Nutrition and obesity
The main cause of people being overweight and obese is a “caloric imbalance”—too few calories expended for the amount of calories consumed—which is affected by various genetic, behavioural, and environmental factors.
Energy balance (that is: balancing the amount of energy consumed through food with the amount of energy used up through physical activity) is crucial to maintaining a healthy weight.
Unhealthy food marketing
According to the Australian Cancer Council, reducing children’s exposure to harmful food marketing is necessary to prevent obesity.
“Systematic reviews have found that children do not understand the persuasive intent of food marketing; that food marketing influences children’s food preferences and generates positive beliefs about the foods advertised; and food marketing influences children’s purchase requests and ultimately children’s food consumption” (Position statement – Food marketing to children (Australian Cancer Council)
While some countries, such as the United Kingdom and Australia have introduced codes of practice on when foods can be advertised on television, it is argued that much stricter regulations are needed as the current practices have not been shown to be effective. What is your opinion?
Conversation starter
- What do you think should be done to protect children from unhealthy food marketing?
Preventing Childhood Obesity: an Early Start to Healthy Living
Preventing Childhood Obesity: an Early Start to Healthy Living
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