The Influence of the Food Industry on Health Issues - Assignment Example

The Influence of the Food Industry on Health Issues Lovera, Patty. “Grocery Shopping Critique.” Oprah.com. Web. 18 March 2014. < http://www.oprah.com/health/Grocery-Shopping-Critique>. The article is a critique of the choices made by Okura at the grocery store. Lovera highlight the implication on the choices made by Okura. She notes that Okura decision to compare prices was excellent. This is due to challenges that exist because of presentation of vast information in some of these stores. On the other hand, she notes Okura failed as she did not compare produce in the store based on their season. She notes that produce out of seasons are not hundred percent fresh as some come from foreign countries taking long to reach the market. Lovera also notes that processed food should be avoided at all cost. They have no nutritional value, drive down the price of domestically produced products, and hide pertinent information to consumers. The critique also notes USDA failures. The department is shown to present less information as required on food products. USDA seals lack information on how animals are raised and on crop production. The department is also pointed as being weak on as there is no standardization on labels found on food. The critique further notes that the budget should not be a deterrent on getting organic food. One has to make informed choices on selection or buy food in plenty when in season. The author calls for lobbying for foods that are organic. In this article, it is clear that little information is available on the food choices people make. Moreover, government has been providing little information on organic food as evident from USDA. Nestle, Marion. “Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health.” The article begins by showing ways in which nestle critics the leading food companies. The company's concern is shown to be on what the public wants and how to meet such needs. The companies lack concern on what the society eats. Theirs is to achieve the maximum profit. Hence, they produce more food that what is required by the society. This is done through convincing people to eat more of their product through various advertising mechanism. On the other hand, the article addresses how the corporation influences government nutritional policy. Nestle notes this has been possible through lobbying. Lobbying is shown to be carried out in three ways. They include promotion of interest groups views, influence of government laws, rules, and policies that concern industries, or communication about laws, rules, or policies that affect them. This is achieved by offering well-thought opinion on proposed legislation, having connections, and engaging in various ways of defending their interests. Lobbying is shown to exist as depicted through PAC contributions to a number of politicians. Nestle show there exist a strong correlation between the amount and ways of funding and expected outcomes. She notes that most of the money has been sent on incumbents as they are in the right position where they can influence policies. Moreover, politicians that support subsidy have been shown to receive regular funding from PAC. Most of the contributions rise as the day of verdict nears on a particular issue that affects the industries. The article shows how difficult it is to pass legislation detrimental to the food industries. Okura, Lynn. “Navigating the Grocery Store: An Attempt to Eat Real Food on a Budget.” Oprah.com. Web. 18 April 2014. . The article is a description of a woman transformation on selection of food. Okura notes on how she found it difficult to adjust to organic foods even after opening up of a bakery shop near her residential area. She could not easily adapt to the growing promotion of organic foods. She notes watching Michael Pollan on Oprah Winfrey show was a revelation to her and fiancé. It changed her perception on organic foods after she realized that what she had dependence on was not real food. She notes her dependence on processed food has been due to a promotion of such food by celebrities. Hence, these celebrities had not been presenting real information on processed food. In the past, Okura concern on food choices was based on the amount of money d her thighs. She had no concern on how food was grown or processed. Okura notes that now she will be more concerned on the content of food available in stores. The selection of food in the stores will now depend on ingredients, nutrition status, and effects on health. However, she has trouble in selecting such food as demonstrated by her trip to one of the groceries. In this article, it is clear that individuals are not presented to real information on generation of processed food. Moreover, it is clear real information can help individual in making choices about the food they consume. Oprah Winfrey Show. “Michael Pollan on Oprah- Jan 21, 2010- “Food 101”.” Oprah.com. Web. 18 April 2014. . The article begins by highlighting the way society has been conditioned to depend heavily on processed food. Pollan notes one of the ways has been through the provision of cheap processed foods. This makes this food cheaper as compared to fresh produce. The blame is directed to the government agencies. Pollan notes there has been immense subsidy on fast food as compared to meager support given to fresh produce farmers. The other reason is the availability of cheap processed foods on the supermarket. In the stores, there is a vast disparity in price between farm produce and proceed foods. The budget can only manage to get less amount of farm produce. The article further highlights the solution to the problems. First, Pollan calls for the provision of sustainable food by the fast food outlets. He notes they can still manage to make a profit out of such foods. He also calls for change on feeding habit. Individuals are encouraged regularly to incorporate sustainable or humanely grown food in their three piecemeal. This will help in changing the food systems. The article also urges individuals to rely on some of the foods that our ancestors fed on. Such food should be recognizable by our ancestors if they were to be alive. He also calls for avoidance of foods with additives, flavors, and other chemicals meant to increase shelf life. The article highlights problem in the food industry and ways in which societies can overcome them. Schlosser, Eric. “Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal.” In chapter, four, it begins with description of how pizzas have become of interest in the southern part of