"The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food," by Michael Moss in the New York Times

[lion]

"The Extraordinary Science of Addictive Junk Food"

[JDawgBBall9]

I read this yesterday, an absolutely fascinating article on the science and business behind what goes on behind closed doors at companies like Pepsi, Frito-Lay, and Oscar Meyer. I'd recommend it to almost everybody on this board.

[DonRocks]

I read this yesterday, an absolutely fascinating article on the science and business behind what goes on behind closed doors at companies like Pepsi, Frito-Lay, and Oscar Meyer. I'd recommend it to almost everybody on this board.

Not just everybody on this board; everybody in the world. This is as important as "Fast Food Nation" which was (and is) an extremely important book.

This article makes me sad because there's a hopeless aura surrounding it, and I personally observe our nation's children becoming fatter and fatter, and it's not their fault.

You read an occasional article about high school courses being given about how to manage personal finances and balance a checkbook; you hear almost nothing about courses being taught teaching children about nutrition, and to be aware of their decisions about eating. This is much more important than any AP Calculus course.

Big Food = Cigarettes, and the executives and scientists knowingly contributing to childhood obesity are guilty of homicide.

[weezy]

excellent article. Thanks for the link!

[jayandstacey]

Unsafe at any feed. A good read - I look forward to the movie.

[lperry]

Now I want Cheetos.

[SeanMike]

Now I want Cheetos.

That's all I've been able to think about since that article.

[jayandstacey]

Now I want Cheetos.

Yeah, through the whole article I was scarfing down a bag of kettle corn. But I bought it at Whole Foods so I'm sure it's good for me.

[thetrain]

You read an occasional article about high school courses being given about how to manage personal finances and balance a checkbook; you hear almost nothing about courses being taught teaching children about nutrition, and to be aware of their decisions about eating. This is much more important than any AP Calculus course.

For what its worth, in my public middle school fifteen years ago we had to take a cooking class that covered everything from food safety to nutrition and food preparation. Also, my science fair project in 7th grade was an analysis of the old food pyramid that was used at the time to teach nutrition. I created huge spreadsheets, crunched the numbers and found a person following the old pyramid would ingest too many calories, too much fat, and would be deficient in several nutrients according to the RDA amounts suggested by the government. Also, they would get 300% of the RDA for vitamin C. The old pyramid model was changed some years back, but I'm sure many were taught with a flawed model.

Now I want Cheetos.

For a heightened snack experience, dip them in helluva good jalapeno cheddar dip.

[Pat]

Now I want Cheetos.

Reading it didn't have that effect on me (and I used to be able to eat nacho cheese Doritos in copious quantities) but you and the others below are not alone: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/02/20/will-you-pass-your-junk-food-addictions-on/

[Banco]

The opening paragraph reminded me of the infamous Apalachin meeting of Mafia bosses in 1957.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apalachin_Meeting

[ktmoomau]

In college I took a very in dept nutrition class where you learned the difference between fat soluble and water soluble vitamins, what each vitamin and nutrient did for your body, where it was processed, and a host of other things. It was an amazing class- much more math and science than I thought when I signed up for the course- but I am so glad I took it. I think a class like that would be really beneficial and actually add to the current science curriculum taught in many high schools. It really taught me so much. I grew up with a Mom who ran a wellness together program and was always fairly wellness oriented, but it taught me so much I didn't know.

[cajcaj]

I haven't yet read the full article, but the topic reminds me of a very interesting book I read a few years ago - as I recall it really described the science behind what makes us crave certain foods and how their compositions are read as delicious/irresistible by us. http://www.amazon.com/End-Overeating-Insatiable-American-Appetite/dp/B004NSVE32/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361566559&sr=1-1#_