|
 Experts
have been pondering the question, "What has been fueling the
obesity epidemic more--poor food choices or the availability of
unhealthy foods?"
Blame it on the Junk Food
Some experts identified junk food as the prime contributor to the
obesity epidemic. Almost one-third of the American diet consists
of sweets, salty snacks and soda, which contain no nutritional value
and are also strongly tied to unhealthy eating habits. For these
reasons, certain experts believe that these types of foods should
be marked with labels such as a scarlet "J" symbol.
The goal behind labeling is to incorporate several nutrition indicators
into one government-sanctioned label and position it on the front
of the packages. Foods then would be rated by nutrition experts
according to category such as calories, poor and over-consumed nutrients
and healthy nutrients that aren't being consumed enough.
Taking Away the Consumer's Responsibility
- Some experts who disagreed with the food labeling idea stated
that the focus needed to be placed upon promoting healthy eating
habits rather than on individual foods
- Experts also claimed that rating foods was an overly simplistic
idea
- They also added that nutrition should be looked at on an individual
basis because of the wide variety of nutritional needs
Do Consumers Really pay Attention to Labels?
- Those against the labeling idea said that most consumers already
know what foods are good for them and what are bad and their decision
ultimately boils down to a matter of taste
- Others claimed that the labeling might cause confusion among
the consumers in addition to the already existing food labels
- Another concern cited was the probability of companies adding
vitamins and minerals to their product to avoid being labeled
with a scarlet J
In the end, it's the Consumer's Decision
Critics of the labeling system stated that putting labels on products
would undermine the consumer's ability to make a wise decision
on their own. Instead, they suggested educating consumers on making
healthy food choices, developing nutritious eating habits and putting
the responsibility back on the consumer.
ABC
News July 27, 2004
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