In the US and Europe, advertisers and advertising agencies are increasingly blamed for the obesity problems of modern society. Are they the true culprits? Or are they just scapegoats?Ralph Nader, former US presidential candidate and a noted consumer activist (Time magazine dubbed him as `the US's toughest customer') recently declared McDonald's double cheeseburger as, `Weapon of Mass Destruction.' Reacting in a similar tone, in May 2004, Health Selection Committee of UK warned all the food manufacturing companies of Europe to voluntarily improve the quality of food by reducing fat and sugar content in the next three years, or face a permanent ban. Similarly, scores of other civic bodies, consumer protection groups, parents and the respective governments of developed and developing countries are after food manufacturing companies and their communication partners-advertising agencies. All of them demand in a single voiceto shun production and promotion of unhealthy junk foods and to propagate healthy foods to save posterity. They opine that excessive food advertising is the root cause for all the obesity problems of modern society. It appears their concerns are not unmerited.
Several studies indicate that the population of Europe and the US already experience lateral growth in terms of increase in `girth' (obesity). Confirming the fact, WHO studies show that, in 1995, there were an estimated 200 million obese1 adults worldwide and another 18 million under-five children classified as overweight. By 2000, the number of obese adults throughout the world has increased over 300 million. According to the estimation of American Obesity Association (AOB), in the last decade, the obesity rates have increased by about 10% to 40% in European countries, where England tops the list. Currently, around 24 million adults in the UK are overweight or obese and the obesity levels have tripled in the last 20 years. In the US, 127 million adults are overweight, 60 million obese, and nine million are severely obese. AOB further reports that the problem was not restricted to adults; even 30.3% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 years are overweight and around 15.3% are obese. Among adolescents (aged 12-19 years), 30.4% are overweight and 15.5% are obese. Even among developing countries around 115 million experience obesity related problems. On the whole, it was observed that the mean Body Mass Index of Africa and Asia are between 22-23 kg/m2 (slightly below alarming state) while that of USA is 25-27 kg/m2 (an alarming condition, majority are overweight and are few kg less to become obese!). Now, obesity problem assumed such a proposition, WHO dubbing the condition as `globesity', and initiated a series of measures to counter the menace. Why is obesity such a worrying concern? What are the consequences of obesity?
Being slim seems rewarding; bulging, on the contrary, is perilous. According to a report by the US department of health and human services (Surgeon General), obesity causes approximately 300,000 deaths every year and left unabated, it may prove riskier than cigarette smoking. According to the Cancer Research Center of the UK, 39% of uterine cancers, 37% of oesophageal cancers, 25% kidney cell cancers and 11% colon cancers are thought to be due to overweight and obesity. In addition, maturity-onset diabetes2 (type 2) is now being seen among school children that are obese, previously found only among middle-aged and older adults. |
