An NBC News article today reports on a study headed by Dr. Roberto De Vogli of the department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis that found a correlation between increases in fast food purchases and average Body Mass Indices (BMI) in 25 countries between 1999 and 2008.
Ok, leaving aside the fact that correlation is not the same as causation (which the article kinda, sorta gives a nod to), I can accept that this is useful information. But then De Vogli gets all food nazi on us…
“The take-home message is that, although free-market policies are not to be demonized, it appears quite clear that in order to fight the obesity epidemic, a stronger role of government intervention is necessary,” says Dr. Roberto De Vogli of the department of Public Health Sciences at the University of California, Davis, who headed up the study…..
“Unless governments take steps to regulate their economies, the invisible hand of the market will continue to promote obesity worldwide with disastrous consequences for future public health and economic productivity,” De Vogli said.
And the World Health Organization gets in on the act…
“This study shows how important public policies are for addressing the epidemic of obesity,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, director of the Department of Nutrition for Health and Development at WHO.
“Policies targeting food and nutrition are needed across several sectors including agriculture, industry, health, social welfare and education,” Branca said.
And not only does De Vogli want to control what we eat, he wants to choose who we buy it from…
De Vogli recommends policies protecting small farmers and encouraging people to eat local produce.
I find it pretty sad that some people just assume it’s the government’s job to stop others making their own decisions about how they live their lives. It’s not. Freedom means making your own decisions. Yes, people who overeat are usually unhealthy. But that’s their choice. It shouldn’t be anyone else’s.