Governor Yanks Junk Food from 10,000 Schools

(Chilpancingo, JG 9 August) Guerrero governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero has announced that, because Guerrero is first in the nation in child obesity, he will order the removal of junk food from all of the more than 10,000 elementary schools in the state. He added that this is a health problema that requires government involvement. “We need to get rid of the false belief that a fat child is synonymous with a healthy child,” the governor said. “I’m not going to let myself be pressured by anyone,” he said, “not by the owners of the soft drink companies, nor by the international companies that sell junk food, which are many. If we do not take care of this problem, in the future the hostpitals will not be able to handle all of the children with obesity problems.” The governor asked the communications media to help raise consciousness of the risks of infantile obesity.

Diabetes is the number one cause of death in Mexico.