The food industry, much like the tobacco industry, employs taste engineers to enhance the desirability of their products. Just as tobacco companies added nicotine to cigarettes to make them more addictive, the food industry uses sugar, fat, and salt to make their products “superstimulating” and irresistible. By manipulating taste profiles and influencing public policy, Big Food has become a powerful force, with annual revenues exceeding $2 trillion. Lobbying efforts and front groups are used to push corporate interests and block health regulations, resulting in a government that serves the food industry over the public good.
Global trade deals further protect the profits of the food industry, while medical associations have been compromised by partnerships with major corporations. Fake grassroots groups and research front groups are used to mask the corporate agenda and suppress science that goes against it. The consequences of this manipulation are devastating, with millions of lives lost each year to diseases caused by unhealthy foods. The World Health Organization has called for action against the powerful food and soda industries in order to prioritize public health over corporate interests.
It is evident that the root cause of the obesity epidemic lies in the toxic food environment created by the influence of Big Food. This series delves deeper into this issue, emphasizing the urgent need for political will to challenge the dominance of the food industry and prioritize public health.
If you’re interested in the political implications of this issue, explore more in the related articles below.
