The Politics of Food – Food Choice, Food Production and the Food Movement

8232Behind every bite of food, there is a policy that influenced its production.

Marion Nestle, NYU Professor and prize-winning author, finds a paradox in today’s global food system in that food insecurity or obesity threaten the health and welfare of half the world’s population yet there is an overabundant and overly competitive food system that is motivated by corporate growth targets. The profits are in “junk food,” so the economic forces operate against healthy eating.

This contradiction between the goals of public health and food corporations has led to a large and growing food movement in the United States which encourages us to vote with our forks and support the food system we want when we shop.

Find out more about the economic and institutional factors that influence food policies and choices, and think about how we should balance individual and societal responsibility for those choices. Then, get some tips on how you can make a difference when you shop for food.

Nestle is the author of numerous books, including “Food Politics,” which explored the way corporations influence our nutritional choices, and “What to Eat,” a survey of how to navigate the modern American supermarket.

Watch:
Food Politics and the Twenty-First Century Food Movement with Marion Nestle

Food and Politics with Marion Nestle – Conversations with History