In this short paper, Drs. Ludwig and Nestle briefly reviewed some aspects of the food industry in regards to the obesity epidemic. Although seeking to promote healthy nutritional habits and a physically active lifestyle through different marketing campaigns, there are discrepancies between the actual practices of the food industry and their promises (use of trans fat, promotion of supersized meals, etc.). One of the main reasons for this failure is undoubtedly the financial return to stockholders, which is the food industry’s first priority. Two ways to achieve profits are to convince consumers to eat more (therefore contributing to obesity) or to increase profit margin by marketing reformulated or repackaged products (e.g., fast food, snack food, beverages with refined starch, concentrated sugars, and low-quality fats). Ludwig and Nestle also discussed the possible “real” collaborative approach with the food industry. They concluded by suggesting that appropriate checks and balances are needed to align the economic interests of the food industry with public health goals.
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