Question

What values are preventing the United States from actively curbing high-calorie, low-nutrient food consumption through nutrition label requirements, advertising restrictions, and taxes on unhealthy foods?

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Answer 1

The number of overweight and obese children are enormously increasing in the United States. This increase needs the immediate attention of public health practitioners and policymakers to curb the prevalence of obesity in an American population. Many laws and regulations have been introduced to counteract this problem, but improvements are needed for further control and development of the healthy generation.

There are many factors that support and oppose the obesity prevention laws.

Supporting factors:

Media attention on the issue of obesity

Support from the public (parents, teachers, physicians)

A favourable political climate

Opposing factors:

Lack of industry support:

The government needs great support from the industry to impose effective laws on reducing obesity or usage of junk foods.

Lobbying of junk food companies:

The junk food industry is so powerful to prevent the political agencies from making legislation against them.

Misconceptions of public on negative outcomes of legislating school foods:

Mass awareness programs must be aimed at educating the public about the effect, steps and measures to reduce childhood obesity.

Inadequate knowledge of the importance of such laws:

Public awareness programs should point out the importance of legislation on reducing the effects of junk foods on population.

Impact on low-income groups:

People think that these laws will regressively impact the people with low income. People with low income or who have to work more time for livelihood usually depended on junk foods as a cheap and less time-consuming option. The extra burden of tax on them will adversely affect the beneficiaries. This burden can be managed by comprehensive actions of taxes on unhealthy foods and subsidies on healthy foods.