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In reply to the discussion: Tax fizzy drinks and ban junk food ads, say UK doctors [View all]davidthegnome
(2,983 posts)Unless they're also politicians.
I suppose I'm something of a pessimist, as I tend to concentrate on the negative aspects of such things. Overall, eating healthier will lead to a healthier population. What I find suspect, are the motives of those who would promote, pass - and ultimately enforce such legislation. Perhaps today's soda products will be replaced by mass produced orange juice. Perhaps our fast food joints will be replaced with restaurants, that, instead, specialize in salads. Is this a bad thing? Not by itself, unless we consider what becomes necessary and/or more convenient with the increase in mass production. Genetically modified fruits and vegetables come to mind. Nutritional benefits will be (and have been) sacrificed for the sake of profit. This should be clear to anyone who has a fair understanding of what our cows eat - these animals that produce our dairy products, beef, and so on. We eat what they eat.
If our governments and health institutions are overall enabled to become solely responsible for our diets, we may become healthier and live longer. The question is what they will do with such control, with such increased authority over the daily lives and activities of their citizens. When we consider the average amount of Nutritional education the average Doctor receives, this is somewhat troubling. It wasn't all that long ago that schools (at least my local schools) peddled the "food pyramid".
Do we have the right to make the wrong decision? Do we have the right to eat things that are bad for us? I suppose the same argument is frequently applied to alcohol and drugs. Well, the war on drugs has failed (even if it is still being fought). The prohibition failed long ago.
I can just imagine a world where we have to have illegal institutions in order to purchase cheese burgers, milk shakes, or soda.
I'm all for better health. I just think we should have the right to seek it for ourselves. Or, the right to choose otherwise.
If we really want a healthier world, perhaps we should be pouring more money into nutritional education. When people understand why they should do something, I think they're more likely to do it than if force is attempted.