‘Is food the next tobacco?’

This the question posed in an article in the Wall Street Journal of 13 June 2002, detailing the US food industry’s defensive moves against accusations of contributing to widespread problems of obesity. Some companies have considered placing warnings of the dangers of over-eating on packaging, others have donated exercise equipment to schools or established health-oriented web sites. Some have real concerns of facing suits based on the same arguments as used against the tobacco industry.