Note

POLITICS OF NUTRITION

Lecture 9- 21 Jan 2011   

International -21/01/11

Canadian -24/01/11

Provincial/Local - 26/01/11

International USA

In last 10 years food industry gave over $ 41 M (US) to campaign coffers of members of the House of Representatives and Senate 

Meat and poultry -over $ 9 M (US)

National restaurant association -over $ 3.1 M (US)

National Cattleman’s beef association- over $ 1.4 M (US)

McDonald’s close to $ 1.7 M (US)

Food pyramid controversy –congress

pressured into giving milk and dairy equal

billing with other foods - ultimately the

Physicians’ committee for responsible medicine idea of food groups based entirely on plants was defeated 

Sugar growers- lobby- added sugar in canned peas and peaches, vegetable and fruits

when food guidelines on sugar proposed it was supposed to minimise sugar intake (obesity concerns)-

Sugar industry backed members of the House of Representatives and Senate –guidelines changed and canned peas and peaches, vegetable and fruits allowed to have addedsugar

Why?

Health outcome of this defeat? Why is the USDA ignoring some plant-based benefits? USDA originally created to support farmers interests but now is also assigned role of supporting consumer interests and setting nutrition standards 

USDA Bailouts

Buy various meats and dairy products to support sagging prices 

Also buy fish products to give to school lunch programmes-kids did not like fish so they ordered fish nuggetised 

Now kids love the fish- but consequences? 

When it was suggested that soy be incorporated into school lunch programmes USDA balked- Why? 

Solution ? - eliminate bailouts and allow food production to accurately reflect market demand

Another solution-Health sensitive advertising -eliminate – tax deduction for

losses by industry

So why are fruits and vegetables not getting fair play? 

-economic balance- what does this mean ?

Olestra: 

Many fatty acids strung together-indigestible

 What is a fatty acid?

 Why developed?

Health impact -cramping-diarrhea-fat soluble vitamins

-lycopene Must have warning "This product contains olestra. Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools. Olestra inhibits the absorption of some vitamins and other nutrients. Vitamins A, D, E and K have been added."

Why Olestra approved?

P&G wrote to dozens of scientists, asking that they

each write letters to the FDA on its behalf during

an extended period for public comments. Of the 26

scientists who complied, some had been consultants

to P&G; others had been a part of the FDA Food

Advisory Committee.

Irish Potato famine of 1840s Sudan-civil war- stealing of cattle and difficult to plant crops-why? -during a famine-adults-scrounge from

ground -children-cannot

scrounge from the ground

-why the difference? -NGO’s and UN programmes- concept of politics versus politics

Bosnia-ethnic purging Afghanistan-political history and its nutritional consequences Korea- starvation in 1998- South Korea and US failed to help Iraq- UN (read US) sanctions-political goal- bring down Hussein- who is really being brought down

Ethiopia-beans to Europe- nutrition gained can be nutrition lost at the expense of political forces Peru- combat poverty and improve income distribution

Vitamin C- Linus Pauling story-politics of a different story