As the rate of obesity in France rises, the country might lose its skinny crown, says the Economist.
According to researchers:
Either way, France’s politicians have started to notice; in October, a parliamentary report called for a public health campaign and a law has been passed to impose a 1.5 per cent tax on the advertising budget of food companies if they do not encourage healthy eating, says the Economist.
But what has happened to France’s waistline? The simple answer: France has latched on to the fast-food culture:
Source: Editorial, Gross National Product, Economist, December 24, 2005.
For text (subscription required): http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5328398
For more on International: http://www.ncpa.org/pi/internat/intdex1.html
FMF Policy Bulletin/ 21 February 2006
