Michele Simon

Last updated
Michele Simon
Michele Simon.jpg
Born1965 (age 58–59)
OccupationPublic health lawyer
EducationCarnegie Mellon University
Alma materYale University
SubjectFood policy
Notable worksAppetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back
Notable awardsNational Association of Nutrition Professional's Community Award
PartnerRoss Turner

Michele Simon (born 1965) is a public health lawyer who has been researching and writing about food policy since 1996. Her work has been featured on CNBC, CBS News, The New York Times , San Francisco Chronicle , Chicago Tribune , Reuters, and Forbes. She has written extensively on the politics of food, and her book, Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back, was published by Nation Books in 2006. Simon has also written extensively about alcohol policy.

Contents

Biography

Simon studied biology at Carnegie Mellon University and received her master's degree in public health from Yale University and her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. [1] Early in her career, Simon wrote about the politics of food for numerous publications, on such issues as genetically engineered foods, organic standards, and the National School Lunch Program. [2]

In 2000, Simon founded the non-profit organization, Center for Informed Food Choices to educate people about eating plant-based foods and the politics of food through her newsletter, Informed Eating. [3]

From 2007 to 2011, Simon served as research and policy director for the Marin Institute (now called Alcohol Justice), an alcohol industry watchdog group based in Northern California. [1] Simon testified before Congress in support of HR 5034, the Comprehensive Alcohol Regulatory Enforcement Act. [4] Her 2007 report on alcoholic energy drinks led to federal action to ban the products. [5]

Simon founded Eat Drink Politics in 2011, a food and alcohol industry watchdog consulting firm that helps advocates, policymakers, and others counter corporate tactics that undermine public health. [1] The firm's clients have included Center for Food Safety, Corporate Accountability International, and the Richman Law Group. [6] Simon currently serves as a senior advisor for the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood. [7]

In 2013, Simon was awarded the National Association of Nutrition Professional's Community Award and the Nutritional Therapy Association's Award of Excellence. [1]

In 2016, Simon founded the Plant Based Foods Association (PBFA), a trade association representing the plant-based foods industry. Simon served as PBFA's executive director through 2020, advancing policies and practices to promote plant-based foods. [8] [9]

Work

Writing

Simon's first book, Appetite for Profit: How the Food Industry Undermines Our Health and How to Fight Back, was published by Nation Books in 2006. [1]

Simon has contributed to various outlets such as The Huffington Post, [10] Grist, [11] Food Safety News, [12] and Al Jazeera America. [13]

Simon has authored numerous articles in academic journals, including the City University of New York Law Review, [14] Food and Drug Law Journal, [15] Duke Law Journal, [16] and the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review. [17]

Simon has also published major reports exposing the food and alcohol industries' negative practices. Her 2007 report on alcoholic energy drinks led to federal action to ban the products. [5] Simon's "Food Stamps, Follow the Money" report on food stamps brought attention to industry lobbying. [18] "And Now a Word from Our Sponsors", covered by the New York Times , highlighted corporate sponsorships in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. [19]

Speaking

Simon has appeared on national TV stations such as CNN, CBS, MSNBC, CNBC, and Al Jazeera, as well as local news programs. [20] She has been quoted in newspapers such as the New York Times, [21] USA Today , [22] and ABC News. [23]

Simon has lectured at New York University, Yale University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She taught semester-long courses in health policy as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, alcohol policy at the University of California, Berkeley, [24] and The Politics of Food at the University of the Pacific master's program in Food Studies. [25]

She has spoken at events hosted by the Government Accountability Project's Food Integrity Campaign, [20] the Nutritional Therapy Association, [20] the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood Consuming Kids Summit, and the National Conference to End Factory Farming. [20]

Simon has also spoken at numerous events to discuss the plant-based foods industry, including the Natural Products Expo, the Seed, Food and Wine Festival, and the Animal Law Conference. [26]

Personal

Simon was raised in New York City and lives in Los Angeles, California, with her partner, film and television actor Ross Turner.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drink</span> Liquid intended for human consumption

