University of California, Santa Cruz
Professor of Community Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz and author of Weighing In: Obesity, Food Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism
PROFILE
Julie Guthman
Guest
FROM Julie Guthman
To the Point
America's Obesity Epidemic and the Culture of Fatness It's common knowledge that Americans live in an environment that promotes obesity. But, despite years of warnings, they're getting fatter than ever. The Centers for Disease Control and Duke University have reported that one third of children from two to 19 are overweight, and by 2030, 42 percent of adults will be obese. The question is what to do. Is the food industry just like Big Tobacco, marketing products that are harmful to health, rather than being nutritious? Is it time for new regulations? Is it all about brain chemistry? Are there cultural pressures that make some Americans fat because they want to be? Public agencies, universities and healthcare organizations conducted a conference this week called " The Weight of the Nation ," and next week HBO will air a four-part series by the same name.
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Left, Right & Center
President Trump: US to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord Trump says he was elected to serve Pittsburgh, not Paris.
To the Point
The longest US war: Will Trump send more troops to Afghanistan? The Trump White House is divided over the Pentagon's request for more troops in Afghanistan—where the US has been fighting for the past 16 years. Is there a formula -- either for "victory" or a political settlement? Is there an end in sight for America's longest war?
To the Point
Is the threat from Russia missing from the Russia meddling probe? There's much being made about the Trump administration's possible ties with Russia. But the bottom line is Russia's effort to influence American democracy. Do the President and his aides care enough to take action before voters go back to the polls?
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?