Obesogenic Environment

I ran across a new term today in the latest book I am reading by Darrin Nordahl (2009) entitled Public Produce which lays out the argument of how public lands may need to be used to grow food for communities if the agribusiness trends continue.  A term that appeared as the author was sharing data on how given the choice between spending $1 on a 400 calorie burger or a fresh peach those who live in impoverished areas will pick the burger to "get more for their food dollar" and that is indeed true when looking at the high obesity rates in the US.  Access to fast food over fresh food in far too many American cities has led the Center for Disease Control to label the American society as "obesogenic" which is a condition resulting from "environments that promote increased food intake, nonhealthful foods, and physical inactivity."  This claim is not so ridiculous when the data are presented as Nordahl is doing in his recently published book.

The question to all of us today is, "what are we going to do about it?"  Are we doing outreach in impoverished neighborhoods to show people how to eat better on tight budgets?  Are we active in our own classroom trying to motivate students to do their part and make a difference?  Or, is it business as usual as we condone the business practices of the fast food industry which may be profitable but at a cost to the American society, especially taxpayers who have to underwrite the ignorance of consumers and the greed of producers?  I know that I am doing my part by bringing disturbing trends to the awareness of my students.  I do not "warm up" to fast food merchants interested in hiring students.  I certainly do not support these businesses in my community.  The truth be told, if we do not stand up and do the right thing our industry will continue to pedal its crap to cash strapped ignorant consumers and instead promote local, healthy alternatives.

If wanted to read an article on obesogenics in the Public Health Nutrition Journal check out:
http://journals.cambridge.org/download.php?file=%2FPHN%2FPHN12_03%2FS1368980008002450a.pdf&code=e65b3c61318146d7e051a6bcc1b17fc3

Here is the intro to that paper which may inspire you to read further:

Understanding the determinants of diet and physical activity behaviour and how to measure them are necessary either in intervention studies or in policies aimed at the prevention of obesity. Environmental change is a prime driver of the obesity epidemic, a phenomenon termed the ‘obesogenic environment’(1,2). Worldwide we are experiencing a rise in food availability, food accessibility and sedentariness, which are all factors tightly coupled to overall economic growth and development.  More specifically, obesity has been causally linked to the high consumption of soft drinks(3), large portions of energy-dense fast foods(4), skipping breakfast, television viewing, low degree of physical activity and low intake of fruits and vegetables(5,6). These factors are behavioural and can be addressed through health education directed at individuals or groups. Unfortunately, such efforts have not shown much success(7,8)...