Considering the question "Why are we still ONLY focused on sedentary lifestyles and diets when addressing obesity in the US?" In my opinion we only tend to focus on dieting and certain lifestyles when addressing obesity, because we as the public are not informed well enough about all other causes that lead to obesity. I feel that a lot of information is "hidden" from the public eye in order for large companies to continue making million of dollars. If information regarding obesity is linked to certain chemicals found in our food, and this is made public information, I think that consumers would be more cautious.
Another question to look at is "Why are we not also looking at ways to decrease exposures to those chemicals that may be contributing to the epidemic?" Again, I feel that since these exposures are not given to the public so easily, it is hard to eliminate them out of daily use. In order to decrease our exposure to products that contain BPA, it needs to be labeled clearly on containers. I think by clearly labeling products, consumers would be able to decrease exposures. Also, educating consumers on these hazardous chemicals could decrease exposure.
I agree that there is a lack of education on the other factors that lead up to the development of obesity. You are absolutely right that these companies contribute to misinformation through their intentionally dishonest business practices. The more products they sell, the more money they make which is all that matters. If anything, the blame for obesity often falls on the consumers themselves which works in the favor of these companies by escaping public scrutiny.
ReplyDeleteEducation, as you have said, and accountability are key, empowering the public with information on what is contributing to the obesity epidemic and pushing these companies into the spotlight to answer for their part in the epidemic is also necessary.
You are both spot-on in your assessments. The path of least resistance is always to blame the individual, when the reality is far more insidious when it comes to the exploitation of vulnerable populations. Public education about their surroundings, as well as provision of services to encourage upward mobility, are the best way forward.
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