Australians are getting fatter. What influences our food choices? How does our food system support or undermine our health? And what can we do about it? In this informative and engaging talk, Dr Phillip Baker examines some of the less obvious influences on what we eat and why, and asks what role regulation can legitimately play in addressing some of the problems in our food system.

Phil­lip is a Research Fel­low at the School of Reg­u­la­tion and Global Gov­ernance, at the Aus­tralian National Uni­vers­ity in Can­berra.

His research focuses on under­stand­ing the polit­ics of food, nutri­tion and pub­lic health. This work brings key ques­tions into play, such as: who has the power to shape our food choices as indi­vidu­als, fam­il­ies, com­munit­ies and soci­et­ies? Is food choice a mat­ter for the indi­vidual only and healthy eat­ing simply a mat­ter of per­sonal respons­ib­il­ity? Or is the way we eat shaped more by factors out­side of indi­vidual con­trol, such as the way we organ­ise our food sys­tems and eco­nomy? How can we as a soci­ety struc­ture our food sys­tems so as to pro­mote food choices that are good for people, anim­als and the planet?

Phil­lip has a PhD from the National Centre for Epi­demi­ology and Pop­u­la­tion Health, ANU. He has worked in a num­ber of pub­lic health roles includ­ing at the World Health Organ­iz­a­tion.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
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Comments

  1. Great speech and a lot of truths there.

    The food companies and governments do have a responsibility to regulate and make us aware of the food we consume. But I also truly believe that that ultimately it's an individual's choice what they decide to eat. Clever marketing exists in all forms from selling cars to eating food and it's up to you to be able to differentiate between good and bad and parents especially as to what they decide to feed their children which will help to influence their food choices.

    We all have free will and the choice to consume what we choose to and I also think having junk food can just be good for the soul. like if you're upset or down you have some chocolate or ice cream, it alters all the chemicals in the brain and releases all those feel good chemicals and if done occasionally is not going to have any long term adverse health effects.

    It's about corporate responsibility choice and balance, no ones forcing you at gunpoint to consume foods but they are trying desperately to get you to, no different to marketing or selling anything else really?

  2. Some interesting points, slightly disappointed when it ended and the drum set wasn't part of his talk

  3. Going against large F&B corporations is like going against capitalism itself. To maximize the return for capitalist large F&B corporations will pursue any possible means to ensure that they could sell more product with the lowest cost and receive the highest return. Consumer will vote with their wallet and stomach. If it’s cheap and tasty, Consumer will buy and consume it. Hence the vicious cycle.

    I’m afraid there is no silver bullet to the problem mentioned by the presenter.

  4. boolshit. obesety comes from unhealthy dangerous food. you ll never get obese eating healthy meal. GMO, toxins and altered fats disrupt our metabolism.

    thats the matter of business — take cheapest unhealthy ingredients, mix them with preservatives and flavours and sell it to us as a food. we eat poison(

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