They do it with carbohydrates, sugars in particular, but also starchy carbs generally. They're addictive. Big food figured that out some time ago. So now Americans eat way too much carbs, which leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Salt is also addictive. Manipulating "mouth feel," they can get you hooked on just about any of the bad stuff.

An interview with the author, Michael Moss, was just aired this week...

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2013/02/26/172969363/how-the-food-industry-manipulates-taste-buds-with-salt-sugar-fat

Yes, and salt.

We'll probably see the day when these guys are sued like the tobacco companies have been sued.

We'll probably see the day when these guys are sued like the tobacco companies have been sued.

They should be.
And we wonder why health care costs are enormous.
Is this the American way now, make people sickly, unhealthy and then make a profit off of the ill ones? Quite a racket if that is the case.
I feel sorry for the children who have no choice but to eat what is put before them.
Right now in our city, "teeth" and fluoride needed for teeth is the big issue.
I would say good nutrition for the whole body and health is a priority over dumping fluoride into the water. This is not a pharmaceutical grade of fluoride either. This is to be a topical application for those who want it, even warnings on toothpaste with fluoride say it is not to be swallowed.
Do the research.
In my opinion, this may be another example of where economics is trumping over human values and health and using children's teeth to convince the population to vote for medicating our drinking water. Children tug at our heartstrings, yet how much do we really do with integrity for the children?

I recently discovered that my favorite drink has sucralose in it. I did some research and found how bad the stuff is - all artificial sweeteners actually make people fat. By eating foods that are closer to their original fresh state, the healthier and less fattening they are. And once you are off the sugar and salt for awhile, food actually tastes better - my strawberries are sweeter, and my peanuts don't need any salt. And I can't believe I just said that!

But I have a right to eat whatever I want, whenever. Yum, yum! With extra sauce. And it ain't my fault since I'm an addict. And somebody else made me do it.

In sum:
I have rights but no self control since I'm a victim addict and its not my fault.

Salt? I know a woman whose doctor told her to use more (MORE) salt--she needed it. I don't use it mineownself.

And it's just horrendous how the industry makes things that taste good and we like. Why they don't make everything taste like rutabaga, brussells sprouts, and liver is just beyond my ken.

If legislatures were smart (I know that's a leap), they would tax a food item based on its potential to cause harm.

For example, soft drinks would not be banned, but just taxed to pay for all the bad effects down the road. Thus the cost of obesity and other food-related health costs would be borne by those choosing to eat those products.

Of course there are so many slimey snakes crawling about, it is likely that the definition of healthy food would get turned on its head - like declaring that Aspartame (a horrible, horrible additive brought to you by none other than Donald Rumsfeld) would be declared safe.

'Democracy Now' devoted at least 1/2 of the hour show to an interview on Friday....very interesting. Even when faced with the undeniable harm it's causing they seem to be unable to resist the profits and amend their ways. One ex-ceo of the big soda companies was too ethical to work there and has now moved on to be involved in a healthier food company. I've heard a little about all this but it's still an eye opener, especially with the 'magic of salt'. It's definitely about addiction because even when people know it's bad, it's hard to stop.

There are many foods that are safe to eat, nutritious and actually taste good.

Who's responsible for instilling good eating habits in children and adults?

In a similar vein, who is responsible for teaching our children as they develop that they:
- shouldn't steal?
- shouldn't trespass?
- should respect others?
- shouldn't kill?
- should help there fellow man?

etc.

I realize that not every home has a good, nurturing parent. Unfortunately, can't really legislate that.

Kinda late to start to address this when children and adults already don't know these basic values and life skills...

Yet, many somehow figure it out.

Corporations don't cause social costs - gay people and bicyclists do. In response to an article based on science, no less. Hmmm... perhaps that line of thinking contributed equally to Barry winning. Last I checked the economics textbooks on my shelf, they made clear that without certain taxes or an effective system for compensation of externalities, some markets fail to account for all costs and therefore malfunction. Oh, and we subsidize these companies' inputs (except for sugar, which is artificially expensive in the US due to tariff protection for sugar producers).