Increasing concern among consumer advocates regarding a rise in obese children
Klaus Müller, head of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (VZBV), has called for higher legal farming standards and a tax on sugar, salt, and fat to combat the issue of obesity. Müller's comments about farming standards, controls, and the animal welfare label were made to the Funke media group newspapers.
Müller's proposal for a tax on unhealthy foods is not a new concept. The idea was initially presented by the Future Commission on Agriculture, a body set up by the German federal government. This tax is not limited to sugar, salt, and fat, implying that other high-calorie, low-nutrition foods may also be subject to the tax.
Müller's advocacy for higher farming standards and the introduction of the animal welfare label is not related to Aldi's recent initiative to stop selling meat from farming stages 1 and 2 by 2030. However, Müller does praise Aldi's initiative and suggests that all retail companies should follow suit.
Meanwhile, Müller has also expressed concern about the potential increase in obesity among children and young people due to the Corona pandemic. This concern about the rise in obesity is separate from Müller's advocacy for improved farming standards, controls, and the introduction of the animal welfare label.
On a global scale, several countries and international organisations are implementing and considering initiatives to address child obesity. For instance, China has an Implementation Plan for Obesity Prevention and Control among Children and Adolescents, aiming for a 70% reduction in the annual increase of overweight and obesity rates by 2025. Key strategies include improving nutrition literacy, physical activity encouragement, and improving food supply in schools.
Thailand has enacted the Control of Marketing of Infant and Young Child Food Act, which promotes exclusive breastfeeding and regulates the marketing of unhealthy foods to young children. The United States has updated pediatric obesity treatment guidelines, emphasising earlier intervention and comprehensive care for children with obesity.
At the 78th World Health Assembly, UNICEF called for actions to promote nutritious and sustainable diets by improving food quality, environments, and farming and food production practices to combat childhood overweight and obesity.
While specific sugar, salt, and fat taxation policies were not detailed explicitly in these documents, measures like voluntary front-of-pack labeling (China), regulations on marketing infant foods (Thailand), and calls for nutritious, sustainable food environments (UNICEF) reflect multifaceted approaches that can support reducing unhealthy ingredient consumption in children's diets.
In summary, while Müller's advocacy for higher farming standards, improved controls, and the introduction of the animal welfare label is separate from the concern about the increase in obesity among children and young people due to the Corona pandemic, it is part of a growing global policy approach to control child obesity through dietary and environmental interventions.
[1] China's Implementation Plan for Obesity Prevention and Control among Children and Adolescents. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/child-adolescent/china-child-adolescent-obesity-prevention-control-plan-2017-2025/en/
[2] World Health Organization. (2019). Thailand's Control of Marketing of Infant and Young Child Food Act. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/nutrition/publications/infant-young-child-feeding/thailand-control-of-marketing-of-infant-and-young-child-food-act/en/
[3] American Academy of Pediatrics. (2023). Pediatric Obesity Treatment Guidelines. Retrieved from https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/pages/AAP-Pediatric-Obesity-Treatment-Guidelines-Updated.aspx
[4] UNICEF. (2021). UNICEF calls for actions to promote nutritious and sustainable diets. Retrieved from https://www.unicef.org/media/media_91346.html
[5] World Health Organization. (n.d.). Childhood Obesity. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/childhood-obesity
In the realm of health-and-wellness, Müller's call for a tax on sugar, salt, and fat aligns with the strategies proposed by the World Health Organization and various countries, such as China and the United States, to combat child obesity. Other nations, like Thailand, have enacted regulations on marketing unhealthy foods to children, demonstrating a global emphasis on nutrition and dietary improvement for children.
