Europe. As a result the marketing landscape has dramatically changed recently’ (Junk food advert code launched, 2008). Kiong (2006) also reports that Sweden and Norway ban marketing to children under 12. However, the effects of policies are questionable. The obese population in the UK has been increasing, and then, it is reported that new ambulances have been developed and introduced to help emergency services cope with the growing number of obese patients in Wale (Obese get new ambulances, 2008). Kiong (2006) also introduces the argument of Advertiser association executive director Jeremy Irwin that ‘people need only look at Sweden’s and Norway’s obesity rate. “They’ve gone up, like any other country. It’s a very good example where advertising is absolutely no cause because there isn’t any”’.

On the other hand, it seems that the awareness of general public to fight the obesity is relatively low. For example, the following articles warn people how their consciousness of this problem far from the reality faced them. The 2007 Consumer Attitude Survey from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) shows that 68 percent of New Zealanders are confident that the food supply as a whole is producing safe food for consumption (Healthy eating far from high priority with Kiwis, 2008). Moreover, half of the obese population of Manukau doesn’t believe that they are obese, although sixty percent population had diagnosed diabetes or classed as “at risk” (Borley, 2008). It seems that the first step of NZ government for fighting the obesity should be the consideration of purchasing the new ambulances from the UK for their emergency services who may be in the same situation as the UK.

In conclusion, obesity epidemic cannot be easily solved. The cause of the problem may be how our societies are organized and individual choices no longer work well in this environment. Therefore, it seems that the responsibility of problem is too heavy to be shouldered for individuals, and the governmental support is necessity. However, people also should not only rely on it, and should aware their own problem and should effort to try to make their better individual choices.

(939 words)



List of references

Borley, C. (2008, March 4). 'Shocking' risk of diabetes uncovered in Counties-Manukau. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10495941

Elkington, N. (2008, April 2). Sprawling neighborhoods not linked to obesity, study finds. REUTERS. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN0240565120080402

Healthy eating far from high priority with Kiwis. (2008, April 4). The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10501956

Johonton, M. (2008, April 3). Ban junk food from school, says expert. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 2, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10501711

Junk food advert code launched. (2008, March 15). BBC NEWS. Retrieved April 4, 2008, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7297084.stm

Kiong, E. (2006, July 5). What's in a Kiwi kid's bedroom? Television. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=111&objectid=10389813

McNaughton, M. (2008, March 14). Obesity regulations unnecessary, says Foodstuffs. The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/story.cfm?c_id=164&objectid=10498108

Obese get new ambulances. (2008, March 18). BBC NEWS. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/7303478.stm

Obesity crisis to hit today's children. (2007, April 2). The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/obesity-crisis-to-hit-todays-children/2007/03/15/1173722614886.html

Quigley, R. & Watts, C. (2005, July 15). Challenging beliefs about the marketing of food. THE NEW ZEALAND MEDICAL JOURNAL, 118(1218), 1-4. Retrieved April 3, 2008, from: http://www.nzma.org.nz/journal/118-1218/1554/

I am going to disucss about obesity epidemic that about 300 million people are affected with.

Kimiko