Nutrition

Part 1 of 3 – Learning Outcomes: Nutrition Perspectives

1. Demonstrate knowledge of human nutritional needs and the role of nutrition in improving individual health and the societal economic impact of food choices.

• Human nutritional needs encompass essential macronutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, as well as micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are crucial for maintaining bodily functions, preventing chronic diseases, and promoting overall well-being.
• On a societal level, good nutrition reduces healthcare costs and boosts productivity by fostering a healthier workforce. Conversely, poor nutrition can lead to increased medical expenses and decreased productivity due to nutrition-related illnesses.

2. Relate technological advancements in medicine and food production to the advancement of the science of human nutrition.

• Technological advancements such as genetic modification and precision agriculture have revolutionized food production by increasing efficiency and enhancing the nutrient content of crops.
• In medicine, innovations like personalized nutrition, which tailors dietary recommendations based on genetic profiles, are emerging. These advancements enable more precise and effective nutritional interventions, contributing to the overall advancement of human nutrition science.

3. Explain the impact that the food industry has on human food choices and the subsequent relationship to health and disease at the individual, societal, and environmental level.

• The food industry heavily influences consumer choices through marketing, product availability, and pricing strategies. This often leads to increased consumption of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods, contributing to health issues such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Societally, this exacerbates public health challenges and increases healthcare costs. Environmentally, practices like intensive farming can result in habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change, further impacting human health and ecological balance.

4. Provide examples of past and present nutrient and diet trends in modern society and the positive and/or negative implications on human health and the earth’s resources.

• Past trends like the low-fat diet craze of the 1980s and 1990s aimed to reduce heart disease but often led to increased sugar and refined carb intake, worsening obesity rates.
• Current trends such as ketogenic and plant-based diets show positive health outcomes when balanced but can be resource-intensive if not managed sustainably. For instance, excessive livestock farming for ketogenic diets can lead to significant environmental degradation, while monoculture practices for plant-based foods can reduce biodiversity.

5. Provide examples of positive and negative interactions of humankind with microorganisms regarding sickness, health, and food production.

• Positive interactions include the use of probiotics in foods to promote gut health and the beneficial fermentation processes that enhance nutrient availability and food preservation.
• Negative interactions involve pathogenic microorganisms like E. coli and Salmonella, which can cause severe foodborne illnesses, impacting public health and leading to economic losses in food industries due to recalls and decreased consumer confidence.

6. Address diet and nutrient issues and concerns for weight control, disease prevention, physical activity, food availability, and biotechnology.

• A balanced diet rich in whole foods is essential for weight control, disease prevention, and supporting physical activity. However, issues such as food deserts limit access to nutritious foods for some communities.
• Biotechnology offers potential solutions like biofortified crops that provide essential nutrients in regions with limited food variety. Understanding and addressing these issues can lead to improved public health outcomes and more equitable food availability.

Part 2 of 3: Post Original Assignment

Fast Food Nation

Back in 2001, Eric Schlosser published a real bombshell of a book called “Fast Food Nation.” In it, Schlosser laid out a scathing critique against the whole fast food industry. He dove deep into all the shady things they don’t want you to know about what goes on behind the scenes. From dirty meat packing plants to teenagers working fryers, his investigative reporting uncovered how the non-stop pursuit of profits in slinging burgers and nuggets contributes to a mess of societal troubles. These include health risks, labor exploitation, unfair market domination, and a culture ever more addicted to fast food consumption. Well over 20 years later, most of the same problems still plague the industry today. It just goes to show how ahead of its time Schlosser’s tell-all takedown remains. He saw the writing on the wall regarding the dangerous power these chains were amassing and the bleak implications for everyday Americans caught up in their greasy grasp.

“A main issue ‘Fast Food Nation’ casts light on is the shoddy health and safety standards that took root as mass production of food got bigger and bigger. Schlosser points to things like more nasty E. coli outbreaks making people sick traced to contaminated batches of beef or chicken sold across thousands of restaurants. He links this to greedy meat companies cramming livestock together on monster factory farms and using all sorts of drugs while cutting corners on cleanliness. The book also suggests the regulators and politicians who are supposed to be regulating and overseeing these places for dangers are largely political puppets in the pocket of the powerful food lobbies (Schlosser, 1).” So quality control keeps getting worse as profits come first. And that’s before the burger even reaches the zit-faced teen working the broiler who maybe just sneezed into their glove before handling your order. Schlosser’s book also singles out the labor exploitation propping up the whole business, from the processing plants to the drive-thru windows. He breaks down how the work behind fast food counters serves up low-paying gigs with zero benefits or room to move up. Union-busting efforts crush attempts by cooks and cashiers to fight for better treatment. Meanwhile, hog slaughtering and chicken hacking jobs already dangerous become downright deadly as bosses sacrifice safety for keeping thighs and wings zipping down the line. And good luck getting worker’s comp if you slip-slicing one too many mystery meat patties in a row at breakneck speeds. Schlosser further reveals how market domination by a few mega-corporations like Mcdonald’s crushes smaller chains and restricts consumer choice. Through shrewd sabotage maneuvers like flooding a new market with locations or operating at a loss, the giants block out most upstarts before they grab a foothold. Such dirty tricks rig the system to benefit billion-dollar brands while squeezing worker pay and restricting alternatives that could bring fairer wages. 20 years later, the rich CEOs have only gotten richer while the burger flipper still scratches by on crumbs.

