title: Public policy versus individual rights and responsibility: an economist's perspective.
abstract: Interventions to reduce childhood obesity entail ethical considerations. Although a rationale exists for government to intervene in a way that limits individual rights while protecting the public's health, a clear economic rationale also exists. The markets for goods and services that contribute to obesity are characterized by multiple failures that create an economic rationale for government to intervene (eg, consumers' lack of accurate information regarding obesogenic foods and beverages). If effective public policies for reducing obesity and its consequences are to be developed and implemented, individual rights and government interests must be balanced.
authors.affiliation: University of Illinois, 444 Westside Research Office Bldg, 1747 West Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL 60608, USA. fjc@uic.edu
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Chaloupka
mesh_terms: D000329:Advertising / Q000191:economics / Q000941:ethics; D001628:Beverages / Q000191:economics; D026688:Bioethical Issues; D002648:Child; D005502:Food / Q000191:economics; D006806:Human Rights; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011640:Public Policy / Q000191:economics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D013660:Taxes