Associate Professor and Director of the Institute for Health Policy and Politics at Lehigh University Eduardo J. Gómez chats with Trey Elling about JUNK FOOD POLITICS: HOW BEVERAGE AND FAST FOOD INDUSTRIES ARE RESHAPING EMERGING ECONOMIES. Topics include:
- The book’s inspiration (0:52)
- Why he focused on Mexico, Brazil, India, Indonesia, China, and South Africa (4:10)
- What he means by ‘junk food industry’ (5:15)
- How junk food politics is a two-way street (6:21)
- How the junk food industry is operating on its own fear (7:22)
- NAFTA’s influence on the rise of junk food consumption in Mexico (10:33)
- Why these countries’ presidents allow junk food to sway public health policy (12:19)
- Whether Mexico’s soda & junk food tax has helped (16:09)
- Coca Cola exploiting feminism in India (18:18)
- Why junk food consumption exploded in Brazil in the mid-1990s (19:49)
- Junk food’s influence on Brazil’s Zero Fome public health campaign (23:11)
- The role of India’s agricultural sector and food production in its junk food problems (25:59)
- India’s history of malnourishment harming parents’ perception of what makes for a healthy kid (27:33)
- India’s attempts to limit junk food around schools (29:55)
- Coca Cola’s roller coaster historical relationship with China (33:11)
- Snacking as a reflection of China’s unique history (35:20)
- Big Junk Food’s blatant marketing to kids in China (36:36)
- Coca Cola embedding itself into China’s academic community (38:40)
- Nelson Mandela’s initial hostility toward Coca Cola in the early 1990s (39:49)
- Indonesia unique relationship with junk foods& beverages (44:06)
- The Indonesian government’s revolving door problem (46:29)
- A country that does a good job combatting junk food politics for the good of public health (47:22)
- Whether Eduardo is optimistic or pessimistic about the future (52:12)