We have criticized them and their members for many years for spending a lot of time discrediting the use of dietary supplements and too little time pointing out the problems of the food industry. This may be because the food industry supports their organization and educational process so financially.
It seems we are not the only ones troubled by this misguided focus of attention.
According to the food industry, marketing practices are to blame for the obesity epidemic.
The efforts, claimed, are helping to fatten America. 35 percent of adults, 12 percent of adolescents and 14 percent of children in the United States are overweight.
In a question-and-answer session, the Times reported, making the following comments:
Q. How does the food industry encourage overeating?
A. Only by promoting food. By spending a year in direct media advertising. That’s so much more than is spent on health and nutrition education, you can’t even put them in the same stratosphere. The Fruit and Veg Campaign spends about millions annually on public education.
Q. Why do you say the food industry specifically wants us to eat more processed foods?
A. Therein lies the benefit. Potatoes are cheap. It’s not potato chips. And those really delicious rosemary olive oils, which I happen to be particularly fond of, are shockingly expensive. The aim is to process food as much as possible. But many of these highly processed foods are junk food — relatively high in calories and low in nutrients.
The food industry spends another billion annually on indirect marketing, which would include things like the mealtime set and placing their logos on soft drink displays. These practices are so acceptable that people think it’s normal to constantly drink soft drinks. Every time you walk into a restaurant, you’re told in a thousand ways to eat more. Their job is to sell you food, sell you drinks, sell you appetizers and desserts.
Q. Why are we receptive to the message from the food industry?
A. Well, why shouldn’t we be? The message is appealing. The food tastes good. The message about healthy eating is very boring.
Q. Good nutritional advice is notoriously complicated and difficult to follow, isn’t it?
A. No, it’s not complicated. It’s simple: Eat more fruits and vegetables and don’t overeat. And be active and don’t smoke.
What is complicated is the advice on individual nutrients. People think we have to worry about calcium. I have to worry about folic acid. We have to worry about protein.
I have to keep track of these 40 different nutrients and they are so confusing. And then one day you’re telling me to eat margarine and the next day you’re telling me trans fat isn’t good and why can’t you guys make up your mind? I have a lot of understanding for that.
Q. You think the food industry is taking advantage of the confusion about eating right, don’t you?
A. Claims are made that relate to marketing, not health. The margarine with pulp in it, which is said to lower cholesterol, is just another way of selling margarine. I don’t think we need everything fortified with vitamins. My feeling is if people are concerned about their vitamins they can take a daily supplement. They don’t need zinc in their froot loops.
Q. Your book singles out cereal and froot loops for special criticism. Can you explain?
A. We currently have a major problem with nutrition, as evidenced by the rising rates of obesity and diabetes.
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