Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen K, Denmark.
Obes Rev. 2018 Mar;19(3):295-301. doi: 10.1111/obr.12639. Epub 2017 Dec 18.
The increasing number of children defined as overweight or obese is causing concern among politicians and health advocates; several countries have launched policies addressing the issue.
The paper presents an analysis of how the childhood obesity is defined, explained and suggested policies to address the problem from the WHO, the EU, Canada, England and New Zealand.
Considering the dramatic language used when describing childhood obesity, the proposed interventions are modest. Either the politicians do not consider the problem that great after all, or other concerns, such as the freedom of the food and drink industry and local authorities, are seen as more important. The causes identified are multiple and varied, including the physical and commercial environment, whereas the interventions primarily address the information level of the population, placing responsibility on the shoulders of the parents. Only the World Health Organization argues that statutory measures are required, and the English Government suggests one: a levy on sugary drinks. Otherwise, local authorities, schools and the industry are expected to act on a voluntary basis. Very little is explicitly substantiated by evidence, and the evidence cited is sometimes misinterpreted or disregarded.
There is a discrepancy between how the problem of childhood obesity is presented as alarming and the modest measures suggested.
越来越多的儿童被定义为超重或肥胖，这引起了政治家和健康倡导者的关注；许多国家已经出台了针对这一问题的政策。
本文分析了世界卫生组织、欧盟、加拿大、英国和新西兰如何定义、解释儿童肥胖问题，并提出了解决问题的政策建议。
考虑到描述儿童肥胖问题时使用的激烈语言，提出的干预措施是适度的。要么政治家们根本没有认为这个问题那么重要，要么他们认为其他问题，如食品和饮料行业以及地方当局的自由，更为重要。确定的原因是多方面的，包括物质和商业环境，而干预措施主要针对人口的信息层面，将责任归咎于父母。只有世界卫生组织认为需要采取法定措施，英国政府建议采取一项措施：对含糖饮料征收消费税。否则，预计地方当局、学校和行业将在自愿的基础上采取行动。几乎没有什么是有明确证据支持的，而且引用的证据有时被曲解或忽视。
儿童肥胖问题被描述为令人震惊，而建议的措施却适度，两者之间存在差距。
