Food politics: Who makes our food choices? Marion Nestle at the Nobel Week Dialogue 2016

Transcript

I'm uh going to talk about the um I'm supposed to answer the question um who decides what we eat and I do this from the standpoint of somebody who thinks about food systems. And by food systems I mean everything from science to um agriculture to nutrition and to public health and then also to advocacy. Um and I'm going to emphasize the advocacy par... Read More

Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses the importance of food systems and the role of advocacy in shaping what we eat. They highlight the major public health problems related to food, such as food insecurity, obesity, and environmental damage. The American dietary guidelines are mentioned as a reference for what we should eat, emphasizing the need for fruits, vegetables, and unprocessed foods. However, the speaker points out the contradiction between nutrition policies and agricultural subsidies, which promote a diet higher in meat. The food industry's focus on marketing and profit-making has led to larger portion sizes and advertising strategies to encourage people to eat more. The speaker mentions the involvement of the soft drink industry in promoting their products globally. They discuss the challenging nature of individual food choices within this complex food environment and stress the importance of advocacy to shape food system policies. The impact of the food movement is highlighted, particularly in passing local soda tax initiatives as a social justice issue.

Questions & Answers

Q: What are the major public health problems related to food systems?

The major public health problems related to food systems are food insecurity, obesity, and environmental damage. Roughly a billion people in the world suffer from undernutrition, while obesity affects around two billion people globally. Additionally, the environmental damage caused by our diets impacts everyone, especially due to the heavy dependency on meat consumption.

Q: What are the American dietary guidelines?

The American dietary guidelines, from 2015 to 2020, recommend consuming fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, and other relatively unprocessed foods. On the other hand, highly processed foods with low nutritional value, often referred to as "junk foods," are discouraged due to their high calorie, salt, and sugar content.

Q: Why is it problematic to follow the recommended dietary guidelines for addressing obesity?

While the recommended dietary guidelines aim to address obesity, it becomes problematic because eating less and moving more, which are important for tackling obesity, are not favorable for the food industry. The food industry, which makes significant profits from highly processed foods, faces a conflict of interest when it comes to promoting healthier eating choices.

Q: How do agricultural subsidies impact dietary choices?

Agricultural subsidies play a role in shaping dietary choices. In the United States, a significant amount of federal subsidies goes to corn, soybeans, and other foods primarily used for animal feed, promoting a diet higher in meat consumption. Conversely, the subsidies for fruits and vegetables are minimal, making up less than half a percent of the overall subsidies during a specific period.

Q: How has the food industry capitalized on the excessive production of food?

The excessive production of food in the United States has prompted the food industry to focus on marketing strategies to sell more products. One method employed is increasing portion sizes, which has resulted in a significant increase in portion sizes over the last few decades. It is crucial to note that larger portion sizes tend to have more calories, which might not be intuitively obvious.

Q: What role does advertising play in the food industry?

Advertising plays a crucial role in the food industry's efforts to sell more products and increase consumption. The soft drink industry, in particular, has been transparent about its advertising strategies. For instance, Coca-Cola has allocated billions of dollars to build bottling plants and promote its products globally, including $17 billion specifically for Africa between 2010 and 2020. Such contradictory messages and advertising tactics complicate individual food choices.

Q: How does the challenging food environment impact individuals' ability to make healthy food choices?

The complex food environment makes it difficult for individuals to make healthy food choices. Factors such as contradictory messages, the influence of advertising, and larger portion sizes make it challenging for individuals to navigate and select healthy options. This complexity necessitates a closer examination of the environment itself and the need for food system policies that facilitate healthy choices.

Q: What is the role of advocacy in shaping food choices and policies?

Advocacy plays a critical role in shaping food choices and policies. Food activists, including public health nutritionists, celebrity nutritionists, and food bloggers, are becoming brand managers for major food companies. The food movement, through advocacy efforts, has had successes such as local soda tax initiatives. These initiatives are presented as social justice issues, as they aim to improve the health of low-income individuals while benefiting both people and the planet.

Q: What can individuals do to impact food choices?

Individuals can vote with their fork by making conscious and healthy food choices. However, it is equally important to have food system policies that make the healthy choice the easy choice. By advocating for and supporting policies that prioritize the health of individuals and the environment, individuals can contribute to shaping a better food system.

Takeaways

In summary, the video emphasizes the significant connection between food and public health problems, including food insecurity, obesity, and environmental damage. It highlights the contradiction between recommended dietary guidelines and agricultural subsidies, which promote diets higher in meat consumption. The food industry, driven by profit-making, encourages larger portion sizes and employs advertising strategies to increase consumption. Within this complex food environment, individuals face challenges in making healthy choices, necessitating advocacy efforts for food system policies that prioritize health. The impact of the food movement, particularly in passing local soda tax initiatives, is seen as a step toward making the healthy choice the easy choice for all.