The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
The meeting was remarkable, first, for the insider admissions of guilt. But I was also struck by how prescient the organizers of the sit-down had been. Today, one in three adults is considered clinically obese, along with one in five kids, and 24 million Americans are afflicted by type 2 diabetes, often caused by poor diet, with another 79 million people having pre-diabetes. Even gout, a painful form of arthritis once known as “the rich man’s disease” for its associations with gluttony, now afflicts eight million Americans.
The public and the food companies have known for decades now — or at the very least since this meeting — that sugary, salty, fatty foods are not good for us in the quantities that we consume them. So why are the diabetes and obesity and hypertension numbers still spiraling out of control? It’s not just a matter of poor willpower on the part of the consumer and a give-the-people-what-they-want attitude on the part of the food manufacturers. What I found, over four years of research and reporting, was a conscious effort — taking place in labs and marketing meetings and grocery-store aisles — to get people hooked on foods that are convenient and inexpensive.
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The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
If you are interested in health and nutrition, the following article may be of great interest to you.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- James the Giant
- Posts: 791
- Joined: Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:41 am
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Stuff like this makes me want to get out of this mad cycle of existence as soon as possible.
Great article, thanks Ben.
Great article, thanks Ben.
Then,
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
saturated with joy,
you will put an end to suffering and stress.
SN 9.11
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Hi James,
Just be sure to get out of this existence by walking on the path, and not eating your way to an early death courtesy of the junk food manufacturers!
I'm glad you appreciate the article. We work so hard to overcome our own craving and aversion I thought it useful to learn how food technicians actively attempt to manipulate them.
kind regards,
Ben
Just be sure to get out of this existence by walking on the path, and not eating your way to an early death courtesy of the junk food manufacturers!
I'm glad you appreciate the article. We work so hard to overcome our own craving and aversion I thought it useful to learn how food technicians actively attempt to manipulate them.
kind regards,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
It's not an industry of ethics, but of optimizing craving to the max. I wonder whether society (especially America) can pull off a change in politics there. If the US change their politics of freedom of desires, the rest of the world may likely follow. But getting drugregulations through with a population that consists largely of drugaddicts? Until wisdom in politics can seize a victory, dealing with our own craving seems like a very good and urgent thing to do.
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
This is total crap. These companies are giving consumers what they want and while im not defending the companies, people need to take responsibility for their choices.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
What exactly are you recommending?Alobha wrote:If the US change their politics of freedom of desires, the rest of the world may likely follow.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
-
- Posts: 939
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2009 10:41 pm
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Defend what? The companies are made up of people...m0rl0ck wrote:This is total crap. These companies are giving consumers what they want and while im not defending the companies, people need to take responsibility for their choices.
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
It seems as though one simple approach is just to avoid processed food whenever possible. Where I live, fortunately, fresh food is widely available. If you buy only what is needed for several days and prepare it simply, a lot of these issues are avoided. And processed food is more expensive by far than minimally processed food. A box of sugary cereal is much more expensive than a bag of oatmeal or even a bag of whole wheat biscuits. I think it is just a matter of deciding to eat for nutrition rather than eat for pleasure.
I think industry frequently treats consumers as sheep because consumers choose to behave as sheep. If we live thoughtfully, we cannot be led.
Maybe I am just very fortunate to live where fresh food is widely available, but still most of my friends choose to eat at fast food places and to purchase crappy food because they say it tastes better and that is their only motivation. That is a personal failing. If I choose to feed my children what is essentially poisonous, is that not my fault and my fault alone?
corrine
I think industry frequently treats consumers as sheep because consumers choose to behave as sheep. If we live thoughtfully, we cannot be led.
Maybe I am just very fortunate to live where fresh food is widely available, but still most of my friends choose to eat at fast food places and to purchase crappy food because they say it tastes better and that is their only motivation. That is a personal failing. If I choose to feed my children what is essentially poisonous, is that not my fault and my fault alone?
corrine
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
corrine wrote: ...
