Regulate Yourself: Don’t Blame the Food Industry

Mary Maxfield focuses on Pollan’s comparison between how French people eat so unhealthily, famously indulging in cheese, cream, and wine yet remain on average healthier than Americans verses Americans’ notably unhealthy population preoccupied with the idea of eating healthy. The “they say” argument in this essay is why can the French get away with eating unhealthy, but Americans can not? Pollan points out that “our” definition of healthy eating is driven by a well-funded corporate machine. According to Pollan, the food industry, along with nutrition science and journalism, is capitalizing on our confusion over how to eat. Pollen wants us to focus less on what we eat and more on smaller portion sizes. For example, the fast food industry in America has contributed to American’s over eating by upsizing their products. The essay focuses on a healthy body weight and points out that Americans see fatness as unhealthy and thinness as healthy. Culturally our views of weight skew our views of what foods are right to eat. In other words Americans do not understand that what a person eats is not as important as how much they

Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto is an eye-opening analysis of the American food industry and the fear driven relationship many of us have with food. He talks in depth about all the little scientific studies, misconceptions and confusions that have gathered over the past fifty years. In the end provide us with a piece of advice that should be obvious but somehow is not, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He follows the history of nutritionism and the industrialization of food, in hopes to answer one question….. how and when "mom" ceded control of our food choices to nutritionists, food marketers and the government.

In the article of How Junk Food Can End Obesity, David Freedman, the contributor editor at the Atlantic and Inc. Magazines, lays out a “they say” that then frames his argument. He states that making processed food healthier can contribute to the battle of the obese in our society. Freedman also says that the food these companies are cooking are making people sick and how it is destructive to an individual’s health. For instance, in the reading, Freedman states a quote from Michael Pollan, a journalism professor at the University of California at Berkeley, “It is one of the reasons that we have the obesity and diabetes epidemics that we do… If you’re going to let industries decide how much salt, sugar and fat is in your food, they’re going to put in as much as they possibly can… They will push those buttons until we scream or die.” In other words, Pollan believes that we constantly let people put all of these things in our foods but no one is stopping it.

Most people say that the government’s role, in our diets, is the key for a healthier life. While others may argue that it is freedom of choice to eat whatever we want. However depending on the point of view, the government’s role in shaping what we consume is either a compulsory intervention or a blatant interference on American free will. Even though we hear a good argument on the government controlling our diets, most research show that the involvement of the government on our diets has shown little to no results.

Throughout the articles, each one discussed the author’s perspective on food industries. Two articles argued whether the food companies should be blamed for the health epidemics or it should be a personal responsibility for consumers. While others discussed how food industries manipulate consumers into buying more of their food. Along the same lines, all the articles mentioned how the health epidemic is increasing and who must be fault for the growth. As well as finding a solution and who should help. Although the articles emphasize how obesity rate has grown, the public seems to blame food companies for manipulating consumers and others insist it is a consumer’s personal responsibility.

Journalist and novelist Michael Pollan writes about the trials and tribulations surrounding food in North America and raises questions regarding Western diet, which is mostly comprised of refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup and corn in general. He reiterates that chemically generated food is creating disease in North Americans; If we eliminate these factors and adopt the eating habits of less industrialized places in the world will we in our lifetime see rates of heart disease, type two diabetes and obesity decline dramatically? The western diet has evolved drastically in the last sixty years, so much so that people have become codependent on the government, dietitians and food agencies regarding their health and what to consume. The land is suffering from pesticides and singular plant farming, the alternative to this is to buy organic but at a higher price. Media has influenced the consumer to read the label and accept and trust the daily vitamin percentages on the box, as this is what is best for them. Money is the key factor in all of this and the government, scientific research and media know that, therefor the public is in for a shock when they realize that the very labels that are supposed to save them have fooled them.

In today’s society a huge issue is that we constantly hear about the food industry in America. We often hear in the news that obesity rates have increased, or that Americans have many diseases that contribute to being obese. “What You Eat is Your Business” by Radley Balko expresses that people are at fault for making such unhealthy food choices. Others argue that the food industry is to blame for being so unhealthy. According to David Zinczenko in “Don’t Blame the Eater” he blames the fast food industry as well as the consumer. Zinczenko asks “shouldn’t we know better than to eat two meals a day in fast food restaurant’s?” (392). So, who is to blame for American’s eating so much unhealthy food? Should it be the consumers’ burden or the fast food companies? On one hand, as consumers we continue to purchase foods that we know are making us overweight. On the other hand, fast food companies continue to offer high in calories foods.

