Agency debate on the diet timebomb fizzes with interest
Thursday 29 January 2004
A packed QEII Conference Centre in central London played host on Tuesday to a lively public debate organised by the Food Standards Agency on Defusing the Diet Timebomb: the promotion of foods and children.
Almost 500 people from all parts of the country attended the event, which was also broadcast live on Sky TV digital channel 687 and webcast over the internet.
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Parents and grandparents, young people and even a former 'dinner lady' were among the third of the audience made up of members of the public. The other two thirds comprised Agency stakeholders including representatives from consumer bodies, the catering sector, academia, and the food manufacturing and advertising industries.
The debate was opened by a five-minute video including 'vox pop' interviews conducted among members of the public.
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A panel of experts, chaired by broadcaster Jeremy Vine, then discussed a range of challenging issues related to the promotion of foods and children, including questions and views fielded directly from the audience.
View pictures of the debate
Members of the public also submitted questions via the Agency's website, by email and by text message.
The panel included youth activist Kierra Box (pictured above); leading nutrition scientist Dr Susan Jebb; chef and restaurateur Antony Worrall Thompson; Media Fellow at the Institute of Economic Affairs, Richard D North; writer and analyst Richard Reeves; and Andrew Brown, Director General of the Advertising Association.
A wider group of experts was also available in the audience to answer questions and offer their opinions.
The debate, often controversial, covered a range of topics, including the relative responsibilities of parents, children, food manufacturers and the advertising industry for the increase in childhood obesity.
Opinions expressed ranged from those contending that individual consumers were responsible, to those who felt celebrity advertisers played an insidious role, and others who thought that society had to 'educate parents to say no.'
Some believed that Government-led public education campaigns will be necessary to encourage people to change their lifestyles, and others that food advertising should be banned during children's TV programmes.
The role of physical exercise in balancing the equation of 'calories in and calories out' was discussed, as was the high level of salt, sugar and fat often found in food advertised to children. No-one claimed that the description of childhood obesity as a 'timebomb waiting to explode' was an exaggeration.
Food Standards Agency Chair Sir John Krebs said that the debate represented an important step forward in addressing the effects of food promotion on children's diets.
'The participation of a wide range of experts in the debate, and the attendance of many members of the public, as well as representatives from consumer groups, the education sector and the food and advertising industries, shows how seriously the problem is now being viewed,' he said.
At its meeting in March, the Agency's Board will consider expressions of opinion gathered during, and in the build up to, the debate. Possible options for action will then be published for consultation, and recommendations will be forwarded to Ministers.