Since the American heart Association (AHA) has linked saturated fat consumption with heart disease in 1961, government officials and politicians launched a campaign in support of products that are low in fat.
Despite this, obesity is increasing at an alarming rate and cardiovascular diseases remain a major cause of death in the United States, says Jose Nino, a Venezuelan-American political activist, in an article published on the website of the Institute Ludwig von Mises.
The administration of U.S. President Donald trump announced the continuation of the policy in the field of nutrition, which was adopted under Barack Obama.
This new policy includes the mandatory marking of calories on restaurant menus and a new “facts about nutrition” on the packaging of food products.
American food policy has not only created barriers to entry in certain sectors of the food industry and damaged consumer welfare, but also stimulated the business community to achieve policy that meets their interests.
This creates a scenario of institutional inertia. First, scientists publish the results that support the agenda of the entrenched interest groups. Then the government rewards manufacturers that follow these rules, providing them with subsidies and acceptance.
Since the United States became more actively pursue food policy in 1961, the rates of obesity among American men and women has increased significantly. Of course, this does not prove causation, but it suggests that government intervention has not helped to reduce levels of obesity, says Nino.
The trend of overweight, obesity and extreme obesity among men and women aged 20-74 years: United States, 1960-1962 in 2013-2014 source: the national Institute of diabetes, digestive diseases, and kidney
Many experts say about the benefits of products low in fat and the benefits of reducing salt intake. However, researchers Nina Teicholz and James Dinicolantonio claim that such a diet can harm the health.
Similarly, the designation of the caloric content does not change significantly the behavior of people when choosing food. As noted by Julie downs, lead author of the “American journal of public health” (AJPH), in 2016, the calories in menu “in reality, little or no effect on the behavior of people when ordering”.
In these cases, important incentives, says Nino. When the government will no longer dictate food policy, civil society organisations and business will fill the void, providing consumers with the necessary information and resources to make informed decisions on nutrition.
