Food and violence

[strictlybroadband]

There's an in-depth report in today's Guardian on a strong link discovered between Omega 3 and human behaviour. People deficient in Omega 3 are more prone to depression, mood swings, violence, alcohol and drug usage.

For the past century, profit-based corporations have decided what we eat. Our diet has probably changed more in the past century than in the previous 10,000 years. The food industry treats food like heroine dealers treat drugs: they look to get people hooked on cheap stuff, which means more profit.

So...

1) Is some of the violence in society solvable by changing diet?

2) Should the food industry be regulated or nationalised to regain control over what people are eating?

[Jacques]

1) Who knows without proper research? However get rid of the compensation culture and give back power to the police and teachers and you might just see a change in society.

2) No and No. The food industry should be penalised i.e. taxed on fat, sugar, salt and non-natural additives. Something that is low fat, low sugar, low salt and additive free is surely better for you than a Lidl or Netto ready meal? Shit food should be taxed and Tesco should fuck off their world domination. Better food is available form you local butcher, greengrocer and farm shop.

[strictlybroadband]

Jacques wrote:

> 1) Who knows without proper research? However get rid of the
> compensation culture and give back power to the police and
> teachers and you might just see a change in society.
>
> 2) No and No. The food industry should be penalised i.e. taxed
> on fat, sugar, salt and non-natural additives. Something that
> is low fat, low sugar, low salt and additive free is surely
> better for you than a Lidl or Netto ready meal? Shit food
> should be taxed and Tesco should fuck off their world
> domination. Better food is available form you local butcher,
> greengrocer and farm shop.

You said No and No, but then said that Tesco should fuck off... without regulating or nationalising them, how will that happen?

[eroticartist]

Strictly,

Of course violence would be reduced somewhat if people ate better diets. Omega 3 is found in oily fish and organic milk to name two sources. Both of these products are relatively expensive. The answer is to subsidise more farmers to switch to organic food production and to take tax off of nutricious food and increase it on unhealthy food.

The people,including schoolchildren, should be given more information on unhealthy food and packages should display ingredients in large letters on the front instead of barely legible print hidden on the back. Salt, sugar,transfats and additives should be particularly visible.

Mike.

[Jacques]

The problem with Tesco is that it is becoming another McDonalds, go out of your front door and there is another Tesco. It wouldn't be so bad if their food was actually healthy. It's what they call 'Tesco Value', cheap and nasty full of everything you don't want in your diet. Tax the hell out of this and then why buy expensive unhealthy food when you can buy cheap healthy food if there is anywhere left to buy it from, and that is the problem with Tesco. They don't need regulating or nationalising, just hit hard with an 'unhealthy food tax'.

Also we need better education as to what is actually in our food. We need a better labelling system. We need better Nutritional advice. We need to learn to cook too. And this all starts with Education.

[Marino]

But where would I be without George at ASDA.

[Sam Slater]

1) I'm almost certain. Some schools have already banned 'fizzy' drinks, chocolate & crisps within school, and found a significant increase in childrens attention spans, as well as a decrease in classroom dissruption.

All food is just a mixture of chemicals and minerals after all, and certain mixtures and high doses are bound to have both physical, and mental affects, which will influence a persons behavior.

2) No, I don't think so. Controlling peoples eating habits is just another form of control. You, Mike & everyone else on this board would be up in a frenzy !wink!
Seriously though, I think it's wrong. I do think that sugary, fatty, shitty, fast food should be taxed more, maybe classed as luxury food where vat comes into play? Advertising healthy food on TV on a more regular basis would help (maybe the big supermarkets can help here), and also directing the advertisements towards childrens channels (like McDonalds did).

I also think parents are responsible to help bring up their children to be educated on healthy eating. Taking the kids out to a nice restaurant once a week may cost more, but it gives children a taste of what 'good, well cooked, tasty food' is. Growing up appreciating good food, gives people ideas for home cooking, which can only be a good thing.

What kids grow up watching mum/dad cook these days? All they watch is dad/mum ordering the next McDonalds/Kentucky through the car window at the 'drive thru'. So whats the first thing they're going to do when having their own children?

I'm partial to the odd Indian/Chinese take away after a Saturday night session, but I've not eaten a McDonalds/Kentucky/Burger King forabout 3 years.