The Guardian: Take on food industry to beat malnutrition and obesity, says report
“The influence of ‘big food’ must be curbed around the world if obesity, malnutrition, and climate change are to be effectively tackled, according to a report. Overconsumption of junk food and not having enough to eat are two sides of the malnutrition coin, said a commission of experts brought together by The Lancet medical journal. A third major global problem is interlinked — climate change that is worsened by food production, waste, and transportation. The commission said political leaders and civil society must step up to counter the commercial interests and lobbying of the food industry. It called for a U.N. treaty along the lines of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to support countries in drawing up sustainable and healthy food policies…” (Boseley, 1/27).

Vox: Want to fix obesity and climate change at the same time? Make Big Food companies pay.
“…Some governments have been trying to address health and environmental problems in a holistic manner. For example, Sweden, Germany, Qatar, and Brazil have all developed national food guidelines ‘that promote environmentally sustainable diets and eating patterns that ensure food security,’ according to the report. Mexico and Britain (and local governments across the U.S.) are experimenting with sugary drinks taxes, and Chile is leading the world with warning labels on packaged foods. But progress is patchy and too slow, the report authors warn. In the U.S., for example, obesity is on the rise, and the same is true for many low- and middle-income countries. We’re also hurtling toward an environmental catastrophe as temperatures continue to increase…” (Belluz, 1/28).

Additional coverage of The Lancet report is available from Agence France-Presse, Bloomberg, CNN, Financial Times, and Reuters.