This last week, my working week started in London and ended in Mexico City. Beginning on one side of the ocean in the Queen’s Capital and 6 days later, finishing up in a very different megacity, this transition was one of contrasts. From fish and chips, to tortillas and tostadas. Flat white to cafe con leche. The food, the culture, the weather - it seemed like two different worlds.
Yet as I explored the Mexican capital, one shared element stood out. Walking the streets, parks and public spaces, a commonality surprised me about both these incredible urban meccas.
Throughout both Mexico City and London, I couldn’t help but notice the amount of alcohol and junkfood advertising. Almost ubiquitous, it was largely impossible in either city to take in a view of the urban environment, without noticing the billboards, bus-boards, or moving advertisements dotted throughout the visual field. In London, the sheer amount of alcohol advertising - bus shelter after bus shelter - and on the other side of the Atlantic, the endless red and white soda billboards.
Now in countries where binge drinking and obesity are a huge strain on the healthcare system and wider society, this got me thinking. What of the continued and passionate debate (see last week’s column article) on the paradox between personal responsibility and structural determinants of these health issues. Far from a consensus, this discussion is often driven by conflicting ideology and political viewpoints. In short the question is: does our fatness and our love of alcohol come down to stupidity or poor self-control on the part of individuals? Or is something bigger at play here?
