Yoga, Books About Food Industry

Bob Crowther notes the influence of Eric Schlosser's book, Fast Food Nation, and provides a list of publications since 2001 about the history of the our food industry and their influence controlling what most of us eat. 

Consider the following quote: "... the annual cost of the nations obesity epidemic - about $168 billion, as calculated by researchers at Emory University - is the same as the amount of money American spent on fast food in 2011"  ... from afterword, Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser, 2011) - ten years after it was first published.

Ten Year Anniversary
 Publication

Eric Schlosser investigations about the fast food industry addressed a number of consumer, worker and environmental topics that continue to be of interest and warrant public attention - some of the issues he wrote about are listed below:

• impact and consequences of large packinghouses, huge feedlots, slaughterhouses, meat grinders
• animal welfare: rearing conditions, antibiotics, hormone treatments
• food production, pathogens and safety issues
• limited OSHA and FDA authority and enforcement - inability to reform food safety system
• restricted government authority, oversight and regulation of fast food industry 
• children, obesity, fast food marketing policies and practices  
• land management, food company conglomerates and government subsidies
• worker training, safety, injuries, compensation, illegal migrants
• international scope of fast food industry and influence

My recent commentary on Food Rules (Michael Pollan) and Good Calories, Bad Calories (Gary Taubes) - two books that focused on different aspects about the how, when, where, what  re: foods we consume daily - updated some aspects about the fast food industry that Schlosser mentioned in his valuable yet controversial book. 

Since Schlosser's contribution, other authors have documented various aspects of the interactions of government, science, nutrition and health care matters among other subjects through the publication of books, documentaries and film.

The following references addressing the Food Industry include those mentioned by Schlosser and have been supplemented by my own selections - these selections comment on several additional topics including:

• free range, grass fed animals; organic farming and food processing
• sustainable agriculture system; agribusiness accountability
• health impacts from processed foods within supermarkets
• epidemic of obesity and diabetes; Western diet
• science and technology: genetically modified organisms
• flawed use of science to support government food policies

[2001] Fast Food Nation (Eric Schlosser)

[2002] Food Politics (Marion Nestle)

[2003] Hope's Edge (Frances and Anna Lappe)

[2003] Dominion (Mathew Scully)

[2004] Slow Food (Carlo Petrini)

[2004] The Future of Food (Deborah Korns Garcia)

[2004] Supersize Me (Morgan Spurlock)

[2005] McLibel (Franny Armstrong)

[2006] Omnivores Dilemma (Michael Pollan)

[2008] King Corn (Aaron Woolf)

[2008] Stuffed and Starved (Raj Pastel)

[2008] In Defense Of Food (Michael Pollan)

[2008] Good Calories, Bad Calories (Gary Taubes)

[2009] Food, Inc (Robby Kenner)

[2009] Food Rules (Michael Pollan)

[2010] Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes)

[2011] Tomatoland (Barry Estabrook)

[2011] Wheat Belly (William Davis, MD)

[2012] Fat Chance (Robert Lustig, MD)

[2013] Salt Sugar Fat (Michael Moss)

[2013] Grain Brain (David Perlmutter, MD)

Over a hundred years have passed since The Jungle was published by Upton Sinclair (1906) - exposing the meatpacking plants/industry in Chicago - during the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt.

It led to some limited government action and food safety laws being established.

Set aside some time and learn more about our national Food Industry.

Find out about the many interconnected issues that impact our society and directly influence our lives on a daily basis.

As Eric Schlosser and others have noted, as individuals we can express our concerns at local, state and national levels about our food policies and practices.

You are encouraged to voice your concerns and attempt to influence how our government protects its citizens.

#YogaAndNutrition #FastFoodIndustry #FastFoodNation #FoodRules