Junk food adverts to be banned from London public transport

[Streetwise]

Meh, if kids want unhealthy snacks and drinks, they'll get them.

The so called "healthy" stuff is still ridiculously expensive, this needs to be addressed on both sides of the Atlantic IMO.

Jamie Oliver needs to shut up, no one cares.

it's sad that food banks don't give out fresh fruit and vegetables in my town you are only offered tinned food and that is if you manage to get to a food bank

 

[Mary Anne]

The food pantries in the USA usually give out crappy food too. Which is why I suggest that people learn what is the most nutritious foods they can afford, and learn portion control. I see people buying “iceberg”lettuce and that is zero nutrition. Buy a better form or lettuce like “romaine” and you will get real nutrients. “Tinned” foods do not have to be bad either. If all you can get are canned vegetables, they still are better than nothing. Canned meats and fish do supply nutrients. No doubt. Over proocessed foods really are expensive though- they have empty calories (salt, fat, sugar, plus a lot of weird chemicals. You are paying mostly for the packaging, and the advertising.

With sodas, what are you buying? Sugar water. Chemicals that cause obesity even if it’s a “sugar free” soda. That is so ridiculous. Empty calories are a very expensive way to eat. I have very little money, so everything I buy has got to be of some importance to my body. Fruit juice (even frozen concentrate orange juice) water down 1/2 with club soda or sparkling water gives you a “soda” experience, quenches thirst, and puts much needed nutrients with no chemicals in your system for pennies. You are not paying a mega corporation profits like Coke.

Over 250,000 farmers in India have committed suicide in the past few years due to Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola sucking all the ground water up to make soda rather than allow farmers to feed their families and continue farming. No thanks, I do not need to subsidize these mega corporations.

Sugar has been responsible for more deaths in the history of humans then any wars. Let’s add the entire hundreds of years of slavery (which started in the 1500s with the Dutch for sugar); and the killing of indigenous people to steal the land ( in the America’s), and the torture and hideous slavery that went on until the last 1800s, resulting in America’s Civel War. Not to mention the millions of people ho have died or are suffering with sugar caused diseases : heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. They put sugar in everything including all tobacco products! Sugar is as addicting as heroin. I surmise that some day, sugar will come with the same warning labels as tobacco products due. The sugar lobbyists are very strong, and fight just as the tobacco industry did in the past.

Currently, the average person eats 1/5th of their daily calories from sugar! A substance known to cause addiction, obesity, and has no nutrients! To me this is a waste of money- especially if you have very little money to spend in the first place. Sugar is even put in canned soups. Crazy.
Consumption of Sugar

 

[Mr Allen]

it's sad that food banks don't give out fresh fruit and vegetables in my town you are only offered tinned food and that is if you manage to get to a food bank

It's bad enough you have to eat from a food bank in the first place but that is shocking.

 

[Judge]

it's sad that food banks don't give out fresh fruit and vegetables in my town you are only offered tinned food and that is if you manage to get to a food bank

Sounds like here too. Where thieves often pillage them. Very sad all the way around.

 

[Streetwise]

Sounds like here too. Where thieves often pillage them. Very sad all the way around.

I remember a documentary about a food bank in the UK !and someone who was getting a wage !and the house looked very well preserved ,went and got food from the food bank -they must be mentally ill.
even now I keep thinking have I remembered it wrong

 

[Judge]

I remember a documentary about a food bank in the UK !and someone who was getting a wage !and the house looked very well preserved ,went and got food from the food bank -they must be mentally ill.
even now I keep thinking have I remembered it wrong

It happens.

Sort of reminds me of people lining up for once-a-year free medical aid. People with health insurance who can't or won't use it given the high co-payments involved.

Stands to reason working people up to their eyeballs in debt with a nice car and home may also seek food banks. Though I doubt it sits well with those who provide the food. But then charities don't necessarily determine peoples' fiscal competency either. You're right though...it is an issue for charities.

 

[Streetwise]

It happens.

