ABSTRACT
It has been recognized for some time that certain food behaviors, for example, choosing to eat beef (Sager, 1995), have a direct link to environmental degradation. In addition, the diet of most developed countries and large segments of many developing countries (Edwards, 2004) has put obesity center stage in issues facing world health. Health-care costs in many countries have an unsustainable trajectory in which continued increases threaten the ability to provide basic services. Of importance to the current chapter, “Health officials worldwide are concerned about the numbers of people who are overweight, particularly in childhood, putting them at risk for a multitude of chronic diseases as they age” (Edwards, 2004). In the interests of individual health, as well as the health of society and the capacity of health-care systems to cope with demand, change is needed. This chapter highlights the need for a better understanding of media and marketing exposure in early childhood and the development of food preferences and food choice. It delivers insights for interventions that can return society to a sustainable path.
