Obesity in the Headlines

February 10, 2004 - Philadelphia Inquirer

Developing nations reject U.N. obesity guidelines

By Emma Ross
Associated Press

ROME - A group of developing countries yesterday rejected the science behind the United Nations' effort to fight obesity worldwide, saying the dietary recommendations were based on flawed research and "not worthy of serious consideration."

The scientific report underpinning the global obesity strategy recommends that governments strive to limit their people's intake of sugar and fat while encouraging increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.

The developing countries said the report was shoddy and urged better nutrition education, not what they called arbitrary limits of specific types of food. Their argument mirrors what sugar-industry and other food-industry representatives contend.

The report "labels various food items as good and bad," a Colombian delegation told the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, speaking on behalf of the G-77 group of developing nations and China. "It concludes, without any scientific evidence, that bad food is the main cause of chronic diseases. This arbitrary conclusion, apart from its shaky scientific foundation, is indeed prejudicial."

The U.N. food agency was reviewing the report yesterday.

The agency, together with the World Health Organization, is building an unprecedented strategy aimed at reducing obesity-linked diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. The scientific report behind the strategy is considered the most significant statement in more than a decade on what the world should be doing about its diet.

The strategy, to be completed in May, calls on governments to push manufacturers to cut fat, sugar and salt content and to change advertising and tax policy to promote healthier eating.

The International Obesity Task Force, an independent expert group whose chair headed the scientific panel, stood by the findings.

The United States, which has been accused of kowtowing to the food industry, welcomed the strategy at a U.N. meeting last month but asked for an additional month to allow governments to examine and comment on it before it was adopted.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said the extra time was needed to ensure there was "more scientifically based evidence in the guidelines."

The U.S. delegation did not address the issue yesterday, except to say: "The United States supports limiting intake of... sugar in the United States. However, numeric goals should be associated with individual intake and supported by a scientific basis."