Last week I explored why we blame the fat person for being fat. I concluded that we need to be sensitive to the feelings of fat people. We should not shame them. They deserve the same respect as anyone else. This week we blame the food—processed food. I shift to the more technical term obesity when addressing processed food. Processed food is making America obese, … Continue reading Blaming processed foods for obesity

News of the coronavirus pandemic overshadows earlier concerns about our expanding waistlines. Becoming old and becoming fat increases our chances for dying from COVID-19. In What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat, Aubrey Gordon tells us to back off. Some fat people accept their fatness. They don’t want our condemnation, our advice, or even our concern. Unless asked for help, we should … Continue reading Blaming the person for being fat—What are the health risks?

Aubrey Gordon writes a searing indictment of American culture. Her book is also a plea for understanding. What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat is a heartfelt description of her life as a “very fat person.” Those words are hers not mine. When we see a fat person, do we see a real person? Do we recoil or do we want to … Continue reading What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat

Millions of Americans lack access to healthy food. Can one of the wealthiest nations in the world do better? Rigid definitions of healthy foods, meals, and diets obscure the problem. Differences in cultural heritage between dietary advisors and their clients block solutions. Affordability of healthy food items creates a gulf between haves and have nots. Swamps and deserts are only two terms that designate areas … Continue reading Draining the food swamp

Food justice is part of the social justice initiative associated with “Progressive” politics. The New Food Movement advocates for food justice. For a taste of these ideas check out Food Justice, Black Food Matters, Feeding the Other, and More Than Just Food. My interest in this topic stems from my concern about food access for impoverished populations. I support some of these efforts and disagree … Continue reading Food Justice: Issues and Challenges

There’s no question that COVID-19 exacerbated the existing racial disparities in food insecurity. According to Feeding America in 2019, food insecurity among Black and white individuals was 19.3 percent and 9.6 percent, respectively. For 2021, projections for Black individuals are 21 percent compared to 11 percent of white individuals. The cultures of Black people seeking help with dietary issues and most dietitians providing it affects … Continue reading Closing the culture gap between client and provider by Constance Brown-Riggs

Black Food Matters: Racial Justice in the Wake of Food Justice is an edited book by Hanna Garth and Ashanté M. Reese. It represents a scholarly work complete with references. In some respects, it hearkens back to Black Food Geographies also written by Reese. The book provides a voice to Black food issues. Don’t look to it as a conciliatory statement. It is more an expression of hurt, … Continue reading Black Food Matters and inequality in American food distribution

The more things change, the more they stay the same. It is an old saying. One my father used to tell me. In my 71 years I have seen many changes. One thing that doesn’t change is the demonization of food additives. Trans fats. In 2018 the FDA disallowed partially hydrogenated vegetable oils in processed foods. The ruling eliminated the presence of almost all trans … Continue reading Trans fats, salt and sugar reduction, ultra-processed foods and more food in the news

As we emerge from the pandemic, expect to see major changes in our food supply. Consumer choices will drive these changes. A war is breaking out between food advocates and marketers of processed foods. Two weeks ago, I presented a vision of the New Food Movement. Last week I painted a world taken over by Big Food. Both perspectives highlight extreme positions attempting to find … Continue reading Scenario #3: Processed food in “Tomorrowland”—What I’d like to see

What will the food supply look like as we seek a normal life after COVID-19? This month I pursue three possible scenarios about processed foods in “Tomorrowland.” Last week I presented the dream of the New Food Movement. In it there is a mass exodus away from packaged products and to whole foods. This week I paint their nightmare where ultra-processed foods become the norm. … Continue reading Scenario #2: Big Food sets the standards in a post-pandemic world