Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

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Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

3.87 of 5 stars 3.87 · rating details · 1,723 ratings · 154 reviews

We all witness, in advertising and on supermarket shelves, the fierce competition for our food dollars. In this engrossing exposé, Marion Nestle goes behind the scenes to reveal how the competition really works and how it affects our health. The abundance of food in the United States--enough calories to meet the needs of every man, woman, and child twice over--has a downsi...more We all witness, in advertising and on supermarket shelves, the fierce competition for our food dollars. In this engrossing exposé, Marion Nestle goes behind the scenes to reveal how the competition really works and how it affects our health. The abundance of food in the United States--enough calories to meet the needs of every man, woman, and child twice over--has a downside. Our overefficient food industry must do everything possible to persuade people to eat more--more food, more often, and in larger portions--no matter what it does to waistlines or well-being.
Like manufacturing cigarettes or building weapons, making food is very big business. Food companies in 2000 generated nearly $900 billion in sales. They have stakeholders to please, shareholders to satisfy, and government regulations to deal with. It is nevertheless shocking to learn precisely how food companies lobby officials, co-opt experts, and expand sales by marketing to children, members of minority groups, and people in developing countries. We learn that the food industry plays politics as well as or better than other industries, not least because so much of its activity takes place outside the public view.
Editor of the 1988 Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and Health, Nestle is uniquely qualified to lead us through the maze of food industry interests and influences. She vividly illustrates food politics in action: watered-down government dietary advice, schools pushing soft drinks, diet supplements promoted as if they were First Amendment rights. When it comes to the mass production and consumption of food, strategic decisions are driven by economics--not science, not common sense, and certainly not health.
No wonder most of us are thoroughly confused about what to eat to stay healthy. An accessible and balanced account, Food Politics will forever change the way we respond to food industry marketing practices. By explaining how much the food industry influences government nutrition policies and how cleverly it links its interests to those of nutrition experts, this pathbreaking book helps us understand more clearly than ever before what we eat and why.(less)

Paperback, 472 pages

Published September 30th 2003 by University of California Press (first published 2002)

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Apr 02, 2012 Katie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Boy... if you have any conspiracy-theorist-leaning tendencies at all, this book will really get you going! I think most of us are aware of ties between food corporations and our government's food regulations and safety standards to some degree, but this book will show you just how deeply ingrained it all is. It really is kind of disturbing that the FDA and the USDA have responsibilities both to the health and safety of U.S. consumers, AND to the agricultural industry. Those are definitely a conf...more

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Feb 26, 2012 Robin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This author discusses how food companies need to continually find new markets for their products and as a result, they have to convince people to eat more regardless of the nutritional value of their products. As a result of this over-consumption, Americans are becoming more and more obese. In this book, Nestle also talks about how the food industry has influenced the USDA recommended Food Guide Pyramid. She says that people are only getting their nutritional advice from the food industry. Altho...more

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Jul 24, 2011 NJMetal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Food Politics as a fairly deep study of the politics of the food industry in the Unite States. The book can best be catagorized as text book caliber in both look and feel. Despite the in depth research, the author, Marion Nestle (no relation to the food corporation), does her best to make the information accesabile and understandable to both the professional and the casual reader alike.
To be fair, you shouldn't read this book casually. I am not a food professional but I have read on the topic ex...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Irene rated it 3 of 5 stars

I actually didn't finish this book, which for me is a very rare thing. I got about 3/4 of the way through but then had to stop and return the book to the school library, where it was about 3 months overdue already! One of the reasons I checked the book out was because no one else ever had, though, so I doubt the book was missed. I thought the beginning was very good and everything was explained in terms simple enough to understand, but by the end my interest was dragging. Also, I had those AP En...more

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Nov 13, 2010 Trevor rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: food, social-theory

There is really only one thing driving the food industry – the hunger for more profit. This is such an obvious fact that it hardly needs to be restated, however, it is best to keep obvious facts at front of your mind. This particular fact tells us a lot about what is wrong with food today.

As hard as it is to believe food is incredibly simple. We need food to give us energy and to provide us with nutrients. So, if we were to be rational in our eating we would eat food that is balanced with our en...more

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Apr 05, 2012 Jodi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: health-books

This book was a difficult read. The information about the history of each change to the food pyramid (something none of us should use as a dietary guide anyway) was particularly boring and tedious to get through. Much of the book was hard going to read and not written in an engaging or interesting way. It is dull, dull, dull. It has none of the intelligent writing style and ease of reading of so many other books I have read on this topic. The content of the book was also very problematic.

