In the book Food Justice by Gottlieb and Joshi,
they talk about multiple issues within the food system that have affected the
world. On pages 59-73 and 87-91 they specifically talk about the issues of
standardization of food, cooking becoming a lost skill, the increase of
obesity, fast food companies targeting children, and school lunches. These
issues are still issues today and these authors want to point out the problems
they have noticed in hopes of changing the way food is looked at.
Fast food over the
centuries has led to a standardization of food. There are many critics who say
that fast food is changing the way food is viewed. The growth in the fast food
industry has led to the loss of home cooked meals. School lunches sped up the
decrease of home-prepared meals because children now had a readily accessible
meal waiting for them at home (Gottlieb, 2013).
Post-World War II
cooking started to become a lost skill. This is largely due to an increase in
products such as microwaves and instant cookers that were made to speed up the
cooking process. During World War II women were not only homemakers, but they
worked jobs while their kids were at school. These convenient foods helped
women save time and energy. There was also an increase in the number of
convenient foods and fast food options. Foods such as dried soup mixes and
canned soups were emphasized over homemade soups with fresh ingredients
(Gottlieb, 2013).
The increase in fast
foods and convenient food options lead to a major increase in obesity. There
was an emphasis on fast and convenient with little to no emphasis on the
nutritional value. Fast food companies have specifically targeted two
vulnerable groups- children and low income residents. With the huge portion
sizes and the low prices low income residents are drawn to fast food to fill
their stomachs. "According to the County Public Health Department, the
area in South Los Angles with the highest rate of poverty and food insecurity
in the county also had the highest rates of obesity among adults (68)."
A major problem is the
targeting of fast food restaurants to children. These kids see these delicious
foods advertised and get hooked on the brands. Companies like McDonalds build
product loyalty and establish effective viral marketing to draw in children.
These parents like the convenience and ease of these restaurants as well as
making their children happy (Gottlieb, 2013).
School food politics:
During World War I school lunches became under scrutiny when a third of those
called to serve the country were considered malnourished. President Truman
signed the National School Lunch Act in 1946 saying that the welfare of farmers
directly correlated with the health of children. While programs like these
helped feed our youth, they did nothing to ensure the quality of the meals they
are being fed. The meals were focused on providing the right number of
calories, not the proper nutritional value. In 2009 Obama and his agriculture
secretary pushed to make changes in the broader food system, and help increase
the nutritional value of school lunches (Gottlieb, 2013).
Gottlieb and Joshi make
many valid points that should be analyzed even closer. The only way to increase
the longevity of life is to ensure that we are fueling our body with the proper
nutrients. I think the first step in fixing this is looking at the way
companies target young children, as well as the addressing the nutritional
value of school lunches.
References
Gottlieb, R., &
Joshi, A. (2013). Food justice. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.
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