Join NYU Libraries for an insightful discussion with some of our most esteemed panelists about how the conversation, study, and action around food has evolved over the last two decades. Together, we’ll reflect on 20 years of the Critical Topics in Food event series and examine the role that thoughtful community gatherings like these have played in shaping our collective dialogue about food. The Critical Topics in Food event series is a partnership between NYU Special Collections, NYU Steinhardt Department of Nutrition & Food Studies, and Clark Wolf.
by Marion Nestle
Mar
22
2009
Food marketing: cartoons, scholarship, and action
First, the cartoons: this week’s question from Eating Liberally’s kat has to do with whether it makes sense to put cartoon characters on eggs or, for that matter, fruits and vegetables. I vote no, of course, and the illustrations alone explain why.
Next, the scholarship: The latest volume of Annual Reviews of Public Health contains excellent reviews of studies of the influence of the food marketing environment on child and adult health.
Sara Bleich et al explain why obesity has become so common in the developed world.
Kelly Brownell’s group reviews the effects of food marketing on childhood obesity.
David Katz discusses school-based obesity interventions.
Mary Story et al describe policy approaches to creating healthy food environments.
And the American Association of Wine Economists (a group new to me, but interesting) forwards its Working Paper #33:
Janet Currie et al on the effect of fast food restaurants on obesity.
Finally, the action: Perhaps in response to all this, language inserted into the congressional spending bill asks the Federal Trade Commission to set up an interagency committee to set nutritional standards for products allowed to be marketed to children age 17 or under. According to Advertising Age, the food industry thinks this is not a good idea.