Yes, th...more

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Apr 08, 2010 David rated it 4 of 5 stars

Food is indeed political. At least this is a message that I’m being hit with a lot recently. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution on TV, a show that takes on America’s bad eating habits and tries to change them, also documents an incredible amount of resistance to this change. “We don’t wanna sit around and eat lettuce all day!” says the local radio show host in Huntington, West Virginia (a city which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is the unhealthiest city in America). It seems that pe...more Food is indeed political. At least this is a message that I’m being hit with a lot recently. Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution on TV, a show that takes on America’s bad eating habits and tries to change them, also documents an incredible amount of resistance to this change. “We don’t wanna sit around and eat lettuce all day!” says the local radio show host in Huntington, West Virginia (a city which, according to the Centers for Disease Control, is the unhealthiest city in America). It seems that people will eat their crap food, earnest and well-meaning English chef be damned.

So it goes. In the context of what is wrong with the food industry, corporate America, Government and human attitude, Marion Nestle’s Food politics is a must-read. Everyone must eat to survive, but there is a fundamental battle between the Eat Less and the Eat More camps. What we need, Nestle stresses, is an Eat Less mentality, but every day and on many fronts, we are encouraged to Eat More. While what is best for people is a rational diet (preferably full of non-processed food, as Jamie Oliver tirelessly advocates on the TV program) and exercise (Eat Less), the food industry, in collusion with marketers and Government do everything in their power to sell more product, and therefore encourage more consumption (Eat More).

If only it stopped there.
This book shows:

“How the food industry uses 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 the science relating diet to health is so confusing that they need not worry about diets: when it comes to diets, anything goes.”
--p. 358.

As Food Politics shows, there is simply a broad range of issues with the food industry that affect every single one of us: dubious health claims for products, “food pyramids” that are skewed toward consuming meat than is good for us, and armies of lawyers and a shit-load of money for any corporation who needs to mow down opposition to their goals which are often in conflict with public health.

Your Libertarian self may sneer at these conclusions. We have free choice to eat what we want, you’d say. You’d be correct. But if Food Politics and Jamie Oliver shows nothing else, it is that options for eating healthy are much less plentiful than options for eating crap. It doesn’t matter if our poor diets and lack of exercise are literally killing us via heart disease and other avenues. No--to many, our diets are written off as “personal choice.” But the options for eating well are far overwhelmed by the options for eating poorly. If you don’t believe that, then you should count the number of fresh fruit stands on the interstate and then compare that to the number of fast food chains.

Food Politics is eye-opening, though not always fun to read--it takes less of a position than you might think, given the topic. Although its essential theme is about how the production and distribution of food is run by a scary consortium of people who do not have public interest at heart, it doesn’t have the “gotcha” moments that make reading, say Al Franken or Michael Moore so much fun. Food Politics is more textbook-like, presenting the information and letting the reader draw his own conclusions. It does not ask for our anger, but it certainly supplies a reason for it. This book belongs in the library of anyone who needs a reason to support locally grown food, or to have their eyes opened to the fact that when it comes to diet, food is very political indeed.
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Jul 10, 2009 AJ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, do-not-own, 2009

I wasn't expecting to learn much from this book, having already poured through books like Fast Food Nation, The Omnivore's Dilemma, School Lunch Politics The Surprising History of America's Favorite Welfare Program, Organic, Inc. Natural Foods and How They Grew and Toxic Sludge is Good For You Lies, Damn Lies and the Public Relations Industry, but I feel that this book has a lot to offer above and beyond what other books discuss about food politics.

