Janet CollinsJunking Food
May 11th 2009 23:41
The whole junk food thing is getting a bit of media coverage at the moment. Some health advocates are lobbying for restrictions on advertising, particularly on the popular children’s television shows. It is all about addressing the obesity problem of course but what exactly is junk?
We are led to believe that pretty much anything that is enjoyable to eat is junk. Lollies, chocolate, soft drinks and other party essentials such as chips and even desserts can come into this category.
There is no doubt that there is an obesity problem and people are far more “overweight” than they used to be but what food (or drink) is junk and contributes so much to this problem.
What probably comes to mind to most of us when we hear the term "junk food" is all those things that I have said above but also particular brands of fast food such as McDonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut and the many more foods that aren’t “made at home” or served in a restaurant.
This leads me to ask is the interpretation of junk food all in the eye of the beholder?
To a vegetarian for example, junk would probably be anything that was meat – chicken, fish or meat. Maybe for some of them, it’s more of a issue about the killing of animals rather than the health component, but still it could still fall into the “junk food” category.
For vegans this could go a lot further. Anything dairy could actually be “junk food”. That is, anything that comes from animals and ends up a product on our table such as cheese, eggs or butter.
If you were an executive for McDonalds or KFC for example, you would hardly be promoting the food your company produces as being “junk food”. Nor would anyone working in the drinks industry be keen to say or even admit that the product their company produced was “junk”.
While we have embraced a “free market” over decades, we have also become all so protective of the population and what the advertising profession can push upon them. Are we really assuming that people are stupid? Can people no longer think for themselves?
First it was cigarettes. That industry had to pull the line in so hard that they were removed from sponsorship deals and television and radio advertising and even recently the cigarette packets are put so far behind the counter with warning messages on each pack such as “smoking causes emphysema“.
The funny thing is that it is still a legal product and the government reaps a substantial revenue from taxes on the product.
The next was alcohol. Although this industry didn’t suffer as much as the cigarette industry, impositions on advertising have still come upon them. The recent Alco pops episode, where fad alcoholic drinks targeted to the young are being extremely criticised, you would have to also weigh up whether or not this is worse than a young person downing shots of vodka or scotch.
Some really positive public relations from the alcohol industry has to be the research that moderate drinking is OK and that two glasses of red wine each day is actually healthy for you. I have to admit, I like this one!
When Coca-Cola tried to do much of the same and embarked on a “Coca Cola is actually healthy for you” campaign recently, they came under a lot of criticism and withdrew the ad under a lot of controversy.
What will we have next with fast food outlets? Will there be warnings on the brown paper bag such as “this food will make you obese?”.
It really starts you thinking, what is good publicity and what is bad? What is junk and what is not? More, how much intervention into advertising should there be?
All in all, it’s all about everyone trying to sell their wares whatever way they can. Aren’t we smart enough to decide?
Obviously, governments and advocates think not.
Image credit: abc.net.au
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
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It starts to sponsor the cricket.
McDonald's, KFC, Commonwealth Bank, Benson and Hedges, VB, Johnny Walker...3 Mobile...The Federal Government...
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Comment by Mr Nice Guy
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We pride ourselves on how far we've come over say the last 30 years - but how many kids do you see playing 'footy' after school with their mates these days?
Or how often do you see kids climbing trees catching cicadas?
I remember when mum told us to make sure we were home before the street lights came on and parents virtually had to peel their kids off the walls in wet weather because they couldn't wait to get outside.
I know this is a subset of the discussion at hand - but so many evils are symptomatic of one another.
Sugar free, no preservatives, 99% fat free, no artificial colouring, flavours yaddah yaddah - the spin is excruiciating . . . then of course there's GM foods - or Frankenstein Foods - it's all too much - even the humble tomato comes in for a pasting these days.
One thing is for certain - if govt can make a buck out of it - then it will.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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in order for something not to be "fast food" it needs to be something with some amount of home preparation time like chopping the vegetables and cubing the steak and boiling the water
not just opening a packet and microwaving for 4 minutes . . . although i must acknowledge there are now some really fantastic balanced frozen meals and frozen veggie packs available
i wonder how long before Maccas starts offering steamed veggies from the drive-thru window?
maybe "fast" will not necessarily mean "low nutrition" in the future?
Comment by Janet Collins
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That's probably a good marketing strategy because anything but anything could distract me from watching the cricket.
Comment by Janet Collins
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You are really right there. They always say we used to be a "nanny state" but when it comes down to advertising and all those things, they nanny us more than ever now.
Give us a bit of credit for brains. I am sure we all know that chips aren't exactly slimming food.
Thanks for the comment.
Comment by Janet Collins
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I don't go to McDonald's often but not so long ago I went through a drive through. It was after they put their "healthy" alternative meals on. The line moved so slowly, it defeated the whole purpose of picking up something fast.
It would have been quicker picking up a kebab or something like that but I guess they have got to experiment with everything.
Thanks.
Comment by Morgan Bell
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Comment by samaritan
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Samaritan
Comment by Janet Collins
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I do think advertising goes into overkill and really is thing that gets kids more than a bit jeered up. That's not to say that it does come down to a bit of supervision.
I can remember a much younger sibling being caught up in the advertising so much, that when she actually tasted a McDonald's product, she was seriously disappointed.
I know that is not always the case, but a little bit of common sense should come into play here.
Thanks for your comment. As always it is very interesting.
Comment by Carolyn Cordon
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Just say NO!
Comment by Janet Collins
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You would really think that parents didn't have that right any more. That is so right. Say NO.
Comment by yulius hermanto
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It's horrible, for people in my country eating junk food give more pride than eating traditional food.
Comment by yulius hermanto
Health is Easy to Reach
Medical Issues At Glance
It's horrible, for people in my country eating junk food give more pride than eating traditional food.
Comment by Janet Collins
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It is quick and easy - and in most cases cheaper than other food. This is what people love about it. I am guessing that the big attraction in your country is that it is new - and western. I am sure they will probably revert back to traditional food once they have become really sick of this sort of food.
Thanks for dropping by.