SOC 808 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Market Economy, French Paradox, Governmentality

• School: Ryerson University
• Department: Sociology
• Course: SOC 808
• Professor: Mustafa Koc

Document Summary

Obesity epidemic: we have equal numbers of people suffering hunger or over-weight: 1 billion each. Increased consumption of more energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods with high levels of sugar and saturated fats, combined with reduced physical activity, have led to obesity rates. Decline in energy expenditure: labor-saving devices, from automobiles to e-mail, It has been suggested that the consequences of urban sprawl include increased reliance on automobiles, decreased motivation to walk to destinations, and reduced opportunities for exercise because of the time required to travel to recreational facilities. Fix public school obesity by: fast food operations in close proximity to schools deal with aggressive saturation advertising high in fat, sugar, and salt. Other factors in obesity: high fructose corn syrup organophosphates. Imperative of the agri-food system encourage people to consume more of highly profitable (value-added) food items. Winson (2102) mentions the role of pseudo-foods, differential profits, corporate concentration, mass advertising and product differentiation and spatial colonization in this process.