The Politics of Food Choice

Like other businesses, food companies use lobbying, lawsuits, financial contributions, public relations, advertising, partnerships and alliances, philanthropy, threats, and biased information to convince Congress, federal agencies, nutrition and health professionals, and the public that each of the following precepts holds true: (a) the keys to healthful diets are balance, variety, and moderation; (b) all foods can be part of healthful diets; (c) there is no such thing as a good or bad food; (d) overweight is a result of inactivity, not overeating; (e) research on diet and health is so uncertain that there is no point in trying to eat healthfully; (f) only a small fraction of the population would benefit from following population-based dietary advice; (g) diets are a matter of personal responsibility and freedom of choice; (h) advocacy for more healthful food choices is unscientific; and (i) government intervention in dietary choice is unnecessary, undesirable, and incompatible with democratic institutions—except in situations in which following dietary advice favors their products.