I’m one of those hereditary ‘high cholesterol’ people that eats healthy/moderate across the board, so am baffled by my plight and resisting meds just ‘because’…(I’m not wild about meds as a panacea in general, and docs are more than happy to start that domino effect…which could explain why I’ve never had a full physical and avoid them like the plague)

Anyway, as a marketer that has been ensconced in the kids’ nutrition/sedentary/mind-body corollary of media influence (what goes into kids’ minds & bodies has had a direct psychological imprint in our media logs/pilot programs) I’ll say I veer into Rebecca’s camp of the ‘wait and see’ variety hoping that perhaps he has a handle on some of the key pop culture influences that are derailing kids from the get go.

Like? Energy drinks and jolt-b-crash caffeine concoctions marketed to teens…the coolness cache of the Starbucks phenom…the “healthy foods that aren’t” marketing pitch for smoothies, salads, and ‘energy bars’ that pack a power punch of a gazillion grams of sugar yet are marketed as ’sports’ aids, etc.

In other words, I tend to agree w/Rebecca that he’ll be surrounded by the nutrition gurus he needs, and may bring a fresh approach to unveil some of the market conditions and food supply issues on the vested interest/lobbyist front…One can only hope. (er…like the good ol’ HFCS conundrum)

My favorite book on this stuff?

Michele Simon’s “Appetite for Profit” which is written in a fun, humorous tone jam-packed with relevant data and info. (kinda like your own blog, here!)

Here’s my post w/a link to her book & a bit about “marketing mindfulness” to teach kids media literacy in their nutrition choices via hands-on games: http://www.shapingyouth.org/blog/?p=206

Thanks again for the insights…I’ll be back!

Wait, let me guess…

Thanks for stopping by. I think my problem with Wansink’s appointment is that psychology can be a supplement to good nutritional advice, but it is not a substitute for it. The one thing he said that rang true is that every one of us makes 200 decisions about what to eat every day. I can identify with that; every day I have to decide not to eat things I know are bad for me. Brownies and bread are still in the stores, and sometimes people make them homemade, which adds an etiquette problem to the mix. I don’t have physical cravings for carbs any more, but I am surrounded by psychological factors. I don’t dispute that.

But with all the psychological tricks in the world, I’m powerless to make a good decision if no one has given me good information - the situation we’ve faced with the government’s dietary guidelines since at least 1977. Wansink may have nutritionists working for him - I hope it’s true - but how can he say whether a nutrition policy is sound when what he really knows is how to persuade people? It’s his job to tell us WHAT to eat, and I don’t think he’s qualified.

Hi, Jennifer,

I’m glad you like the yogurt/flax snack. Yesterday I had flax oil in my berry smoothie (3/4 cup unsweetened frozen mixed berries, a little water, and a tablespoon of flax), and I was surpised at how tasty it was. Only you can say whether potatoes and polenta affect your weight, your blood pressure, your cholesterol levels, and your general health. However, any standard biochemistry textbook will tell you two facts that may give you pause: insulin is the primary fat storage hormone; and carbohydrates cause an increase in insulin production. For a great many of us, though, all carbs (except cellulose) really are alike, so the trick is to eat foods that are low in non-fiber carbohydrate.

In the two years I’ve been doing Atkins I’ve eaten a larger variety of foods than I ever did in the 32 years preceding them. My latest discovery/obsession is fennel. I usually try something new at least once a month.

And one of the upsides from not having my tastebuds dulled by sugar is that things I never used to like, things like olives and coconut, are now some of my favorite foods.