Oligopolies and obesity
Through direct lobbying and influence from trade groups, the world's junk food oligopolies are once again using their economic and political power to make health policy, both in the United States and in the United Nations. Whatever the concerns about the "globesity" epidemic spreading from the US to the rest of the world, the food industry is making sure that it won't be hindered by any new laws, guidelines, or lawsuits.
The US House of Representatives just passed a law ("The Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act", but nicknamed the Cheeseburger law) that would protect companies that sell junk food (McDonalds, Burger King, and so on) from obesity lawsuits. A few of these lawsuits have been much in the news lately, using the much-derided argument that "the company made me eat it" through its marketing campaign and pricing policies. While judges have quickly thrown out the few such lawsuits that have come to them, the food companies and the beneficiaries of their campaign funds in the legislature rammed through the bill, supported by the White House. (It still has to pass the Senate, which is considered unlikely.)
This kind of special protection against litigation for an industry is becoming more common. Congress just missed passing a law protecting gun manufacturers against liability lawsuits from gun crime victims. It's not hard to see it as a special prize for financial supporters, yet another corporate welfare program.
On the world stage, the World Health Organization (WHO) is also been stymied. The UN organization plans a May conference on world obesity problems. But, according to a Christian Science Monitor report ("Foes of 'globesity' run afoul of sugar's friends," 2/19/2004) they are running into opposition. It comes "from developing countries - particularly from the sugar-producers - and from Washington questioning proposed guidelines for fat and sugar intake."
Despite the clear growth in global obesity (estimated at 300 million people worldwide) and the enormous health devastation connected with it (particularly the increase in diabetes), food industry-controlled "science" panel protest that there is no proven connection between the cheap availability of sugar and the problem, Singled out for attack is a report by WHO scientist that recommends that consumers limit the consumption of sugar to 10 percent of their calorie intake.
At a recent meeting of the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization), according a scientist quoted in the Monitor article, "the sugar industry was lobbying like crazy…They were trying to put the 'frighteners' on the developing countries." In general, the US government delegation has been supporting the food and sugar groups' objections.
The power of the big players and food and their industry associations knows no borders, and is willing to fight to the last to protect processed food profits. Even innocuous and unenforceable recommendations to cut back on sugar and fat, and eat more fruits and vegetables, are seen as an evil if it gets in the way of selling Coke, Mars bars, or Oreos across the world.
