Obesity Archives - Page 2 of 4 - World Food Policy Center

E141: Gary Sacks on Curbing Corporate Control of the Food System

September 22, 2021

Think for a moment about how much influence the food and agriculture industries have over food policy. Too much influence, too little influence, maybe? People look at this in very different ways. One thoughtful voice in this discussion is today’s guest, Gary Sacks, a person who has written extensively on corporate influence on food policy. He has considered corporate control of the food system, running the gamut from global brand consolidation to lobbying and direct involvement in policymaking to actual litigation against country governments, seeking to curb corporate influence. He asks a very key question, is it pastime to question the outsize role of food corporations in our lives? Dr. Gary Sacks is associate professor at the Global Obesity Center at Deakin University in Australia. His research focuses on policies for improving population diets and preventing obesity and he has coauthored international food policy reports, such as the Lancet Commission on Obesity and several reports for the world health organization on obesity prevention.

E142: Recognizing the Connection Between Obesity and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

September 15, 2021

A paper published recently by the journal Obesity Reviews brings attention to the role of EDCs – endocrine disrupting chemicals – in weight gain, and in the very high rates of obesity around the world. The results of this review are enlightening and alarming, I must say, even to the two of us who wrote the paper. Our guest today is the lead author of the paper, Dr. Timothy Lobstein. Tim recently retired as director of policy at the World Obesity Federation in London, UK, and is currently visiting professor at Sydney University in Australia. He is an advocate scholar and policy expert, and one of the world’s most effective and impactful voices in addressing obesity. He has several decades experience on obesity efforts around the world, working with groups, such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Agency UNICEF. And in 2020, he was the inaugural winner of the Philip James award.

Related podcasts: Childhood Obesity | Food Industry Behavior & Marketing | Food Safety & Food Defense | Obesity |

E127: Paarlberg Tackles Misinformation about Food We Grow and Eat

May 5, 2021

Today’s guest, Dr. Robert Paarlberg, is the author of a provocative new book entitled: Resetting the Table: Straight Talk About the Food We Grow and Eat. The book is presented as a clear-eye, science-based corrective, to misinformation about our food: how it’s produced, food companies, nutrition labeling, ethical treatment of animals, the environmental impact of agriculture, and even more.

E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life

February 16, 2021

At a conference on early child development and nutrition – comprised of leading experts on brain development, child development and public policy – one of the most memorable things said, in my mind, was that “poor nutrition early in life confers a life sentence.” Those striking words were issued by today’s guest, Dr. Michael Georgieff the Executive Vice Chair of Pediatrics and head of the Neonatology Division at the University of Minnesota.

E99: How Soda Taxes Can Drive Equity and Community Wellbeing

November 17, 2020

Soda taxes now exist in about 50 countries around the world and in a number of US cities. They raise lots and lots of money. How would you suggest that the revenues be used? This podcast focuses on the connection between sugar-sweetened beverage taxes and racial and social equity. We’re speaking today with a champion of community-driven approaches to health equity and environmental justice. My guest is Xavier Morales, the executive director of The Praxis Project, the national organization headquartered in Oakland and dedicated to supporting communities, building power for health.

E71: Louise Metz on Weight Inclusive Medical Care

January 27, 2020

Weight stigma, bias and discrimination can have very profound impacts on individuals. Medical settings are a place where there are real opportunities to make change and today’s guest, Dr. Louise Metz is a change maker. She is passionate about providing weight-inclusive medical care, and committed to helping to change the paradigm surrounding the way we address weight and health.

E67: Weight Bullying Backfires and Causes Harm

Stigmatizing people based on factors such as race and sexual identity is being tolerated less and less. But what about stigmatizing people with issues that some believe are under personal control, such as use of drugs and alcohol or obesity? Can negative attitudes encourage people to change? Dr. Janet Tomiyama explains.

E51: Neena Prasad on the Sound Benefits of Soda Taxes

October 2, 2019

Imagine you’ve come to work for a major foundation and were asked to create a program on obesity prevention. With the vast array of possible things one might do, how in the world would you choose what might have the most impact, and what would be the most cost effective? This was the task of our guest Dr Neena Prasad, who joined Bloomberg Philanthropies in 2008.

E48: Maureen Black on Lasting Impact of Food Insecurity on Children

September 23, 2019

It is well known, and has been for many years, how prevalent food insecurity is in the U.S. and elsewhere. People are especially moved when they think of children who are malnourished. Our guest Dr Maureen Black is one of the world’s leading experts on nutrition and its impact on the health and development of children and on how to reduce health disparities by improving child nutrition.

E40: Cruel Impact of Weight Stigma

June 20, 2019

Think back to your time in school and try to remember how the overweight children were treated. It is possible that you were the subject of such treatment, but if not, imagine how this would feel and whether such experiences could have an indelible impact. What are the consequences of such treatment then and later in life? When people think of stigma, bias, discrimination factors such as gender, race, and age come to mind for most people, but not necessarily weight. And weight bias is a very important topic and has been the subject of an impressive body of research.

Related podcasts: Childhood Obesity | Obesity | Weight Stigma |

Podcast Topic: Obesity

The Leading Voices in Food

Podcast Topic: Obesity

E141: Gary Sacks on Curbing Corporate Control of the Food System

E142: Recognizing the Connection Between Obesity and Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals

E127: Paarlberg Tackles Misinformation about Food We Grow and Eat

E114: Why Nutrition is So Important In the First 1000 Days of Life

E99: How Soda Taxes Can Drive Equity and Community Wellbeing

E71: Louise Metz on Weight Inclusive Medical Care

E67: Weight Bullying Backfires and Causes Harm

E51: Neena Prasad on the Sound Benefits of Soda Taxes

E48: Maureen Black on Lasting Impact of Food Insecurity on Children

E40: Cruel Impact of Weight Stigma