The Western diet is an extension of our capitalist culture. We are told what to drive, where to live, what to buy, who to vote for and what/how much to eat. We have allowed the Western diet to take root because of our desire for cheap, fast, processed foods that are easy to ingest. Over-consumption is not just encouraged, it is designed. We are sold food that lacks all that our bodies need, so we feel the urge to keep eating…and we do. Individuals do have a choice of what food to buy, but those choices can be limited due to geographic and economic conditions. To help level the playing field, collective action is needed. Government subsidies for corn and soy should be reduced or removed completely. Our policies need to address to the problem that real food is too expensive and processed foods are cheaper than they should be.
Michael Pollan makes an observations in his book, In Defense of Food, that “…food no longer seems like the smartest place to economize.” (161) Save $5 on lunch every day by eating fast food, then spend thousands in medical bills because of health problems. This is a regression that Americans have been channeled into unknowingly. The Western Diet is bad for our dental health…but very good for the dental industry. It is bad for our physical health…but very good for the health care industry. The Western Diet was designed so corporations could extract the maximum amount of money from each person. So our Western Diet is really just a capitalist diet…
“How Does Your Diet Affect Your Dental Health?” BabylonDentalCare, http://www.babylondentalcare.com/how-does-your-diet-affect-your-dental-health/. Accessed 12 July 2017.