If you follow food and health news in the U.S. our obesity crisis is no secret: more than 18% of premature deaths can be linked to excess weight. An estimated 1 in 3 American children now struggle with obesity, a rate that has almost tripled since 1963. But after decades of skyrocketing obesity rates, new research offers a glimmer of cautious optimism.
It’s no secret: food manufacturers see kids as golden geese. Establish brand recognition during the preschool years, and you’ve got yourself a customer for life! Of course, you’ve also got a nation filled with children struggling with obesity, diabetes, and other lifelong health risks… but hey, that’s for their parents to worry about! Parent, author, and educator Anna Lappe calls food companies out — and calls all of us to action — in a TEDx talk published earlier this month.
