Europeans OK anti-obesity charter

By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer Thu Nov 16, 8:40 AM ET

LONDON - European health ministers from 53 countries approved the
world's first charter to fight obesity on Thursday, vowing greater
action against the epidemic of expanding waistlines across the
continent.
ADVERTISEMENT

The charter, approved in Istanbul, Turkey, was drafted by the
World Health Organization in consultation with its European member
states. It is the first real attempt to compel national authorities to
take concrete action to combat obesity.

"Lots of governments have good recommendations and nice guidelines, but
in terms of nutritional goals, most countries haven't achieved them,"
said Dr. Francesco Branca, WHO's European adviser for nutrition and
food security. The charter commits governments to things like improving
the availability of healthy foods and adopting regulations for safer
roads to promote cycling and walking.

The prevalence of obesity in Europe has tripled in the past two
decades; half of all adults and 20 percent of all children are
overweight. Being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of
diseases such as diabetes and cancer, and shortens life expectancy.
Obesity is also responsible for up to 6 percent of all health care
costs across Europe.

The WHO charter aims to curb the epidemic in the next five years, and
hopes to reverse the trend by 2015.

Still, Branca admits that putting Europe-wide policies into place that
tackle issues as diverse as improving national dietary guidelines and
urban planning, to allow for more regular physical activity, will take
some time. With countries being overrun by fast food chains and a
decreasing number of people exercising regularly, experts say that the
European environment has become conducive to an unhealthy lifestyle.

The problem is particularly acute in children. Overweight and obese
children are likely to remain so into adulthood, leading to the early
onset of related diseases. "The charter represents a major turning
point in addressing the challenges of childhood obesity," said Prof.
Phillip James, president-elect of the International Association for the
Study of Obesity.

One of the charter's more contentious inclusions is an obligation for
the private sector to limit the marketing of fatty, sugary foods to
children. It calls for specific regulatory measures to "substantially
reduce" the advertising of unhealthy foods to children.

The clause implies that governments should introduce legislation
regarding marketing to children, with an eventual move to adopting an
international code of practice. In the past, the food industry has
fought against such regulation, since it may eat into their profits.

Across Europe, there are marked policy differences in advertising to
children. Norway and Sweden have banned the practice. In contrast, in
the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, food and drink industries engage
in self-regulation.

To some experts, advertising unhealthy foods to children crosses the
lines of fair business play. "The commercialization of children must
stop," said James, who was reassured by the inclusion of the marketing
clause in the charter. "This signals that we haven't done enough to
protect children from the advertising environment, and now need to move
decisively."

While the numbers are grim, with 150 million adults and 15 million
children expected to be obese by 2010, rapid action now might yet
control this epidemic, experts say. "Everyone says it takes a
generation to reverse this, but it doesn't," argues Branca. The
dramatic spike in obesity, he says, has only occurred in the past
decade. "If we work together now, we might be able to change the
obesity trend at the same speed at which it happened."

I won't predict the effect this will have on transportation.

so what ?
travel ?
no
Interesting ?
no
useful ?
no
spam ?
yes


"Snoopy" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de news:
[email protected]. com...
    > Europeans OK anti-obesity charter
    > By MARIA CHENG, AP Medical Writer Thu Nov 16, 8:40 AM ET
    > LONDON - European health ministers from 53 countries approved the
    > world's first charter to fight obesity on Thursday, vowing greater
    > action against the epidemic of expanding waistlines across the
    > continent.
    > ADVERTISEMENT
    > The charter, approved in Istanbul, Turkey, was drafted by the
    > World Health Organization in consultation with its European member
    > states. It is the first real attempt to compel national authorities to
    > take concrete action to combat obesity.
    > "Lots of governments have good recommendations and nice guidelines, but
    > in terms of nutritional goals, most countries haven't achieved them,"
    > said Dr. Francesco Branca, WHO's European adviser for nutrition and
    > food security. The charter commits governments to things like improving
    > the availability of healthy foods and adopting regulations for safer
    > roads to promote cycling and walking.
    > The prevalence of obesity in Europe has tripled in the past two
    > decades; half of all adults and 20 percent of all children are
    > overweight. Being overweight or obese increases the likelihood of
    > diseases such as diabetes and cancer, and shortens life expectancy.
    > Obesity is also responsible for up to 6 percent of all health care
    > costs across Europe.
    > The WHO charter aims to curb the epidemic in the next five years, and
    > hopes to reverse the trend by 2015.
    > Still, Branca admits that putting Europe-wide policies into place that
    > tackle issues as diverse as improving national dietary guidelines and
    > urban planning, to allow for more regular physical activity, will take
    > some time. With countries being overrun by fast food chains and a
    > decreasing number of people exercising regularly, experts say that the
    > European environment has become conducive to an unhealthy lifestyle.
    > The problem is particularly acute in children. Overweight and obese
    > children are likely to remain so into adulthood, leading to the early
    > onset of related diseases. "The charter represents a major turning
    > point in addressing the challenges of childhood obesity," said Prof.
    > Phillip James, president-elect of the International Association for the
    > Study of Obesity.
    > One of the charter's more contentious inclusions is an obligation for
    > the private sector to limit the marketing of fatty, sugary foods to
    > children. It calls for specific regulatory measures to "substantially
    > reduce" the advertising of unhealthy foods to children.
    > The clause implies that governments should introduce legislation
    > regarding marketing to children, with an eventual move to adopting an
    > international code of practice. In the past, the food industry has
    > fought against such regulation, since it may eat into their profits.
    > Across Europe, there are marked policy differences in advertising to
    > children. Norway and Sweden have banned the practice. In contrast, in
    > the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain, food and drink industries engage
    > in self-regulation.
    > To some experts, advertising unhealthy foods to children crosses the
    > lines of fair business play. "The commercialization of children must
    > stop," said James, who was reassured by the inclusion of the marketing
    > clause in the charter. "This signals that we haven't done enough to
    > protect children from the advertising environment, and now need to move
    > decisively."
    > While the numbers are grim, with 150 million adults and 15 million
    > children expected to be obese by 2010, rapid action now might yet
    > control this epidemic, experts say. "Everyone says it takes a
    > generation to reverse this, but it doesn't," argues Branca. The
    > dramatic spike in obesity, he says, has only occurred in the past
    > decade. "If we work together now, we might be able to change the
    > obesity trend at the same speed at which it happened."
    > I won't predict the effect this will have on transportation.
    >

The tool to accomplish this will be to eliminate all use of private cars
so Joey will be happy. All work at home programs will go as well so
that you will have to walk to work.