War on Obesity

New York is waging an increasingly visible battle against the bulge.

On average, Americans now consume 200 to 300 more
calories each day than they did 30 years ago. Some of that
is down to the "supersizing" phenomenon.
But as well as growing portion sizes, Americans are pouring
calories down their throats. Sugar-sweetened drinks can contain
up to 17 teaspoons of sugar per 550ml bottle

An advertisement depicting a glass of thick, yellow human fat,
marbled with blood vessels, is the latest weapon in
America's war on obesity.
,
The new shock adverts, which are accompanied by the words
"Are you pouring on the pounds?", target the billions of hidden
calories which Americans consume each year in sodas and other
sugary drinks.

Public health advocates say the country is facing an obesity
epidemic, which is costing the United States $147bn annually
in healthcare. According to the latest US government statistics,
32.2% of American adults and 17.1% of children are clinically obese.

Obesity can lead to early heart disease, high blood pressure,
high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, cancers, stroke and arthritis.

The anti-obesity campaign comes on the back of a strongly-worded
report published by the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM)
which found that obesity rates in American children have tripled
over the past three decades.
The IMNRC report recommended that state and local governments
tax junk food and soft drinks, give tax breaks to grocery stores that
stock fresh fruit and vegetables in poor neighbourhoods and
build bike trails.


In healthier times we drank tap water.