Here at Sip & Savor we often say that there is no silver bullet when it comes to the complex issues of obesity and diabetes.  Many dietitians say the same.

Increasing numbers of dietitians have come out publicly to oppose regulations of individual products as a solution to the challenges of obesity or diabetes. They know these complex conditions are not caused by one food, beverage or ingredient but are rooted in many factors.

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Carol Sloan wrote in the Capital Weekly this week that misleading policies that demonize one product do not address the underlying causes of these public health issues.

Sloan, who – for transparency’s sake - is also a consultant to the food and beverage industry, pointed to a recently released RAND study that showed regulations limiting the number of fast food restaurants from south Los Angeles did not reduce obesity rates as public health officials claimed they would.

The failure of government regulations on diet in Los Angeles and elsewhere shows that, “banning one product or food does little to address public health,” Sloan says.

“That’s like trying to fix a broken arm with a Band-Aid” she says.

Most importantly, such regulations don’t teach people that your risk of obesity and diabetes can be decreased by balancing food and beverage calories with physical activity.

“Placing a bull’s-eye on one kind of product is nothing more than a political victory,” Sloan says. “It surely doesn’t help the rest of us avoid or delay developing something as serious and complicated as type 2 diabetes.“

To learn more about why regulating our food and beverage choices does not help fight obesity and diabetes visit YourCartYourChoice.com.