Sort of reminds me of people lining up for once-a-year free medical aid. People with health insurance who can't or won't use it given the high co-payments involved.

Stands to reason working people up to their eyeballs in debt with a nice car and home may also seek food banks. Though I doubt it sits well with those who provide the food. But then charities don't necessarily determine peoples' fiscal competency either. You're right though...it is an issue for charities.

in the UK they ask for proof either a letter saying you have been sanctioned by the DWP !!!!or that you have lost your job !!!!he was obviously very good at faking it !.

 

[Judge]

Well this seems more positive. I just had some microwave popcorn. A brand I've bought for years knowing it used to have Trans Fats. This batch no longer has it, and doesn't seem to taste any different.

At least it make sense for the FDA to dictate the removal of so many toxic additives we tend to take for granted in so many things we eat. Maybe that's more expedient than just banning the advertising of such things in general apart from interfering with the public's taste in foods. I'm just wondering how much latitude the industry has in deleting such substances without compromising a food's taste.

Applying science rather than politics.

One thing for sure, I certainly try to stay away from anything with Aspertame.

 

[Streetwise]

Well this seems more positive. I just had some microwave popcorn. A brand I've bought for years knowing it used to have Trans Fats. This batch no longer has it, and doesn't seem to taste any different.

At least it make sense for the FDA to dictate the removal of so many toxic additives we tend to take for granted in so many things we eat. Maybe that's more expedient than just banning the advertising of such things in general apart from interfering with the public's taste in foods. I'm just wondering how much latitude the industry has in deleting such substances without compromising a food's taste.

Applying science rather than politics.

One thing for sure, I certainly try to stay away from anything with Aspertame.

thats what depresses me about my memory !I keep forgetting some drinks still have Aspartame ! and the amount of panic attacks I have ,why would I want to drink it !at least I didn't order Pepsi this time or Coca-Cola !
finally slowly getting the message about Maltodextrin !and frequent visits to the toilet !how could I forget !,the first time I had sugar free sweets ,30 years ago !.

 

[Aeolienne]

This thread has quickly gone off topic. For the record, London is NOT the UK, the Mayor of London is not "the state" and restricting advertising is not the same as restricting sales.

Pretty sure they are referring to bad fats.

Which are what, exactly? Saturated fat is not as unhealthy as it's made out to be: Bad fat and enduring beliefs

Incidentally, the Advertising Standards Authority already has guidelines on the marketing of foods to children. Whether they are abided by is another matter.
More info

 

[Judge]

This thread has quickly gone off topic. For the record, London is NOT the UK, the Mayor of London is not "the state" and restricting advertising is not the same as restricting sales.

True, though in a generic sense any time government merely wants to publicly warn people, it stands to reason that there's usually some political movement behind such efforts to move towards more dire steps.

Personally I like the compromise and sensibility of not attempting to ban products or frighten the public so much as simply regulate food and drink relative to individual substances which may prove harmful.

Yes, the private sector will always lobby against such moves, but when they lose look what happens. We eventually get safer products and they're still allowed to market them and make their profits. In the end it works both ways for the public and private sectors. As it should be. Less politics, more science.

 

[Theta.G]

Which are what, exactly? Saturated fat is not as unhealthy as it's made out to be: Bad fat and enduring beliefs

This is information that is widespread, well documented and readily available through a simple google search. Not interested enough to waste my time collecting examples and describing what each type of fat is exactly and outline what each type does in the body for you when that info is everywhere. So take some initiative and look for yourself??

Here's a freebie What Types of Fat Are in Foods?

 

[Judge]

To my knowledge it's Trans Fats that are the ones our FDA has so aggressively fought to eliminate. I used to assume my microwave popcorn would simply disappear from the market. But Jolly Time worked the problem with their "Blast O Butter Movie Theater" microwave popcorn line. No more Trans Fats, and no real difference in flavor or texture.

And in the meantime I'm still alive despite having eaten the bad kind. Yeehaw.

 

[Vlady]

Great news , promoting animal cruelty is really not ethical .

