Post on 07-May-2018
Marion Nestle Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, New York University
Website: www.foodpolitics.com
Twitter: @marionnestle
Food Politics: Personal vs. Social Responsibility
FOOD SYSTEMS: Production to Consumption
AGRICULTURE FOOD NUTRITION PUBLIC HEALTH
Eat Less
Move More
Eat Fruits and Vegetables
Don’t Eat Too Much Junk Food
Enjoy!
Obesity Fear Frenzy Grips Food Industry
Why Coke's Creative Chief Esther Lee Isn't Alone in
Fearing FTC, Critics
"Our Achilles heel is the discussion about obesity…It's gone from a small, manageable U.S. issue to a huge global issue. It dilutes our marketing and works against it. It's a huge, huge issue.“ --Advertising Age, April 23, 2007
Activity
Inactivity
Calories per person per day 1980s Now Change
Food supply 3,200 3,900 + 700
Dietary intake 1,900 2,100 + 200
Reality ?
NYT 11-9-05
Deregulation: agriculture
Available calories per person per day, 1910-2000 Increased Competition
3,900
~3,200
USDA/ERS
Waste
Deregulation: Wall Street “Shareholder Value Movement”
7-24-06
…Companies must sell more to grow
Competition !
Also Health claims Dietary supplements FDA authority, funding
Deregulation: food marketing:
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
1965 1975 1985 1995 2005
Number of Large-Size Portions Introduced
40
55
70
Percent Overweight
3,000
3,500
4,000
Calories/Capita/Day
Staples
Bed Bath & Beyond
Duane-Reade
Compare: Salad = ~$5.00
Low prices
Processed
Fresh
Food Companies
Do Nothing Deny Change Products Fight Back
Advocacy Regulations Lawsuits Wall Street
Health claims Functional foods Self-endorsements
Lobby Attack advocates Blame inactivity Blame personal choice Co-opt critics
Food & Beverage Advertising, 2011: > $16 Billion
$51 Ad Age June 2012
$267
$35
$113
$42
$ Millions
J Consumer Research
2007
Industry goals vs.
Public health goals
2-9-10
School food Diet principles Meal standards Nutrition standards Encourage healthy; discourage unhealthy
2011
Limits starchy vegetables to 2 servings / week Requires at least ¼ cup tomato paste to count as a
vegetable serving
2007 2009
Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010
Authorizes USDA to set nutrition standards for all school foods
January 2012
Food companies spent >$5.6 million to lobby against the proposed rules.
“No funds may be used to require crediting of tomato paste and puree based on volume.”
11-18-11
School Meal Calorie Standards
K – 5: 650 6 – 8: 700 High School: 850
“No Hungry Kids Act”
“President Obama and his administration continue to find ways to develop the nanny state. If they have found a way to invade the lunch tray of the youngest members of our society, what's next? The new regulations are a one-size-fits-all encroachment of our liberties.”
May 30, 2012
The Default
Attack the science
Attack the critic
July 2, 2012
Social media Radio and TV ads Airplane banners Petitions Tee shirts Movie videos
Mountain Dew + NY Art Dep’t, 9-12
Owned by PepsiCo
“Building a challenger brand with modest resources is already a daunting task…The ban would create additional barriers to beverage innovation.” WSJ 7-23-12
PepsiCo, 2011 $29 million
Soda taxes
Median income: $23 K Unemployment: 11% Black, Hispanic: 80% High soda High obesity
Richmond, CA
Richmond Soda Tax Initiative, 2012
Contra Costa Times Aug 23, 2012, Oct-7-2012
As of October 7 $ 2.2 Million $25,293
Ratio 87/1
Paid for by the Community Coalition Against Beverage Taxes, with major funding by the American Beverage Association, Strategic Advocacy Fund Committee, and supported by thousands of Richmond residents, labor and businesses against unfair taxes.
Richmond cannot force the American Beverage Association to comply with campaign- disclosure rules (First Amendment)
Change in Total Volume of Carbonated Soft Drinks Consumed
Between 2002 and 2007
Global Trends
Euromonitor. Global soft drinks: fınding value in carbonates.
London: Euromonitor, 2008
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
US Australasia WesternEurope
Asia Pacific Middle Eastand Africa
LatinAmerica
EasternEurope
% c
ha
ng
e in
vo
lum
e o
f so
ft d
rin
ks c
on
su
me
d, 2
00
2-2
00
7
Profits almost doubled on overseas beverages
NYT 4-18-12
Led by consumption in India, where volume soared 20 percent.
WSJ 6-27-12
Personal responsibility: Opt out !
Food, not products
Smaller portions
Buy local, sustainable
Grow your own food
Cook at home
Teach kids to cook
Agriculture Farmers markets Urban farming Local farming Sustainability Food safety Farm supports
Social Responsibility: Get Political !
Public Health Schools Neighborhood access Safety net Marketing to kids Food labels Campaign laws Wall Street
Democracy in action: Join the food
movement !