“Fast Food Nation also inspects how major chains peddle influence across the globe and within everyday American life. Schlosser compared the expansion of U.S. fast food abroad to a form of cultural imperialism. He suggested planting the golden arches in over 100 countries amounted to forcing foreign lands to adopt American values rooted in greasy capitalism and instant gratification. At home, Schlosser highlighted how kiddie-targeted marketing spoons feed fast food loyalty starting as early as the playpen. He revealed sly ad campaigns deploying tricks like toys, playsets, and birthday parties to hook impressionable young minds on hyper-processed eats loaded with fat, salt, and sugar for life. Once they become lifelong customers, the cycles of overeating and chronic health issues get rolled out right along with the latest lava-hot chicken nugget special. On a wider level, the sheer omnipresence of fast food outlets on every corner and center of community life steers society towards dietary patterns dominated by drive-thru convenience. This normalization, Schlosser cautioned, would only make the chains more powerful and problems like the obesity epidemic harder to counter.

In total, “Fast Fast Food Nation” unpacked a Pandora’s box filled with the sickness at the core of the industrial fast food pipeline. Across measures of public well-being, labor rights, market competition, and cultural sway, Schlosser presented a muckraking deep dive into the ills of an unaccountable industry centered on getting the most people to consume the most burgers at the cheapest cost possible. The fact that high obesity, food poisoning cases, paltry wages, union opposition, and the steady global proliferation of U.S. fast food remain as troublesome today as decades ago shows just how accurate Schlosser’s warning proved to be. He saw that letting Ronald McDonald and his friends run wild would soon lead to clownish levels of exploitation that ultimately hurt vulnerable Americans caught in the crossfire. The book’s continued relevance serves as an urgent call for citizens and leaders to finally rein in regulatory loopholes these chains exploit and stand up for public welfare over fattening the multibillion-dollar corporations.

Beyond the issues already discussed, Schlosser’s book also critically examines the environmental impacts of industrialized fast-food systems. He points to the immense land, water, and energy inputs required to raise millions of cows and chickens on concentrated animal feeding operations. The gigantic waste lagoons from these factory farms leak pollution into waterways and groundwater. Deforestation to make land for grazing cattle also contributes to habitat loss. On the restaurant side, fast food outlets generate mountains of packaging waste from burger wrappers, drink cups, and plastic toys. Efforts to increase recycling have struggled to catch up to the exponential growth in single-use plastics pumped out by mega-chains seeking to lure customers with convenience. And the emissions from refrigerated transport and freezer storage to preserve all those burgers and nuggets then crisscrossing the country in diesel trucks only compounds the carbon footprint. Schlosser suggests the true environmental tolls of fast food supply chains remain obscured as corporations hide behind glossy PR campaigns touting recycling initiatives. But in reality, the mass production models powering the industry stand squarely at odds with sustainability. Until fast food leaders undergo a true green transition of business practices, their ever-expanding ecological footprint will grow more damaging.

In conclusion, the breadth of systemic problems laid bare by Schlosser’s explosive expose shows fast food chains fast-tracking society towards a bleaker future across measures of health, labor, market monopolization, environment, and more. The pursuit of endless growth above all else deforms the industry’s moral compass to wreak havoc unchecked. With more Americans fed by fast food than ever before, the need for accountability and intervention Schlosser demanded over 20 years ago has only become more urgent not less. Therefore, elected leaders must finally stand up to regulations and oversight with teeth to protect public interests. CEOs within the industry must also lead a revolution centered on fair labor standards, ethical production models, and sustainability, or else their brand risks becoming even more embroiled in scandal. Most of all, ordinary citizens retain immense power through conscientious consumer choices, civic engagement, and creative protest to force meaningful change from the outside. Through combined pressure, the fast food juggernaut can still change course towards a system delivering healthier, affordable fare to customers and workers alike in a manner that safeguards communities and environments for the long term. The deeper question “Fast Food Nation” poses is – how long will society stay complicit amid the stark truths of injustice churning behind the counter and within our eating habits to the point we can no longer stomach the consequences?

Part 3 of 3: Reflection

1. Make connections between what you studied in this nutrition course with what you’ve learned in other courses at SLCC or before.

• In my biology courses, I learned about the fundamental processes of the human body, which helped me understand the importance of various nutrients discussed in this nutrition course. For example, understanding cellular metabolism from biology made it easier to grasp how macronutrients are utilized for energy.
• Similarly, concepts from my chemistry classes, such as the chemical makeup of different nutrients, enhanced my understanding of how these nutrients interact within the body. This interdisciplinary approach enriched my overall comprehension of nutrition.

2. Reflect on how you thought about nutrition before you took this course and how you think about it now that the course is over.

• Before taking this course, I viewed nutrition primarily as a means to maintain a healthy weight. My understanding was limited to basic concepts like eating fruits and vegetables and avoiding junk food.
• Now, I appreciate the complexity of nutrition, recognizing its critical role in preventing chronic diseases, enhancing mental health, and improving overall quality of life. Assignments such as the Nutrition Perspectives paper and readings on current dietary trends were particularly influential in shaping this deeper understanding.
• Moving forward, I will approach nutrition with a more informed perspective, considering not only my personal health but also the broader societal and environmental impacts of my food choices.