Although at times the book can get a bit hard t...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Bryan rated it 4 of 5 stars

If only more could read this book: This book touches upon issues that everyone is aware of but chooses to ignore. The author makes this obvious but in an non-condescending way which is much appreciated. He ties the biases of the food industry in with other industries such as the pharmaceutical and tobacco industries. Drawing the connections between these three and the governmental regulatory agencies that work with/against them respectively (USDA, FDA, ATF), the author illustrates just how much...more

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Oct 16, 2012 Randy Stiles rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have always wondered how much Big Ag pushed their agenda thru research and this book certainly sheds some light on it. I guess the old adage is true, follow the money. It's no wonder why so many people are confused on what's healthy and what's not. There is only two ways to grow revenues - gain market share or gain caloric intake to increase demand. Too bad business has sold their ethics to achieve these goals. This book really sheds the light on how they do it. The book is a little "researchy...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Kathy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Kathy by: Borrowed from Ben at the farmer's market

Shelves: food-politics, non-fiction, society-and-or-politics, progressive-reads

Ben, who works at the Farmer's Market at HeadHouse Square, lent this book to me, following a discussion we had on books about food politics.

This book approached food politics from the perspective of food advertising and governmental influence. I knew fairly little about these arenas, and Nestle's writing, in addition to her personal experiences with oversight committees, enlightened me on the myriad ways in which the food industry has influenced dietary advice in nuanced ways.

Now, I can't watch...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Wealhtheow marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: food, non-fiction, health

"Marion Nestle’s entire book Food Politics was basically a reaction to her experiences with the USDA and the FDA, and how the food industry was able to manipulate all the recommendations to send the message that people should be eating more, especially eating more meat, dairy, and refined foods. The only thing the government got past these powerful lobbies were recommendations to eat sugar and fat sparingly; the meat industry felt they could take advantage of those particular recommendations, an...more

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Apr 29, 2013 Darren rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: cookery-food, gen-ebooks

At times you might be forgiven for thinking that surely food can be left free of politics, when so much else in the world is tied up with political string. Sorry, but politics plays a big place here too!

Whether it is public policy and politics dictating what we should eat and drink on health grounds, or should that be "health" grounds, geopolitics with us being encouraged to favour produce from country X instead of country Y for various reasons or just plain business politics, with companies lob...more At times you might be forgiven for thinking that surely food can be left free of politics, when so much else in the world is tied up with political string. Sorry, but politics plays a big place here too!

Whether it is public policy and politics dictating what we should eat and drink on health grounds, or should that be "health" grounds, geopolitics with us being encouraged to favour produce from country X instead of country Y for various reasons or just plain business politics, with companies lobbying politicians to help further their own means, food and politics are tied together. Depressing reading, for sure, but this book provides a good non-hectoring read of this subject in a tenth anniversary edition of a classic work.

The food industry is big business and yet this academically-minded book does a good job in opening our eyes to what is actually going on in the wider world, without it sounding like there is a conspiracy behind every door. Written from a U.S. perspective the reader should not, however, be under the misapprehension that things are only an "American problem". It is just that perhaps their own country is less open and thus more things are hidden out of view. Will you be able to look at things again in the same light?

Making food is big business and we are encouraged to consume more than we need. Cutting costs to maximise profits often leads to the food that we eat is not necessarily good for us. Convenience foods sound oh-so-convenient until you notice the chemical soup that often accompanies them. There is a reason why various "corners can be cut", totally legally, that maximise profits and waistlines alike. Ah, but there are pesky government regulations that get in the way of free trade and protect the customer, aren't there? Well, yes, there are regulations but the idea for these regulations doesn't just come from thin air. Big companies with vested interests invest heavily in lobbying, strong-arming weaker countries and elbowing smaller competitors out of the way. It sounds paranoid but nonetheless…

Through this book you will get a much more informed picture of what is going on. You still might be powerless to change things but a better informed consumer can at least attempt to mitigate change even if they cannot influence it. Things are only going to get worse as technological advances are realised. Already the world is aware of GM (genetically modified) food and the pros and cons of this, but more and more foodstuffs are coming via a laboratory and they are not there just to make things cheap and tasty. Far from it..

A great index is provided at the end of this very thought-provoking book and, for those who either doubt the veracity of what they are reading or who wish to learn even more there is a fanatical amount of notes and further reading citations as befits a serious academic work. However it must be stressed that this is an accessible book for the "average reader" but you would be best to set aside some quality time to read and digest its contents. Prepare to be shocked, amazed and possibly sickened by what you read. Tobacco and "Big Pharma" are already painted as villains in many sections of society and, at the time of writing this review, the food industry is under scrutiny in Europe for the criminal mislabelling of horse meat and passing it off in the food chain. After reading this book you might start to wonder what the next scandal will be and wonder just how it has been allowed to get to this stage…

Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health, written by Marion Nestle and published by University of California Press. ISBN 9780520275966, 534 pages. Typical price: USD29.95. YYYYY.

