Marion Nestle feeds college students healthy advice
Audrey Nelson
Issue date: 3/12/10 Section: News
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Nestle presented her PowerPoint entitled, "Food Politics: Personal Responsibility or Social Responsibility?" It explained the American food industry's role in increasing obesity rates, which have risen since the early '80s.
In her work, Nestle connects agriculture to politics and to nutrition and health through her lectures, describing the corruption of the food industry, the rise of a slow food revolution, and the potential that individuals have to improve the system.
"Why did people begin to eat more?" she asked the audience. In the '80s, a change in agricultural policy paid farmers to produce as much food as possible. Additionally, Ronald Regan deregulated advertising, allowing the food industry to advertise to children.
Her conclusion to the inherent question, 'what happened?' was that citizens either engaged in less physical activity, or began to eat more. Activity rates hardly budged, however. "There is absolutely no question that people were eating more," Nestle said.
Gradual changes in American eating habits, such as eating out and eating larger portions went unnoticed. Restaurant foods are often higher in calories than foods prepared at home, Nestle explained. "Advice to eat less is bad for business," Nestle said.
"For $5 at McDonald's, you can buy five hamburgers or one salad. What's up with that? It's a policy decision, but policies can be changed," Nestle said.
One of Nestle's most emphatic points concerned childhood obesity - the campaign that first lady Michelle Obama is dedicated to improving.
"Type 2 diabetes used to only occur in middle-aged adults. Now it's seen in younger and younger children," Nestle said. Obama wants to educate children about healthier produce and has created an organic garden on the South Lawn of the White House as one of her approaches.
"Obama's efforts create a national inspiration for nutrition at a level we've never had before," Nestle said.
The origins of childhood obesity stem from a combination of factors, including deregulated advertisements. "If you liked Fruit Loops as a kid, you'll eat them forever," Nestle explained in reference to the results of brand loyalty.
She also explained the 'kid's food' syndrome, in which the food industry makes kids believe they're not supposed to eat what adults do.
The food industry's harmful contributions to the environment also developed as a theme during the lecture.
Nestle illustrated the food production's large carbon footprint as one example. Industrial animal farms produce the same amount of waste as a city, but the farm's waste goes mostly untreated, a major pollutant to soil and waterways.
Taking questions from the audience after her lecture, Nestle exemplified her expertise in her field. She gave advice to college students looking to avoid fake labels, by simply telling them to eat real food. "Real food doesn't have labels," she said.
Nestle is the author of five books, with a sixth coming out in May. Her book "Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Heath" has attracted media attention to the obesity epidemic and has been cited in lawsuits against food companies.
Her written contributions are also found in essays, reviews, and her blog, www.foodpolitics.com.
Nestle is the former chair of New York University's department of nutrition, food studies, and public health and now travels nationally and abroad to give lectures.
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