During the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) on 17 February 2008, Professor W. Philip T. James, chair of the International Obesity Task Force, claimed for a change of the food production and consumption environments is needed to reduce obesity.
Professor W. Philip T. James, chair of the International Obesity Task Force considers obesity a systemic problem requiring changes to the food production and consumption environments, which are making us fat.
According to Professor James:
– Food industry leaders must be responsible by making healthy foods affordable for all consumers.
– World agricultural production needs to be prioritised to increase the supply of locally sourced fresh foods.
– World’s food industry sector must reduce the heavy promotion and abundant array of high energy dense foods.
– Obesity must be tackled in the same way as climate change, with world leaders agreeing on action to change the environment that is making us fat.
– Politicians must improved public transport and decrease the use of motors cars to counteract the sedentary nature of modern living and creating opportunities for people to be active.
According to MEPs, the large supermarkets operating in the EU have too much power and are becoming “gatekeepers controlling farmers’ and other suppliers’ only real access to EU consumers”. A European Parliament declaration adopted on 18 February 2008 calls the Commission to remedy it.
For futher information
– Annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
– International Obesity Task Force
– European Parliament declaration
– Written declaration on investigating and remedying the abuse of power by large supermarkets operating in the European Union
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