A beautiful clear morning, and a lovely run. The birds seem very active just now, presumably responding to the closing days of summer and leaner times ahead.
The Lancet has just published a revealing set of articles about the global rise in obesity, which is happening at an alarming rate across most societies, rich and poor, despite the billion people without enough to eat. The first article seems to summarise the situation very clearly: The simultaneous increases in obesity in almost all countries seem to be driven mainly by changes in the global food system, which is producing more processed, affordable, and effectively marketed food than ever before. This passive overconsumption of energy leading to obesity is a predictable outcome of market economies predicated on consumption-based growth.
So it's official. Capitalism is bad for your health. No surprises there - we’ve seen it all before with tobacco & alcohol. The Lancet is calling for higher taxes and clearer health warnings on such food, which seems eminently sensible, as does a vigorous campaign of naming & shaming the worst offenders, such as Nestlé & PepsiCo.
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