There goes McDonalds and KFC
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Singapore cracks down on obesity
Singapore plans to restrict advertising for “unhealthy” food and drink aimed at children, as countries across Asia grow increasingly concerned about obesity rates.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said “obesity rates are going up . . . with more fast foods and sedentary occupations” even as more Singaporeans are exercising and fewer are smoking.
About 11 per cent of adults in the island nation of 5.3m are considered obese, compared with an OECD average of 17 per cent and a US figure of more than 35 per cent. An obesity epidemic has raised alarm in the US and Britain over rising healthcare costs associated with diabetes and other weight-related ailments.
Singapore is not the only country in Asia dealing with a rise in obesity. Hong Kong, which like Singapore is densely populated, has one of the highest obesity rates in the region at almost one in five of the population. In mainland China, 3 per cent of people were obese in 2009, according to the latest OECD data. The figure in Japan was 3.9 per cent and in India it was 2.1 per cent.
Singapore has seen a rise in obesity as people increasingly eat fatty foods. About 60 per cent of Singaporeans eat out four times a week or more, mostly in “hawker stalls” and food courts scattered across the city state that sell cheap dishes based on rice and noodles that are often heavy on cooking oil. Fast food outlets such as McDonald’s and KFC are also popular.
Singapore’s health ministry said it was “reviewing the need to strengthen standards” for advertising to children of food and beverages that are high in fat, sugar or salt. A ministry spokeswoman said the government would have “full guidelines” after the results of a public consultation, due to start next month.
The World Health Organisation encourages the restriction of advertising to children of foods and beverages high in salt, fat and sugar.
Quebec, Norway and Sweden have banned advertisements aimed at children aged 12 years and under, while Britain – where one in four adults is considered obese – has laws restricting food advertising.
In Singapore’s neighbour Malaysia, the advertising standards authority says ads “should not actively encourage children to eat excessively throughout the day or to replace main meals with confectionery or snack foods”.
South Korea has taken an even tougher line, passing laws that restrict advertising of foods and drinks high in fat, salt and sugar. The OECD says South Korea is one of the few countries where the obesity epidemic had “effectively come to a halt”, stabilising at 3-4 per cent.
Singapore’s health minister, Gan Kim Yong, said his country needed to “act now” to prevent obesity from becoming a diabetes epidemic. The government has been working with food stall owners to cut the amount of oil and salt used in cooking and persuade them to use brown rice, considered healthier than polished white rice.
It has also introduced a system of early morning “mall walks” designed to encourage shoppers in Singapore’s numerous malls to exercise before stores open. Supermarket operators also recently started labelling “healthy” products.
Full Article: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/64391ed6-20d2-11e2-9720-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2AeKjD8uh -
yah, i was wondering how they going to implement it. not as easy as ban smoking ads.
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in the same vein as people calling for the ban / restriction on foreign workers coming to Singapore, I would expect the same people to start calling for the total ban of such unhealthy / evil food that is causing so much problems for the health of the Singapore people - such food outlets should be closed permanently, even if people has to be out of jobs, suppliers of food no more business and have to be closed…such ‘sacrifices’ are worth it for the sake of the good health of the Singapore people
why is the government not closing them down ? waiting for 2016 ? -
Think in Singapore, the problem lies more in the laksa, char kway teow and chicken rice rather than McDonalds and KFC.
For the teens, it is the sugar laden bubble tea and gong cha and what have you.
If really want to clamp down, start with removing soft drinks in school canteen. Don’t understand why it is not done yet. -
As someone who cannot stand either McD or KFC I wouldn’t be sad to see them go but we need to be realistic. There is no need to ban them totally in the same way that there is no need to ban laksa, char kway teow, chocolates, potato chips etc.
It all comes down to education and encouraging people to take responsibility for their health and pass that message on to their children. A Big Mac every now & again is not going to do you any harm if you enjoy it - depriving yourself totally will just make you miserable! It’s a question of balance. -
Don’t think they are talking about banning fast food. Just banning ads targetted at the young. Just like banning smoking ads.
I am just wondering how effective is this control of the ads gonna be in curbing obesity. -
I guess this means no more Happy Meal advertising during Cartoon TV slots.
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Funz:
Apparently, children being as gullible as they are, tend to be influenced much by advertising messages. Banning the fast food restaurants from advertising will help block out some influence on children. Such a policy though, sounds quite extreme to me.Don't think they are talking about banning fast food. Just banning ads targetted at the young. Just like banning smoking ads.
I am just wondering how effective is this control of the ads gonna be in curbing obesity.
-Justin -
Funz:
[quote]Singapore plans to restrict advertising for “unhealthy” food and drink aimed at children, as countries across Asia grow increasingly concerned about obesity rates.[/quote]Think in Singapore, the problem lies more in the laksa, char kway teow and chicken rice rather than McDonalds and KFC.
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i would say, for those children who are in the obese category, they could be having too much oily food, whether or not if it comes from mac or kfc, as a habit since they were younger… it all voices down to a healthy lifestyle or not… one could go for a luxury fast food treat once a week if one has regular exercises in his cca…
parents should also be concern when their kids were out with others, ie, if my dc were out with their grandparents, i would ask them what they did and ate when they return… this is so that i wouldnt be giving them anymore oily food if they had splurged on fast food or snacks… its about a balanced diet afterall…
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