Food should be regulated like tobacco, say intn’l campaigners

The food industry should be regulated like the tobacco industry as obesity poses a greater global health risk than cigarettes, say international groups.

Consumers International and the World Obesity Federation are calling for the adoption of more stringent rules.

These could include pictures on food packaging of damage caused by obesity, similar to those on cigarette packets.

But the Food and Drink Federation said the food industry already supported such measures.

The two organisations said governments around the world should impose compulsory rules for the food and drink industry.

They said global deaths due to obesity and being overweight rose from 2.6 million in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2010.

The new rules could include reducing the levels of salt, saturated fat and sugar in food, improving food served in hospitals and schools, imposing stricter advertising controls, and educating the public about healthy eating.

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