Restricting children's choice of food is no way to tackle obesity, says speaker at choice conference

Citation

(2005), "Restricting children's choice of food is no way to tackle obesity, says speaker at choice conference", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 35 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2005.01735dab.013

Restricting children's choice of food is no way to tackle obesity, says speaker at choice conference

Restricting children's choice of food is no way to tackle obesity, says speaker at choice conference

There is growing concern over childhood obesity – the use of cartoon characters to market food to children has been attacked, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has joined up with the government to campaign for healthier school meals. But one commentator argues that such initiatives are misconceived.

Dr Peter Marsh, director of the Social Issues Research Centre and director of MCM Research, says: "We should all be concerned with the diet and health of young people. But the manner in which such concern is currently expressed – and the coercive ways in which often self-appointed nutritional 'experts' seek to dictate what our kids should or should not eat – presents many dangers. A new food morality, which induces both confusion and guilt in many parents, has largely replaced what in previous times was sensible advice. Any parent knows that children pass through many phases, in their relationship with food. But restricting their choices, and demonising the 'junk' that they prefer, is rarely a fruitful way of influencing them – quite the opposite, in many cases. Children and young people need to like what they eat - to enjoy their choices, rather than living in fear of mealtimes. Perhaps being a happy child is as important as being a healthy one."

Dr Marsh spoke at a session entitled "Obesity: Who decides what not to eat?", at the conference "Whose Choice Is It Anyway? Questioning The New Conformism", which took place in central London on 11 March 2005. The conference was organised by the online current affairs publication spiked. [www.spiked-online.com]