Dear Editor:
I don’t think it’s a secret that we are getting fatter as a society.
However, I’m surprised to find that many people simply think this problem is a lack of personal responsibility — some kind of individual weakness.
The fact is, we are hardwired to eat, and this, in combination with our current dysfunctional food environment, has led to our epidemic of obesity.
I’m happy to read Dr. Brian Goldman’s recent editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. In the piece he discusses regulating certain junk food like we do tobacco.
For too long we have stood by and allowed food marketers to hijack our health in the name of profits.
According to Deborah Cohen, MD, in her book, A Big Fat Crisis, the U.S. food industry spent $9.65 billion on food advertising in 2009.
Don’t kid yourself, these businesses know how to get to all of us, including our kids.
Unregulated manipulation has led to stupid restaurant serving sizes, unhealthy fast food “combo” meals, candy at the pharmacy and hardware store checkout, junk food inundating the ends of every grocery aisle — basically, the scientific and unrelenting breakdown of our limited barriers to this food assault.
This industry exploits our DNA and they are winning.
Our collective loss (no pun intended) has brought chronic diseases that come with the soaring obesity rates, and this costs tremendous pain and dollars.
We need to quit worrying about corporate freedom and free market forces in the food and beverage industry.
These forces are taking advantage of us.
We need to quit thinking we can just exercise some more or show better personal control.
Just like our societies had to fight for such things as clean water, sanitation, clean air, auto safety, and alcohol and tobacco control, we need to intervene against the corporate food industry powers for our greater good.
Let’s demand this regulation from our government.
Paul Girard,
Physical Therapist
Summerland