STUFFED: An Insider’s Look at Who’s (Really) Making America Fat GIVEAWAY!!!
Last week, when I announced all the Foodie Blogroll Contests and Giveaways for this month, I mentioned that I would be writing more about our Stuffed Nation Giveaway, that we are doing in conjunction with author and former former food executive turned anti-obesity exponent Hank Cardello.
The giveaway is starting this week, and we will be giving away the first of 8 books this Friday, September 11, 2009 and will be running for 8 weeks. This giveaway is much more interactive. Bloggers are encouraged to discuss their views on food policy and the obesity problem for a chance to win a copy of the book. This is a way to get people talking about the very important issue of escalating obesity and diabetes (as well as other health related concerns) in the United States. As two-thirds of Americans struggle with being overweight or obese, nothing has worked to take off the pounds. Diet plans, Food Pyramid Guidelines, package nutritional labeling, and five-a-day fruit & vegetable programs have all failed to arrest America’s increasing girth. Hank offers solutions in his book, but we want to hear your thoughts and ideas as well! We encourage bloggers, whether they are in the US, or elsewhere to weigh in on this big issue, that seems to be spreading worldwide.
I had the opportunity to chat with Hank Cardello a few weeks ago about his book, his concerns about rising obesity and his respect for people like Michael Pollan and The Slow Food Movement. He sees himself as a bit of a conduit between consumers and the industry. Although he believes that prevention is a powerful thing, the problem is translating that in a hard dollar amount to the food companies. He also disagrees with those that lobby for placing taxes on “bad food” as it is just more money to the Federal Government, and doesn’t really solve the problem. People will eat what they want to eat. Although he has respect for the Michael Pollan’s of the world, he doesn’t believe it solves the problem of obesity. Consumers have counted on fast food and convenience food for so long. Mr. Cardello believes that there has to be a meeting point so that we can move past this stalemate. It may not be a perfect solution, but it will get us going. From the conversation, it was my interpretation that he would love to see people eat more seasonally and healthfully, but he feels that this won’t work on a large scale right now. It is too much of a leap. That there needs to be another way to really get this thing moving. A platform that meets somewhere in the middle, in order to make everyone involved happy enough to move forward to actually do something.
Food policy is a very important and heated topic these days. You hear about it in the news, and the popularity of books like Michael Pollan’s Omnivore’s Dilemma and In Defense of Food, as well as Barbara Kingslover’s Animal, Vegetable, Miracle and Nina Planck’s book Real Food really shows a growing trend of consumers being more and more concerned about the food we eat and a very big movement to getting back to basics. With this wave of books, comes Hank Cardello’s book Stuffed: An Insider’s Look at Who’s (Really) Making America Fat, where he discusses from an insider’s perspective and offers solutions for how this trend can be changed, in a very different way than these other books. He provides novel and concrete steps food companies can take to fatten their profits while slimming down their customers. In addition, he stresses the realistic role that consumers must play in America’s new health equation, explaining that unless they demand healthier food with their wallets, America will continue to tip the scales for years to come.
I very much agree with this last sentiment. I have discussed this very thing recently, in my post Concerned Consumer or Mentally Ill? I believe that Americans ( and any other people, for that matter) have to take personal responsibility for their health. People need to find out more about the food that they put into their bodies, and from that make informed decisions about what they choose to buy and eat from that point on. We need to make informed decisions by looking at the “modern diet” which has created this modern problem, and remove those problem foods from our diets. When we vote with our wallets, change can happen.
I know personally, this is a topic that I have been learning about, and as a consequence modifying my own diet for the past 10 years. I think it has taken me that long to figure out what really works for me. I feel that there is no cookie cutter plan for individuals – not just food, but lifestyle, genetics and exercise play a big role in obesity and diet related health problems. My rule of thumb is that if we eat the foods that humans have been eating in their diets for millennia, we are on the right track. It is with the introduction of new convenience and processed foods, that we have also been introduced to these new health problems. America is such a melting pot of different cultures and foods, and we have really been bombarded by the food industry and their new foods that we have forgotten how to eat. Many other countries, have the advantage of traditional foods, and with that strong cultural backbone, there is a lot of backlash against new products and food, that are not part of the diet. This is a good thing. We need to take this back in the US. Since we are such a melting pot, we have to do this differently. I think the best way to go about it is to eat as locally, and seasonally as possible. When I talked to Mr. Cardello about how this obesity problem is pretty much isolated to a few countries, his response was that he believes there are 3 factors that contribute to people overall being healthier in other countries: 1) exercise as a way of life 2) dependence on fresh food as opposed to processed 3) a diet based more on traditional/ cultural foods which are not processed.
