BJAN to highlight risks of unhealthy diet to consumers

As part of activities to commemorate the World Consumer Rights Day celebration, the Brand Journalists’ Association of Nigeria (BJAN) has concluded plans to join the rest of the global community to mark this year’s events. In line with the theme, “Healthy Diets”, the association has adopted a theme to fit the local industry.

The event, tagged “Implications of Unhealthy Diet to National Development,” is scheduled to hold on March 13, 2015 in Lagos. The global WCRD is predicated on the concern that people deserve the right not just to food, but to healthy food, with a push that a binding global treaty would ensure people easy access to healthy food and lead to a more equitable, sustainable food system.

The day also underscore the need to highlight the rise in diet related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and some cancers represents a major international public health crisis.
A statement by WCRD notes that “the number of overweight and obese people continues to rise and, to date, not a single country has been successful in reversing the increase. “The impact of poor diets on health now exceeds that of smoking.

The impact of obesity on global GDP is equivalent to the cost of war, gun violence and terrorism. This is a problem that affects people in the developed and developing world, with the fastest increases occurring in the global south. “Consumers and consumer choices are central to resolving this problem.

The availability and affordability of unhealthy foods, the marketing practices of large international food companies and the lack of information available to consumers makes it increasingly hard to choose a healthy diet.

“Despite a growing international consensus about the factors that are driving the rise in obesity and diet related disease, the response from industry and government is far too slow, hence the need to dedicate a day to bring to the front burner healthy food intake BJAN will also be used the occasion to honour individuals who contributed to the nation’s marketing communication industry and consumer empowerment in 2014.

Among thoseto discuss the theme are the Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDA, Mr. Paul Orhii; Director-General, Consumer Protection Council, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki; publisher of BusinessDayNewspaper,Mr. Frank Aigbogun; Managing Executive UAC Restaurants, Mr. Mark Hedderwick, and CEO Purples Consult andPresident, Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, CAFON, Mrs. Sola Salako. The director general of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, would deliver the keynote address.

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