Introduction
In recent years, the credibility of food labels has become a serious problem in our society, and we have to start to look for a solution to it. An increase in the number of cases of food contamination, obesity, and malnutrition has been associated with inadequate food safety regulations to guide the labeling of processed food (Willett 61).
The current FDA policy does not compel food companies to have the correct food ingredients displayed on all products (cloned food) they sell to consumers. As a result, major companies and fast-food restaurants sell a broad range of incorrectly labeled food, including dairy and meat products. This practice contravenes individual rights, as consumers need to know the source and the ingredients of what they consume.
In this regard, the safety of consumers is put at risk when companies sell uncertified food products. Loopholes in the legislation that guide ethical labeling have allowed some food companies to include ingredients in processed food without first ascertaining their safety. Such ingredients pose a health risk to consumers.
It is imperative that food companies (producers) display the real food ingredients on the back of the food package because food safety is a serious problem in today’s society.
Problem Identification-Effects
Advancements in agricultural technologies have enhanced food security and availability in the United States. However, in recent years, the nutritional content of processed food has become an issue of serious concern because of the rise in the number of overweight people in the country. Obesity has become a “nationwide public health issue that is seen as an epidemic in the US” (Morrison and Chinn 355).
It is reported that “the daily calorie intake for men has increased from 2,450 kcal to 2,618 kcal and 1,542 kcal to 1877 kcal for women between 1971 and 2000” (Morrison and Chinn 354).
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), a large percentage of the rise in caloric intake comes from the consumption of carbohydrate and fat-rich food sources (Para. 6). Incorrect or lack of label information on processed (junk) food makes people consume high-energy food products that put them at risk of becoming obese.
Morrill and Chin (2004) write that few people consume the “recommended daily intake of more than five servings of fruits and vegetables” (311). Moreover, subsidies given to food processing companies result in reduced prices for snacks and fast food (Morrill and Chin 312).
Food supermarkets in major cities sell processed food. The inability to access healthy food makes people opt for the cheap and accessible, but energy-rich processed food, which cause obesity.
Besides being a public health problem (obesity), the limited accessibility to healthy food raises food security concerns. Food security or availability covers other aspects of consumption, such as preference and choice. Access to nutritional food among low-income families causes malnutrition and related diseases (McCann 163).
In many countries in Africa and Asia, food security is a problem because people cannot grow ‘nutritionally-superior’ crops. Thus, the lack of food security denies consumers the right to choose food that meets their nutritional requirements and preferences.
Food producers (manufacturers) also give misleading messages to consumers through the information they display on the food packages. They only include information that appeals to consumers and leaves out essential details about the ingredients on the food label. This prevents consumers from identifying food that matches their nutritional needs.
Problem Identification-Causes
One of the factors that contribute to unhealthy dietary intake among consumers is incorrect labeling. Some aspects of food labels can mislead consumers. Although the FDA prohibits the inclusion of incorrect information on food labels, some messages displayed on the package can be deceptive (McCann 165).
Some producers avoid displaying warnings, such as allergens and carcinogens in the food to help consumers know the identity of the product and make informed choices. Instead, they show appealing or neutral information on the food label to persuade consumers to buy their products.
Food labels serve to inform consumers about the importance of a balanced diet that includes vitamins and nutrients in their right proportions (Nestle 98). However, producers, in most cases, do not include information about the “process or scientific identity of the food” (Nestle 99).
Moreover, even if a producer reveals the ‘process’ information, there is no way consumers can prove it; they simply have to believe it. For instance, the USDA gives the organic seal to food that is produced according to the National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines. The regulations discourage the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and antibiotics (USDA Para. 3). A producer who complies with these specifications is issued with the organic seal.
However, about nutritional content, it may be impossible to distinguish between organic and conventionally produced foods. Thus, organic labels and similar certifications, such as Fair Trade and non-GMO identifications cannot be authenticated since the regulatory agency (FDA) does not assess the accuracy of the ‘process’ information (Nestle 102). It only requires them to include information about the food’s identity and country/place of origin.
The second cause of unhealthy diet is the food producer’s lack of involvement in public health promotion. Manufacturers also have not taken solid steps to help resolve people’s health problems. The label information, besides informing the consumers the ingredients can be used to alert them regarding public health problems such as obesity.
Producers should highlight the required nutrients and vitamins as well as their recommended daily intakes on the food labels. According to Willett, nutritional information helps consumers to understand their nutritional requirements and empowers them to identify food products that promote their health (75).
