The Omnivores Dilemma

Chapter #6- The Consumer: A Republic of Fat

Name: ________Chau Vu_____________
1: Pg. 100- How did corn contribute to the alcoholic republic in the U.S. of the early 1800s?
-> Because they suddenly superabundant and cheap.
2: Pg. 102- _3_ of every five Americans are overweight; __1___ of every five is obese.
3: Pg. 102- The Journal of the American Medical Association predicts that a child born in 2000
has a _1_ in __3___ chance of developing diabetes.
4: Pg. 102- How many people worldwide are suffering from over nutrition? How many are
suffering from malnutrition?
-> 1 billion people worldwide are suffering from over nutrition. 800 million are suffering from
malnutrition.
5: Pg. 102- What are some of the plausible explanations for humanitys expanding waistline?
-> Changes in lifestyle (were more sedentary; we eat out more). Affluence (more people can
afford a high-fat Western diet). Poverty (healthier whole foods cost more). Technology (fewer of
us use our bodies in our work; at home, the remote keeps us pinned to the couch). Clever
marketing (supersized portions; advertising to children). Changes in diet (more fats; more
carbohydrates; more processed foods).
6: Pg. 102- Since 1977, an Americans average daily intake of calories has jumped by _10_ %.
7: Pg. 103- What accounts for most of the surplus calories we are growing and eating?
-> Corn accounts for most of the surplus calories were growing and eating.
8: Pg. 103- How many pounds of high-fructose corn syrup do we process per year?
-> 17.5 billion pounds of high-fructose corn syrup we process per year.
9: Pg. 104- How many pounds of sugars (all types) does the average person eat per year?
-> From 45 pounds to 66 pounds.
10: Pg. 104- Why does Coca Cola and Pepsi use HFCS?
-> Because HFCS was a few cents cheaper than sugar (thanks in part to tariffs on imported
sugarcane secured by the corn refiners) and consumers didnt seem to notice the substitution.
11: Pg. 105- Explain how marketing executives have tricked consumers into eating and drinking
more.
-> By supersizing the food.
12: Pg. 106- Researchers have found that people presented with larger portions will eat up to
__30___% more than they would otherwise.
13: Pg. 106- Why has natural selection predisposed to the taste of sugar and fat?
-> Because sugars and fats offer the most energy (which is what a calorie is) per bite.
14: Pg. 107- How does Type-II Diabetes occur?
-> It occurs when the bodys mechanism for managing glucose simply wears out from overuse.
15: Pg. 108- While the surgeon general is raising alarms over the epidemic of obesity, the
president is: _signing farm bills designed to keep the river of cheap corn flowing, guaranteeing
that the cheapest calories in the supermarket will continue to be the unhealthiest_.