Obesity Control Implementation

Question: What role should the government have in controlling obesity? In your answer, address the pros and cons of government involvement. Answer: Role of Government should have in controlling obesity Obesity is a serious public concern. It has developed into a public obsession and often turns to melancholy. It is a delegated responsibility of government to make people aware of overweight and put a stop to increasing rate of obesity in public health interference. Obesity can be controlled by bringing a change in society and environment where food is consumed. Government has the authority to regulate physical state and economic environments. Government should bring in legislation to regulate the commercial food practices, to control the production of junk food and sugary drink commodities to reduce unhealthy eating habits, to support the production of fruits and vegetables, to control media practices, and to maintain informed consent by involving the stipulation of information. Obesity can be a consequence of eating junk food and leading a sedentary way of living. It is essential to identify constraints and influence both the culture of obesity and the practice of public health. Individual should have appropriate resources and education about anti-obesity initiative, healthy-habits that can develop a concern on eating behaviour. Mass education on obesity prevention, newspapers, popular magazines, public obesity awareness campaign, radio programme, television and sound bites of government can create substantial information and guidance about prevention of obesity. Government Involvement Pros: A broad range of programs and government policies have been applied, including nutrition cataloguing on packaged food, national clinical guidelines development, social and education marketing efforts, and recently, calorie labelling on menus of restaurant and central efforts to enhance access and investment for fresh vegetables and fruits. Many of these efforts emphasize on community educational and clinical factors or on intervention Cons: Dr. Nestle stated that the government is involved with some policies that encourage obesity by promoting the production of sugary drinks and food commodities, but not of vegetables and fruits; permitting beverage and food companies to reduce marketing costs from taxes. As per previous research, prevalence of obesity began to increase in early 1980s. Food industry has brought a major transformation in food environment that urge people for having more food anywhere, anytime and in very large amounts ('CME posttest', 2015). Addressing the pros and cons Its a responsibility of government to show how infants should be assisted by parents that can help them to get rid of their junk food, what breast-feeding mothers should eat, what healthy meal an individual should have Instead of promoting the production and increase in availability of these unhealthy products, government and other health organizations should take essential initiative to control people from having unhealthy diets. They should provide necessary awareness for people about the consequences of daily consumption of junk foods and sugary drinks. Governments law of regulation school food In 2000, government approved concern regarding the poor quality of school meal; the set of laws was passed by government establishing nutritional values for school snacks and lunches (McKay, 2015). Vegetables and fruits were provided in every school meals which are required to regulate prevalence of increasing obesity, but fast food was also served. It was students wish to choose between healthy meals or other food offered. References CME posttest. (2015). Obesity, 23, S15-S15. doi:10.1002/oby.21097 McKay, B. (2015). What Role Should Government Play in Combating Obesity?. WSJ. Retrieved 25 June 2015, from https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10000872396390444812704577609482961870876