After reading chapter three and realizing how any dietary advice issued by the government is immediately twisted and skewed by multiple industries, I'm not sure if the advice is harming or helping. It is also frustrating that the recurring message--eat more plant foods and less of meat and processed foods--seems to be pushed aside for more interesting, profitable nuances.
It seems to me that much of the dietary advice given to Americans is kept purposefully convoluted. The focus on individual nutrients assures that consumers don't have a real grasp on the amount of food or which foods they need to eat. I would like to find a food guide which is completely removed from private sector influence, and relies only on science and logic. I'm not sure if such a guide exists, but it would be interesting to see how radically it differed from the government-sanctioned version.
My general feeling about government nutritional advice is that, while it definitely has a background of scientific research and evidence, the details and attitudes actually delivered are more likely to represent big business, and how you can make your interest in health work for them.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Chapter Two: Politics versus Science: Opposing the Food Pyramid, 1991-1992
Chapter two considered a topic that I had never even thought to question: why is the USDA responsible for giving Americans nutritional advice? There is a definite conflict of interest in their "dual mandate" both to support agriculture and provide advice to Americans about health and wellness (Nestle, 53). I believe that once the scientific community changed their nutritional advice from "eat more" to "eat less," that there was no way for the USDA to administer guidance without compromising the health of the American people.
The timeline of the Food Guide Pyramid development was also quite illuminating, as I wasn't aware how controversial it was during development. The timeline confirmed what I suspected in my first post: the 2005 change to MyPyramid was actually a backwards move in terms of helping the American public understand the basis of a healthful diet.
Even thinking back to what I learned in elementary and middle school about nutrition (via the food pyramid), I'm not sure how much good it did me. The serving suggestions, which we memorized, didn't even enter my mind when I left health class and proceeded to the cafeteria. I wasn't strong enough to resist the piles of junk food, which were often much cheaper than the healthier options. I believe it would be worthwhile to begin to teach portion control and recognition of fullness in health classes. I'm not exactly sure what I would change, but from what I remember, health class was all about making sure you got enough: enough vegetables, enough grains. Overeating wasn't really discussed, and the only form of moderation that was encouraged was moderations in fats and sweets. I understand that these are empty calories, but even non-empty calories are still calories, and can still lead to unhealthy weight gain. Childhood is when we form our eating habits, and I can attest to the fact that it is a lot harder, and a constant struggle, to change your habits once they've been formed.
The timeline of the Food Guide Pyramid development was also quite illuminating, as I wasn't aware how controversial it was during development. The timeline confirmed what I suspected in my first post: the 2005 change to MyPyramid was actually a backwards move in terms of helping the American public understand the basis of a healthful diet.
Even thinking back to what I learned in elementary and middle school about nutrition (via the food pyramid), I'm not sure how much good it did me. The serving suggestions, which we memorized, didn't even enter my mind when I left health class and proceeded to the cafeteria. I wasn't strong enough to resist the piles of junk food, which were often much cheaper than the healthier options. I believe it would be worthwhile to begin to teach portion control and recognition of fullness in health classes. I'm not exactly sure what I would change, but from what I remember, health class was all about making sure you got enough: enough vegetables, enough grains. Overeating wasn't really discussed, and the only form of moderation that was encouraged was moderations in fats and sweets. I understand that these are empty calories, but even non-empty calories are still calories, and can still lead to unhealthy weight gain. Childhood is when we form our eating habits, and I can attest to the fact that it is a lot harder, and a constant struggle, to change your habits once they've been formed.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Course Goals, Introduction and Chapter One: From "Eat More" to "Eat Less," 1900-1990
COURSE GOALS
The most important thing I hope to gain from this class is confidence when approaching politics and policy situations. Right now it seems to me that everything involving politics is extremely convoluted and hard to follow, and involves laundry lists of organizations, committees, and law names. I would like to be able to follow the structure and organization of the policy process.