Mr Cardello, disagrees in his book that eating locally and seasonally helps to solve the obesity problem. He comes from the position that calories are calories. His goal is to lower calories that people consume on a large scale basis, to help solve the obesity problem. Although this approach does make sense for people who live off fast food, and processed foods, I feel it is a band aid fix. This approach is probably the best I have heard in a context where we only have fast food and processed food available. But, I tend to look at this from an “outsiders” prospective and know from my own experiences (and I also know that I am not alone) as well as scientific findings, that calories are not all created equal. We have all heard about empty calories. Mr. Cardello discusses at length how those 100 calorie snack bags are a good idea. They limit the amount of calories a person ingests, because the bag is only so big. Those 100 calorie snack bags, area controlled 100 calories. But which is healthier for our bodies – that 100 calorie snack bag or say, a hard boiled egg, which is also about 100 calories? That egg also offers protein, and that egg contains vitamins and trace minerals. Sure it has more fat and probably more cholesterol, but it is derived naturally, which can not be said about the chemical factory that is contained in that snack pack. But not only that – what kind of nutrition do you really even get from a snack pack, naturally derived or not? Not much. Empty calories.
I am a firm believer that eating real food that comes from nature, that humans have been eating from time immemorial, are the best foods to eat. We don’t need to re-invent the wheel. We need to make the decision to eat food that has been around for thousands of years. I believe that there needs to be better education about this, so that people can make informed decisions about what they chose to consume. It is not just about calories. Some people may still chose that fast food burger, give this information, but many will not. Although there is educational information on this topics, already out there, there needs to be more. This information also needs to contain strong language, really showing the health risks, in a similar fashion to the way information was exposed about the tobacco industry. Since the real truth came out about that, there are way less smokers in the world today. I believe the same can happen where food is concerned.
I really enjoyed reading Hank’s book. I believe for many people, those who eat fast food, and lots of convenience and processed foods, there will be a lot of eye openers contained within and some solutions, if people really do refuse to change their ways. For me, I feel like most of this book does not apply to me. I never eat fast food, and I make most of my food from scratch, without the help of processed foods. Mr. Cardello says that people like me are very much in the minority. However, I have seen an encouraging and rising trend over the past few years where more and more people everyday are joining this minority. Even for us, I do believe that this book is worth reading, to really learn where the food companies, food industry, advertising firms and even grocery stores are coming from and how they contribute to this problem, in more ways than I even knew! This book is a catalyst for discussion on the topic, and perhaps the more people join this conversation, the more will chose not to eat that fast food burger or 100 calorie snack pack.
These are my personal views and thoughts on the subject, and now I want to hear yours!
I sent a link to this discussion to Mr. Cardello, and this was his response:
“
You certainly have stirred up some passionate responses. Your audience clearly “gets it” about healthy eating and behaves accordingly. I have also found that there is very little “give” with this group. It is all or nothing, and that eating this way is the only way to go…for everyone.
Our crisis in food is not a simple “either/or” situation. The remainder of the population doesn’t eat processed or fast food 100% of the time. Many do, but most practice a combination of healthy and less healthy eating behaviors. I believe that obesity has not been solved to date exactly because of this “either/or” mentality. It causes both the food industry and food advocates to dig in to their respective positions, with little progress.
My proposal to focus on lowering calories (which will, by the way, also lower fats and sugars by definition) is not the end game. But engaging the food industry in a way that recognizes they EXIST to make a profit, while demanding more responsibility on their part, stands a higher probability of resolving the biggest health problem we’re facing right now.
I welcome further dialogue on this and again thank you for raising the level of awareness to alternative solutions.
“
With this 2 month giveaway, we want to spread the word and our concerns about food policy in the US (and the world over). So we are inviting food bloggers to post on their blogs about their ideas on food policy, or why you think obesity is such a problem in the US, and ideas on what we can do to solve that problem To be eligible to win the book, your post will need to include a link back to Stuffed Nation (Hank’s blog) and The Foodie Blogroll . You will also need to email a link to your post to Jenn, The Leftover Queen (founder and manager of The Foodie Blogroll) at: queen(@)leftoverqueen.com. We look forward to these entries!
