The Snack Food Association: Washington's Voice for Sugar, Fat and Salt
Corporations and Health Watch profiles the Snack Food Association, an industry trade group that represents snack food manufacturers and suppliers worldwide. Lobbying efforts and legislative recommendations by the Snack Food Association represent a strong voice in Washington that are counter to health advocates' recommendations and scientific evidence. This profile looks at how the snack food industry is able to expand it's market despite being entrenched in the debate around, and frequently blamed for, rising obesity rates.
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Chips and Chocolate: Competing Interests on Cornell's Campus
As public health advocacy groups push for increasingly healthy and/or limited vending machines, many schools, public institutions and private companies alike are beginning to take steps to improve the nutritional quality of the food environment. This Corporations and Health Watch case study discusses the ongoing work by students and staff in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University to improve the healthfulness of vending machine food offerings. The study highlights the changes that occurred and how, as well as the many challenges and lessons learned along the way.
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Fixing the FDA: Options for the Next President
The FDA has come under attack by Congress, health and medical professionals and the pharmaceutical, tobacco and food industries. With the 2008 Presidential election quickly approaching, the topic of health care, including the safety of pharmaceuticals, has gained increasing attention. This month Corporations and Health Watch begins a series examining recent conflicts about the FDA, the positions of the Presidential candidates on the agency and options for 2009 and beyond. The focus of the first report is on the FDA and the pharmaceutical industry.
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Internet activism and changing corporate practices
Although the rise in media consolidation may arguably call the Internet's access, availability and oftentimes more equitable environment into question, many health advocacy campaigns that work to reduce harm from unhealthy corporate practices are successfully
engaging the Internet as a tool for social movement. In this report, Corporations and Health Watch reviews a selection of health advocacy efforts that make use of participatory media, such as blogs and action networks, to advance campaigns, distribute resources and change policies.
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Corporate Research: The Basics
Ever wanted to dig a little bit deeper into the corporate decisions and practices that influence health and other social issues? This article offers guidelines and resources for public health advocates, policy makers and others interested in researching the many ways corporations influence population health. Crocodyl, an online collaborative project that provides profiles of global corporations, is featured and described as a particularly useful resource for those interested in corporate research.
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