Food industry changes

[magid]

So, Kraft has plans to reduce fats and sugar from its products. The article makes it sound like Kraft is doing this preemptively, lest it get slapped with lawsuits like the tobacco industry, or the recent one where someone sued McDonald's for causing per's kids to be fat (Hello? Personal responsibility? Anyone?).

Part of this push for healthier foods is also that there will be less marketing in the schools, and fewer ads targeting kids (though that seems pretty fuzzy to me, in that kids are still likely to see ads not specifically targeted to them and find whichever products appealing). Both of these seem reasonable.

What I find astonishing is that only one sentence in the entire article points out that reducing obesity is not going to happen just because the company reformulates its products: there's that little issue of consumer choice, consumer responsibility. Having more reduced fat and low sugar foods might make it easier for some people to lose weight (I'm not particularly convinced about that, either. Just look at all the low-fat foods that have gobs of sugar in them, or the studies that show people eat to compensate for the "good" foods they eat), but in the end, it comes down to people choosing foods that are healthier. That might mean more information about nutrition, for some, or a revamping of the food pyramid, or subsidies for nutritional counseling, or discounts on gyms, etc. In other words, approaches that convince people they should change their habits (not an easy thing, by any means), rather than a parental switching of foods for different versions of the same.

Also, nowhere in the article does it address the issue of affording healthy food: so much junk food is cheaper than more healthful alternatives (and that's not even considering things like organic produce). Somehow Kraft making reduced fat Chee-tos does not inspire me with a vision of a new, healthier population.

(And this doesn't address my opinion that making food, rather than buying processed food, is not only healthier, but a social glue as well. And that, whatever foods I don't buy, I'd rather not have any food demonized; no one thing or category of things is always bad or always good. It depends on the person, and moderation, etc.)

Comments

[missdimple.livejournal.com]

Amen, sister!!! :)

Since you got me started on this subject, I will add to your rant! This has NOTHING to do with making people healthier, it is all about MONEY. (Lately that is all this society seems to be focusing on. *sigh*)

I think it's highly ironic that in a place that always has a knee-jerk reaction about personal rights, no one seems to balk at going after huge companies. Not that I think that companies are innocent or anything, lest you get the wrong idea! It just seems ironic that in a country where you can hear "I have the right to not wear a motorcycle helmet and squish my head like a grape!" that these same people would say...."I gained all of this weight because MCDONALDS forced it down my throat." I mean, are you responsible for yourself or NOT? Do you have self-control and decision-making skills or NOT? Are you a drone plugged into commercials forced to do their bidding?

I mean, please people. No one is forcing you to pick up that cigarette pack and no one is forcing you to pick up that cheeseburger. Should cigarette companies be accountable for what they put in their product? Sure. Should they be held accountable for telling people cigarettes were safe and yummy when they KNEW they were dangerous and addictive? Sure. But claiming that you were hornswaggled after there was information in abundance that cigarettes are bad for you and you start ANYWAY... COME ON! And places that offer greasy burgers and salty fries have long been putting out information about the fat content of their food and offering salads as an alternative.

That said....following up on magid's comments about nutrition. Did you know that in some urban areas that there are NO grocery stores? And if they are there, the produce section is rancid and rotten? I don't have the accurate numbers at my fingertips, but the ratio of grocery stores in suburbs to the grocery stores in urban/inner city areas is appalling! I wonder what the numbers are for fast food chains are in those same areas. (I just found some numbers: In 1995, the University of Connecticut's Food Marketing Policy Center examined census and grocery store information for 21 major metropolitan areas across the United States. The study found there were 30 percent fewer supermarkets in low-income areas than in higher-income areas; it also found low-income consumers were less likely to possess automobiles, further limiting their access to food choices.)

As an advocate of small scale stores, I would be concerned that people think that supermarkets are the only way to offer healthier choices to inner cities. A good nutrition program with outreach to the business owners of small stores seems like a better approach...or at least an alternative. I mean, look at the Harvest Stores around Boston. They have items in there stores that I have never seen before and the quality is usually excellent....I've seen plenty of rotting fruit in large grocery stores, for sure.

Well, since this isn't actually MY journal, I'll step down from my soapbox now. (Thanks, magid for letting me borrowing it.)

[magid.livejournal.com]

I agree; for Kraft, it's definitely about money, the bottom line. Thanks for finding some numbers; I had already heard that there are fewer supermarkets in urban/poorer areas; has anyone done studies showing that there are more/fewer smaller markets? I don't think that supermarkets are necessarily the best option, but I suppose they're more easily studied than smaller places. I like supporting local businesses in general, and this is one more area where people can choose local products. There's some figures about how the majority of food costs are the energy it takes to ship them all over the place....

It astonishes me the amazing lawsuits that make it into the courts these days. So many people seem to think that if something bad happens, somebody owes them something, even if the something bad was their own choice. I have a tiny bit more sympathy for situations with addictions involved, but not a ton; you have to start using [x] to become an addict, after all.

(Glad I could provide a soapbox.)

[missdimple.livejournal.com]

Disclaimer: I don't know anything about the organization that I pulled that info from....but here is a link to the article.

http://www.preventioninstitute.org/CHI_supermarkets.html

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

You want people to take responsibility for themselves/their actions? But it's so much easier to be a victim! (And gets you sympathy - from some.)

[queue.livejournal.com]

You know, I was just thinking about how I can always count on you for sympathy.

[hrafn.livejournal.com]

It depends entirely on what the complaint/grievance/hardship is. Them you bring on yourself (generic "you") get little :) (Unless there's a particularly gruesome and/or painful end result.)

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

Have you read Fast Food Nation?

[missdimple.livejournal.com]

Not sure if this was directed at the general group or magid specifically, but I have not read it. I have heard good things about it, though. Did you enjoy it?

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

It was directed at magid, but anyone else is free to answer as well, and I have a copy for the lending. :)

I was curious because my views on the issues in the above post were changed drastically by that book. I don't want to say too much more because the author does a far better job than I could. :]

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in borrowing it :-)

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

No problem. :) Shall I bring it on Saturday (along with the two CDs), or would that be too much for you to deal with?

[magid.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure how much schleppage I'm going to have Saturday, so I'd rather get it from you another time (if not earlier, how about Thursday at the play?).

[surrealestate.livejournal.com]

And of course I also realized that people will be back at my place after the picnic, so there would hardly be reason for me to schlep extra stuff out, in any case. It will all work out, I'm sure. Saturday, or Thursday, or whenever.

[magid.livejournal.com]

Yeah... but I'd rather walk from your place without carrying stuff, if possible. It feels so much freer to walk without stuff; I end up moving in different ways... :-)

[magid.livejournal.com]

I haven't read it yet, though it's on my list of things I should read sooner rather than later. I've heard that people think about fast food a whole lot differently afterward (and I keep wondering if I'll feel smug about all the fast food I haven't eaten compared to the average American...).