Appetite for Profit.

APPETITE FOR PROFIT By Michele Simon

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Have you ever wondered why, rather than healthy food options, junk food is always featured in commercials, in your child's classroom, in sports arenas, or just about anywhere you look today? Michele Simon, a public health lawyer and activist, explains the reasons this occurs in her new book, Appetite for Profit.

Why is it so difficult to put an end to this practice? You'll read about the food industry lobbying at the local and national level, front groups, and other tactics that greatly influence nutrition policy. Discover why major food companies engage in massive public relations campaigns to protect their livelihood and to deflect the threat of government regulations and lawsuits. For instance, have you ever witnessed companies that produce unhealthful food products donating money for exercise programs in your community? This is just one tactic they use to bolster their image. Food companies also realize they will not have to change their practices if they keep consumers focused on education and individual choice. In other words, place all the emphasis on individual responsibility rather than corporate responsibility.

While reading this book, I couldn't help but think how little has changed on this front in more than 30 years. In the mid-1970s, I worked with NYPIRG (a Nader group) to get rid of junk food in vending machines. In many ways, it seemed hopeless back then; today, the situation is even more dire with all the corporate buy-outs and resulting power in the hands of a few. Nevertheless, Michele Simon offers her readers concrete ways to fight back.

Appetite for Profit (ISBN 1-56025-932-9) is published by Nation Books. This 416-page book retails for $14.95 and can be found in local bookstores.