A drink or beverage is a liquid intended for human consumption. In addition to their basic function of satisfying thirst, drinks play important roles in human culture. Common types of drinks include plain drinking water, milk, juice, smoothies and soft drinks. Traditionally warm beverages include coffee, tea, and hot chocolate. Caffeinated drinks that contain the stimulant caffeine have a long history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food pyramid (nutrition)</span> Visual representation of optimal servings from basic groups

A food pyramid is a representation of the optimal number of servings to be eaten each day from each of the basic food groups. The first pyramid was published in Sweden in 1974. The 1992 pyramid introduced by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was called the "Food Guide Pyramid" or "Eating Right Pyramid". It was updated in 2005 to "MyPyramid", and then it was replaced by "MyPlate" in 2011.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David H. Murdock</span> American businessman (born 1923)

David Howard Murdock is an American billionaire businessman, plant-based diet advocate and philanthropist.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) is a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group that advocates for safer and healthier foods.

The relationship between alcohol consumption and body weight is the subject of inconclusive studies. Findings of these studies range from increase in body weight to a small decrease among women who begin consuming alcohol. Some of these studies are conducted with numerous subjects; one involved nearly 8,000 and another 140,000 subjects.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Food group</span> Collection of foods that share similar nutritional properties or biological classifications

A food group is a collection of foods that share similar nutritional properties or biological classifications. Lists of nutrition guides typically divide foods into food groups, and Recommended Dietary Allowance recommends daily servings of each group for a healthy diet. In the United States for instance, the USDA has described food as being in from 4 to 11 different groups.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is a 501(c)(6) trade association in the United States. With over 112,000 members, the association claims to be the largest organization of food and nutrition professionals. It has registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), nutrition and dietetics technicians registered (NDTRs), and other dietetics professionals as members. Founded in 1917 as the American Dietetic Association, the organization officially changed its name to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in 2012. According to the group's website, about 65% of its members are RDNs, and another 2% are NDTRs. The group's primary activities include providing testimony at hearings, lobbying the United States Congress and other governmental bodies, commenting on proposed regulations, and publishing statements on various topics pertaining to food and nutrition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nutrition facts label</span> Table of nutrition facts on food labels

The nutrition facts label is a label required on most packaged food in many countries, showing what nutrients and other ingredients are in the food. Labels are usually based on official nutritional rating systems. Most countries also release overall nutrition guides for general educational purposes. In some cases, the guides are based on different dietary targets for various nutrients than the labels on specific foods.

Food politics is a term which encompasses not only food policy and legislation, but all aspects of the production, control, regulation, inspection, distribution and consumption of commercially grown, and even sometimes home grown, food. The commercial aspects of food production are affected by ethical, cultural, and health concerns, as well as environmental concerns about farming and agricultural practices and retailing methods. The term also encompasses biofuels, GMO crops and pesticide use, the international food market, food aid, food security and food sovereignty, obesity, labor practices and immigrant workers, issues of water usage, animal cruelty, and climate change.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marion Nestle</span> American academic

Marion Nestle is an American molecular biologist, nutritionist, and public health advocate. She is the Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health Emerita at New York University. Her research examines scientific and socioeconomic influences on food choice, obesity, and food safety, emphasizing the role of food marketing.

A fat tax is a tax or surcharge that is placed upon fattening food, beverages or on overweight individuals. It is considered an example of Pigovian taxation. A fat tax aims to discourage unhealthy diets and offset the economic costs of obesity.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide nutritional advice for Americans who are healthy or who are at risk for chronic disease but do not currently have chronic disease. The Guidelines are published every five years by the US Department of Agriculture, together with the US Department of Health and Human Services. Notably, the most recent ninth edition for 2020–25 includes dietary guidelines for children from birth to 23 months. In addition to the Dietary Guidelines per se, there are additional tools for assessing diet and nutrition, including the Healthy Eating Index (HEI), which can be used to assess the quality of a given selection of foods in the context of the Dietary Guidelines. Also provided are additional explanations regarding customization of the Guidelines to individual eating preferences, application of the Guidelines during pregnancy and infancy, the USDA Nutrition Evidence Systematic Review, information about the Nutrition Communicators Network and the MyPlate initiative, information from the National Academies about redesigning the process by which the Dietary Guidelines for Americans are created, and information about dietary guidelines from other nations.

