The scene was the annual conference of The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. One speaker staunchly defended GMOs while mocking those who care about organics and sustainability. This presentation replaced a much-anticipated point-counterpoint debate planned by the Academy that was supposed to touch on the issue of partnerships between the private and public sectors.
The “educational” materials provided to conference participants by Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, General Mills and others, included:
- Coca-Cola’s “Balancing Act” pamphlet, which emphasizes “energy balance,” and recommends burning 100 calories by gardening for 19 minutes, playing soccer for 13 minutes, or climbing stairs for 10 minutes. The pamphlet also states that soda and juice can all help meet hydration needs.
- ConAgra’s oil comparison chart, which argues that the company’s Mazola “heart-healthy” corn oil is superior to olive oil due to the presence of phytosterols. Conveniently, this handout does not compare the amount of healthful monounsaturated fats in corn and olive oil, which would make olive oil the clear winner. Among the “added benefits” of corn oil listed in this handout: “naturally cholesterol-free” (as are all plant foods) and “contains vitamin E” (as all nut and seed oils do).
- Kellogg’s “Comply and Satisfy” booklet for school administrators, which promotes Eggo waffles, multigrain Frosted Flakes, Cheez-Its, and Pop-Tarts as examples of “good nutrition and simple grains.”
- McDonald’s “Enjoy Eating the Food Groups at McDonald’s” handout, which highlights the premium chicken sandwich’s bun as half a serving of whole gains (never mind the 1,410 milligrams of sodium in the crispy premium chicken sandwich), and a Canadian-Style Bacon Egg McMuffin as an example of “protein” (that Egg McMuffin is cooked in partially hydrogenated oils).
- PepsiCo’s “Sodium Content of Commonly Consumed Snack Foods”, which makes Frito-Lay’s chip offerings seem like the best snack choices (in comparison to large muffins, beef jerky, pretzels, bagels and cheese). Conveniently, other common snack foods that would make chips pale in comparison — like fresh fruit, nuts and seeds — are missing.
After the conference, Dietitians for Professional Integrity — an advocacy group co-founded by 14 dietitians that advocates for the Academy to cut its ties to its Big Food partners and sponsors — released “The Food Ties That Bind,” a report that details the messaging Big Food shared with dietitians at the 2013 conference.
Consider the First Source!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word choreographed an assembly of amino acids into an exquisite array of specific proteins. Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In so doing God demonstrated a penchant for genomic writing, preceeded by an amazing series of prebiotic events, in a highly orchestrated presentation of evolutionary overcontrol.
