-courtesy of Google ImagesIt turns out that America, deemed as one of the fattest nations in the world, isn’t the only country that should be concerned about their citizens’ weight.
In a surprise decision, last week French officials voted to order that all TV food advertisements carry health warnings. The surprise is in the fact that France is comparatively a rather “skinny” country, where fewer that 9% are considered obese, according To Marie-Laure Combes’ AP article. The US however has an estimated obesity rate of between 25 and 30 percent, according to the American Obesity Association.
The article makes the assertion that the French have traditionally been very trim and figure-conscious, but that they are concerned that increasing recent popularity of processed and packaged foods, with lots of fat, salt and sugar may lead to an increasing national waistline.
Advertisers found in violation of the rule will be fined 1.5% of the cost of the commercial. Coke ads have already been seen displaying messages like:
· “For your health, eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.
Other messages advertisers may choose to carry include:
· For your health, undertake regular physical activity."
· "For your health, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt."
With the overall weight of European children ballooning up to 20%, France has not been the first to adopt drastic advertising measures. Both Sweden and Norway do not allow advertising targeting children, and Ireland banned TV ads for candy and fast-food altogether.
The only missing part of the equation is the lazy giant that is the United States. We’ve been watching out numbers of overweight children grow for years, while the amount of time they spent exercising has gone down steadily simultaneously. With some fast food chains advertising meals that include several days worth of calories, we really need some information like this out there. I think these European countries are on the right track and we’d be smart to follow suit.
In a surprise decision, last week French officials voted to order that all TV food advertisements carry health warnings. The surprise is in the fact that France is comparatively a rather “skinny” country, where fewer that 9% are considered obese, according To Marie-Laure Combes’ AP article. The US however has an estimated obesity rate of between 25 and 30 percent, according to the American Obesity Association.
The article makes the assertion that the French have traditionally been very trim and figure-conscious, but that they are concerned that increasing recent popularity of processed and packaged foods, with lots of fat, salt and sugar may lead to an increasing national waistline.
Advertisers found in violation of the rule will be fined 1.5% of the cost of the commercial. Coke ads have already been seen displaying messages like:
· “For your health, eat at least five fruits and vegetables a day.
Other messages advertisers may choose to carry include:
· For your health, undertake regular physical activity."
· "For your health, avoid eating too much fat, too much sugar, too much salt."
With the overall weight of European children ballooning up to 20%, France has not been the first to adopt drastic advertising measures. Both Sweden and Norway do not allow advertising targeting children, and Ireland banned TV ads for candy and fast-food altogether.
The only missing part of the equation is the lazy giant that is the United States. We’ve been watching out numbers of overweight children grow for years, while the amount of time they spent exercising has gone down steadily simultaneously. With some fast food chains advertising meals that include several days worth of calories, we really need some information like this out there. I think these European countries are on the right track and we’d be smart to follow suit.
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