Tobacco and obesity epidemics: not so different after all?

doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7455.1558

BMJ 2004;328:1558-1560 (26 June), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7455.1558

Education and debate

Tobacco and obesity epidemics: not so different after all?

Mickey Chopra, senior lecturer¹, Ian Darnton-Hill, visiting associate professor²

¹ School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535, Western Cape, South Africa, ² Institute of Human Nutrition, Columbia University, New York, USA

Correspondence to: M Chopra mchopra@uwc.ac.za

Campaigns to promote healthy eating are undermined by the ubiquityof processed, energy dense foods. A global strategy is now neededto tackle the rising prevalence of obesity

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Introduction

Smoking and obesity are two of the most important global healthrisk factors. Extensive evidence is available on the broaderglobal determinants of tobacco consumption such as trade liberalisation,¹the global marketing of tobacco,² and smuggling.³ This has ledto a comprehensive response from the global public health community,culminating in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.At first glance the consumption of food is very different fromthat of tobacco. After all, food is not a deadly product andpeople need to eat every day to satisfy basic physiologicalrequirements. Perhaps this is why the public health responseto overnutrition has been largely based on the need for individualsto change their behaviour. But this approach is generally ineffective.⁴We argue that an analysis of the broader global determinantsof overnutrition will lead to a more comprehensive and effectiveglobal response.

Trends in obesity

In the United States, obesity has risen by . . . [Full text of this article]

Obesogenic environment

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Globalisation and diet

Global production of diet

Food industry's response

Fighting back

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