The prevalence of overweight and obesity in the adult population in Spain is 53.6%. According to the latest figures, 33.4% of children and adolescents are overweight. While tobacco was considered the most important epidemic of the 20th century, the WHO has labeled obesity (apart from COVID-19) as “the invisible pandemic of the 21st century”.
Both risk factors have a lot in common. For example, an industry that manufactures and distributes a wide range of unhealthy products, be they cigarettes or highly processed products, at very affordable prices. When it comes to food, it’s not about the entire industry, but about cases like certain groups of companies, behind products like Iqos, but also Oreo biscuits or Óscar Mayer sausages.
Advertising strategies are also similar. The campaigns aim to make these products more attractive, increase their acceptance and delay any kind of regulation. They also don’t forget to create confusion about the health effects of their products. Therefore, many food marketing strategies are reminiscent of those aimed at selling more and more cigarettes.
When history repeats itself, we learn from it
In 2005, Spain signed and ratified the World Health Organization’s Framework Convention on Smoking Control. These included an action plan presented under the acronym MPOWER: M to monitor (monitor) tobacco use; P for protection (protection) from smoke; Or to offer (offer) help to quit smoking; W for warn of harm; E to enforce advertising bans; and R for increasing tobacco taxes. Within this framework, two laws were passed in our country in 2005 and 2010, which made important progress in protecting the population from tobacco.
Although the scientific community has advocated this type of policy for years, interventions continue to focus on ownership. Therefore, preference is given to ineffective measures that focus on nutrition education or voluntary self-regulatory agreements. In part, as was the case with tobacco, due to the acquisition of some key players by companies that have not spared public health professionals or researchers.
What is suggested?
Experts advocate interventions in five areas: 1) limiting advertising, 2) regulating supply, 3) reducing demand, 4) improving front-end labeling, and 5) reformulating agreements with industry.
The aim of the advertising restriction is to reduce sales and social acceptance of the products. As with the electronic cigarette, most of the highly processed campaigns are aimed at children and young people. In our country, tobacco advertising and promotions are generally prohibited, with some exceptions at points of sale (e.g. tobacco shops). The Royal Decree regulating food and drink advertising aimed at minors, presented in October 2021, has yet to come into force. And it seems he has the Department of Agriculture against him.
Access can also be regulated, thereby reducing consumption. For example, the ban on the purchase of certain products by minors or the restriction of points of sale. With this in mind, many countries have already banned vending machines in schools. In Spain, the 2010 consensus document on food in educational centers is voluntary and has very little application, almost non-existent. An example of the ineffectiveness of the self-regulation defended by Minister Planas.
Declaring specific spaces smoke-free has been one of the biggest milestones in smoke control. Likewise, it is time to propose that educational and health centers should be places where the offering of menus, pastries or sugary drinks is regulated.
Another of the most effective interventions to reduce tobacco use has been price increases through taxes. This type of tax policy can also reduce demand for unhealthy products. A tax on sugary drinks was introduced in Catalonia, despite industry opposition. Your recent evaluation has shown that it works. On the contrary, there is no data showing negative effects on the economy or the labor market.
Some of these actions have been included in the National Strategic Plan to Reduce Childhood Obesity, presented last June as a roadmap to be followed in our country by 2030. Hopefully it won’t be a dead letter.
NUTRITION WITH SCIENCE It is a section on nutrition based on scientific evidence and expert juxtaposed knowledge. Eating is much more than a pleasure and a necessity: diet and eating habits are currently the public health factor that can help us the most to prevent numerous diseases, from many types of cancer to diabetes. A team of dieticians and nutritionists will help us to better understand the importance of food and, thanks to science, to shatter the myths that lead us to eat poorly.
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