Junking Junk Food

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“Junking Junk Food” Judith Warner Judith Warner’s, “Junking Junk Food”, discusses the eating habits in America and how the government is trying to urge a healthier lifestyle to the public. The Obama administration has declared war on unhealthful eating, and has been teaching Americans and children in healthier eating habits as part of Michelle Obama’s apolitical personal project as the first lady. Changing specific eating behaviors, without addressing that way of life, and without changing the culture of food is a difficult task. Warner discussed how Michelle Obama succeeded in enlisting some bipartisan support and some cooperation from the food industry. The Obama administration is taking on the central aspects of the American lifestyle, but the administration needs to present a healthier way of eating as a new, desirable and freely chosen option of the American way. Judith Warner included a great example on how the government tried to control what Americans consumed, which would be World War II rationing. The government spread the word of “eating differently” using it in a nutritional and psychological way to get Americans to donate their food to the men overseas. The Nutritional Board handled the nutritional aspect, as the psychology talked to the Committee on Food Habits. However, after the war, the work made by the Committee on Food Habits ended, but the nutritional advice was kept by the government. The wealth and knowledge about nutritional practices is what America walked out with, but no sense of cultural change to back it up. Cultural change is what offers the best hope for actually changing how Americans eat. “Junking Junk Food” had a reference to how cigarettes are now being portrayed as disgusting and addicting, versus being called cool and sexy, this same exact principal could be put on unhealthy food. Kessler said that it wouldn’t be an easy task

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