Pam - September 8, 2009 at 3:12 pm
Great post Jenn! I was checking out Hank’s book as soon as I seen it was going to be in a giveaway. I believe a lot of what is causing this obesity is that people do not know how to deal with their emotions, are not taught from birth on how to eat CORRECTLY, and the chemical’s that companies are ALLOWED to put into food! It’s just the BIG combo…no pun intended, but it’s true! There is also so much depression with folks now a days, not just because of the economy, but because folks I believe are not doing what they love to do (as in jobs, careers, etc.). I feel that if we felt fulfilled with our selves and our lives things would be different…Just my thoughts….Have a GREAT day!
P.S. an after thought: then there is also the subliminal messages that are shown in TV commercials, playing mind games with us!
lo - September 8, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Amen, Jenn! This is great information — and it’s important information. So much of the stuff that’s touted as “food” today is really no more than chemicals put together in a food shape. And it’s time to get back to the basics when it comes to our diets. Everyone benefits when we start seriously thinking about eating more consciously and voting with our food dollars.
That said, I think there’s a second issue that goes hand in hand with some of the food politics. The world doesn’t really understand “Fat”. There is so much misinformation out there about what constitutes eating well, who is fat, who is in shape. Too many myths exist about what “fat” is (BMI charts, anyone?) — and these myths are perpetuated by social stereotypes and improbable cultural ideals. Until we all get into a healthier place when it comes to fit or fat/body image, and move into a place where we can accept diversity/differences, I don’t think there will really be systemic change when it comes to eating/consumption.
Natashya - September 8, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I am of the belief that you can pretty much eat what you like.. of real food. It is the “food products”, what seems to make up for the bulk of the grocery store aisles, and of course fast food, that is killing us.
kat - September 8, 2009 at 7:53 pm
I think the portions in the US are just too big and there are just too many processed foods.
Bellini Valli - September 8, 2009 at 8:27 pm
A very thought provoking post Jenn. I must say that I agree with making everything from scratch and to watch what we put into our bodies. There are many hidden components in food we purchase at our grocers in cans and processed foods. We are in control of our own lives.
Pam - September 8, 2009 at 11:18 pm
Very thought provoking post Jenn. I try so hard to use fresh food and as little processed food as possible. I’ll be on the lookout for this book – it looks like an interesting read.
Amy Green - Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free - September 8, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Oh gosh, I could write a book about this. I found that when I stopped eating prepackaged food and started eating fresh food my weight changed. I eat gluten-free and I have heard so many people complain that they gain weight when going gluten-free. Well, if you go buy gluten-free cookies, pretzels, crackers, etc. and eat them all then you’re going to gain weight. It’s the same as the old ‘fat free’ thing – people ate tons of it because they thought they could. Not so.
My hope is that people will really start listening to their bodies and how they feel when they eat. I recently cut down the amount of dairy I eat and increased my legumes and veggies. Notice I said decrease, not eliminate. Anyway, I hate to admit it but I feel better.
The most important part for me is to accept that my dietary needs are going to change over time, depending on so many different things. My job is to be aware and listen.
Happy Cook - September 9, 2009 at 7:23 am
A wonderfully written post. Looks like you yourself have put a lot of reserch to the subject.
Here at home I try to make food really fresh using most of the time things from scrach and i was with my niece few days back and she was saying, she is going to eat pesto pasta and that she was going to buy it in a bottl from a shop and I told her it only takes less that 10 minutes to make it yourself and she was like you know i work full time i don’t have time to do all these things from scratch.
But then I told her atleast if you make things at home you know what you are putting in your body. Hope she listens.
The Leftover Queen - September 9, 2009 at 10:28 am
I am really loving all the responses you guys! I do hope that some of you decide to expand upon these comments here and write a blog post about it! I would love to hear more.
I am also really happy to hear that most of you have similar ideas to what I wrote – it is that rising number of the minority group I was talking about! Very cool!
Happy Cook! Good for you for telling your niece that she should make her own pesto! I hope she listens too!
Jen of a2eatwrite - September 9, 2009 at 10:49 am
Fabulous post, Jenn. I put off reading this until this morning so I could truly digest it (so to speak). This is a topic that is near and dear to my heart, as I have struggled with obesity for many years and I feel strongly as you do that it is not just the calories, but what foods you choose, but in any case, I’ll be doing my own post on this.
Many of my friends would be part of “your” minority, as well.
