Junk food companies are making customers fat, then selling them the cure, health experts claim. Deals between producers of junk foods and slimming groups and health charities are allowing the industry to cash in on both ends of the obesity epidemic. Partnerships between KFC and the McGrath Foundation, Nestle and Jenny Craig, McDonald's and Weight Watchers, and Domino's Pizza and the weight-loss show The Biggest Loser have been criticised for trying to make brands famous for selling burgers, fries and lollies appear more healthy.Jane Martin, of the Obesity Policy Coalition, called this ''weightwashing'' - a tactic to convince consumers the fast-food industry was responding to the obesity epidemic, in the same way ''greenwashing'' allowed polluting businesses to appear environmentally responsible. ''Junk food manufacturers are at the forefront of this strategy, which is similar to what we have already seen adopted by the tobacco and oil industries,'' Ms Martin said. ''It gives them the veneer of corporate social responsibility.''
Nutritionist Dr. Rosemary Stanton said ''These companies are not interested in health; they're interested in marketing and selling more product.''
1 comment:
Money stresses in countries like the UK and US could explain their higher obesity levels...animals increase their food intake when faced with uncertainty, the Oxford researchers believed that stress could be a factor in causing people to overeat..."Policies to reduce levels of obesity tend to focus on encouraging people to look after themselves but this study suggests that obesity has larger social causes."...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-12135537
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