For instance, a product that contains oat bran should alert the consumers that it had health benefits such as the reduced risk of heart disease due to low cholesterol content (Willett 81). This additional health information will enable consumers to make informed choices when purchasing food products for consumption.
Without it, consumers may not know the product’s health benefits, as most of them rarely read the ingredient list. Thus, once the consumers become aware of the health information on the product label, they can change their eating habits to stay healthy.
The third cause is the drive for commercial interests and profits. Producers often focus on how they can reap maximum benefits from their products. They label food products in a way that allows consumers to identify their products. Typically, they provide positive information about a product to help increase sales. Warnings that a food product is potentially carcinogenic or allergenic are often avoided as they may affect the sales.
Proposed Plan
To promote food security and safety, the writer proposes an innovative marketing plan that will have two goals. The first goal will be to persuade people to eat homemade food instead of processed and junk food. The advertisement plan will raise awareness through strategically placed ads to educate consumers about the nutritional benefits of homemade food. Fast food is cheap and easily accessible.
However, if a person were informed about the dangers of consuming fast food, he or she would opt for homemade food. Therefore, through effective advertising, people will begin to pay attention to the nutritional benefits of a product instead of looking at price and availability. Ads promoting the use of homemade food will be displayed in popular eateries and food stores.
The second goal of the plan is to educate elderly people (population) about the benefits of homemade food. The elderly population often misunderstands food labels and thus, requires assistance whenever they want to purchase packaged food. Moreover, since they have a complex nutritional need, it is important to tell them that homemade food is healthier than processed food.
Food labels often lack health messages about the recommended nutrients that a person should take, which depend on factors such as age, sex, and level of physical activity, among others. As a result, the elderly people, who often check the ingredients list, may end up consuming products that have unhealthy proportions of particular nutrients or supplements. Thus, persuading them to consume homemade food will help in improving their health.
Proposal Support
People often go for fast food and other processed products because they are inexpensive, readily available, and convenient (Willett 78). However, according to Bittman, junk food is “more expensive than food cooked at home” (661). Home cooked food also contains “healthy” proportions and types of the recommended macro- and micro-nutrients.
Although the benefits of home-cooked meals are apparent, people continue to flock popular fast food restaurants such as McDonald’s. According to Bittman, people go for fast food because they dislike cooking. They regard cooking as “labor intensive and fast food as both a pleasure and a crutch” (663). It is this attitude that makes people continue to consume processed food products despite the health risks associated with them.
Therefore, the proposed marketing plan will educate consumers about the advantages of homemade food. Home cooked food is healthier than the processed one because people can monitor the preparation process to ensure only the right ingredients in the right proportions are included.
As aforementioned, label information may be sometimes misleading, which exposes consumers to “unhealthy” calorie intake that causes various health conditions. Thus, consuming homemade food is a sure way of monitoring one’s calorie intake to prevent diseases and live healthily.
Counterargument
The major argument advanced to support the consumption of fast food is that they do not have time to make food at home. They claim that “they are stressed out with all that they have to do and do not want to cook” (Bittman 661). However, given that processed food is ‘unhealthier’ and more costly compared to homemade food, cooking at home should be encouraged.
Conclusion
With the rise in the number of obesity cases in the US, food labeling is an important issue. Although the FDA has undertaken steps to promote food safety and security, it is evident that the information displayed on the food labels can mislead the consumers.
Moreover, processing involves adding various ingredients to a food product. In this regard, producers should reveal accurate information about the ingredients contained in a food product. It is hoped that the proposal presented in this paper will help educate and support consumers to make better choices about what they consume.
Works Cited
Bittman, Mark. “Is Junk Food Really Cheaper?” Everything is an Argument With Readings. Ed. Andrea, Lunsford, John, Ruskiewicz, John, Ruszkiewicz, and Keith, Walters. New York: Bedford/St Martins, 2000. Print
McCann, Michael. Economic Efficiency and Consumer Choice Theory in Nutritional Labeling. Wisconsin Law Review 4.1 (2004): 161-165
Morrill, Allison and Christopher, Chinn. Obesity Epidemic in the United States. Journal of Public Health Policy 25.3 (2004): 353-366
Nestle, Marion. What to Eat, New York: North Point Press, 2007. Print
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Web 16/04/2014. <www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document>.
Willett, Walter. Eat, Drink, and Be Healthy, New York: Free Press, 2005. Print