“The Plate,” National Geographic • July 12, 2016
Bad health can be linked to wheat, corn, dairy and meat—and a range of foods currently subsidized by the government. That was the catchy finding that researchers announced last week with a study showing a correlation between an increased consumption of subsidized foods and health problems like obesity and high cholesterol. But is it actually the farm subsidies that make people eat those foods?
“The Plate,” National Geographic • April 7, 2016
A red-suited superhero alights on top of his foe, bringing his fist down with a blow that smashes his enemy to smithereens. The foe’s name, though, isn’t the Joker or Lex. It’s diabetes. Continue reading “New Ally in the Fight Against Diabetes Wears a Cape”
“The Salt,” National Public Radio • March 17,2016
When it comes to school breakfasts, two is better than none, says a new report released Thursday in the journal Pediatric Obesity.
Researchers tracked nearly 600 middle-school students from fifth to seventh grade, looking to see if students ate no breakfast; ate breakfast at home or school; or ate both — and whether that affected obesity rates. The result: Weight gain among students who ate “double-breakfast” was no different than that seen among all other students. Meanwhile, the risk of obesity doubled among students who skipped breakfast or ate it inconsistently. Continue reading “2 Breakfasts May Be Better Than None For School Kids”
“The Salt,” National Public Radio • Sept. 19, 2015
If you are looking for proof that Americans’ vegetable habits lean towards french fries and ketchup, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has it: Nearly 50 percent of vegetables and legumes available in the U.S. in 2013 were either tomatoes or potatoes. Lettuce came in third as the most available vegetable, according to new data out this week. Continue reading “The U.S. Doesn’t Have Enough Of The Vegetables We’re Supposed To Eat”
Americans are eating healthier, smoking less, exercising more, and living longer than ever before–but only if they can afford it. Continue reading “Is Healthy Living Only for the Rich?”
NPR The Salt • May 11, 2015
If you think trade deals are just about business, think again. They can also have a sweeping effect on how people eat. Take all those avocados, watermelon and cervezasfrom Mexico we now consume, and the meat and feed corn for livestock we send there in exchange.
The Obama administration hasn’t shared much detail about the provisions in its controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership, the free trade deal between the U.S. and 11 countries currently being negotiated. But if it’s anything like prior free trade agreements, two things are likely, trade experts say. Continue reading “What Could The Pacific Trade Deal Mean for Diets?”
Thank You Democracy • March 18, 2015
I enjoyed chiming in with Jefferson Davis for this radio show, Thank You Democracy, out in Portland, OR. You can listen to the whole show here.
HuffPost Live • Nov. 21, 2014
“Is it Whole Foods’ job to help poor people eat well?” they asked me on HuffPost Live.
“Only when the CEO starts saying it is,” says I.
Continue reading “HuffPost Live: Can Whole Foods Feed the Poor?”
Weekends With Alice Witt, MSNBC • Sept. 8, 2014
A new study shows the food gap between the rich and the poor has worsened. I joined Alex Witt to discuss on MSNBC Weekend.
National Geographic.com • Sept. 1, 2014
The diets of low-income Americans have worsened in the past decade, even as the diets of the wealthiest Americans have improved, according to a new study that is among the first to measure changes in diet quality over time by socioeconomic status. Overall diet quality in the United States remains poor, said the lead author of the study, published Monday in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine. Continue reading “Gap in Diet Quality Between Wealthiest and Poorest Americans Doubles, Study Finds”
