Complicit in consumption: Hank Cardello on America’s fat war
Hank Cardello knows why two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and how they got there. But he hasn’t been spying on gym-goers or raiding household kitchens: before he was an anti-obesity advocate, Cardello spent decades helping to make us fat.
For thirty years, Cardello was an executive at several major food players, including General Mills and Coca-Cola, and got his start in an era where nutrition wasn’t even on their corporate radar. But why should it have been? Portion sizes were smaller, Americans still cooked more than they ate out, and only a fraction of our nation was suffering the chronic health effects of an unhealthy body weight.
Fast forward to 2009, and Cardello has left his former career and launched a new one, as an advocate for health reform – with the onus on the food manufacturers as the central tenet of his activism. They’re only one cog in a complex machine of corporation, governance and consumer culture, but Cardello’s years of experience have convinced him that targeting the brains behind the crisis is the only way to solve America’s bulging waistline.
Cardello recently published a book that gets into the nitty-gritty of our food – from grocery store tactics to government meddling to the cupcake controversy over in-school treats. Stuffed: An Insider’s Look at Who’s Really Making America Fat, also offers Cardello’s prescription for a healthier future. And, to my surprise, consumers are largely off-the-hook, with Cardello suggesting that companies with financial incentive to rethink their products are our ticket back to slimmer waists.
I talked to Cardello about his background, his book and why he’s so intent on targeting the top dogs.
In 2007, New York made headlines by mandating that chain restaurants label menus with caloric content. Where do you stand on the initiative to pump consumers full of numbers at the dinner table?
What’s going on in New York will go national, I have no doubt of that. And consumers everywhere are in for some sticker shock, when they find out what’s in their restaurant meals. I generally dislike government involvement in our food, but in this case, consumers should have that knowledge.
Taste is the number one selling point for food, and value comes a close second. Health, unfortunately, is way down the list for consumers. I don’t know that menu labels will change those priorities, but at least the information is there.
Part of your prescription to combat the “obesity epidemic” includes more foods that have been fortified or supplemented using artificial means. But should we really be endorsing more omegas in our orange juice instead of choosing natural ways to nourish ourselves?
It’s sad but true: we, as consumers, have not done a good job at managing our health. Those who walk the talk, who eat their greens and skip dessert, are in a vast minority. I applaud companies for delivering less processed foods, but we can’t overlook the number one problem: obesity. That’s not being addressed by the folks making natural products. Consider a product like POM juice. It’s got 160 calories, compared to 90 in a serving of Coca-Cola.
That’s why I have no problem with “a healthier junk food” – nutraceutical food, if you will. Anything to get people their nutrients and to lower their calorie intake. Other colleagues of mine are more utopian, but the obesity problem is happening and worsening now.
You describe Whole Foods, and other “organic” retailers, as “cultivat[ing] an image that makes you trust” them. Would you say these grocery stores are more manipulative towards consumers than the typical outlet, because of that false confidence they instill?
All grocery stores are merchandisers, bottom line. And I think Whole Foods often walks their talk: they do deliver what they promise. The food is fresher, they have local products, and so on. But they’re missing the point. The point is obesity.
I wouldn’t call them manipulative, because they’re like any other merchandiser looking to the bottom line. But are organic Kettle Chips better for you? Will they solve the obesity crisis? Of course not! Read labels. Really read them: I truly believe it comes down to calories, and organic chips are no different.
I must say, I’m not convinced that consumers shouldn’t be shouldering more responsibility for their own weight problems. Can’t people get it together? Eat better? Exercise? Is it really that hard?
In a perfect world, no. But the operate word is “should.” Should people get it together? Yes. But it’s been shown that solutions relying on consumer change don’t stick. Unless someone has the discipline of Jack LaLanne, they won’t stick to a regemin.
Absolutely, sure it ticks me off. But I’m about solutions. And I think we can find those by changing the industry behind the food, instead of the people eating it. And that means changing the incentive for profit, to get portion sizes smaller and more functional foods on the market.
Your goal is to transform how our country eats, through the food manufacturers. How do you intend to make it happen?
I’m working towards a tax credit in the industry to lower the caloric content of their products. I base that argument on one fact: obesity is a supply crisis. Since the 1950’s, there’s been a 29 percent increase in available calories. Cut down on available calories, without creating depravity – that’s why diets don’t work, consumers don’t want to feel deprived – and you’ll see results.
There’s a lot of talk about taxing soft drinks. Sure, it sounds great. But those are 7 percent of the calories we take in, and taxing them assumes that everyone will just switch to water. But studies point out that even taxes as high as cigarette rates won’t stop people from buying soda. Again, it’s not the consumers who will change. It’s the people behind the scenes.
