The two-part series, The Men Who Made Us Fat, will be aired on BBC World News today. Host Jacques Peretti tells SHAlINI SAKSENA that ads capitalise on our fear of fat and desire to eat well in order to sell us food that is often anything but healthy
What was the most startling thing that you discovered while filming this seriesIJ
I was amazed that what we consider to be our fault — obesity — was actually due to decisions made by a handful of people to change the very nature of the food we eat. That was shocking.
What’s the most important decision that has influenced the way we eatIJ
Two decisions went hand-in-hand. First, switching to cheaper sugar alternatives like corn syrup has made everything sweeter not just desserts, but bread and even salads. Second, the decision of food companies to give quarterly reports to shareholders, instead of annual puts enormous pressure to bring in profits and drive companies to come out with more variety of junk food and aerated drinks which is very unhealthy.
How do ads influence consumer behaviour towards healthy foodsIJ
People read healthy and just pick up these foods from the shelves. Ads capitalise on our fear of fat and desire to eat well in order to sell us food that is often anything but healthy.
What are the assumptions people make regarding what’s healthy and what’s notIJ
People often don’t realise that if something is low fat, then sugar is often used to compensate for loss of flavour. Health drinks often have more sugar in them than a can of soda.
How did the US, a nation of moderate eaters, turn into the obesity capital of the worldIJ
They were trained to wanting bigger portions of calorie-intensive foods. The more you eat, the more you want, so bigger portion size (discounted in restaurants and bundled into deals) just keeps getting bigger.
What is supersizingIJ How does that affect our eating habitsIJ
Supersizing is the huge increase in portion size offered as a bargain deal. A cinema manager first discovered it. Selling giant popcorn portions (which were cheap to supersize) as a way of selling more fizzy drinks. A large portion of popcorn creates thirst. This means people buy the drink, leading to an increase in the profit margin.
How has the food industry influenced the obesity crises the world overIJ
The food industry has played a key role in driving the obesity crisis and a huge debate now raging on how to handle their huge responsibility in dealing with it. Unfortunately, the pressure to legislate in Europe and the US is offset by the massive expansion in new markets of India, Brazil, the Far East and China where obesity is rampant and indigenous cuisine is threatened by fast food. The lessons have not been learnt.
Is there a way to undo what happened 40 years backIJ
Medical experts the world over have despaired about giving a lose-weight-now message which doesn’t work. They have become political, calling for sugar taxes and legislating against food industry. But that is problematic. There is no solution without the food industry coming on board.
At an individual level, new developments in neuroscience and cognitive behavioural therapy work and treat obesity as a psychological disorder. At a societal level, the important thing is to hang on to indigenous food culture.