Experts are urging governments across the world to control obesity by taking a similar route as the tobacco industry.
Yes, that’s right, the Surgeon General’s warning on the back of a cigarette pack could appear on your food, but in photo form. It was reported that campaigners want food packaging to include pictures of how damaging obesity can be to ones health.
The World Obesity Federation and Consumers International is leading the cry out for stricter controls on food advertisement.
They plan to introduce photos on food packaging, similar to the photos seen on cigarette packaging in 2011.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is also leading efforts in fighting obesity, according to Reuters.
Obesity has officially become an epidemic in the world. “Unhealthy diets are now a greater threat to a global health than tobacco,” said professor Oliver de Schutter during the opening of the annual summit of the WHO.
In terms of numbers, obesity has taken over half a billion people’s lives--205 million men and 297 million women.
Sure, taking the approach of the tobacco companies seems a little harsh, but de Shutter said that this plan is essential to saving lives. Measures like these, he said, "are essential to ensure that people are protected from aggressive misinformation campaigns."