Junk food 'not all to blame' for obesity
22 May 2006
By KELLY ANDREW
Obesity is caused mainly by lack of exercise and banning junk food advertising is not the answer to the problem, food manufacturers have told a parliamentary inquiry.
In a presentation to health committee MPs, Food and Grocery Council chairman Tony Nowell said the amount of food consumed had not changed in the past 50 years, but activity levels had fallen.
He rejected the idea of banning high-fat foods or restricting food advertising, saying these methods simply did not work.
"The majority of food is not advertised. Clearly the issue is not about the food, it is about consumption and changing consumption factors."
The argument that processed foods had become cheaper than "natural foods" was wrong, Mr Nowell said. It would be impossible to feed the population on purely natural foods.
The council's executive director Brenda Cutress said banning unhealthy foods was counter-productive because it made them more attractive to children.
"We are very anti bans and restrictions because we do not believe they work. Education, monitoring, and trying to stop obesity before it happens are incredibly important things to do."
Children needed breakfast and whether they started the day with a high-sugar packaged cereal or porridge with sugar made no difference to the amount of calories they consumed, she said. "If it's part of a healthy diet, there's nothing wrong with that (sugary cereal)."
The council's written submission to the committee – which is investigating obesity and type-2 diabetes – says providing it is truthful and complies with regulations, advertising is not a major contributor to the increasing rates of obesity and diabetes.
But Obesity Action Coalition executive director Celia Murphy has called on the select committee to address the lack of leadership on obesity issues, regulate marketing of unhealthy foods using a "tobacco-style approach", and improve the food supply to make healthy choices easier and more affordable.
Educating people about nutrition did not work on its own if the food on offer was high in fat and sugar, she said.
The voluntary Food Industry Accord, signed last year by food manufacturers, retailers, and marketers, was more about rhetoric than action, Ms Murphy said.
Public health specialist Robert Quigley said factors determining obesity were advertising and the environment in which New Zealanders were growing up.
"New Zealanders have not lost their willpower over the last 20 or 30 years. The physical and social environment has changed dramatically over that time."
Poor diet had wider consequences than just an impact on health, he said. Unhealthy food choices could affect children's behaviour, short-term memory and intelligence, and the ability of employees to perform well at work.
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