 

[Aeolienne]

Great news, promoting animal cruelty is really not ethical .

That's beside the point. There are no proposals to restrict advertising of events such as horse racing or cat shows.

It remains to be seen what impact this ban will have, if it goes ahead. Not all transport services in London fall under Transport for London (TfL)'s remit. For instance, most of the commuter rail services (which are the main form of transport south of the River Thames where there are fewer tube lines) are run by various private operators. There has been talk about bringing all the suburban rail routes into TfL as and when their franchises are up for renewal, but that won't happen for a good few years yet, by which time Sadiq Khan may no longer be the Mayor.

The tube network is where the majority of advertising is to be found, both on the trains and in stations. There are far fewer adverts on board buses. Although I don't have figures to hand, I suspect that schoolchildren travel more by bus than by tube, at least for their regular commutes. So they won't be affected by an advertising policy as much as adults who use the tube. I guess it depends whether the aim is to target children (to prevent "pester power" or discourage them from spending their pocket money on unhealthy snacks) or parents (to influence their grocery shopping choices).

You can view the discussion on the Mayor's official website here: Ban on unhealthy food adverts on Transport for London network

Also see: 9 of the 10 worst areas for child obesity are in London

 

[Mary Anne]

Great news , promoting animal cruelty is really not ethical .

Currently, “junk food” means sugary, salty, and fat laden foods laden with empty calories and little nutritional value. So how are you connecting that to animal cruelty?

I consider even “fruit juice” a bit of “junk food.” (Same with chocolate milk.)
Because it’s full of sugar, and no fiber. Junk food to me is boxed mashed potato flakes, French fries, or all those children’s sugary breakfast cereals. It’s potato chips and flamin’ hot Cheetos. Or marshmallows, candy, ice cream. Definitely all sodas, including diet soda. It’s macaroni and cheese. It’s a lot of the foods we addict our children on at extremely young ages. We don’t even think of it as junk food, or addiction. Mind you, I love a lot of this horrible stuff too, and it’s difficult weaning oneself off of it.

Most fast food restaurants serve “junk food” in my own opinion, and yes, a McDonalds Chicken McNugget” would involve animal cruelty, but that’s not what this “junk food advertising ban” would be about. People can debate endlessly about what they think the term “junk food” means.

 

[Aeolienne]

Incidentally, the Advertising Standards Authority already has guidelines on the marketing of foods to children. Whether they are abided by is another matter.
More info

The guidelines were introduced last year so maybe it's too early to assess their impact. However Zoë Harcombe points out that the ASA is not a regulatory body and has no legislative power - quiet apart from their dodgy definition of "junk food". E.g. olive oil and anchovies are bad, but protein shakes and diet cola are OK.
New rules on junk food advertising to children
(For the record, I should point out that "Dr" Zoë Harcombe has a PhD in nutrition, not an MD)

 

[Mr Allen]

I wish they'd "restrict" Jeremy flippin' Clarkson, the man's a tosspot.

 

[Aeolienne]

Meh, if kids want unhealthy snacks and drinks, they'll get them.

The so called "healthy" stuff is still ridiculously expensive, this needs to be addressed on both sides of the Atlantic IMO.

Jamie Oliver needs to shut up, no one cares.

I take it you're in favour of this?
Mum calls for Turkey Twizzlers to be put back on the lunch menu - and thousands have backed the campaign

 

[Mary Anne]

I think bans are too frequently used nowadays. So called open societies increasingly restricted. Let people kill themselves as they wish, I say. But if Junk food bothers you, take out your own ads. Like show someone run over by a double decker bus. You can only see the arm still holding the burger king whopper sticking out.

Ahhh, but we as a society pay HEAVILY in billions of dollars for other people utterly stupid lazy, ignorant, and irrational junk food and lifestyle choices. I am sick and tired of paying my tax dollars toward people who wantonly invited life threatening and costly diabetes, heart disease, and obesity into their lives due to stupid food choices. We all PAY for the health care, and the deaths of these people. It’s a societal problem..,not an individual one.