Yeah... fair point point that there being other issues that deserve attention... but....
Putting it in other language, I think Govt has a responsibility for a well regulated market place that brings benifits to the community.
Latham is, in a way, saying that the market place has become perverted by companies using crafty tricks to capture a much bigger market share that they would have without the tricks for a food that reduces peoples health and increases sickness and is generally all-around bad in just about way. Capitalism is fine and so is fast food, but there are extremes that we don't or shouldn't allow in a free but regulated market.
You've no doubt read about the chemical make up of Maccas (et al) food and how the product develops a biological craving for it amongst habitual eaters which is reinforced by a sophisticated marketing campaign that reinfrces the phisiological stuff with well thought out psychology.
You and I might be strong enough to resist that and do fine. But others aren't and they're getting sick and fat and stupid on this food because of the way it's designed. That means the economy relies on an increasingly fat and sluggsh and sick work force, and that's bad for us all.
To limit the advertising on this food and to put it under scrutiny and encorage moderate use of it is, I think, somthing a Govt should put it's mind to and Govt is big enough to deal with many, many issues all at once...
I don't think we have a choice between developing the third world and dealing with food that makes us sick at home - we can do both.
Max - who loves fast food, but knows it's BAD!! :-)