Bodies Politic Talk: Food and The Body: The Politics of What We Eat

What we eat may feel like a matter of personal choice, but our choices are shaped by powerful forces: food companies and their marketing teams, government policy, agricultural subsidies, public health priorities, and an industry whose profits depend on selling us more.

In this conversation with Good Food host Evan Kleiman, pioneering food-policy scholar Dr. Marion Nestle will explore how corporate and political power shape the American diet — and, ultimately, our bodies. Drawing on decades of work investigating the intersection of food, nutrition, business, and politics, as well as her new book, Sugar Coated: Unboxing the Hidden Forces Shaping America’s Favorite Breakfast Food, written with Lisa Sutherland, Dr. Nestle will examine who gets to decide what constitutes a healthy diet, why meaningful food-policy reform is so difficult, and what it takes for individuals and communities to push back against a food system designed around corporate interests.

Dr. Marion Nestle is Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University and the author of numerous books, including Food Politics, Soda Politics, Unsavory Truth, and What to Eat. She writes regularly about the intersection of food, nutrition, and politics at FoodPolitics.com.

Evan Kleiman has been called the “fairy godmother of the L.A food scene.” Former chef-restaurateur, cookbook author, and host of KCRW’s Good Food radio show and podcast for nearly 30 years, Evan is known for her conversational interview style focusing on how food informs human life and life choices. She has interviewed thousands of guests ranging from artists, cookbook authors, and chefs to farmers and scientists, which has enabled her to explore every aspect of food culture and how it intersects with our lives.

Cosponsored by the Sara Miller McCune and George D. McCune Endowment and the Hester and Cedric Crowell Endowment