Colorado. As a result, there is delivering of pizza to the sections of the society. On the other hand, Little Caesars is prominent for pizza. The regular consumers are shown to be students, ordinary people most that are poor. The pizzas in this area are cheap and hence a preference to the majority of the population. The author also describes the prominence of the fast food as being due to the emergence of franchise. The tactics have helped the companies to expand rapidly in the United States. McDonald’s has significantly used the tactics. The success led to emulation by other fast food companies. There is also description of effect of processing on local farmers. In chapter six, there is the focus on how the fast food industry is affecting the ranchers in Colorado. The author describes an encounter with one of the ranchers known as Hank. The author describes Hank concern over the environment and lack of agreement between ranchers and environmentalists. The archers are described facing myriad of challenges such as rising land prices, stagnant beef prices, oversupplies of cattle, increased shipment of cattle from neighboring countries, development pressures, inheritance taxes, and health scare about beef. Corporations have also engaged in unfair practices to drive down the price of cattle. The author notes that meatpacking has contributed significantly to fall of prices that independent ranchers get for their cattle. These firms have gone further to buy their own ranches. The author helps in explaining the reason for the rise of fast food industries and effects on ranchers. Simon, Michele. “Appetite for Profit.” New York: Nation Books, 2006. Print In this article, the author highlights ways in which leading food and beverage companies protect their interest in schools. In the first case, Simon notes that an effort to get rid of junk food and soda was compromised at the last stages. The Coke Company managed to water down legislation in the state of Washington. The companies are also seen to position themselves as a solution to challenges facing schools. However, this is seen as a disguise of perpetuating their business. Companies like Coca Cola and Pepsi goes further to provide education materials on nutrition and exercise. The companies further sign contracts that are binding to schools. The schools have no authority to allow other competitors to provide foods and drinks. Hence, the schools administrations are tied in their hands making it difficult to bring in healthier beverages from other vendors without violation of the contract. The article also notes that provision of health food in the school will fail. This is because children are also exposed to a promotion on processed food in the outside through various ads. On the other hand, Simon notes of contribution of activism in highlighting some of these challenges faced in schools. He notes that such activists have yielded fruits in some countries leading to address of some of the issue raised. The article plays a significant role in highlighting how Food Corporations have infiltrated our education sector. The schools are shown having little choice in the promotion of health eating in schools. YouTube. “Jamie Oliver's Chicken Nugget Demonstration.” Youtube.com. Web. 18 April 2014. < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1Sieo5XCs8>. The video talks of about a Food Revolution-taking place. The revolution begins in one of the elementary school. He invites the kids for a demo on how processed foods are prepared. He begins by stating that the last time he cooked for some kids in summer they choose processed food over home made food. He wants to stir the kids mind by showing them on some of the disgusting ingredients that are incorporated in some of the worst processed foods. He chose a chicken nugget to carry out an investigation on the perception of kids after realizing the degrading process of food preparation. He wanted to bring an idea to the kids on caring on some of the things they eat. He drives this point home by showing how the chicken leftovers can be used to make presentable food by the addition of stabilizers and flavor. This is meant to make it amusing and pleasant to the consumers. The kids prefer the leftovers after additives, flavor, and coloration are added. The experiment in the end fails as none of the kid is changed by learning how the processed food is prepared. The result might have been due to various factors. One of the reasons is that the product is appealing to the eyes of the kid due to color and hence gives them appetite. The kids have also grown knowing of how processed food are tasty and polite as they are a common product in the media ads. The product may also be common to them in their school. YouTube. “King Corn.” Yidio.com. Web. 18 April 2014. < http://www.yidio.com/movie/king-corn/26811/full-movie/12844067?y=1>. The section of the film begins by description of the fate of the corn that ends in the green elevator. There is the focus on unprecedented increase in production due to government regulation. The government encouraged farmers to produce more corn by acquiring more acreage for corn. The presence of surplus corn prompted the government to develop corn sweetener industry. Moreover, Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney make a call on their intention to visit a corn syrup industry. They realize that visitation is under a extremely tight regulation. The argument by the Corn Refiners Association for stringent measures is due to the security of the food as well as that of the visitor. Later, they make a call to the corn syrup industry on how to make the same in their home. The two manages to make sweet syrup in their home. There is also coverage on the history of corn syrup usage. It is acknowledged that it was rarely used in the past due to high price. Currently, it is cheap and hence beneficial to companies that make processed food in sweetening their products. Hence, this saves a lot of money to food and beverage manufacturers. It has now acted as a substitute to sugar. The syrup is also to enhance flavors of spices and foods. It also provides exceptional browning properties to bread. Hence, food is available to the consumer in a variety of choices at a cheaper price. As the two visits, the stalls in a supermarket, they realize almost everything contains the syrup. It is clear how processed syrup has harmful products added in the preparation such as sulfuric acid. Moreover, it is clear the increased use of syrup in food is to entice customers through coloration and sweetening and not due to health benefits. Read More