Michael Moss: Obesity as Advertised
"By the turn of the century, one out of two Americans were overweight and a quarter of the population was classified as obese. In the battle for "stomach share," the processed food industry had already won the war. The only real battle left is waged daily in our grocery aisles: Prego or Ragu? Coke or Pepsi? The New York Times investigative reporter Michael Moss sits down with Steve Paikin to talk about what exactly the terms "all-natural" and "real fruit" mean, and the close relationship between the food lobby and the United States government."
00:09: The secret meeting in 1999 between the executives of the biggest food corporations, discussing the impact processed food has on health.
05:16: How the largest tobacco company, Philip Morris, became the largest food manufacturer in North America and its strategy concerning salt, sugar, and fat.
07:07: The food industry itself believes that America faces an obesity epidemic, partially caused by unhealthy dietary choices.
09:30: How children are targeted via advertising and what is the real nutrient content of products like Capri Sun and Kool-Aid.
11:37: Are consumers completely helpless in the face of those marketing strategies? Tips for a “mindful” approach to purchasing food.
15:03: Attempts to regulate unhealthy food distribution, plans to move the subsidies from highly processed foods to fruits and vegetables, and the potential impact of a “tax on junk food”.
17:40: Which is the number one source of saturated fat in the American diet and why our cheese consumption has tripled.
21:10: Why ending the subsidies for milk boosted the consumption of beef.
22:05: Does the responsibility for the obesity rates in America lie "in the hands of the food giants, in the mouths of the consumers or in the regulatory arm of government”?
More videos
To understand health and ecology, extensive basic knowledge is required. Here you will find fact-based texts and book reviews.
Vegetarians, vegans, and raw foodists often eat an unhealthy diet — for years or even decades. With basic information, you can avoid making the same mistakes.
The China Study clearly lays out how the current Western diet can be improved to prevent lifestyle diseases. We say: Most important book on nutrition and health
Erb Muesli with Rolled Oats is a vegan (lactose-free), raw muesli. It serves as an especially healthy breakfast and is a good “bread replacement.”
These Cucumber Rolls with “Goat’s Cheese” and Mint Sauce hold together surprisingly well. They are ideal as an appetizer or finger food.
Sun-dried chili peppers and parsley give the savory pea pancakes a special flair. We recommend trying the pancakes with curry.