Anyway, I love this topic and challenge and I’m just delighted that you’re highlighting this and encouraging the rest of us, to, as well.
dawn - September 9, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Jenn- very well writen my friend. Such a delicate matter the fattening of America. I agree that most of the causes & solutions lie within the corporations grasp, as they are the one’s that hold the power. But even the healthiest of corporations (e.g. Whole Foods) has seen people even the president of the company gaining weight on the healthy foods. I think we need to have more education and “examples” of what happens to people when they don’t take care of themselves. For example, when I held a drinking & driving seminar with state police they asked me how graphic do I want to be? Meaning what I asked? And they in short told me that the more graphic the photos of the accident victims and damages caused by drunk driving tended to yield better awareness, thus shocking younger drivers into being more careful. So what I’m saying is education, in graphic form might do some great work on the grassroots level as well as corporations pushing more healthier foods instead of 5 lbs. burgers.
Arlene (MOM) - September 9, 2009 at 2:41 pm
Well I have a couple of thoughts. While Mr. Cardello may think that eating local food may not cure the obesity issue, I don’t think there is any doubt about the health benefits that come from eating fresh, local foods. That alone should make it worthwhile. And over time, when more people transition from processed foods to fresh, many health issues will be reversed.
And I do agree with you that those little 100 calorie bags of COOKIES or CHIPS are not a really good idea either. To me that that’s just a marketing gimmick to perpetuate eating the wrong kinds of processed foods.
I agree that obesity is a serious problem. While his goal, and rightly so, is to have people lower calories consumed, all foods healthy or not have calories. It just seems common sense to eat the healthy choices to add up to your target calorie count.
I think we are finally on the right track and food ideas are starting to change for the better; there is still a long way to go and people need continually to be educated. Nice job, Jenn.
Katie - September 9, 2009 at 4:55 pm
I think convenience now outweighs taste. People just pick up fast food for dinner instead of cooking for their family, our food is laden with unnecessary HFCS and Trans Fats. The only way to make your diet healthy now is to do everything yourself. Bake your own bread, grow your own veggies etc. Go back to how people ate years ago. It honestly doesn’t take that long to put together a decent meal for your family you just have to want to try.
lisaiscooking - September 9, 2009 at 5:15 pm
Great topic for discussion. I think the more it’s discussed, the more people will want to make changes. I’m hopeful about projects like the Edible Schoolyard in that they’re educating kids and teaching them how to eat for life. I agree taxing junk food probably isn’t the answer, but it will probably take a lot of various initiatives to bring about a big change.
pam - September 9, 2009 at 7:40 pm
This book sounds great. I’ve read Michael Pollan and Nina Planck and try to keep up on all my food concerns reading, so I’m definitely adding this to my list. I probably won’t enter the contest, just because I’m impatient and will probably buy the book before then!
Sylvia - September 9, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Very interesting post, Jenn.I am completely agree with some points here. My grandmother is now with 92 years olds. she lives alone with two person to care her.But, she maes her lunch, read,loves gardening,always searching for new flowers and wash her clothes (she hates washing machines:))and sold the last one …Her life was plenty, she eats her own home made butter with real mil from the cows, the eggs came from her chickens that she feed with corn. I mean, she only consume very natural food, healthy food without chemicals ingredients. Until now she refuses to drink market´s milk , she ask for farm fat milk. And she never ever was/is a fat woman. She is healthy and smart
Natasha - 5 Star Foodie - September 10, 2009 at 8:59 am
Excellent post, gives us a lot to think about. I think education on how to eat healthy and good food choices early on is very important. I’m actually very impressed with my daughter’s elementary school (she just started kindergarten this week!) – they are really trying to teach them how to eat properly and we are actually not allowed to send chocolate or cookies for their snacks, only nutritious, healthy foods.
toontz - September 10, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Jenn-
I am one of the minority, too. I have very little processed food in my house. I prefer to make as much from scratch as I can, not only because I feel it is healthier, but it (usually) tastes better. It is a struggle, however, with work commitments and family commitments. It takes resolve to cook a healthy meal everyday. Sometimes, I just do not have time to cook, but I still manage to put something on the table that is more nutritious than the typical fast food menu. I had to get over thinking that it always had to be a traditional meal. I think we have many paths leading to the obesity crisis. Bigger portions of unhealthy (and healthy) food, lack of daily exercise, stress eating…it all adds up. And yes, I think there is a BIG difference in eating 100 calories of cookies, vs. a boiled egg! Our bodies know the difference. Prevention magazine had an intriguing article on the lack of Omega 3 and the overabundance of Omega 6 in our modern diet these days. Maybe that is also part of the problem.
The Duo Dishes - September 11, 2009 at 3:23 pm
Excellent giveaway. We all need to know more about this!
