The Deadly Economics Of The Childhood Obesity Epidemic

“Douglas Castle, speaking for CIOF [Children's International Obesity Foundation], said, ‘It is acknowledged by every major healthcare agency and authority in the United States and throughout the world that obesity is the greatest threat facing our children today. The obesity epidemic is the gravest threat to kids' health that we know, and a whole generation's very survival is threatened by it.’ ‘The obvious question is, 'if we, as a decent society know this, why aren't we doing something to reverse the epidemic?' ‘The answer is chilling,’ said Castle. ‘Too many companies, agencies and even foundations are simply making too much money by keeping kids fat. The snack food and beverage giants, the pharmaceutical companies, the pop-psychologists, the clothing manufacturers, the fad diet pundits -- even some unscrupulous healthcare providers and foundations which are actually just puppets for these same special interest groups are getting richer and richer by feeding off of this epidemic. ‘ ‘These groups are either oblivious to the future of humankind, or they are engorged leeches, without any conscience. They are trading children's lives for profits and cash flow. Until there is an incentive for these profiteers to behave differently, and until they are revealed for who they really are, they will continue to confound every sincere effort to stop this killer,’ warned Castle. Robert Hinnen, CIOF's Executive Director, said, ‘Too much money is going to these profiteers and political interests -- and not nearly enough is going to organizations like CIOF, where our agenda is completely transparent and our mission is to predict, prevent and treat obesity; in that order.’ ‘We recently launched our September awareness and fund raising campaign to help stop the obesity epidemic, and we are competing for every single dollar with these 'so called' charities and other groups which are actually controlled by the same interests that push the products which make children fat and keep them even fatter.’ ‘Yes, the economy is very shaky right now, but can we allow this to dictate the quality of health for our children?’”

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/122113.php