How Nutrition Activism Impacts Product Development

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How Nutrition ActivismImpacts Product Development
A Presentation for the Intermountain IFT 38th
Annual Meeting
Debra Kaminski, MS, RD Marketing Manager Basic
American Foods
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Objectives

• Define nutrition activism.
• Learn about some of the key players.
• Review outcomes
• Intended
• Unintended
• How is the food industry responding?

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Definition Nutrition Activism

• the doctrine or practice of vigorous action or
  involvement as a means of achieving
  nutrition-related goals, sometimes by
  demonstrations, protests, etc.
• Source Modification of definition for activism
  from dictionary.com

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Why does it matter?

• Major lobbying efforts are being conducted at the
  federal, state, and local levels.
• Gaining traction on the local levels.
• Major Example Trans Fat Calorie Labeling Law
  in NYC.

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Foodservice as Target
Keystone Center Forum
CSPI
Restaurant Industry
HHS
Activists
Fast Food Nation
Consumers
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Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI)
Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D. Executive
Director Ph.D. - Microbiology
Margo Wootan, DSc Director Nutrition Policy
Center B.S. - Nutrition Doctorate - Nutrition
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CSPI Mission Statement

• To provide useful, objective information to the
  public and policymakers and to conduct research
  on food, alcohol, health, the environment, and
  other issues related to science and technology.
• To represent the citizens interests before
  regulatory, judicial and legislative bodies on
  food, alcohol, health, the environment, and other
  issues and
• To ensure that science and technology are used
  for the public good and to encourage scientists
  to engage in public-interest activities.
• Source cspinet.org

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CSPI Stated Accomplishments

• Publishes the largest-circulation health
  newsletter in North America, Nutrition Action
• Trans fat labeling (and other labeling) on
  packaged foods
• Public changing choices of restaurant meals
• Major fast-food chains stopped frying with beef
  fat and introduced more healthful foods
• Stopping of deceptive ads
• Source cspinet.org

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CSPI Recent Efforts

• Trans Fat Legislation
• Sodium Letter sent to HHS Secretary, Michael
  Levitt and major restaurant chains. Large
  publication (Forgotten Killer) available on their
  web site (www.cspinet.org).
• Change salts regulatory status from Generally
  Recognized As Safe to food additive and set
  limits on the salt content of foods that provide
  the most salt to the average diet
• Require chain restaurants to disclose on menus
  and in brochures the sodium content of their
  foods
• Improve labeling of packaged foods to highlight
  those that are high in salt
• State by State (or City by City) Tactics Ex. NY
  City Health Department

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Educator Activist Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D.

• Professor of Psychology, Yale University
• Work focuses on etiology, prevention and
  treatment of obesity and eating disorders.
• Talks about toxic food environment and proposes
  sin tax for unhealthy foods.

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Educator Activist Marion Nestle, Ph.D.

• Professor of Nutrition, NYU
• Frequently quoted food industry critic
• Popular author

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Educator Activist Walter Willett, M.D., Dr. P.H.

• Chair, Department of Nutrition, Harvard School of
  Public Health
• Advocates an alternative food pyramid
• Large Studies Nurses Health Study and Health
  Professionals Follow-up Study

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Chef Activist Alice Waters

• Advocate of locally grown foods
• Edible Schoolyard programs
• Organic/locally grown foods at Yale

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Author Activist Eric Schlosser

• Author of

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A Bestseller Becomes a Movie
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The Restaurant Industry Responds
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Healthy Dining Sitewww.healthydiningfinder.com

• Partners
• National Restaurant Association
• Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC)
• Culinary Institute of America

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Healthy Dining Site
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Case Study - Restaurant

• Feature market-fresh seasonal foods
• lt 475 calories per menu item
• CSPI a great step forward . . . But the
  execution
• needs to be done better with regards to salt.

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Stealth Nutrition

• Example Incremental reductions of sodium
• Ragu Old World Style Pasta Sauces have 25 less
  sodium than three years ago.
• McDonalds does not always publicize its
  nutrition improvements, serving lower fat
  versions without ever declaring reduced fat on
  the packaging

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Stealth Nutrition

• It is a conundrum. Amid media attention and
  public outcry over high-sodium, high-fat, or
  highsugar products, of course companies want to
  share nutrition improvements with the public.
  But you have to be careful not to turn off
  consumers, especially those who have been loyal
  to your brand.
• Dr. Cathy Kapica, Ph.D., R.D.

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Intended Outcomes

• Trans fat labeling of packaged foods
• Trans fat reduced in many packaged foods
• Reduction of trans fat to less than 0.5 g in
  major cities for items purchased

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Unintended Outcomes/Consequences

• Trans fat was substituted for saturated fat
  because of the original outcry
• Saturated fat is being used as a substitute for
  trans fat for some foods marginal improvement
• Public perception that trans fat is the only fat
  that is unhealthy
• Public perception that a 0g trans fat product is
  fat free