Turns out Mexico doesn’t want the title of Most Obese Nation. With estimates pegging 70% of its adults and 30% of its children as fatasses, the Mexican government has decided to do something about it.
However, instead of shaming them until they develop body image issues like I suggested, they’ve decided to restrict soft drink ads on TV during certain hours of the day. This in addition to a soda tax they implemented last year. Eh. I like my idea better.
Mexico is restricting television advertising for high-calorie food and soft drinks, as part of its campaign against obesity, the government says.
Such ads will be banned with immediate effect on terrestrial and cable TV between 14:30 and 19:30 on weekdays and between 07:30 and 19:30 at weekends.
Restrictions will also be imposed on similar ads shown at the cinema.
Overall, 40% of commercials for soft drinks, confectionery and chocolates will disappear from TV, in favour of products which “meet nutritional standards”, the health ministry is quoted as saying.
The trouble with this is making healthy food look enticing to fat people. What’s that fatty up top going to waddle towards first? A zany Fruit Roll-Up that can stretch out to one wacky foot? Wakka wakka! Or a sad looking carrot that he probably has to rinse off himself? He’d probably break into a sweat before even turning on the faucet.