Notes
Slide Show
Outline
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Key Messages
  • Food industry holds the keys to solving the obesity crisis
  • Your work is commendable, but falling short
  • Things you can do
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"You represent the Defenders"


  • You represent the Defenders
  • I am here to try to help you understand:
    • How the food industry thinks and makes their decisions
    • How you can motivate and drive them to doing what’s best for the public good
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Obesity Playing Field
Perceived Roles


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Obesity Playing Field
Primary Motivations


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Obesity Playing Field
Political Skews


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Current Model
  • Industry
  • Consumer health per se is not the primary driver
    • Must make money to survive and flourish
    • Not rewarded by their shareholders just for going healthier
    • Quarterly earnings pressures push short term agendas
  • Historically, industry resistant to change, especially restaurants
  • Positions have been passive and not proactive
    • “Offer healthy options”
    • “Consumers responsible for themselves”

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Current Model
  • Defenders
  • Skeptical of industry’s willingness to change
    • Perhaps jaded by industry resistance to proposed changes
  • Lack financial arrows in their quiver to educate the public


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Current Model
  • Defenders
  • Skeptical of industry’s willingness to change
    • Perhaps jaded by industry resistance to proposed changes
  • Lack financial arrows in their quiver to educate the public
  • Perceived as absolute/draconian
    • Good vs. bad foods
    • Bans
    • Taxation

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The Defenders


  • Education
    • Not enough $ to counter marketing budgets of large food corporations
    • Food Pyramid Guidelines difficult to interpret
      • Emphasis on ingredients not end products
      • Serving sizes still misunderstood
      • Confusing – worst, not best foods at top (apex)
    • On-package nutritional labeling required by NLEA has not stemmed tide of rising obesity
    • Programs pushing fruits & vegetables have not increased frequency and consumption in the last decade
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The Defenders


    • School vending machine initiatives underway to replace/reduce high calorie beverages and snacks
    • Trans fats banned in select municipalities and California
    • Calorie counts on restaurant chain menu boards in New York City
      •  80% of consumer experienced “sticker shock”

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Current Model
  • Consumers
  • Consumers challenged to change their behavior
    • Failed diets
    • Lack of exercise/movement
    • Stressed (time; mentally; physically)
    • Convenience Culture
    • Nutritionally confused
    • Most lack the discipline to say “No” (1)
      • Only a minority plans/is structured enough to follow through
      • Not an issue of “Should” – they know they should eat better







  • (1) Source: Myers-Briggs Type Indicator
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Results: America Still getting fatter
      • No state recorded an obesity rate of 20% or higher in 1990; today only 1 state (Colorado) boasts an obesity rate under 20%!


      • Southern tier in more dire straights
        • Obesity rates in every state except Florida and Virginia @ 25% or more
        • The only 3 states with obesity rates exceeding 30% are in the South


      • Jury still out on newer initiatives




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Implications
  • Public health and regulatory initiatives are crucial….but alone will not get the job done
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Epicenter of the Problem


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So How Do We Address This?



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So How Do We Address This?
    •  Industry               must make $...RESPONSIBLY




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So How Do We Address This?
    •  Industry               must make $...RESPONSIBLY


    •  Defenders               focus on guidelines not how-to’s;  acknowledge corporations must make a profit




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So How Do We Address This?
    •  Industry               must make $...RESPONSIBLY


    •  Defenders               focus on guidelines not how-to’s;  acknowledge corporations must make a profit


    •  Consumers               passengers; let them eat “healthier” cake



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So How Do We Address This?
  • Help the food industry profit from selling healthier food rather than penalizing them
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A Modest Approach
  • Defenders, with industry/associations, identify what  the goals are
    •  Set overarching Guidelines
    •  With timelines or milestones
    •  Provisions for non-compliance


  • Food industry figures out how to solve the problem
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Primary Goal
  • Focus on reducing calories across company portfolios
    • Other offenders like fat/sugars reduced by default








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(Dietary) Energy Policy
  • Example Guideline: A company’s weighted # of calories per product across its portfolio must be (X) within 5 years
    • Comparable to Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFÉ) standards (Average 35 mpg by 2020)




      • Why? Not enough automobile fuel (oil), too much  dietary fuel (calories)



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Case Examples
  • Example #1 - School Vending
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Case Examples
  • Example #1 - School Vending
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Case Examples
  • Example #1 - School Vending
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Case Examples
  • Example #1 - School Vending
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Case Examples
  • Example #2 – Controlled Calorie Packs
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Case Examples
  • Example #2 – Controlled Calorie Packs
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Case Examples
  • Example #3a – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3a – Restaurant Initiatives
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Can This Be Implemented?


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Case Examples
  • Example #3b – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3b – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3b – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3c – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3c – Restaurant Initiatives
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“Weapons of Mass Consumption”
Example
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Case Examples
  • Example #3c – Restaurant Initiatives
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Case Examples
  • Example #3c – Restaurant Initiatives
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Will Industry Go For This?
  • Must show them that not trying to truncate their profits
    • Just want them to lower the calories for the public good
  • Must even the playing field – Guidelines must apply to all chains/large players
  • Don’t get caught up in the details


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What Else Can You Do?


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The Southern Block
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The Way to Win-Win
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Stuffed: The Role of the Food Industry                   in Obesity Prevention