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Nanny government: You are what you don’t eat

13 comments on Nanny government: You are what you don’t eat

Nanny government: You are what you don’t eat

: As upset as I get over the FCC’s efforts to nanny us, I will admit they’re damned libertarians compared to the looney Euronuts. There’s a movement to ban advertising of junk food:

European legislation would be needed to impose an effective ban on junk food advertising, according to a public health specialist.

Dr Geof Rayner, the former chairman of the UK Public Health Association (UKPHA), said that a national ban on television commercials that promote junk food, such as burgers and fizzy drinks, would be ineffective because of widespread and growing access to satellite TV.

His comments came after the Commons health select committee today recommended a voluntary ban on TV commercials promoting unhealthy food in a damning report on Britain’s obesity epidemic.

Idiots. It’s not junk food you want to ban. It’s excess. Is a peanut bad for you? No. Is eating two pounds in a sitting every day bad for you? Yes. But we wouldn’t want any fizz in Europe.

13 responses to “Nanny government: You are what you don’t eat”

  1. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    It’s all about context, eh?

  2. Jeff Avatar
    Jeff

    They also wanted to ban religious headwear, too, if I recall.
    Can you imagine the shitstorm here if that happened?

  3. Aaron Avatar
    Aaron

    Well, the Feds are saying that Americans are having less sex and eating more. Good for Ashcroft but probably not a good trend. Read more at the Village Voice’s No Sex, Please. We’re Eating.

  4. ken Avatar
    ken

    Jeff… just wait.

  5. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    This is part of the non-discussed consequences of nationalized health care. One has to control costs and that involves controlling people’s health. People must be saved from themselves you see. They don’t eat right and have bad habits that lead to bad health. I am surprised smoking hasn’t been banned outright.

  6. billg Avatar
    billg

    I can see it now…or, rather, a few years from now: Millions of skinny Europeans line up at forced feeding stations for their mandatory rations of spinach and tofu.
    Steamed, of course.

  7. blah Avatar
    blah

    Millions of skinny Europeans line up at forced feeding stations for their mandatory rations of spinach and tofu.
    Well, the American healthcare policy is to ensure that the cost of treating the aging population is offset by the number they can send to their graves through obesity. (Or through Atkins-induced heart disease.)

  8. blah Avatar
    blah

    Oh, and Jeff, what part of ‘voluntary’ do you have trouble parsing?

  9. John Anderson Avatar
    John Anderson

    Funny you shuld mention peanuts: some schools in my general area threaten to expel students who had a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich for breakfast before school. Too much trouble and exposure to lawsuits to ensure that epi-pens are available and administrators (well, they do seem to outnumber teachers) trained to recognize shock symptoms and use the pens… WAY too expensive to test for allergies and get parents to supply the pens, or even to give those parents a supply and leave it to them to ensure their kid has one at all times… Nope, ban Snickers and Reese’s, and smell every pupil’s breath in the morning and after lunch!

  10. jeremy Avatar
    jeremy

    Oh, and Jeff, what part of ‘voluntary’ do you have trouble parsing?
    Probably the part of it where Rayner didn’t say “voluntary.”
    See there’s this complicated yet important concept called “more than one party involved.” And yes, the health select committee said voluntary ban (which would involve decision making by the media, not legislation). And later someone else left the voluntary part out and called for European-wide legislation. Pretty amazing, huh? Two different sources of information in one article? Who woulda thunk it?
    Seriously, if you’re going to condescend to the blog-host like that, you might want to get the facts straight first.

  11. ras Avatar
    ras

    Will the ban include wine & coffee? Or chocolate? Just asking.

  12. ras Avatar
    ras

    p.s. when the govt calls for a “voluntary” ban, it means “or else I’ll volunteer you for it myself.” I would have thought that was obvious, else why bother with the public pronouncement at all?

  13. ras Avatar
    ras

    p.p.s. Does a prominent display of a product in a high-traffic area constitute an advert? I mean, say I displayed a rack of candies at the supermarket checkout, where everyone could see them?
    I guess I could always put them there under a sheet, with a notice – “Warning. Candy underneath. It has no significant nutritional value. (Today’s Special: 2 for the price of 1)”