Waging War on the Obesity Epidemic: Are Regulatory Measures the Answer?

Abstract

Obesity and overweight are matters of global concern. The rise in obesity has led to a plethora of diet-related diseases that place a heavy financial burden on the citizens as well as their governments. This paper surveys the many regulatory measures that have been enacted in the United States and abroad in an attempt to curb the obesity epidemic. In an environment where more meals are eaten out of frozen dinner trays and outside the home, legislators have attempted to push consumers toward healthier meal options by mandating that restaurants provide nutritional information at the point of purchase. Government and private programs have been established to help educate children as well as adults about how to lead healthier lives. These programs target diet as well as exercise. Legislators have also attempted to make unhealthy foods less attractive by imposing taxes on unhealthy foods and limiting the kinds of advertising campaigns that corporations can engage in. Finally, there have been disclosure requirements as well as outright bans on unhealthy ingredients in order to prevent consumers from unwittingly ingesting products that are harmful to their health. Many of these regulatory measures have been successful in increasing consumer awareness should over time decrease the incidence of obesity and diet related diseases. The regulations discussed here are only the tip of the iceberg but they demonstrate that regulation can at least provide part of the solution to the obesity epidemic.