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Nice interview Katie, I’ve now got the book on my list. But so far I don’t buy his nutraceutical solution, nor the assumption that healthy food choices are comparatively less satisfying. Rather than lowering the calories in junk food through tax credits maybe the answer is making it easier to eat locally and seasonally so that more people can get more satisfaction from fewer calories.
Thanks Todd! And the book is very interesting – definitely one to add to the list.
I admit, I don’t buy the nutraceutical idea either. I’ve found that eating “modified” foods really manipulates my hunger cues and my body chemistry, if you will. I’ve found, as you say, that the most satisfaction comes from eating whole foods. But he is right to suggest that obesity is a crisis *now* – so maybe a short-term incentive solution is a viable option.
In response to another comment. See in context »Ms. Drummond,
While that was an interesting interview I did not get the “how” of the whole thing. You wrote that “Hank Cardello knows why two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, and how they got there” but I did not see where it was that explained, or more specifically, how the food industry is driving the process. I certainly see that making food taste as good as possible and as inexpensive as possible is what the industry is about but I do not see immediately how that translates into an obesity epidemic.
Hi David. Thanks for the comment. I could have expanded on Cardello’s views – he lays them out quite extensively in his book (so maybe I’m encouraging readers to pick it up?).
In a nutshell, Cardello witnessed – first hand – how the food industry boosted portion sizes, created convincing advertising and product placement, and so on. That’s what he refers to as the “supply crisis” – the industry offered more more more…and consumers took the bait, and ate ate ate. (And I made a rhyme).
I can’t disagree with him that the industry is behind a lot of the unfortunate transformations in how America eats. But I am skeptical that we consumers are relieved of so much of the responsibility for our own health.
In response to another comment. See in context »Even if all this is true who do we blame for taking these kids to mcdonalds burger king wendys and giving them sweets instead of love and attention? I think thats where we go wrong in america. We lack patience when we deal with our children. We give them less attention but more food!!!!
In response to another comment. See in context »Katie, there’s an amazing Cornell study that backs up your assertion about some of the onus being on consumers, but it also lends credibility to the “supply crisis” argument.
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov05/popcorn.pigs.ssl.html
In a nut: people presented with massive tubs of popcorn ate more of it than popcorn supplied in smaller containers — even if the popcorn was obviously stale.
Thanks Mike, this is an interesting study. I remember reading about it a few years ago, but Cardello doesn’t mention or cite it in his book.
I’m just puzzled about the supply crisis idea – are people really these mindless eating drones? Perhaps I’m just young, naive and hate stale popcorn.
In response to another comment. See in context »Hi Katie….Most recent research on portion size suggests that, to some degree, we actually are mindless eating drones. Some of the satiety signals are coming from several places in the brain that aren’t controlled by conscious thought and are reflexive responses to the amount of food we see in front of us. There are some awesome studies happening at the Tufts University Human Nutrition Labs, where researchers are trying to connect the dots between hunger, obesity and the US food stream.
I have no doubts that the food industry has some responsibility for the obesity epidemic. So many unhealthy things are marketed as healthy..Vitamin Water anyone? However, an informed consumer would READ THE LABEL on the vitamin water and see that this stuff is not much better than a can of pop. I am a recovering obese person. In 2003 I weighed 285 pounds and I was still eating fried chicken, greens and baked macaroni and cheese. I’m not sure if it was denial or ignorance that made me think that since I had all of the food groups represented that this meal was healthy! It was when my children were diagnosed with food allergies that I began my journey to good nutrition and becoming an informed consumer. I was picked on today because I was eating a sandwich with hummus, carrots, sprouts and greens, while all of my co-workers were eating pizza. Just last night I as explaining to someone about the mercury in tuna. I’ve become so profoundly aware of every bite of food that I choose to put into my mouth, but in a way it is alienating me from the general public because they just don’t get it. There are so many people who do not read labels not just for caloric, fat and sodium intake, but to ensure that they are getting all of the essential vitamins and minerals needed. People don’t associate that food from animals contains cholesterol which leads to heart attack. They need their “protein” and they are oblivious to the fact that there are healthier sources of protein available. This is 2009 and information is readily available. I find it sad that so many people are still so misinformed in regards to their own health and well being. To me this is sadder than the companies who make the junk food. If consumers would educate themselves and start caring, they would stop buying the junk food. Obesity crisis solved.
Polly. Thank you for sharing your story and for the comment. I totally agree – informed, proactive consumers who *demanded* healthy food from companies *would* solve problem. But in Cardello’s experience, people like you are a huge exception. Do you have any ideas on how people could go through a transformation akin to your own?
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