As we move fully into mince pie and chocolate season, did you know that 23.5 % of children aged 10-11 are classified as obese? And a further 14% are overweight.
These are terrifying statistics, and they have become steadily worse and worse.
In 2006/7 the UK government pledged to slash childhood obesity rates, in 2019 they had dramatically gone up (and up)
The cause is clear, consumption of ultra-processed, addictive food (UPF).
The consumption of which has become ubiquitous, from a young age and at home and school.
Thankfully, UPF has suddenly become a talking point as more and more data about how bad it is for health.
With people like Chris Van Tulleken, leading the way with his book “Ultra-processed people”, this will only increase.
Note, this isn’t just a case of eating too much per se, this food is highly addictive and hyper-palatable.
Remember, in nature, you have fat from animals and sugar in fruit or honey.
But not together, and not with delicious salt added.
Put them together in a chocolate bar with a hit of sugar, vegetable fat and a sprinkling of sea salt, and you have an addictive treat.
Maybe sweet and salty popcorn.
That is going to trigger lots of dopamine and serotonin release.
If you are feeling low and want to feel “good”, that is a quick, cheap way to get it.
This is called the “bliss point”, and the food industry leverage this to the n’th degree.
This was always an issue, but in the 1980’s the tobacco industry started buying up food manufacturers.
They had previously made cigarettes as addictive as possible, and now they want to do the same with food.
From the 1980’s onwards food quality went down, addiction to food went up and so did our waist lines.
While most tobacco companies sold up in the early 2000’s they still cast a long shadow over our health.
So, when I recently saw the group Real Food Rebellion, trying to reverse the obesity epidemic, I wanted to help.
They go to schools and educate kids and teachers about food and the health consequences.
So this year, instead of sending out Christmas cards and giving the posties hernias, we have donated £500 to Real Food Rebellion.
Pressure is building in many areas, in October 2025, advertising to children will be banned.
