• C Eichhorn and E Nagel.
• Institut für Medizinmanagement und Gesundheitswissenschaften, Universität Bayreuth. christine.eichhorn@uni-bayreuth.de
• Gesundheitswesen. 2010 Jan 1;72(1):10-6.

AbstractObesity is a growing health problem in Germany and other industrial nations. There is an urgent need for action in order to stop this development. Government and food industry, as well as individuals, have to act. Governmental interventions could consist in direct regulation - as in, e. g., regulations on food offered in schools and restrictions on advertising unwholesome nutrition for children, -, or in economic incentives like taxes on unhealthy food and subsidisation of wholesome school food and information (food education, campaigns, food labelling etc.). The government should provide an environment that makes a healthy life style easy. But, at present, governmental interventions are too much focused on personal behaviour and responsibility. The role of the food industry could, for example, consist in clear food labelling and the production of healthy food. Each individual holds a personal responsibility for his or her health, but there are limits to it, like social, financial, biological, and other environmental factors. Especially social factors ought to be considered more seriously. Hence, personal responsibility should only be demanded in an adequate environment.

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