// This review appeared in YUM.fi and is reproduced here in full with permission of YUM.fi. YUM.fi celebrates the worldwide diversity of food and drink, as presented through the humble book. Whether you call it a cookery book, cook book, recipe book or something else (in the language of your choice) YUM will provide you with news and reviews of the latest books on the marketplace. //(less)

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Aug 15, 2012 Abby rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: dnf, non-fiction

Really enjoyed this book, but it had to go back to the library before I could finish it. Some of it is very dense, with a lot of jargon and acronyms and changing government agencies. My two big take-aways so far are: 1) the incredible amount of funding nutrition and dietetic programs get from food companies and agencies. I knew doctor's offices and hospitals get money (and free pens) from pharmaceutical companies, but didn't think (naively) that it happened to nutritionists, dietitians and their...more

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Jul 28, 2012 Marissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is definitely worth the read for an understanding of how FDA recommendations and warnings (or lack thereof) came to be. Interesting, there's no mention of the often-weak science that led to the preferred recommendations, but that's a different topic addressed by other books. Nestle takes it as a given, but the political aspect is still worth challenging, even if she fails to challenge other things.

I love that she cited the history of the Nestle company (unrelated to the author) marketi...more

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Oct 25, 2012 Beth Lamborne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Super interesting read. Also a bit long and very detailed regarding historical events. This book was written by a former member of the FDA and as such is very empathetic to them. Most things I learned, I had some sort of sense for prior to discovering exactly how it worked. For example, the first section of the book is devoted to creating the food pyramid, how the government (due to agricultural interests) can never explicitly tell the public to eat less of anything. If they do proclaim "eat les...more Super interesting read. Also a bit long and very detailed regarding historical events. This book was written by a former member of the FDA and as such is very empathetic to them. Most things I learned, I had some sort of sense for prior to discovering exactly how it worked. For example, the first section of the book is devoted to creating the food pyramid, how the government (due to agricultural interests) can never explicitly tell the public to eat less of anything. If they do proclaim "eat less," it invariably links this phrase to ingredients (salt, sugar, fats) and not to foods (dairy, meat - where we consume the majority of these ingredients). The book then discloses the very close relationship of the USDA with agricultural producers. This seems like an obvious relationship, but it also seems a ridiculously biased when your government agency is espousing your nutrition directives and seated on the board are ex-lobbyists from meat/dairy producers. I never really understood how closely lobbyists are related to elected officials and the book details ways in which friendship, lobbying, and the court system can be used to the advantage of big business (again something obvious, but never so explicitly explained). The most disturbing section, by far, related to advertising to children. The book details something called "pouring rights," which is a contractual obligation between a soft drink company and a school that allows only that brand of pop to be sold (through vending machines, sports events) at that school. The soft drink company gives schools large amounts of money for exclusive rights to advertise at that school and then will give incentives for exceeding expectations of selling. The final section revolves mostly around the supplement industry and how the line between food, supplement, and drug can be very fine. I thought it was very interesting that supplements are hardly held to any drug standards and advertising in this industry is almost never grounded in any sort of study. Overall, very interesting read if you, uh, like food politics.(less)

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Nov 09, 2012 Tim rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: politics, science

The idea that profit-maximizing behavior by food companies might harm your health and your waistline is a more mainstream idea now than it was back in 2002 when Food Politics was first published. Skyrocketing obesity rates seem to have focused a lot of peoples' attention, and while there's no real consensus on what (if anything) we should do about it, corporate behavior is definitely on the radar screen. In one level it should be obvious that corporations exist to maximize profits and there's no...more

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Dec 30, 2008 Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 50-page-rule, wishlist

I can honestly say that this book changed my life, even though I didn't finish it.

Flash back to late April 2008. Shane and I are in the car en route home from Harrisonburg, where we've been visiting friends. It's a gorgeous spring day in Virginia, and I decide to pass the time driving home reading about the food industry. I make it about five pages in, then slam the book shut and tell Shane that the food industry pisses me off.

Those five pages were the first significant step in the direction of...more I can honestly say that this book changed my life, even though I didn't finish it.

