In spite of cries that junk food laws are stealing consumers' right to choose and supporting the nanny state mentality, sometimes, the regulations really work as intended. A study released Monday in Pediatrics notes that strong unhealthy food laws may have a strong connection with lower child obesity rates. Source for this article: shouldn't you operate a peek
Restrict junk food, fight kid obesity
The new child obesity study, which released today in the journal Pediatrics, offers what some experts are calling the first real proof that school regulations can have a positive effect on a student's fat. Junk food regulations like those in states like New York, when translated down to the institutional level, may successfully restrict the sale of sugar-laden soft drinks and pre-packaged, heavily processed unhealthy food. This is turn helps slow child obesity.
According to the Associated Press, it is great to have the Pediatrics study to back up the idea surely it is a good idea to restrict food consumption. Still, the controversy around the laws will not stop anytime soon.
Methodology of the kid obesity study
Fat changes were observed in students from fifth grade to eighth grade in 40 states for a three year period ending in 2007. There were 6,300 students in the study. States that had heavy junk food and kid obesity regulation saw it was more likely for an overweight kid to drop to a healthier weight. There were fewer pounds gained in states where unhealthy food laws were in place too. It is obvious that the laws help.
A correlation not there
There is a “strong association” between unhealthy food laws and less child obesity, but there is certainly no direct correlation, critics suggest. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia director of nutrition VA Stallings supports the correlation.
"This is the first real evidence that the laws are likely to have an impact," she told the AP.
Dr. David Ludwig of Harvard Medical School does not think there is a down side in having regulations such as these, even if there is not a strong unhealthy food law and child obesity connection.
"What are the downsides of improving the food environment for children today?" he asked. "You can't get much worse than it already is."
Between 2009 and 2010, about a fifth of United States teenagers were considered obese, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Kid obesity impacted by parents
VIDEO
Sources:
New York Times
Slate
Washington Post
Restrict junk food, fight kid obesity
The new child obesity study, which released today in the journal Pediatrics, offers what some experts are calling the first real proof that school regulations can have a positive effect on a student's fat. Junk food regulations like those in states like New York, when translated down to the institutional level, may successfully restrict the sale of sugar-laden soft drinks and pre-packaged, heavily processed unhealthy food. This is turn helps slow child obesity.
According to the Associated Press, it is great to have the Pediatrics study to back up the idea surely it is a good idea to restrict food consumption. Still, the controversy around the laws will not stop anytime soon.
Methodology of the kid obesity study
Fat changes were observed in students from fifth grade to eighth grade in 40 states for a three year period ending in 2007. There were 6,300 students in the study. States that had heavy junk food and kid obesity regulation saw it was more likely for an overweight kid to drop to a healthier weight. There were fewer pounds gained in states where unhealthy food laws were in place too. It is obvious that the laws help.
A correlation not there
There is a “strong association” between unhealthy food laws and less child obesity, but there is certainly no direct correlation, critics suggest. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia director of nutrition VA Stallings supports the correlation.
"This is the first real evidence that the laws are likely to have an impact," she told the AP.
Dr. David Ludwig of Harvard Medical School does not think there is a down side in having regulations such as these, even if there is not a strong unhealthy food law and child obesity connection.
"What are the downsides of improving the food environment for children today?" he asked. "You can't get much worse than it already is."
Between 2009 and 2010, about a fifth of United States teenagers were considered obese, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Kid obesity impacted by parents
VIDEO
Sources:
New York Times
Slate
Washington Post