America is known for being one of the unhealthiest nations in the world. This true statement is able to be traced all the way back to what is in our foods: corn, sugar, salt, and fat. Each of these ingredients are generally okay to consume small amounts. Unfortunetly, many Americans are consuming extremely high amounts of these products, simply because the ingredients are in nearly every meal you can think of. In order to fix this dilemma, the government must take action for their responsibility by requiring food labels to be clear and accurate, boost incentives for marketing healthier foods, and end subsidies for corn and soy, all while encouraging the population to consume healthier foods.

After a long stress filled day, the sweet aroma of a double decker cheeseburger and perfectly seasoned fries fills the air with convenience. The fast food industry has engulfed today’s generation turning accessibility, advertisement, and affordability into addiction. The prevention of obesity is a rapid growing controversial topic in America. Some would argue this to be the fast food industries’ fault, as where David Zinczenko stands. On the other side of the spectrum, there are people, like Radley Balko, who believe it to be the consumer’s fault for lack of alternatives and self-responsibility. Is fast food the new tobacco? If so, who’s to point the chubby finger at?

Professional triathlete, Sally Edwards said “If we will not settle for junk living, we certainly shouldn’t settle for junk food” (Don’t ask). Suggesting that we consume so much processes food without thinking twice, but wouldn’t in other aspects of life. In today’s society, these harmful foods are easily accessible to the general public. One might find it easier to purchase a pre-made meal rather than cook at home. Advertisers are well known of that preference and use it to their benefit. With the movement of healthy eating many companies are falling behind to provide that clean eating many of their customers are asking for. Instead they try to deceive customers with their ads seeming to be healthy. In the February issue of

Recently, American culture observed a kick in health food and exercise. Even so, our nation’s reputation continues to include obesity and junk food as common traits. The main culprits in the American diet come wrapped in a package. Preservatives, sweeteners, and dyes hide within most of the foods we eat. Even meats, vegetables, and “health foods” contain these things, but why? Efficiency in production and consumer appeal persuade businesses to include these ingredients. We have taught ourselves to ignore labels and warnings as long as the product tastes good. It should be easy to educate ourselves about various ingredients, but nothing could be further from the truth. Everyone on the internet expresses a different opinion: random people that

Obesity is a prominent issue not just because the public ignores it, but because the current consumer culture enables it. The key to solving any problem is to figure out the cause. The cause to obesity is simply the decisions made by the consumer and the producer. By examining the root cause of the problem, steps can be made to rectify the obesity epidemic in this country. One issue is, that companies are more concerned with what will make them fast, easy money than they are concerned with how their product will influence public health. Another issue is the decisions the consumer makes when buying food. Society is responsible with providing better choices, but it is up to the individual to make consistent, healthy decisions for themselves. However, the choice to eat something unhealthy has more complex roots with economics, time, and marketing. The means and resources are often not available to lower socioeconomic families when making the decision on what to buy. Like many daunting challenges that require reform, the obesity epidemic in this country is a complex problem with multiple variables. By examining the market-consumer relationship of the food industry, a few of the issues propagating the obesity epidemic can be studied and reformed.

There are a myriad of books, articles, television shows, movies, and websites doing their utmost to inform us of how we should eat better and to stop eating foods that are known to be bad for our bodies. An article by Michael Jacobson, published on the website for U.S. News & World Report, was just such an article. In his piece “Politics: It’s What For Dinner”, Jacobson points out that we should eat healthier items, such as, fruit, vegetables, and cut back on eating fast food, processed foods, and drinks heavy with sugar. Most parents would probably want to be able to feed their families with healthier choices, if it did not cost an arm and a leg to buy healthier foods. Of course, this is easy to do for those that can afford to eat whole foods, non-processed grains, and organic vegetables. I shop frequently and usually search for fresh, healthy foods, but the costs take a huge chunk from my budget. Healthy foods are much easier to access these days, as compared to just a decade ago. I know the benefits of eating healthier foods outweigh what ill affects the chemicals and needless additives can and will do to my body. Most American’s probably know that foregoing fast foods and opting for healthier foods is a much better plan for our bodies and will increase our longevity, but it is much cheaper to buy the junk food and it is usually tastier. Also, for families that are on the go, running to and fro with appointments and school outings, fast foods are convenient and

What runs through your head when you eat a hamburger from McDonalds, guzzle a coke, or even devour an appetizing chocolate covered donut? Americans most likely don’t think of the dilemma of eating unhealthy foods like these because they’re in the long run. The food industry has manipulated our minds, so we don’t look at the downside of consuming unhealthy food products. In general, people should be against all these issues the food industry is inducing.

Threatened by possible government regulation and critical public opinion, industries often undertake self-regulatory actions, issue statements of concern for public welfare, and assert that self-regulation is sufficient to protect the public. The food industry has made highly visible pledges to curtail children’s food marketing, sell fewer unhealthy products in schools, and label foods in responsible ways. Ceding regulation to industry carries opportunities but is highly risky. In some industries (e.g., tobacco), self-regulation