Economist Geoff Simmons was on TVNZ’s Breakfast programme talking about what New Zealand needs to do to fight obesity.
He warned we are eating too much sugar, fat and salt which is killing as many people as smoking.
A “tsunami” of type 2 diabetes cases on its way, he says. Action needs to be taken now before hospitals are overwhelmed. If not, baby boomers won’t get their hip or knee operations in ten years time.
Simmons supports the use of taxes to discourage people from eating unhealthy foods. He also supports giving vouchers to families to spend on fruit and vegetables for their children. Teaching children in schools how to eat well and having nutrition labels on food packing that people understand are also important.
He is a key speaker at the Agencies for Nutrition Action conference in Auckland this week.
Read more: TVNZ, 2 May 2011
Watch the video, TVNZ, 2 May 2011 (4 min)