May 2, 2011- The media tend to portray obesity as the result of individual choices, blaming the individual. As a result, the interventions that are most readily accepted by the public are more about “individual” prescriptions, for example for physical activity, rather than education campaigns or large-scale measures.
This is the observation made by Timothy Caulfield, research director at the Health Law Institute, University of Alberta, at the second National Congress on Obesity, which was held in Montreal recently.
In addition, he underlines that the genetic thesis, which is not yet established scientifically, also plays on the perception and the attitude of the people. “Either they think, ‘I have the gene, it’s fate, I can’t do anything about it’, or they think, ‘I don’t have the gene, so I don’t have to worry about it. , I will never be obese “. “
Timothy caulfield
According to him, the challenge is therefore to find a bridge between this individual vision and public policies, between education and individual health choices.
The influence of the media is undeniable, he continues. “Popular culture has an important impact on politics and the development of laws. In the case of obesity, the media participate as much in the perception of the problem as in the acceptance of the policies implemented to counter it. “
Timid political actions
In Canada, political actions to tackle obesity are still tentative, although there have been a few, according to Dr.r Mark Eisenberg, Director of the Department of Cardiology at the Jewish Hospital of Montreal and Principal Investigator in the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health. He has just published, in collaboration with colleagues, an analysis of the situation in the country1.
One of their observations: political actions (tax on junk foods, sodium reduction, etc.) often remain on the table for discussion and their implementation is delayed due to political or legislative constraints. However, “obesity today exceeds smoking in terms of morbidity and mortality, reducing life expectancy by 10 years”, concludes the researcher.
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Examples of political actions under discussion or implemented in certain countries
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National Congress on Obesity Also read: > Weight loss at all costs called into question |
Claudia Morissette – HealthPassport.net
1. Eisenbert, M, et al., Legislative approaches to tackling the obesity epidemic, CMAJ, April 2011.
