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Stealthy Cause of Weight Gain

On the list of things that lead to weight gain in children, there’s something that you may not realize, that could be the biggest culprit of all.

It’s Marketing. Apparently, nothing makes food taste better than a big scoop of celebrity endorsement. 

While some critics complained that Beyoncé’s add for Pepsi fell flat, alongside her other efforts at promoting fitness, researchers are out with a new report that says governments all over the world are scrimping on programs to get food companies to dial back on these high powered endorsements for high calorie foods. VivicaKraak is an assistant professor in the Department of Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech.

“The resources that a lot of these companies and industry sectors have, that are currently being used to promote the high fat, sugar and salty foods, let’s shift it to the healthier foods. That’s what we’re recommending.”

Kraak was the lead author on a paper that found governments are not doing enough to ensure that the worldwide food and beverage industry, restaurants and entertainment companies are doing what 192 countries pledged to do in 2010 when they signed that resolution at the World Health Organization Conference.

Kraak say, “No country, when you look at the national governments who are charged with restricting unhealthy, sugary, salty foods and beverages to children and to teens from birth to age 18, no member state has passed comprehensive legislation.” 

For example, the countries pledged to work to restrict advertising of unhealthy foods to children under 5, an estimated 42 million of whom worldwide, are already obese. But they’ve made no such pledge for adolescents, a group where 4 times that many are in that category.

“So we’re not saying don’t do it. We’re saying if you are going to use celebrity endorsements and celebrity marketing, make sure it’s for the healthier products or the mid calorie beverages that are 40 calories per 12-ounce service or below or branded water. Just don’t do the full calorie, hundred and fifty calorie for 12 ounces because that’s added sugar and calories that kids don’t need.”

Kraack says numerous studies that show that healthier food is good for business, both from a public relations perspective and by helping to prevent certain diseases. She points you can still make food that tastes good using less of the ingredients which lead to obesity.

“It’s not that we’re saying we don’t ever want to see soda again we just want you to make a healthier version of it. You can still promote it but it’s got to meet dietary regulations.

But in the 5 years since the World Health Organization set these goals, it’s proved difficult for most food companies to give up the special sauce of those celebrity endorsements for their products. Once children develop the habit of eating foods that are off the charts in added sugar, salt and bad fats, they’re likely to grow into obese adults.   According to a study published in the Journal, The Lancet in April, there are now more people on the planet who are obese than there are who are mal-nourished.

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