Junk food

[Shedhand]

MALAYSIA has banned fast-food companies from sponsoring or advertising on children's television programs to curb the increasing incidence of health problems caused by bad eating habits, news reports said today.

What a great decision. I wonder if our government will ever have the guts to stand up to the junk food peddlars.

[bitingmidge]

Doesn't it start out in the electorate?

If parents had the guts to stand up to their kids there'd be no problem. Why is something as fundamental as deciding what your kids can eat now the responsibility of the government?

P

[Shedhand]

Doesn't it start out in the electorate?

If parents had the guts to stand up to their kids there'd be no problem. Why is something as fundamental as deciding what your kids can eat now the responsibility of the government?

P

It's not but parents these days are under too much pressure from kids who plead peer pressure and are supported by bloody do-gooder social commentators who believe it a kids right to what the hell they please. And when the consequences - rotten health - impact on the public health system as do obesity, asthma and diabetes (all preventable) then the elected rabble should do something.

[Big Shed]

Well, I'm with Midge, b.......r the social commentators and peer pressure and advertising. It is you as parents that decide what is good for your children, and there are plenty of parents out there that are doing exactly that, and more power to their elbows

There seems to be a prevailing attitude that no matter what the problem "the gummint should do something"

We are responsible for our own actions!

[Shedhand]

Well, I'm with Midge, b.......r the social commentators and peer pressure and advertising. It is you as parents that decide what is good for your children, and there are plenty of parents out there that are doing exactly that, and more power to their elbows

Well, you're with me then.

[Big Shed]

MALAYSIA has banned fast-food companies from sponsoring or advertising on children's television programs to curb the increasing incidence of health problems caused by bad eating habits, news reports said today.

What a great decision. I wonder if our government will ever have the guts to stand up to the junk food peddlars.

You are saying here that the "gummint" should fix the problem, so not from where I am sitting

[Shedhand]

You are saying here that the "gummint" should fix the problem, so not from where I am sitting

If lazy parents won't do anything to stop their rugrats from getting a preventable disease and it costs unnecessary tax dollars to treat the little buggers then the government should step in. Public health budgets are to stretched to pander to the laxity of parent too lazt]y to feed their kids proper healthy home-cooked meals. Call me old fashion but when I was a kid if someone under 70 had diabetes or a kid had asthma they were considered a rarity. Its only been the last 30 years and the advent junk food that these things have bloown out of all proportion.
Granted its not the government's role to dictate what we pour, puff or push down our throats but sometimes they DO need to act in our interests when we are incapable.
Just an opinion mate. No dramas.

[Big Shed]

And I respect your opinion, and agree with most of your points about lazy parents and unhealthy people. What I am saying is that our reaction should not be to point the finger at the government and expect them to fix all ills in society by banning things.

I think a more reponsible approach would be to educate people properly about a range of things, such as health financial issues and a lots of life skills. So we educate people to make responsible choices. This obviously should start in our schools, but we better not go there because that is an entirely different can of wriggly things.

I am a great believer that ultimately we decide our own fate, and it is no good trying to blame other people by saying, "well they advertise these things, so I buy them and swallow them" We largely banned smoking advertising, people still choose to smoke.

So we ban advertising for junk food (and who decides what is junk food?) will that stop people eating it? I don't think so, just like they don't stop smoking.

[rodm]

Big Shed
Who educates the people?

[Shedhand]

My last words: Global Gorging

[Big Shed]

Big Shed
Who educates the people?

The gummint Unless you send your children to a private school.

What I am saying is educate, don't ban.

[Big Shed]

My last words: Global Gorging

At least you won't live to see Global Warming

[rodm]

Big Shed
Couldn't agree more and advertising must be made to tell the truth instead of the smoke and mirrors they seem to think are fair play.

[Barry_White]

Just my opinion but is not just the kids that consume junk food and I amongst a great many adults consume a lot of junk food.

I spent 20 years on the road as a rep eating junk food for lunch just about every day and two years ago this week I got my wake up call when I had to have a quadruple heart bypass although I had changed my ways two years before it did not prevent the inevitable.

I sometimes sit outside the supermarket and watch what adults have in their shopping trolleys that they take home and feed to their kids. Things such as potato crisps, soft drinks, packet pizzas etc. Some people don't even buy fruit and fresh vegetables.

Adults can't blame the government or the fast food companies for what they put in their shopping trolleys and an odd fast meal as a treat for kids is okay but it is what they serve at home is doing the most damage.

The problem is that people do too much shopping in the centre of the supermarket where all the processed foods are instead of around the outside areas where all the fresh food is.

[munruben]

Maybe its time we took responsibility for our own actions. I looked around the foodcourt in my local Plaza today and it was full but not just kids, I would estimate 80% of the patrons were adults so how are our children going to learn healthy eating habits. They are introduced to these junk food outlets by their parents before they can even walk. I saw children in strollers eating fries and deep fried chicken nuggets. Surely this is a problem that should be addressed and is the responsibility of the parents.I agree we don't need the advertising of these products in the media and and on tv, particularly during kiddies shows and maybe that night help to address the problem but primarily, I think it is the parents who need to lead the children in the right direction when it comes to what food their children should eat, educate them but how do you get your point across to your child holding a big Mac and french fries in one hand and a strawberry milkshake in the other. Lets face it, we all eat at these places more often than we should. I know I do. So maybe its time, as parents, we woke up to ourselves and did something about it and show our kids the right way.