The Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast
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Boris Maltsev, Speaker of the Tomsk Oblast State Duma:
‘Sensible nutrition is a long-term investing in one’s own health’
‘Sensible nutrition is a long-term investing in one’s own health’
Nutrition has long been considered a private matter of every individual, as well as a professional matter of cooks and dietarians and by no means of officials and politicians. Today the situation is rather different: the problems of sensible nutrition refer to one of the state businesses. It is seen as such in most developed countries - the USA, Italy, the UK, Germany…
Judging by the latest speeches of Mr. Onischenko, Chief Sanitary Officer of Russia, the problem of malnutrition is rather pressing for our country. Today, 20 % of Russian schoolchildren suffer from obesity.
There are various viewpoints concerning the reasons for such state of affairs. Some believe that it is an indicator of the national well-being… The others argue and site the statistics which shows the obesity problem is five times more frequent among the middle-class rather than the rich. And I think that obesity is a disease for those who are scarcely informed, unconcerned and weak-willed. And some people fail to envisage the consequences of overeating; and the others don’t want to be informed, the rest can’t resist the cravings…
Fast Food performed its dirty deed as well. It has invaded the greater part of the planet in the guise of ‘a family help’ and it is pursuing in crushing down more and more countries. Today our children can’t live without coke and burgers. A baby is improperly fed already in a mother’s womb, if she is insensible in her nutrition. The kids’ going to the nurseries and schools does not ensure any sensible nutrition. Just recently our schools were proud of that they had vending machines with soda and lollipops. Nowadays, these goods are on the ban list for the child care centers and schools though they are not fully prohibited for consumption.
…Today, it’s unprofitable to produce really wholesome food. However, much depends on the consumers themselves who are unwilling to read the information accompanying the goods.
The systemic approach to resolve the problem of nutrition improving for the Tomsk Oblast citizens presupposes participation of several entities: companies of agriculture, processing industry, trade and catering, health care centers, educational institutions; law-enforcement agencies; mass media. And the regional authorities - legislative and executive - should monitor their activities. As I see it, the Duma’s objective is to develop and approve a package of legislative initiatives to control the production and sale of food in catering, retail and wholesale chains.
© The State Duma of the Tomsk oblast, 2007-2024