Jamie Oliver’s junk food ban, a way to make the poor poorer
After a recent study named Britain the most obese country in western Europe, pressure is mounting on the government to do something about the issue. Campaigners such as Jamie Oliver are calling on the government to clamp down on what they think is junk food as a way of reducing child obesity.
A letter recently written by Jamie Oliver to Theresa May included statements like “An end to buy one get one free and other multi-buy junk food offers,” “Reformation of junk food to reduce sugar, calories and fat”.
The definition of junk food itself isn’t clear and is quite subjective. For example, some people find cheese nutritious while others see it as a food with high salt and calories. In this instance, however, “junk food is
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So what should the government do about child obesity? Rather than banning food, children should be taught how to read nutrition labels on foods. “Teach them how to become more objective, and how to evaluate what is healthy and why certain foods are better for you than others,” according to Sara Dimerman, a psychologist in Thornhill, Ontario, who regularly sees children in her practice.
“Tight restriction and banning of certain foods doesn’t mean that a child will choose a healthy alternative,” Dimerman adds. In Ontario, Canada programs like Farm to School Grants help kids learn about nutrition and participate in growing and cooking their own food. [1]
In Japan, a country with some of the lowest obesity rates, schools have nutritionists and children are taught about food and nutrition, lifestyle-related diseases and are emphasized to choose a traditional Japanese meal over fast food. Furthermore, kids at primary school level are encouraged to partake in food preparation process and serve school lunches to their counterparts.
[Image of Japanese