Eating on public transport should ‘be banned’ says chief medical officer

     The government will fail to meet its target of halving childhood obesity unless eating on public transport is banned and the sugar tax is extended. Professor Dame Sally Davies used her final report to demand tougher action from ministers, including tighter regulation of food companies seeking to manipulate youngsters. She called for the successful sugar tax to be expanded to cover milk drinks laden with added sugar, such as milkshakes, and for MPs to consider plain packaging for unhealthy food. The outgoing chief medical officer for England also said more needs to be done to stop children being ‘dazzled’ by junk food companies, adding that kids are ‘drowning in a flood of unhealthy food and drink options’. Her report puts her at odds with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who cautioned against ‘sin taxes’ and ‘the continuing creep of the nanny state’.

     In her review, Dame Sally said ‘excess weight has slowly crept up on us all and is now often accepted as normal’. More than one million children are now clinically obese, with some suffering Type 2 diabetes, asthma and musculoskeletal pain, as well as mental health problems, such as depression, she said. As many as 120,000 cases of asthma in children may be caused by obesity, while as many as 650,000 are thought to have fatty liver disease caused by being overweight. Increasing portion sizes and the ready availability of junk food means children now, on average, consume three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, containing seven teaspoons of sugar.

     In 2017, more than £300 million was spent on advertising soft drinks, sweet and sweet and savoury snacks, compared with £16 million spent on advertising fruit and vegetables. ‘Adverts are everywhere, from bus stops to our mobile phones.

     Dame Sally said weight-loss programmes and treatments were all being undermined by environments that promote unhealthy food. She added: ‘Politicians, I call on all of you across the political spectrum to come together and take action. The health of our children is in your hands.’

Question 1. Indicate whether the following statements are True or False and write down which part of the text justifies your answer.

      

        a. There is already a law that forbids eating on trains and buses.

        b. A lot of products that are available to children contain a great amount of sugar.

        c. The author of the report absolutely agrees with the Prime Minister on this issue.

        d. There is more interest in promoting unhealthy food than in publicizing food which is convenient.

Question 2 . Answer the following questions in your own words.

      

        a. What should be done in order to reduce obesity in children?

        b. What consequences does excess of weight have for children?

Question 3. Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given.

        a.     full of (p.1)

        b.     in disagreement (p.1)

        c.     warn (p.1)

        d.     easy access (p.2)

        e.     threaten (p.4)

KEY

Question 1

      a.     False "The government will fail to meet its target of halving childhood obesity unless eating on public transport is banned and the sugar tax is extended."

      b.     True. "Increasing portion sizes and the ready availability of junk food means children now, on average, consume three unhealthy snacks and sugary drinks a day, containing seven teaspoons of sugar."

      c.     False. "Her report puts her at odds with Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who cautioned against ‘sin taxes’ and ‘the continuing creep of the nanny state’."

      d.     True. "In 2017, more than £300 million was spent on advertising soft drinks, sweet and sweet and savoury snacks, compared with £16 million spent on advertising fruit and vegetables."

Question 2

   a.     People in authority should be stricter when regulating companies that control and influence the way young people eat. They should also extend taxes on other sugary products and control the packaging and advertising of harmful food.

     b.     Obese children are exposed to several diseases such as diabetes, breathing disorders, pain in their bones and muscles and even depression.

Question 3

    a.     laden

    b.     at odds

    c.     cautioned / to caution

    d.     availability

    e.     undermined / to undermine