Deborah Mele - September 11, 2009 at 3:57 pm
Maintaining an optimum weight is simply calories in- calories out. My husband worked at McDonald’s for over 36 years, ate there daily and remains thin. He CHOSE his meal (Grilled Chicken, no mayo, 1/2 small fries) and exercises regularly. My daughter has her Masters in Nutrition and has run teenage obesity clinics and kids today often eat as much as twice their caloric need and do not exercise anymore.
I have struggled maintaining my weight as I LOVE to cook and eat but I know if I do so I need to balance that with exercise. It really doesn’t matter if you are eating healthy, locally grown vegetables if your cal intake exceeds what you expend on a daily basis. It really is a simple equation and unfortunately no one wants to understand it.
The Leftover Queen - September 11, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Hi Deborah! Thanks so much for your comment. I really hope you write more about this on your blog, so you have a chance to win a copy of the book!
gfe--gluten free easily - September 13, 2009 at 8:25 pm
I think the meeting halfway on foods is a copout. To me, it will end up being more of the same. It just might look better to begin with. For example, the whole obsession with low-fat foods that was promoted and products were created left and right to fill the need. They are still out there and people are still counting fat grams and totally disregarding the rest of the ingredients. Usually in a low-fat product, the first ingredient is sugar. Then a whole bunch of other crappy ingredients follow. As Michael Pollan shared, even though the low-fat craze was totally misguided, it persists in the food industry. That leads me to my other objection. I vehemently disagree with counting calories (i.e., the 100-calorie snacks) as well as counting fat grams. If we eat good, healthy “real” food primarily, and food that we don’t have allergies and food intolerances to then we will not overeat. We will eat a handful of nuts and be satisfied. And, regardless of the calorie or fat gram count, if we are overweight, we will slowly lose weight and if we are at a good weight, we’ll maintain it. I’ve been on that calorie-counting, fat gram counting dreadmill and it’s I’ve ended up just wanting more and more because my nutrient needs weren’t being filled. In addition, I am gluten intolerant (and most people are … it’s the only protein nobody can metabolize and the wheat of today contains far more gluten than it did in say Bibilical times). I also have issues with dairy and refined sugar. We definitely crave what we are allergic/intolerant to. When I remove them from my diet, I don’t miss them at all, but if I eat any of them, I want more. The calorie/fat counting is impossible in those situations. It just makes me and others think we are undisciplined and failures. I stay far away from high fructose corn syrup becuase it’s been proven to block leptin, the hormone that tells us when we are full. It’s been proven that despite all the baloney about our poorly our grandparents ate … high fat, etc., that they really were far healthier. Look at all the obesity and disease today. I think this author misses the mark from this review. But, I bet his book will sell a lot.
Regina - September 15, 2009 at 9:09 am
Jenn- SO glad I found your post today on this matter. I’ve done a series of blog posts on the Food, Inc. movie and this really is a fantastic segway to looking for solutions. It’s not just that we are all getting fat, we are killing our planet too. While I’m not a fan of taxes as a solution, there are smart creative minds in our country that can help us all come to good solutions. Here’s a link: http://bit.ly/lqiqY
~Regina
Jonzie - September 21, 2009 at 6:06 am
Damn! I forgot to post my thoughts in time for the first give away!
The issue is really well complicated. I could say many things. I think one of the major points is that the food industry in the western industrialized countries is simply going after the consumer. Fats and sugar are simply just very addictive and preferred by most mammals for obvious biological reasons. The problem is that nowadays we have millions of tonnes of this stuff and it needs to be sold.
Millions of cows, pigs, chickens, dairy, sugar cane and so on. All industrially and intensively produced, transformed and sold.
My opinion is that there is only one solution to slowly go back to normal (we cant expect to shut down the food industry all of a sudden): bring back nutritional education into schools and teach our children what is a good balanced nutrition which is not necessarily fat, gluten, sugar, carb or whatever free. A balanced and healthy nutrition is simply a diet including the right amounts of the following: 1) complex carbohydrates 2) saturated and non-saturated fats 3) vegetable and animal proteins 4) oligosaccharides (sugars) 5) fibre 6) vitamins
The fresher are the ingredients the better, of course.
katie - September 26, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Wonderful post – and comments.
I just spent 2 weeks in the US…. What an eye-opener. I ate out a lot – I can understand the problem – I felt stuffed after every meal even though I was trying very hard to eat ‘light’.
The Leftover Queen - September 26, 2009 at 2:59 pm
That is an interesting commentary, Katie! I feel that same way most of the times we eat out!
Jenny - October 2, 2009 at 11:44 am
I’m marking my place and am going to come back to this. Thanks for the heads up, Jenn! Fantastic giveaway!