Description

The Psychology, Biology and Politics of Food with Professor Kelly D. BrownellFreely available to view onlinehttp://oyc.yale.edu/psychology/the-psychology-biology-and-politics-of-foodAbout the CourseThis course encompasses the study of eating as it affects the health and well-being of every human. Topics include taste preferences, food aversions, the regulation of hunger and satiety, food as comfort and friendship, eating as social ritual, and social norms of blame for food problems. The politics of food discusses issues such as sustainable agriculture, organic farming, genetically modified foods, nutrition policy, and the influence of food and agriculture industries. Also examined are problems such as malnutrition, eating disorders, and the global obesity epidemic; the impact of food advertising aimed at children; poverty and food; and how each individual’s eating is affected by the modern environment.Course Structure:This Yale College course, taught on campus twice per week for 75 minutes, was recorded for Open Yale Courses in Fall 2008.About Professor Kelly BrownellKelly D. Brownell is Professor of Psychology, Epidemiology, and Public Health, and Director of the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale, where he also served as Chair of the Department of Psychology and Master of Silliman College. He has published 14 books and more than 300 scientific papers and received awards from a number of professional organizations. He was elected to the Institute of Medicine and in 2006 Time magazine listed Kelly Brownell among “The World’s 100 Most Influential People” in its special Time 100 issue featuring those “…whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.”1. Introduction: What We Eat, Why We Eat and the Key Role of Food in Modern Life2. Food Then, Food Now: Modern Food Conditions and Their Mismatch with Evolution3. Biology, Nutrition and Health I: What We Eat4. Biology, Nutrition and Health II: What Helps Us and Hurts Us5. Biology, Nutrition and Health III: The Psychology of Taste and Addiction6. Culture and the Remarkable Plasticity of Eating (Presentation by Ashley Gearhardt)7. Hunger in the World of Plenty8. Nutrition Transition and Global Food Issues9. From Ancient to Modern Farming: The Green Revolution and the Prospect of Feeding the World10. Sustainability I: The Impact of Modern Agriculture on the Environment and Energy Use11. Sustainability II: The Impact of Modern Agriculture on Biodiversity, Genetic Modification and Animal Welfare12. Public Health vs. Medical Models in Nutrition Change: Saving Lives One or a Million at a Time13. Eating Disorders and Obesity (Guest Lecture by B. Timothy Walsh)14. Perspectives of the Food Industry (Guest Lecture by Derek Yach)15. Economics, Nutrition and Health: Subsidies, Food Deserts and More16. Everyone but Me: The Pervasive Reach and Powerful Influence of Food Marketing on Food Choices17. The Politics of Food I: How Politics Affects National Nutrition Policy (Guest Lecture by Rogan Kersh)18. The Politics of Food II: The Issues, the Fights and Who Controls the frame19. The Law and Opportunities to Improve Nutrition and Health (Guest Lecture by Stephen Teret)20. Schools and Nutrition: Where Health and Politics Collide (Guest Lecture by Marlene B. Schwartz)21. The Morphing of the Modern Diet (Guest Lecture by Brian Wansink)22. Sustainability and Health Food Access (Guest Lecture by Melina Shannon-DiPietro and Jennifer McTiernan)23. Success Stories, Innovation and Change from the Grass Roots