Fighting obesity

Editor—Jain's editorial calling for increased research into effective interventions against obesity contained some inaccuracies about the World Health Organization's role in this important global health issue.¹

The WHO global strategy on diet, physical activity, and health never “implicated” the marketing of junk foods, called for an immediate ban on the advertising of unhealthy foods to children, or was stalled. A first draft was presented to the executive board in January 2004 and revised in April after taking into account member states' comments. The second draft was endorsed without further change by all member states at the World Health Assembly in May, as was originally scheduled.

Although the strategy never called for bans, the first and final drafts both noted that food advertising should not exploit children's inexperience or credulity and emphasised the overall importance of the information environment. The strategy specifically calls for countries to discourage messages that promote unhealthy dietary practices and recommends that governments develop multi-stakeholder approaches to the marketing of foods to children, and to such issues as sponsorship, promotion, and advertising. The strategy also recommends that the private sector practises responsible marketing, which supports the strategy's goals.

Both drafts also recommended that the intake of free sugars should be limited, fat consumption should be shifted from saturated to unsaturated fats, and trans fatty acids should be eliminated, as well as calling for increased consumption of fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and nuts.

These recommendations take into account member states' input to the strategy, developed over two years of consultations. WHO sees the strategy as a key instrument for addressing the global burden of mortality, morbidity, and disability caused by chronic non-communicable diseases. It is currently developing an implementation plan for the strategy at regional and country level, taking into account member states' differing needs and circumstances.