Science & Politics of Food

Catalog description

This course explores the complex interplay of forces that shape what people eat, from an individual’s genetic preferences to the practices of transnational corporations to global tax and trade policies. The class will explore questions like: How do food environments shape what we eat? Is food addictive? How do our cognitive biases lead us to overeat? What role does media and marketing play in driving food choices? How does the food industry shape food policy? What policies actually work to improve dietary habits? How are GLP-1 medications changing people’s relationships with food and body weight? Answering these questions will involve the critical evaluation of scientific research on food and nutrition policies and interventions. Throughout the course we will examine how “The Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement is changing the narrative around food and influencing policy, including via changes to the Dietary Guidelines, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and FDA policies around ultra-processed foods and additives. The course assignments, activities, and lectures are designed to help students develop skills related to critiquing research and communicating evidence-based opinions in a clear and compelling manner.