I think industry frequently treats consumers as sheep because consumers choose to behave as sheep. If we live thoughtfully, we cannot be led.
...
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
I think you will find that the courts have generally been making judgements in favour of people affected by junk food manufactuers strategies. Certainly that is the case in this country. To me that indicates the manufacturers have some responsibility in getting people addicted to products that cause obesity and cardio-vascular disease.m0rl0ck wrote:This is total crap. These companies are giving consumers what they want and while im not defending the companies, people need to take responsibility for their choices.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
To me it indicates a political and social climate that attempts to exempt people from the negative consequences of their choices.Ben wrote:I think you will find that the courts have generally been making judgements in favour of people affected by junk food manufactuers strategies. Certainly that is the case in this country. To me that indicates the manufacturers have some responsibility in getting people addicted to products that cause obesity and cardio-vascular disease.m0rl0ck wrote:This is total crap. These companies are giving consumers what they want and while im not defending the companies, people need to take responsibility for their choices.
Followed to its logical conclusion, this will lead to choice being removed. Are you willing to let your government tell you what to eat? There are bigger political and social issues in play. Speaking for myself, i dont need another mommy.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
That's a rather patronising thing to say, morlock.m0rl0ck wrote:To me it indicates a political and social climate that attempts to exempt people from the negative consequences of their choices.Ben wrote:I think you will find that the courts have generally been making judgements in favour of people affected by junk food manufactuers strategies. Certainly that is the case in this country. To me that indicates the manufacturers have some responsibility in getting people addicted to products that cause obesity and cardio-vascular disease.m0rl0ck wrote:This is total crap. These companies are giving consumers what they want and while im not defending the companies, people need to take responsibility for their choices.
Followed to its logical conclusion, this will lead to choice being removed. Are you willing to let your government tell you what to eat? There are bigger political and social issues in play. Speaking for myself, i dont need another mommy.
If we follow the logical conclusion of your line of argument then we can absolve tobacco companies from responsibility of manufacturing and selling a product that causes addiction and shortens the lifespan of its users. You will find framed in legislation and case law in most developed countries the notions of 'duty of care' and 'negligence' aimed at corporations to ensure that they do not produce and/or sell goods that harm their customers.
I'd much rather live in a society where there are effective legal controls on corporate greed than a society that doesn't.
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
I didnt intend to be patronizing but if you choose to interpret it that way its up to you. The point im making is that every day people make life and death choices based on awareness of consequences. As long as a vendor of any particular product isnt hiding anything, people should have the right to make free choices. Would you ban buses because people occasionally step in front of them? Cars kill people everyday, lets ban them. Too much time on the internet can have adverse effects. Lets monitor computer use and send exercise police to every dwelling where someone is online more than three hours at a time.Ben wrote: That's a rather patronising thing to say, morlock.
If we follow the logical conclusion of your line of argument then we can absolve tobacco companies from responsibility of manufacturing and selling a product that causes addiction and shortens the lifespan of its users. You will find framed in legislation and case law in most developed countries the notions of 'duty of care' and 'negligence' aimed at corporations to ensure that they do not produce and/or sell goods that harm their customers.
I'd much rather live in a society where there are effective legal controls on corporate greed than a society that doesn't.
Seriously, there really are much bigger things to worry about than junk food and those who are worried about it can take one simple step, dont eat it.
“The truth knocks on the door and you say, "Go away, I'm looking for the truth," and so it goes away. Puzzling.” ― Robert M. Pirsig
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Why is Ronald McDonald a clown?
- Dhammanando
- Posts: 6512
- Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 10:44 pm
- Location: Mae Wang Huai Rin, Li District, Lamphun
Re: The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Yena yena hi maññanti,
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)
tato taṃ hoti aññathā.
In whatever way they conceive it,
It turns out otherwise.
(Sn. 588)