Globalisation:Democracy Institue:Obesity
The Myth Of An 'Obesity Tsunami' Patrick Basham Giving His Predictions For The Decade Patrick Basham and his institute claims that the epidemic of weight related illness are grossly exaggerated. He argues that the state is creating a system whereby people feel guilty about eating more than they are told by health organisations they should.
Two studies produced by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published last week in the Journal of the American Medical Association – one about obesity in children and adolescents, and the other about adult obesity – completely undermine the claims of an obesity epidemic. [1]
He argues that between 1999 and 2008 , atime period during which it was widely asserted that obesity had become America's primary health concern, there was actually very little fluctuation in the number of obese people. Basham argues that a rise in the number of obese people was confined to a small group of obese children, mostly children.He points to the findings of the Health Survey of England. This survey found for example that levels of obesity amongst girls aged between 2 and 15 had decreased from 18% in 2005 to 15% in 2006. [2]
He also argues that levels of obesity amongst girls has remained virtually unchanged since 2001.
Basham is trying to put across the point that the claims of certain health groups regarding the link between advertising and obesity have been exaggerated or are in fact a complete fala cy: 'The findings of the English survey not only contradict the claim that we are in the midst of an obesity epidemic, but they also debunk the public health establishment’s erroneous claim that increases in children’s weight are due to junkfood advertising and too many sugary soda drinks. According to the survey, the root cause of any weight gains that one does see appear to lie in physical activity levels.' [3]
Basham argues that the majority of people who are obese are so due to a lack of physical exercise and not because they are adversly affected by continuous advertisement by large fast food conglomorates as well as other companies selling food products which if consumed in large amounts can lead to weight problems.
Notes
- ↑ Patrick Basham, "The myth of an obesity tsunami" Democracy Institute, 19 January 2010, accessed 23 February 2010
- ↑ Patrick Basham, "The myth of an obesity tsunami" Democracy Institute, 19 January 2010, accessed 23 February 2010
- ↑ Patrtick Basham and John Luik, "The Myth Of An Obesity Tsunami",Democracy Institute, 19 January 2010,accessed 16 February 2010
