The US succeeded on Tuesday in stalling a global plan to fight an obesity epidemic that experts call a time bomb.
The World Health Organization (WHO) executive had hoped to approve the plan to promote healthy food and lifestyles, drawn up with the help of member states, nutritional experts and the food industry, at the end of a debate on Tuesday.
But the US, backed by its powerful food industry, has questioned findings on which the UN agency's plan is based and called for more study.
The draft Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health warns that poor diets and lack of exercise are the leading causes of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. These account for nearly 60 percent of 56.5 million deaths a year deemed preventable.
It recommends lower intake of sugar, sodium and artery-clogging trans-fatty acids and suggests governments set taxation and subsidy policies to promote healthy eating habits.
The WHO delayed deciding whether to approve the plan until the end of next month to allow for changes to the text.
Diplomats said US opposition reflected pressure by its domestic food lobby, especially the sugar industry.
William Steiger, head of the US delegation, called the plan a "good first step," but said it put too much of the burden for diet reform on states and not enough on individuals.
"Government-imposed solutions are not always appropriate," he said. "People need to be empowered to take responsibility for their health."
The US has disputed experts' assertions that heavy marketing of high-calorie foods and advertising junk food on children's television contributes to obesity.
Worldwide, 1.1 billion adults and 22 million children under age five are obese, according to the World Heart Federation.
Steiger conceded that obesity and overweight affected two-thirds of American adults.
"We are eating too much and moving too little with our sedentary lifestyle," he said.
Grenada and Mauritius, two sugar-producing states, backed the US position on the 32-state board, as did Russia, South Korea and India.
Britain, backed by Canada and France, said it was urgent for governments to educate youth worldwide about the dangers of junk food and soft drinks.
"Obesity is a global epidemic. We see it as a health time bomb," Dr. Liam Donaldson, Britain's chief medical officer, told the board.
"What the US has achieved is reopening the consultative process. It has created a window of opportunity to influence reshaping the strategy," Neville Rigby, policy director at the International Obesity Task Force, said.
"It is still all to play for ... There will be a lot of horsetrading between now and May," he said, referring to the next World Health Assembly, the WHO's governing body attended by ministers, which has the final say on policy.
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