Can a food be addictive like cigarette smoking or opioid taking? Apparently some believe that it is so. To day's obesity epidemic is attributed to this addictive behavior of some foods which seem to have a tendency to affect the brain functions in such a way that the body seeks more of the same, unconsciously leading to over eating. Especially foods containing high levels of sugar, fat and/or salt come under this category. Probably the food processing industry as well as the policy makers will have to bear the responsibility for creating an environment where "incentives" exist for over eating. The serving sizes indicated in the labels of many products are invariably on the higher side while the industry's high decibel promotion of its products lures the unsuspecting consumers to such "rich" but ridiculously low cost foods. Is it not a tragedy that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables in a country like the US cost exorbitantly compelling the consumers to increasingly shun these health protecting foods? A well argued case is made regarding the existence of a toxic food environment that progressively destroys the society through debilitating health disorders. There appears to be lot of logic in the commentary appearing recently about the food scenario in the US.
"The biggest sham in food industry strategy and government food policy is advocating and emphasizing individual choice and personal responsibility to solve our obesity and chronic disease epidemic. We are told that if people just didn't eat so much, exercised more, and took care of themselves, we would be fine. We don't need to change our policies or environment. We don't want the government telling us what to do. We want free choice. But are your choices free, or is Big Food driving behavior through insidious marketing techniques? The reality is that many people live in food deserts where they can't buy an apple or carrot, or live in communities that have no sidewalks or where it is unsafe to be out walking. We blame the fat person. But how can we blame a two-year-old for being fat? How much choice does he or she have? We live in toxic food environment, a nutritional wasteland. School lunchrooms and vending machines overflow with junk food and "sports drinks." Most of us don't even know what we're eating. Fifty percent of meals are eaten outside the home, and most home-cooked meals are simply microwavable industrial food. Restaurants and chains provide no clear menu labeling. Did you know that a single order of Outback Steakhouse cheese fries is 2,900 calories, or that a Starbucks venti mocha latte is 508 calories? Environmental factors (like advertising, lack of menu labeling, and others) and the addictive properties of "industrial food," when added together, override our normal biological or psychological control mechanisms. To pretend that changing this is beyond the scope of government responsibility or that creating policy to help manage such environmental factors would lead to a "nanny state" is simply an excuse for Big Food to continue its unethical practices. Here are some ways we can change our food environment:"
One is reminded of the rash statement of the CEO of a large multi national food player peddling some of the worst food products from health angle that it is the consumer who has the responsibility for the selection of right product, to moderate consumption and to engage in adequate physical activity to burn the calories consumed! Same argument holds good for alcohol consumption or smoking of cigarettes or taking opioid but why does the government take action against these industries through high taxation and many restrictions, instead of leaving the responsibility of shunning these products to the consumer? Obviously because they are addictive in nature and can make the people slaves to their power of addiction. Does it mean putting in place restrictions on some foods with such addictive characteristics? Probably this is an issue for which time has come to take a collective decision by the world at large.
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