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5已有 1001 次阅读  2014-02-05 05:18


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摘自《thetelegraphy》


Junk food: we need to tackle Britain's obesity crisis

Pussy footing around the junk food issue just isn't going to work – it's time for legislation


At last, the truth is out about burgers, pizza and pop. The World Health Organisation has published research by experts including Professor Roberto de Vogli of the University of California that proves what we’ve all really known all along. That pussy footing around trying to persuade people gently not to eat cheap, easy, moreish(吃了还想吃), comforting food is never going to work – even if it’s killing us. Yes, Mr Cameron, it’s time to stop cosying up(cosy up) to the manufacturers who assure you that a softly softly approach is what is needed. Because they would say that wouldn’t they? No, when it comes to reducing the amount of trashy, high fat, high salt, high sugar food a nation consumes, what gets results is legislation.

Yes, I’m talking about clamping down on junk– and the latest study in the WHO Bulletin shows that the top ten countries for obesity are also the ones with the highest consumption of fast food – and the least legislation. Countries like the Netherlands and Greece, which have tougher rules, fare much better.

Recently I was talking to chef Thomasina Miers, straight talking founder of Wahaca restauarants. This is the woman who with anti-waste crusader Tristram Stuart spearheaded Pig Nation, the campaign to legalise feeding our food leftovers to swine, which is such barn door good sense that I am perplexed that the scheme hasn’t been adopted by government as a matter of urgency. But it’s not the only radical idea she has. “If we tax cigarettes and alcohol, we should tax sugar in food,” she told me passionately. “Anything else is hypocritical.”

It seems extreme, but I’m coming round to the idea. After all, when we live in a country where close to 10 per cent of reception age children are clinically obese (yes, not just overweight, but obese) yet where a whole packet of biscuits costs less than a single apple.

In the United States hardcore anti-interventionists might argue that the cost of health care is born by the individual, here we have a much maligned but also much loved state health service. Obesity related conditions are costing the NHS £5 billion a year. By far its largest spend is on type 2 diabetes, a disease that is almost always associated with obesity - and the cost is bringing the health service to its knees.

So tough legislation is needed. End advertising for ultra-processed food. Slap an extra charge on sugar, sugary products and fast food, and use the income to subsidise weight loss support groups, cooking lessons, good school dinners and fresh fruit and vegetables. Because being overweight doesn’t just damage your own health, it’s killing the NHS.
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评论 (6 个评论) 发表评论

  • 北郭先生 2014-02-05 07:29
    哇塞,读报纸,英语好好,能教教我么?
  • 只是一种追求 2014-02-05 22:46
    学霸秀。。。。-_-||
  • hitter 2014-02-05 23:31
    有几个人能全都看下来 还英国国民健康保险制度 和我们有几层关系 扶额
  • kid浮躁 2014-02-06 01:18
    hitter: 有几个人能全都看下来 还英国国民健康保险制度 和我们有几层关系 扶额
    读报纸记单词而已
  • hitter 2014-02-06 01:25
    kid浮躁: 读报纸记单词而已
    找些实用价值高的 或者 电影电视 什么的
  • kid浮躁 2014-02-06 01:53
    hitter: 找些实用价值高的 或者 电影电视 什么的
    政治,经济,体育,文化,艺术,娱乐,科技。
    基本上什么文章我都找过。
    这第30篇刚好是一篇比较无聊的。
    不过对我来说,只要是新词,我觉得都好。
    没什么实用与不实用之分。




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