Not four days since my post on my heroes in food, when here comes Mr. Michael Pollan on the subject he knows best: food and its politics. I love this guy. And his most recent Op-ed article for The New York Times, “Big Food vs Big Insurance” is a fine example of why he is amazing. With his eloquence and sharp understanding of the content, Pollan sheds new light on on the ever-enlarging healthcare debacle.

To be expected, Pollan provides a thoughtful and I think, nuanced perspective on the current healthcare debates. The overarching issue for Pollan is the relationship between America’s rise in healthcare cost and the dietary habits of its people. The fact that 2/3 of Americans are obese and there are rampant cases of type 2 diabetes is as Pollan claims, “the elephant in the room.” And here is where I am drawn into his argument. For the last several months we have all debated this issue, and yet never once have I heard honest discussion on the actual health of the American people – what illnesses are causing such high costs and what is causing such widespread illness?

Here I am reminded of an excellent series on PBS called, Unnatural Causes. This multi-part series examines the influence of social conditions of an individual’s health. For example, the show argues that the world we inhabit and interact with influences our health far more than having health insurance. Just having health insurance does not ensure health. There are far more factors involved in one’s health. And this is where Pollan is critical of Obama for not seriously considering our nation’s diet. Specifically, the subsidization of “junk food.” The fact that our citizens are so sick is completely related to what we eat (among other important factors.) And yet so much debate is going into the care aspect of the cycle and not nearly enough energy goes into the truly preventative acts, i.e. taxing soda or banning junk food in all school settings.

All of these arguments I understand and could expect from Mr. Pollan, and so it is the next big claim he makes that strikes me. Under Obama’s plan insurance companies will no longer be able to turn down individuals with “pre-existing conditions.” With this new rule insurance companies will not want to pay for all the sick people with diabetes and obesity and heart disease  (even though they have to.) Pollan argues that eventually the insurance industry will actually oppose industrial agriculture because of the subsidization of diabetes-causing foods. The subsides are causing the epidemics of diet-related diseases and when the insurance companies start having to pay more they may start to lobby differently. Here he says, is where companies may actually argue for a real sods tax.

In all of this I think the irony is deep. The fact that two hugely powerful industries who currently share ridiculous profits on the sickly people of America is disgusting. And yet the prospect of them going head to head is exciting. After reading this article (and now you should to)  I am eager to see where food and diet come into the healthcare debate. I won’t be surprised if Pollan’s musings are absent from the national stage, but I do think he is on to something important. And I for one, would love to unwrap the elephant in the room and give America the christmas gift it deserves – a food makeover!

Related posts:

1. The 100-Mile Diet vs. World Hunger (part 2)
2. Why the Non-Profit Model Does Not Work (a rant)
3. Urban farming, Low-Income Communities and Burgeoning Dietary Epidemics
4. Pro-Food Anti-Foodie
5. The Grass-Fed Manifesto (part 2)

Tags: Food Politics, Michael Pollan