2.8m people die annually from eating junk food - UN
Junk food at a fast food restaurant in Nairobi. 2.8 million people die every year because of weight related complications brought about by unhealthy foods, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Anand Grover, has said .PHOEBE OKALL (NAIROBI)
What you need to know:
- About 2.1 billion people in the world are overweight or obese
- “The culprit is 'junk food’,” Mr Grover said. “Containing high levels of sugar, salt, trans-fats and saturated fats, this 'junk’ has unfortunately replaced healthy foods in our diets.”
At least 2.8 million people die every year because of weight related complications brought about by unhealthy foods, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health, Mr Anand Grover, has said .
Mr Grover said the international community should come up with mechanisms to deal with the alarming increase in deaths from diet-related diseases.
The UN Special Rapporteur in a press statement blamed 'junk food’ for the global obesity epidemic, saying about 2.1 billion people in the world are overweight or obese, and at least 2.8 million die every year because of their weight.
“The culprit is 'junk food’,” Mr Grover said. “Containing high levels of sugar, salt, trans-fats and saturated fats, this 'junk’ has unfortunately replaced healthy foods in our diets.”
According to the UN expert, policies of globalisation, market consolidation by transnational companies and supermarket chains, skewed foreign direct investment, aggressive advertising of ultra-processed foods and changes in our lifestyles have driven the social transition to unhealthy diets.
“Primarily responsible for the burgeoning rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases across the world, “'junk food’ is not a simple public health issue or a medical concern, it poses a serious challenge to our lives, our health and our rights,” the Special Rapporteur added.
Mr Grover said to reverse the obesity epidemic, Grover urged States to implement their human rights obligations, not only by providing nutritious food but also by instituting measures to reduce the burden of diseases linked to 'junk food.’
The human rights expert also underlined “the key role of the food industry in addressing the deleterious trend of unhealthy foods” and urged the industry to refrain from activities undermining people’s right to health.
Mr Grover said the solution to this problem was putting in place legislation to discourage unhealthy foods and promote healthier options.
He urged food and beverage companies to comply with such laws and stop any activity undermining them.