Flash back to late April 2008. Shane and I are in the car en route home from Harrisonburg, where we've been visiting friends. It's a gorgeous spring day in Virginia, and I decide to pass the time driving home reading about the food industry. I make it about five pages in, then slam the book shut and tell Shane that the food industry pisses me off.

Those five pages were the first significant step in the direction of making much more conscious decisions about what and how we eat (though you'd hardly be able to tell if you'd been following us around on vacation this last week). As a result of those five pages, we signed up for One Local Summer, we made a more concentrated gardening effort, and we developed a weekend routine that revolves around the farmers' market. We've eaten somewhat less chicken, and somewhat more awesome meat from sustainable vendors. We've learned to love new vegetables, and to consider the pre-packaged meals a treat rather than a given. We (well, I) filled our freezer and myriad canning jars with the summer's plenty, and will supplement our sparse market purchases with those items over the winter.

If it was that life-changing, then, why didn't I finish it? Well, to be honest, it's pretty dense material (which is also a good part of why I didn't finish the other book about food by Nestle that I tried to read in '07). There's a LOT of information on a lot of different but exceptionally interrelated topics. I feel that after reading what I did, I have a deeper understanding of the relationships between the government and the food industry - relationships that, like many other lobbies, should be more closely scrutinized. She talks about the Food Pyramid, the cattle industry, supplements, and many other topics that relate to the (should be really simple) question of what you put into your body on a daily basis. I highly recommend it, but don't feel bad if you can't make it all the way through. You know how rabid I am about these things, and I didn't.(less)

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Feb 11, 2009 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People concerned with health & nutrition and who are struggling to get and/or remain healthy.

This information in this book is priceless. It is shocking how the food industry functions, and our society seriously needs to start thinking for themselves, instead of buying into all the propoganda the media is throwing our way, if we ever want to be healthier and prevent more obesity and chronic disease. HOWEVER...this book definitely reads like a text book. It is not an "easy" read. It is slow going for me, but I value everything I've read. I highly recommend Michael Pollan's "In Defense of...more

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Jul 06, 2008 Valerie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2006-2008-singapore, food-history-food-writing, social-critique

I hold Marion Nestle is high regard, and Food Politics is my favorite of her books. Rereading it this week, I am reminded why: she is smart as can be, writes clean, tight prose, supports her arguments thoroughly, and never overstates her case. As science writers goes, she is virtually peerless.

And her case is an important one: Food Politics examines the enormous power of the food corporations to influence our govt regulatory agencies, nutrition advice, and our eating decisions.

Health claims on...more I hold Marion Nestle is high regard, and Food Politics is my favorite of her books. Rereading it this week, I am reminded why: she is smart as can be, writes clean, tight prose, supports her arguments thoroughly, and never overstates her case. As science writers goes, she is virtually peerless.

And her case is an important one: Food Politics examines the enormous power of the food corporations to influence our govt regulatory agencies, nutrition advice, and our eating decisions.

Health claims on food products are almost always over-simplified marketing pitches. Thus the question is not: does Olestra work? (It does.) The question is: should you eat it? (Probably not, because feeling liberated from fat intake will likely encourage excessive calorie intake.)(Also, Olestra may block your body's absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.)

The watch word is complexity: healthy food choices are healthy because foods convey multiple health benefits. Thus she bears special ire for the supplements industry and any single-nutrient food claims. A tomato is good for us because tomatoes have many nutrients, all useful, and we don't actually understand fully how all those nutrients interact to protect us. Reducing tomatoes to, for example, "lycopene" (Remember those Heinz ketchup ads? The FDA no longer permits them.) does us a disservice because it suggests that tomatoes contain a magic ingredient, a single-nutrient, that conveys health if we buy a “product”. We are much better off buying actual tomatoes.

