Will horror stories appear on packages of harmful products?

They decided to equate junk food with cigarettes

Copper news

Experts from the International Federation against Obesity and the International Organization for Consumer Protection called on governments of various countries to introduce mandatory rules for all food producers. In their opinion, the food industry should be regulated in the same way as the tobacco industry, the BBC reports (Food should be regulated like tobacco, say campaigners).

According to experts, the mortality rate from obesity increased from 2.6 million deaths per year in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2010, which causes great concern to the medical community and requires close attention and control at the state level.

The rules proposed by organizations may concern reducing the content of salt, sugar and saturated fats in food, as well as improving the quality of products supplied to schools and hospitals. One of the ways of regulation can be a visual image explaining the damage to health from a particular product.

Experts recommend banning artificial trans fats for use in foods and beverages over the next five years. Other recommendations include the regulation of junk food advertising, especially during children's shows, as well as the revision of the pricing policy for junk food, the introduction of a tax on such products and other similar measures.

Luke Upchurch, a representative of the International Organization for Consumer Protection, stressed that they require governments to take the same approach and regulate the food industry as is used in the tobacco industry. "We want to avoid the situation that was in the 1960s, when tobacco companies claimed that cigarettes were not harmful to health, and after 30-40 years millions of people died (from smoking)," he said. "If we don't take action now, we will continue to face a lack of progress on this issue."

"Obesity kills a huge number of people, and only targeted actions by governments can significantly reduce overweight deaths," said Dr. Ian Campbell, founder of the British Obesity Forum.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru20.005.2014