Headlines (page398)

Claiming "the U.S. has become a hothouse for obesity," the Center for Science in the Public Interest's (CSPI) Michael Jacobson is pushing for new taxes on snack food and calorie listings on menus. ("Obesity in America," Nutrition Action Healthletter, March 2000.)

Seizing upon the so-called obesity "epidemic," Harper's Magazine hopelessly distorts the facts, joining the chorus of nannies blaming restaurants. "Fast food franchises are like San Francisco's old bathhouses - places where high-risk populations indulge in high-risk behavior," they write, without an iota of evidence or an ounce of shame.

The Iceland supermarket chain in Great Britain warned North American farmers that it will boycott all animal products that come from livestock reared on genetically engineered diets. "Farmers in America and Canada are about to sow. We want to send a message to them that we are serious about this and we want them to do something now," said an Iceland spokesman. No doubt, Iceland's activism is prompted by their chairman Malcom Walker, one of Greenpeace's major funders. ("Food store warns of extension to non-GM feed policy," Financial Times, 2/23/00.)

The Boston Globe's coverage of the genetically engineered food debate takes a wrong turn in this very anti-biotech article. The Globe doesn't acknowledge that Oldways Preservation & Exchange Trust (the source for the article) is the founder of Chef's Collaborative 2000, a radically anti-GE and anti-choice group of nanny chefs.

The nannies at the Farm Animal Reform Movement (FARM) have rounded up a roster of second-rate actors and unemployed "celebrities" to promote its 16th annual "Great American Meatout" on March 20. This year, FARM has also set its sights on school kids by pushing "easy, fun and effective" classroom lesson plans at every grade level to advance their militant vegetarian dogma. "Ultimately the movement toward healthier, kinder and sustainable food choices relies on education," FARM says.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest's fatally flawed "liquid candy" report on soda pops up once again. This time, it's an article that cites CSPI's junk science on soda at length, making wrongful accusations that school officials promote teenage obesity, caffeine addiction, attention-deficit disorder, anxiety and sleeplessness by accepting soda makers' support for school programs. In 1998, CSPI issued a retraction for the bad data in their attack on carbonated beverages, but the flawed "study" keeps showing up.

Canadian columnist Tommy Schnurmacher takes a hard look at the "anti-science witch hunt" stalking genetically engineered food producers. He decries the fact that activists whipping up hysteria are being aided by "sycophantic members of the media."

The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel reports that meat producers can begin irradiating ground beef tomorrow, greatly reducing the risk of meat contamination. (“Feeding on controversy,” 2/20/00, No link available.) Even…

Yet another nanny organization is trying to link the "obesity epidemic" to restaurants. A new survey in California baselessly blames a rising obesity rate among high school children on fast food being served on campus. Without any scientific proof, the sponsor of the study claims, "Fast foods on California campuses have become an epidemic… How are we supposed to promote healthy eating when we are up against a multibillion dollar high-fat fast food industry marketing to students right on campus?"

The American Council of Science and Health has launched a withering attack on organic agriculture's manure-based growing methods.