The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food

[kangofu]

The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food
Source - NYTimes
By MICHAEL MOSS
Published: February 20, 2013On the evening of April 8, 1999, a long line of Town Cars and taxis pulled up to the Minneapolis headquarters of Pillsbury and discharged 11 men who controlled America’s largest food companies. Nestlé was in attendance, as were Kraft and

Comments

[skellington1]

I read the entire thing.

And now I really want a bag of chips.

*brain failure*

[keestone]

I would be having the exact same response if I hadn't been pigging out on banana muffins shortly before reading. (Still sugar and fat, but sugar and fat that I mixed together and put in the oven myself.) Sigh. It's disturbing how suggestible we are.

[nesmith]

I must be weird, because I read the whole thing as well, and I don't want any of it. Some leaves of plain romaine lettuce with a dusting of parmesan sounds really good right about now . . .

[halfshellvenus]

Actually, I DID find myself thinking about those bags of baby carrots. Which we do buy, and do eat. Some solid crunching would really hit the spot right now. ;)

[halfshellvenus]

Oh, lord. Great article, but SO depressing.

When I look at other countries vs. the U.S., the increase in obesity seems to tie to junk food, fast food, and reduced walking. Add any of those things to other countries, and they begin to have increased obesity as well.

It's not just that we have fast food/junk food, it's that there is so much VARIETY that something is sure to appeal. Other countries have potato chips and chocolate. We have a bazillion different kinds of chips, and bazillions of kinds of chocolate! It's very hard to resist.

The battle over Lunchables came to our house when so many of the kids' peers started eating them. We never bought them, but it's hard to put your child so far against the grain. Lunchables are pure evil, in every respect.

[natyanayaki]

When I look at other countries vs. the U.S., the increase in obesity seems to tie to junk food, fast food, and reduced walking. Add any of those things to other countries, and they begin to have increased obesity as well.That's actually something we're seeing in countries like China and India, and due to many cultural and technological factors, rates of obesity seem to be increasing at faster rates and in younger members of the population. In India specifically, it's seen as a sign of prestige for families to incorporate elements of S.A.D., and especially if it's the children who are eating in that manner. It's a lot worse (more common) now, but even like a decade ago a relative of mine (she's kind of a relative of mine, I don't like her so I try to forget that we are connected in any way) told me several times how it's "embarrassing" for her to eat regional cuisine at school, and that she prefers pizza from the local pizza hut (or was it dominos)or at least chips and top ramen

[romp]

Have you seen/read Forks Over Knives? It talks about how affluence = cancer in 1950s (I think) Philippines. And China is mentioned but that's the big example. It also drew a connection between the amount of meat eaten and (liver?) cancer.

[natyanayaki]

I have seen FoK, though I don't remember all the specific nations mentioned I do remember China, I believe the Philipines, and maybe Japan and Korea (like Japanese and Korean immigrants, vs the health of their American born/raised descendants?). I don't think India was mentioned, but it was interesting seeing information that I'd learned about in class (increase rates in China and India) and had just observed by being South Asian and American.

It was really sad, last time I went to India I had to search for authentic Southern Indian food. At home (grandparents' home) it was readily available, but in restaurants and most relatives' house, I was served with grilled cheese sandwiches, burgers, or tandoori seasoned fries. (And I was banned from eating any fresh fruit -other than bananas or fruits grown in the garden- because of the additives (pesticides, coloring)).

(I did make some feline and canine friends though, so I shouldn't complain too much)...

[kangofu]

As I was reading this article yesterday, I started thinking about the last time I had eaten cheese puffs (or whatever those darn puffy orange things are called). I popped one into my mouth and it basically "evaporated." I had another one and it did it again. And again. I was all, "holy shit, that's so cool! It's like eating air! Let me repeat this experiment another 3 dozen times!" /CSB

What an eye-opener this article was...

[dangomango]

The part about chips that melt in your mouth and your brain going HEY NO CALORIES stuck in my head too

[moonshaz]

I don't have time to read all of this right now, but I'm making a note to look for that book when it comes out. Very interesting stuff!

[kittenmommy]

I read the whole thing and put the book on my B&N wishlist. Heh.

Also, I mistyped "whole" as "whore". I think it's time for bed. :p

[apostle_of_eris]

Space allocation is supermarkets is engineered to a fare-the-well.
How many of the aisles do you never go down? How many of the aisles to you only go into occasionally, for a specific item?
(How often do you look at the aisle of sugar-water and shudder?)

[natyanayaki]

Another genius of the food companies is that they apparently sponsor/hire people to eat and talk about their food items at parks, in the parking lot, wherever. Anything to keep their "food" on your" mind, and anything to try to prevent disassociating their "food" with the food you* eat.

*general you, not you specifically.