How Not to Diet

by Michael Greger

A tried-and-true method used by alcohol, tobacco, and food-related corporate interests to deflect attention away from health is to reframe something like a fat tax or soda tax as an issue of freedom, railing against the “nanny state” for restricting consumers’ rights.793 However, those complaining about the governmental manipulation of people’s choices hypocritically tend to be fine with corporations doing the very same thing.794 Case in point: former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s attempt to cap soft drink sizes. How dare he try to manipulate consumer choice! But isn’t that just what the industry’s done? In 1950, a twelve-ounce soda was the “king-sized” option.795 Today, it’s marketed as a child’s portion. “King-sized” became “kid-sized.”