The Men Who Made Us Fat series (streaming, Academic Video Online)
Around the world, obesity levels are rising – more people are now overweight than undernourished. Journalist Jacques Peretti explores the profitable ways eating habits have been revolutionised over the last 40 years. Travelling to the USA, he learns about a sweetener championed in the 1970s to make use of the excess corn grown by farmers but now known to interfere with the hormone that controls appetite.
He reveals the history of 'supersizing', a concept that boosted both food consumption and profits, and speaks with industry professionals about the introduction of value meals, king-size snacks and multi-buy promotions. Examining assumptions about what is and is not healthy, Peretti also explores developments in dietary advice and the power of marketing and advertising on the choices we make.