-
Strange Brew
In side-by-side taste tests, pub-goers agree: “MIT Brew” tastes better than Budweiser — as long as tasters don’t learn beforehand that the secret ingredient is balsamic vinegar. It sounds more like a fraternity prank than
-
Eating into the Nation’s Obesity Epidemic
“What product does the slogan ‘Melts in your mouth, not in your hand’ belong to?” Kelly Brownell challenged his listeners. They chuckled and shouted in unison “M&Ms.” The audience hadn’t expected a pop quiz when
-
A History of Eating: The Movement to Suppress Passive Eating and the Risks of Side-plate Food
JULY 15, 2010: With the conquest of the cigarette hazard well in hand in the late 1990s, the attention of American health reformers turned to the next treatable threat to immortality: obesity. Though it was
-
A Growing Crisis of Overfeeding
The opening to Kelly D. Brownell’s recently published essay “Overfeeding the Future.” In its peak year, the primary U.S. government nutrition education program (called 5 a Day) was given $3 million for promotion. The food
-
The Weight Is Over
America is tipping the scales, and psychologists disagree on whether the government or individuals should be responsible for a more balanced diet. But one thing’s for certain: There’s no time to lose. Psychological scientists are