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(HealthNewsDigest.com) – I’d like to advocate that any dialogue about food would start with “we.” We need to eat better. We need to choose healthier foods. We need to eat more reasonable portions. We need to read food labels to make better choices. We need to be good role models for our children. We need to exercise more and use up the calories we consume. We need more food and nutrition education.
Municipalities are initiating zoning bans on chain restaurants from operating near schools in certain neighborhoods as a possible strategy to halt the increase of childhood obesity. Taxing sugary drinks and high-calorie, low-nutrient foods has also been suggested. And green initiatives are suggesting that eating more organic and sustainable foods would make us healthier.
Following this argument if we remove all fast food restaurants from poor and inner city neighborhoods, tax every snack and sugary drink, and encourage people to buy more organic and sustainable produce we will all become healthier and slimmer. I don’t think so. People rarely react well to dictating diet through law. Nutrition facts have been prominently displayed on food labels for over 20 years. Yet, during the last 30 years rate of overweight and obesity in this country has skyrocketed. If nutrition information could make people slimmer, nutrition labeling should have had a greater impact. It hasn’t.
Taxes don’t teach. If we tax snacks and sugary drinks with the hope that people will buy less, chances are that won’t happen. In fact people might have less money left, after paying the taxes, to buy healthier foods. If the taxes on sugary drinks were totally directed to nutrition education to teach people why these products are less healthy and why they should be eaten in limited amounts, we might see some behavior change. We’d probably see more behavior change if a prominent label statement was mandated on soda and sweetened drinks that said, “Not recommended for young children. Older children and adults should drink in limited amounts.” This will never happen but it would be effective public health education. It gives the message that these are foods that shouldn’t be offered to young children and should be used in smaller portions by older kids and adults. That is a correct nutrition education message that many people need to hear.
Banning chain restaurants in poor and inner city neighborhoods is a bad idea. Yes, these restaurants do offer poor choices and very large portions. But, they also serve milk, fresh fruit, salads, yogurt and smaller portions. For low-income families, with few supermarkets available locally, the neighborhood chain restaurants provide good quality food at a reasonable price in a safe and clean environment. Local communities should work with these chains to post nutrition information and encourage them to publicize the healthier choices. Why not a poster that says, “Order milk with dinner.” or “Kids’ meals are great because small children need small portions.” Instead of supersizing let’s encourage downsizing and healthy choices. McDonald’s once gave away promotional pedometers. Why not set up an ad campaign to give away packages of apple slices to every kid who logged 10,000 steps on their pedometer that day. Education that is fun promotes change. Zoning laws that restrict development and reduce available jobs will not help neighborhoods.
Organic and sustainable produce are great choices, but so are frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables. Recent studies have shown that organic and conventionally grown produce have the same nutritional value. Some would dispute these findings. But none would say conventionally grown crops are not nutritious. Sustainable produce encourages us to eat seasonally and locally, both of which are good recommendations. But, why? Teach people that watermelons in winter travel long distances and are more expensive. There are cheaper, equally nutritious winter substitutes.
The American consumer is often portrayed as hapless, unable to make sound choices for himself and his family. Therefore big government and local zoning ordinances have to step in and regulate our choices. I believe instead, that the average American has not been given enough basic food and nutrition education to make the right choices. No parent wants an overweight, unhealthy child. But, many parents do not connect food and lack of exercise with the problem. How could that be you ask? The obvious isn’t always obvious without the correct facts.
We need to teach, not tax and preach. Informed consumers can make good choices when they have the facts. Let’s set up programs that offer facts and information, not more regulations and taxes.
For further information: The Nutrition Experts
© NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc.
Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 7 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller.
Current titles include:
The Complete Food Counter, 3rd ed., 2009
The Fat Counter, 7th ed., 2009
The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008
The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008
The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007
The Calorie Counter, 4th Ed., 2007
For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to www.TheNutritionExperts.com.
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