The OMA released a press release today which spoke to their continued effort to prevent premature deaths associated with obesity. It has been met with a lot of criticism. Below is a summary of the OMA's recommendations followed by my professional opinion on whether the recommendations may work.
- Increasing taxes on junk food and decreasing tax on healthy foods;
- This may work. Many of my clients, including myself, have a cost threshold for foods they might purchase. Personally, I will rarely pay full price for a "treat" i.e. cookies or ice cream. On the same note I will not pay an excessive price for a fresh vegetable either, i.e. vegetables that may be out of season. So, if junk food is made to be more expensive and healthy food less expensive, more healthy food may just end up in the grocery cart.
- Restricting marketing of fatty and sugary foods to children;
- I agree. With school aged children of my own, I experience first hand how impressionable children are. Just the other week, my daughter grabbed a bag of marshmallows, conveniently located on the lower shelf at the grocery store (at her eye level) and labelled in fun, bright colours, and asked whether we could purchase them. Parents have a responsibility to teach children about healthy choices, regardless of how foods are marketed.
- Placement of graphic warning labels on pop and other high calorie foods with little to no nutritional value;
- It can't hurt. It will be a reminder to young and old alike, and help them think twice before eating or drinking a junk food, if not at the moment, in the future.
- Retail displays of high-sugar, high-fat foods to have information prominently placed advising consumer of the health risks; and
- It's only fair. If marketers can bombard the packaging of their goods with multiple "healthful" food claims, why not have unhealthful risks advertised and accessible?
- Restricting the availability of sugary, low-nutritional value foods in sports and other recreational facilities that are frequented by young people.
- I agree. People will choose from the options you provide them. Offer them junk food and leave them no choice but to choose junk food. Combine healthier choices with fair prices (see first recommendation) and you may be surprised at how many young people will choose the healthier option.
