From
the Desk of Coordinator, Bioinformatics Centre |
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Though automation, sedentary life style and lack of exercise do contribute to obesity problem, the real culprit is addictive junk food with increased sugar, salt, fat and chemicals dished out by the MNCs by aggressive marketing and targeting in particular children and teenagers. Now a days every magazine and news paper do publish reports of harmful effects of junk foods which are heavily neutralized by MNC’s marketing manipulation write ups and advertisement using glamorous celebrities. For every dollar spent in the US on nutrition education, it is estimated that the food industry spends about US $5000 on food advertising (Down to Earth, May 15, 2024). In Indian mythology, we are used to stories of God Shiva making Rakshasas powerful by blessing them and then worrying about their misdeeds. Food should not be treated as business and leave in the hands of MNCs. The sooner we realize the better will be our physical and mental health. How much of the proposed Food Safety and Standards bill by our rulers, laying standards to regulate manufacture, import, export, storage, processing and distribution of safe and wholesome food will be effective is debatable with the experience of America having obesity epidemic with two thirds of adults and 15% of school age children either overweight or obese due to consumption of fast food. In 2000, the economic cost of obesity in the United States was put at 117 billion dollars. I wonder whether the governments really are focusing on the real contributors to obesity. It is of interest to know that gut microbes (gut contains 1023 microbes of about 500 different species) are responsible for fat deposition in our body thus linking with obesity. The scientists speculate that changes in microbial ecology promoted by western diets (fast foods) could be the environment factor affecting predisposition towards obesity (Shouche et al. Curr. Sci., Feb 2005). WHO is discussing the global strategy on diet, physical activity and health as a guideline which is supported by consumers International. But Food Industry lobbies are pressurizing the governments to support corporate interests over public health.
Central
Board of secondary education at Kolkata has decided to junk junk food on
campus at CBSE schools. Mike Adams has come up with e-Book, The Five Soft
Drink Monsters; how to finally kick the soft drink habit for good.
Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger has said that he wants to ban
all sales of “junk food” in schools (Down to Earth, April 15, 2005,
P-58). Why
not our country come up with novel ideas? In our culture we consider guest
as god and we like to give fresh food. Let us make supply of food, a
service and not profitable business. Small food outlets and hotels
supplying farm fresh and home cooked food and not stocking junk foods
should be encouraged and exempted from income tax. More jobs will be
created along with healthy food. Tasty food does not need advertisement.
Advertising expenditure of MNCS should be taxed. All possible steps should
be taken to educate masses and discourage consumption of junk foods in the
interest of better human health and saving National health management
costs.
Prof. B. C. Harinath |
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