I have the idea that expert chefs and food scientists can band together with marketers and make a combination of sawdust, sugar, fat and salt a best-selling product. These days, a little jalapeno or cayenne would probably be added. Recently, I saw that to be really in these days, one leaves OUT bacon. This human vulnerability to manipulation reminds me of other openings in our line of defense.
I get Nutrition Action newsletter from the Center for Science in the Public Interest (Michael Jacobson, who I have followed since the 80's). The most recent issue talks about the emergence of pro-fat, my word, not his. The May 2014 issue reports statements by Martijn Katan, a reknown food scientist in Amsterdam. He says that the world dairy industry met in Mexico City in November 2008 and adopted the goal of "neutralizing the negative image of milk fat by regulators and medical professionals." Katan expresses his respect for scientists who work for the dairy industry. He says if they want to get something done, they do. I can just see how some research, some marketing terms and images, some raised questions and innuendo can be brought to bear on the subject of fat and successfully get people to question the need to eat less fat and lower their body weight.
For most people, it is very difficult to lose much weight and keep it off. Katan says the cause of obesity is having food that is delicious around all the time. Given the difficulty, it is easier to take the position that a few extra pounds and then a few extra more are not very important. Anyone with a knack for words and a high-level degree and reputation who utters doubts about the health importance of body fat will be remembered more easily since it is easier to keep munching and forget about warnings and weight loss failures and challenges. Couple that with the truly terrible agony of serious anorexia and one can thank one's lucky stars that there are still a few snacks left in the bag. Might as well gobble them up in gratitude.
You can see in the modern world with images, campaigns, slogans, coupons, sound tracks with a captivating beat, catchy little ditties, a little word war here and a little word war there,we may be able to achieve the newspeak of 1984 and beyond. We may be able to get these overworked, underpaid, sleep deprived, fear ridden people to believe just about anything we want them to.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