My favorite chapter is her conclusion, in which she outlines the ethical dilemmas at stake in promoting healthy food choices, and recommends principles to follow. Her conclusion is one I embrace: "Unless we are willing to pay more for food, relinquish out of season produce and rarely buy anything that comes in a package or is advertised on television, we support the current food system every time we eat." As we begin packing for our return trip to the US, I am dreading the weekly confrontation at the grocery store. (Most US stores don’t actually sell much food, as I recall.) These are words I live by.
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Jan 02, 2008 Hilary added it

Shelves: reference

I didn't actually finish this -- just had to return it to the library at last. It's pretty slow and repetitive, at least in the first half. I learned there pretty much what I already knew:

1. The gov't's advice to citizens about how to eat healthily is heavily influenced by food industry lobbying. Also, the food industry influences laws about food and nutrition. Duh. But she does give good examples in the book and shows it to be a serious problem considering North Americans serious dietary issues...more

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Jul 08, 2007 Gwen rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone interested in agriculture or the food industry

UPDATE: I finished the book. It's ok, but a bit dense for a casual reader, I think. If you're an academic really interested in how food companies affect public policy it's great, but if you're just reading it for fun, all the minute details of policy changes get a little boring. I skimmed a lot of the chapters and just read the most interesting parts. I found the chapters on marketing in schools to be the most interesting.

I'm only two chapters in but it's fascinating. Some of the first two chapt...more

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May 07, 2007 Sue rated it 4 of 5 stars

It's really scary to realize that the government agencies that are supposed to protect us from contaminated food and dangerous food additives/supplements really have no power. While Food Politics is a little technical, it has plenty of charts, examples, and descriptions of historical battles over the regulation of food. It was amazing to see how food companies use their muscle to get away with so much. It's worth a browse, at least. I think food regulation (especially with last summer's Spinach...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Linda Riebel rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you ever wanted to find out how "sausages" (laws and regulations) are actually made and implemented, and if you have a strong stomach for rage and disgust, this book is for you. Marion Nestle (no relation to the food corporation) has revealed how the food industry successfully suppressed government attempts to offer the simple, sane advice, “eat less.” If you had any doubt that agribusiness is not our friend, here is the truth from a nutrition expert who has also served as a regulatory inside...more

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May 22, 2010 Harry Barnett rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: food-nutrition

The emphasis here is on the word "politics". There is a lot of discussion on how food corporations defend their interests in Washington with lobbyists and lawyers.
I turned to this book after reading books by Eric Schlosser and Michael Pollan which I found fascinating. By comparison Food Politics reads like a graduate school textbook, no joke. There is some very important information delivered but I have to say it is a rough slog because the writing is dry and a little repetitive.

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Mar 09, 2011 Tessa rated it 3 of 5 stars

A very through and well cited book. It reads like a 400 page research paper which makes for a very dense and dry read, though incredibly informative. I found myself disagreeing several times with the author's point-of-view on food and some of her nutritional conclusions, but I considered them to be minor issues, though it makes me hesitant to recommend. The author very effectively illustrates how the food supply is primarily influenced and directed by the government to benefit big business, inst...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Ashley rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: food

Marion Nestle is one of my favorite food writers, and "Food Politics" is probably her best-known work. If what you're looking for is a better understanding of the politics of food, there's no better starting point. It explores the influence that business, lobbyists, and organizations have over the government regulation of our food and our nutrition. If that sounds dull, the book is not. It's information-packed, but it's worth your time. Food Politics is one of those books that makes you marvel a...more

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Dec 14, 2008 Yune rated it 3 of 5 stars

A re-read which was just as depressing as the first time.

Industry interests (i.e., profit) trump ethical concerns about people's health, and Nestle demonstrates how the US government goes along with this.

Comprehensive and thick on details; probably not the most approachable because of it, but it's fascinating for anyone who has any interest in the subject in the first place.

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Mar 16, 2013 Promod Sharma rated it 4 of 5 stars

We need food to live yet there are compromises in what we consume. That's disturbing. This book gives a deep understanding of the challenges that arise because of the conflicting interests of the different parties.

Since no food or supplement is 100% good or 100% bad, who's to blame if our health suffers? The responsibility gets shifted to us. How well equipped are we to make considered decisions? Reading this book helps you understand the issues.

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Sep 17, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars

"A courageous and masterful exposé." - Julia Child
So says the back cover, and I can't disagree.
But I'm not going to go around recommending this to people. It's dry as a bone, feels like a textbook, and would be very difficult for anyone not already interested in these issues to get through (Michael Pollan she's not). On the other hand, if you *are* already interested in this stuff, much of it feels obvious, and like Nestle is beating a dead horse, repeating herself, or knocking down straw men....more

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19132.Food_Politics?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1167199048l/19132.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19132.Food_Politics?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health by Marion Nestle[/url]

Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

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Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

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Books by Marion Nestle

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