Professionally, I don't intend at the moment to become a policy activist. I do, however, intend to become involved in health care--a position in which I will often make use of nutritional policy. I hope that this class will help me look past the political bias of a policy, and make recommendations to my patients based on their best interests. For example, I would explain to my patients that strict following of the food guide pyramid is not the only road to nutritional health. Personally, I'm a vegetarian, and very close to vegan, and I have never had any nutritional deficiencies. The recommendation of three servings of dairy per day, while an acceptable way to get all the calcium one requires, is not the only way.
INTRO AND CHAPTER ONE
I’m not sure how to summarize my thoughts on Food Politics without an overdramatic rant. My take-home message from the first two chapters was that everything really is about money, and that the USDA is in place to protect the American economy as much the state of American nutrition. Because of the shackles that corporations have on the nutritional policymaking process, I think America is a very hard place to have a healthy relationship with food. The cycle of villianizing and glorifying single nutrients unfailingly leads to fad diets, which have been proven ineffective, and even detrimental to weight control and overall health. The USDA stresses personal responsibility in food choices, while at the same time creating policy that allows corporations to create a toxic environment for the American consumer. Remaining healthful in this environment feels a lot like swimming upstream, and once one responsible decision is made, there is always another temptation to follow.
Reading Food Politics reminded me of the 2005 change from the USDA Food Pyramid to the MyPyramid. This change, which I used to assume was for the betterment of American nutrition, now seems to embody the very things I dislike about USDA policy. First, the change from the pyramid scheme to the less suggestive triangular pie chart, seems to put all of the food groups on a more equal level. This removes some of the visual reinforcement of the idea that grains, fruits, and vegetables should form the base of the American diet. I now have little doubt that the meat industry influenced this, as an attempt to decrease the current stigma of meat products. Also, the “My” in MyPyramid stresses the idea personal responsibility, and suggests that a failure to maintain your nutritional health is your fault entirely. Overall, I’m feeling more than a little bit disillusioned when it comes to government motivations and support for my health, but better equipped to see through it all, and decide which guidelines work for me.
The most important thing I hope to gain from this class is confidence when approaching politics and policy situations. Right now it seems to me that everything involving politics is extremely convoluted and hard to follow, and involves laundry lists of organizations, committees, and law names. I would like to be able to follow the structure and organization of the policy process.
Professionally, I don't intend at the moment to become a policy activist. I do, however, intend to become involved in health care--a position in which I will often make use of nutritional policy. I hope that this class will help me look past the political bias of a policy, and make recommendations to my patients based on their best interests. For example, I would explain to my patients that strict following of the food guide pyramid is not the only road to nutritional health. Personally, I'm a vegetarian, and very close to vegan, and I have never had any nutritional deficiencies. The recommendation of three servings of dairy per day, while an acceptable way to get all the calcium one requires, is not the only way.
INTRO AND CHAPTER ONE
I’m not sure how to summarize my thoughts on Food Politics without an overdramatic rant. My take-home message from the first two chapters was that everything really is about money, and that the USDA is in place to protect the American economy as much the state of American nutrition. Because of the shackles that corporations have on the nutritional policymaking process, I think America is a very hard place to have a healthy relationship with food. The cycle of villianizing and glorifying single nutrients unfailingly leads to fad diets, which have been proven ineffective, and even detrimental to weight control and overall health. The USDA stresses personal responsibility in food choices, while at the same time creating policy that allows corporations to create a toxic environment for the American consumer. Remaining healthful in this environment feels a lot like swimming upstream, and once one responsible decision is made, there is always another temptation to follow.
Reading Food Politics reminded me of the 2005 change from the USDA Food Pyramid to the MyPyramid. This change, which I used to assume was for the betterment of American nutrition, now seems to embody the very things I dislike about USDA policy. First, the change from the pyramid scheme to the less suggestive triangular pie chart, seems to put all of the food groups on a more equal level. This removes some of the visual reinforcement of the idea that grains, fruits, and vegetables should form the base of the American diet. I now have little doubt that the meat industry influenced this, as an attempt to decrease the current stigma of meat products. Also, the “My” in MyPyramid stresses the idea personal responsibility, and suggests that a failure to maintain your nutritional health is your fault entirely. Overall, I’m feeling more than a little bit disillusioned when it comes to government motivations and support for my health, but better equipped to see through it all, and decide which guidelines work for me.
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