The World Health Organisation has released a plan to tackle global obesity rates. The plan includes acheiving cuts in salt, fat and sugar intake in diets across the world.

The initial focus of the campaign is to encourage a reduction in the amount of fat and sugar used in the food industry in the production of packaged food items. This is to be supported by changes to advertising and tax policy to promote healthier diets.

It all sounds very positive however one country is proving to a the blow-fly stuck in the low calorie jam. It fundamentally objects to the singling out of fat and sugar in food for reduction. "Now which country would that be?" I wonder. Possibly the country that gave us the big Mac and the Whopper perhaps. Possibly the country where 50% of its teenage girls and 47% of its teenage boys are obese or overweight. Possibly the country where the mighty dollar holds sway over all domestic and foreign policy matters even the health of its own citizens.

Yep it is the USA. The country that is charging headlong into an generation long obesity driven health crisis. Call me a cynic but I suspect the gym and dieting sectors are joining with those well known hamburger chains to scuttle this important WHO initiative.

Read more on BBC here.
Visit WHO obesity iniative here.