It may take a year or two or five or twenty, but eventually some sort of levy will be placed on the liquid candy purveyed by the  beverage industry. In the past few weeks, two additional voices were heard in the argument for consumer (and legislator) mindshare on this issue. A Harvard experiment, in a hospital cafeteria, tried various intervention models to get people to drink less sugary drinks. Posters with warnings had no effect, but raising... 

Opponents of the plan called it a “money grab cleverly disguised as a health policy.”  Read More →

This is a guest blog post by Parke Wilde and was originally published on his blog US Food Policy . The obesity epidemic is the “single greatest threat to public health in this century,” according to a report yesterday from the expert panel advising the federal government on dietary guidelines. Following an earlier report from the Institute of Medicine, the panel also recommended reductions in salt intake. The report from the Advisory... 

The American Dietetic Association is the country’s largest organization of nutrition professionals. At a time when its voice and plans need to be heard loud and clear, we wanted to get up to date on the ADA’s activities. We interviewed Karen Ansel , MS, RD, CDN  a New York based Dietitian, Contributing Editor for Woman’s Day Magazine and Co-Author “The Baby & Toddler Cookbook”. As of June 2010 she is also... 

“The tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico offers a management lesson to food marketers on how not to deal with a crisis,” writes Hank Cardello in the Atlantic ’s Food Channel. “Specifically, I refer to the obesity epidemic.” The analogy is a bit of a stretch, to say the least. Cardello, the author of Stuffed: An Insider’s Look at Who’s (Really) Making America Fat , notes how BP (BP), Transocean (RIG), and Halliburton... 

Yesterday it was announced that McDonald’s is recalling about 12 million souvenir glasses adorned with Shrek images. The $2.00 glasses were painted using cadmium, a known carcinogen. The fear is that cadmium present in the paint on the glass will poison kids. This would require a child to hold the glass whereby the cadmium would contact her hands. Then she would need to put her hand in her mouth. This …  Read More →

Santa Clara County, in northern California, took a step yesterday towards reducing childhood obesity. The innovative measure – banning toys from being included as giveaways at fast food restaurants whose kiddie meals don’t meet healthy requirements. To quote an LA Times article on the matter – “ It’s a sad day for Happy Meals “. The ban is more symbolic than anything else, as only 12 establishments in unincorporated... 

In conversations about the worrying obesity epidemic in the US, we’ve heard many theories as to the reasons our waistlines are ballooning. Whenever a marketer from the food industry is asked, a plethora of explanations are provided to show that junk food and beverages are not the main reason. A sedentary lifestyle and lack of exercise are cited as the top causes. Smoking, or rather quitting smoking, is also brought up as a reason for weight... 

Can an industry that makes it money selling highly processed food also come up with the solution to the problem of obesity?  Read More →

If you want to know why there is a backlash against advocates of healthy eating, just take a look at this column by Christine Pirello , an “authority on natural and whole foods,” at Huffington Post. Her thesis is that America’s “chef worship” is “making us fat.” All those cooking shows on The Food Network and elsewhere, according to Pirello, are leading more Americans to eat more unhealthy foods. The... 

The sandwich as cartoon — the KFC Double Down.  Read More →

Earth shattering news – veggies and fruits won’t stop the big C. A 9 year study of over 400,000 men and women showed a very weak link between fruit and vegetable consumption and the risk of contracting cancer. The study was published earlier this week, and is sure to have a ripple effect in the media. The Journal of the National Cancer Institute, where the study was published, includes an editorial by Walter Willett , a professor... 

MBA graduates marvel at the economic superpower called McDonald’s.  Smart management, excellent logistics, and shrewd real estate strategy have created a world leading brand. Dozens of books and essays have been written about the birth and growth of this multibillion dollar corporation and easily one of the best recognized brands on earth. Imagine the global impact if the food at McDonald’s was nutritious too. Keep imagining, because... 

Former President Bill Clinton was released from the hospital a few days ago after undergoing a procedure to bypass a clogged artery. In a statement to reporters at an childhood obesity event of the Alliance for a Healthier Generation , Clinton blamed his poor health on “the habits I acquired in my childhood, mostly the way I ate and the way it interacted with my own biology and propensity to produce bad cholesterol…I ate too much... 

Spend 20 minutes watching the passionate plea of super chef turned food revolutionary, Jamie Oliver. his wish: I wish for everyone to help create a strong, sustainable movement to educate every child about food, inspire families to cook again, and empower people everywhere to fight obesity Some highlights from the talk : For the last 7 years Jamie has been working to save lives through food education. Eating good food at home binds us to the...