The nutrition revolution should start with us, before the regulation of the corporations

It may be hard to believe, but this is section number 600. More than 11 consecutive years here every week. That’s why we chose this week to bring the unique and inspiring voice of Prof. Marion Nessel one of the world’s leaders in the field of food policy, which reveals the hidden struggle for our health.

Ironically, her last name is spelled Nestle, like the name of the food corporation Nestle, but there is no family or other connection between them. vice versa. Marion Nessel is Professor Emeritus of Nutrition Studies, Public Health and Food Policy at New York University and is known for her critique of the influence of big food corporations on nutrition policy and public health.

Among her books “Food Politics” and “What to Eat”. The latter was translated into Hebrew by Kinneret Zamora Beitan. In the podcast that appeared a few weeks ago in the series “The Checkup with Doctor Mike” by family physician Dr. Mike (Dr. Mikhail Varshavsky), hosted by Prof. Nessel
and clearly presented the enormous influence of the food industry on our diet and eating patterns.

The politics of the plate

One of the most disturbing issues that Prof. Nessel raises is the close connection between the food industry and public policy. She claims that the economic interests of companies often outweigh the health interests of the public. Food industry lobbyists work to prevent legislation that could hurt profits, even if it could contribute to public health.

Here is an example that illustrates the tension between public health and economic interests – the struggles surrounding regulations for clear nutritional labeling on food packaging. Food companies often resist clearly labeling the sugar, fat and salt content of their products, preferring to use confusing symbols or colors. “This is a clear example of how economic interests collide with the public good,” Nessel says.

“Instead of providing clear information that will allow consumers to make informed decisions, the industry prefers to hide or obscure essential information.” In Israel, it was decided to mark products with red markings, which indicate a high content of components such as sugar, saturated fat, and sodium. This move is a positive step, but
Not enough in itself. We also require additional regulation, such as restrictions on advertising and marketing of harmful products.

Another important move in Israel led by the Nutrition Division of the Ministry of Health, resulted in the reduction of the consumption of sugary drinks through taxation. There was a significant decrease of 16% in the purchase of sugary drinks following the imposition of the tax.

The decrease was particularly noticeable in the category of soft drinks and sweetened juices, where a 25% decrease in purchases was observed. Although the tax on the sweet drinks succeeded in reducing their consumption, especially among vulnerable populations, lobbyists of the soft drink companies exerted heavy pressure to cancel it.

Culture VS Nutrition

“Modern culture,” claims Nessel, “sanctifies speed and convenience, and often ignores the health consequences of the food we consume.”
Ultra-processed food, which cannot be prepared at home, is about 60% of the American diet.

These food products contain ingredients that are not available in supermarkets and have sophisticated flavors and textures, therefore they are very tasty, hard to resist, and even on the contrary, you want to consume more and more of them.

Studies indicate a link between high consumption of these food products and an increase in the risk of chronic diseases. According to her, low-income populations are particularly affected by this situation, because healthy food is more expensive and less accessible to them. She notes that the food industry is targeting its marketing specifically to underserved communities and children, using social media, games, toys and influencers.

Artificial sweeteners or sugar?

When Nessel was asked if replacing sugar-sweetened beverages with those with artificial sweeteners would be considered an achievement, she answered emphatically in the negative. Nessel explains that artificial sweeteners are actually chemicals that we don’t fully understand how the body deals with or breaks down.

Moreover, she emphasizes that we do not know for sure what their long-term effects are on the body, and notes that new studies are beginning to link them to a variety of health problems.

However, she emphasizes the difficulty in conducting comprehensive studies on artificial sweeteners, as it is not possible to conduct long enough experiments to determine with certainty all their possible effects.

Although there are studies that indicate weight loss among people who switched from sugar-sweetened beverages to those with artificial sweeteners, Nessel points out that at the level of the general population, no significant effect on body weight was seen. She explains this phenomenon by saying that people tend to compensate for the saved calories by eating other things.

The future is already here

The reality in which the global obesity epidemic continues to spread and even worsen was favorable for the food industries, explains Prof. Nessel. But now a new threat to their business model is developing: innovative drugs to treat obesity. These drugs, such as Ozempic or Wegovy, promise to significantly reduce the appetite and food consumption of those who use them.

As a result, they may dramatically change food consumption patterns, thus threatening the revenues and profits of the major food companies. This is an interesting example of how medical advances can affect an entire industry, challenging the business model based on overconsumption of food.

According to Prof. Nessel, the big food companies have already started preparing for the new era. They are developing new product lines designed for people taking obesity medications. Take health into your own hands Despite the complex picture presented by Nessel, she and we, believe that there is hope.

Acquiring knowledge will help the public to be aware of the influence of the food industry on their choices and to demand transparency and responsibility on the part of the companies. “Each of us can be an agent of change,” Nessel says passionately. “It starts with our daily choices – what we buy, what we eat, and what we teach our children about food.”