Deconstructing Obesity - Connecting the Obesity Epidemic to the Food System

in #food8 years ago

Why is there an obesity epidemic in the U.S.? What communities are suffering from this epidemic? Who is benefiting from the obesity of others? In the snapshots below I am sharing my initials thoughts after reading a few articles on obesity. The articles are listed below. All images are from Pexel.com and are licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license.













Articles

Julie Guthman (2007) “Can't Stomach It: How Michael Pollan et al. Made Me Want to Eat Cheetos,” Gastronomica, Vol. 7, No. 3, pp. 75-79.

Lucia A. Reisch and Wencke Gwozdz (2011) “Chubby cheeks and climate change: childhood obesity as a sustainable development issue,” International Journal of Consumer Studies, 35:3-9.

Julie Guthman (2011) “Excess consumption or over-production?: US farm policy global warming, and the bizarre attribution of obesity, in Richard Peet, Paul Robbins, and Michael Watts, ed. Global Political Ecology, pp. 51-66.

Marion Nestle and Michael Jacobson (2000) “Halting the obesity epidemic: a public health policy approach,” Public Health Reports, Jan-Feb; 115(1): 12–24.



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I just did a couple of posts on this subject, and started by saying "Almost everything we are being told about food, good diet and healthy eating is not just inaccurate, it’s the exact opposite of the truth. And there is good reason for this – selling people cheap, toxic crap is really profitable, and making them ill and then selling them cheap, toxic drugs is really profitable too"

do you believe in conspiracies? come on, nobody forces you to do anything or believe anything, especially in the free world of today. you can investigate yourself and determine what's best for you. the fact that people choose to swallow what they are given is another matter...

The people close to us whether our family, friends or just well intended individuals can surround us with their ill informed opinions. Sure the simple answer is refuse to listen or ignore their banter yet when you are living with someone or several toxic individuals through time they will eventually break you down regardless of your awareness and what you know unless you flat out separate yourself from them. Brainwashing whether through high dollar marketing campaigning or political propaganda have a handle on those less enlightened than you and I to follow every word as gospel. In the early 90's many conspiracy theories surfaced regarding the dangers of GMO's. Recent statistics now prove what silly conspiracies theorized. It's true that we can investigate and determine what's best for us and I subscribe to that, yet it's probably a small percentage of us who actually follow that, but perhaps that is gradually changing. I am impressed that as time has gone on that corporations do respond to the bottom line and as awareness and better choices by individuals increase, so do the changes of menu items, ingredients and the process of raising and manufacturing.

Who is in the photo?

That's Mark Sisson - he is 63 and he knows his stuff - http://www.marksdailyapple.com/

Never had to worry about being fat...many people do.

The food selection available to the average American ranges anywhere from healthy, medicinal foods to outright toxic. Unfortunately, most are leaning their diets more towards the latter, IMO.

I must say its rather annoying that sometimes when I go out for some quick food I cant find anything decent thats healthy to eat.

Two things.
1."Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity," There IS no grand conspiracy. Neither government nor giant corporations, nor the nude wurld ordure, nor the illuminati are that smart. They are, however, nukin futz.

  1. There are two broad genetic characteristics among hoomans. Many of us can pack on the fat and be able to survive the lean times. The others cant'. When famine time comes they starve.

well said!

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Healthy food - is a thing, that has been around for thousand years. Only in XX century people lerne how to alter the food, that it becomes cheap, good looking, tasty, not perishable.
With this parametrs you can make a lot of money in food business !
In other side bio or organic food have much less time to live on a shelf. Usually you will not find organic food in partly prrepared "combos".
And it is harder to grow this food.
But now more and more people become aware of consequences for their health. More and more try to folow some healthy rules with food consumption.
This is a good part. =]
Who is get all the benefit with unhealthy food ?
It is simple !
Food growers, Medical institutions, Insurence companies, Pharmaceutical companies, and of course - our lovely Government to push their Agenda.
Stay healthy !!!
=]

@anwenbaumeister

All images are from Pexel.com and are licensed under the Creative Commons Zero (CC0) license

no images shown :(
or is it just my laptop?