Sociology of food is the study of food as it relates to the history, progression, and future development of society. This includes production, distribution, conflict, medical application, ritual, spiritual, and cultural applications, environmental and labor issues.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable diet</span> Diet that contributes to the broader environmental and social sustainability

Sustainable diets are "dietary patterns that promote all dimensions of individuals’ health and wellbeing; have low environmental pressure and impact; are accessible, affordable, safe and equitable; and are culturally acceptable". These diets are nutritious, eco-friendly, economically sustainable, and accessible to people of various socioeconomic backgrounds. Sustainable diets attempt to address nutrient deficiencies and excesses, while accounting for ecological phenomena such as climate change, loss of biodiversity and land degradation. These diets are comparable to the climatarian diet, with the added domains of economic sustainability and accessiblity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Society for Nutrition</span> American society for professional researchers and practitioners in the field of nutrition

The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) is an American society for professional researchers and practitioners in the field of nutrition. ASN publishes four journals in the field of nutrition. It has been criticized for its financial ties to the food and beverage industry.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (AJCN) is a monthly peer-reviewed biomedical journal in the fields of dietetics and clinical nutrition.

The alcohol industry, also known as Big Alcohol, is the segment of the commercial drink industry that is involved in the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages. The industry has been criticised in the 1990s for deflecting attention away from the problems associated with alcohol use. The alcohol industry has also been criticised for being unhelpful in reducing the harm of alcohol.

The history of USDA nutrition guidelines includes over 100 years of nutrition advice promulgated by the USDA. The guidelines have been updated over time, to adopt new scientific findings and new public health marketing techniques. The current guidelines are the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025. The 2015–2020 guidelines were criticized as not accurately representing scientific information about optimal nutrition, and as being overly influenced by the agricultural industries the USDA promotes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar Association</span> American sugar industry trade association

The Sugar Association is a trade association for the sugar industry of the United States. Its members include nearly 142,000 growers, processors and refiners of sugar beet and sugarcane plants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sugar marketing</span> Marketing of sugar

Sugar is heavily marketed both by sugar producers and the producers of sugary drinks and foods. Apart from direct marketing methods such as messaging on packaging, television ads, advergames, and product placement in setting like blogs, industry has worked to steer coverage of sugar-related health information in popular media, including news media and social media.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Eat Drink Politics, Eat Drink Politics - About
  2. ↑ Appetite for Profit, Appetite for Profit - Articles
  3. ↑ Appetite for Profit, Appetite for Profit - Newsletter
  4. ↑ Michele R. Simon - House Judiciary Committee Archived 2013-03-02 at the Wayback Machine , Michele Simon's testimony at the HR 5034 hearing, 2010
  5. 1 2 PR Newswire, Federal Agencies to Act on Dangerous Alcoholic Energy Drinks, 2010
  6. ↑ Eat Drink Politics, Clients
  7. ↑ Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Steering Committee
  8. ↑ "Eat Drink Politics". Eat Drink Politics - Blog. 20 March 2013.
  9. ↑ "Eat Drink Politics". Medium. 1 January 2021.
  10. ↑ Huffington Post: Michele Simon
  11. ↑ Grist: Michele Simon
  12. ↑ Food Safety News: Michele Simon
  13. ↑ Simon, Michele. "The natural-food industry should get political". Al Jazeera America, 10/2/15.
  14. ↑ PepsiCo and Public Health: Is the Nation’s Largest Food Company a Model of Corporate Responsibility or Master of Public Relations?, February 2012
  15. ↑ State Laws on School Vending: The Need for a Public Health Approach, 2007
  16. ↑ The Competitive Food Conundrum: Can Government Regulations Improve School Food, 2007
  17. ↑ Can Food Companies Be Trusted to Self-Regulate - An Analysis of Corporate Lobbying and Deception to Undermine Children's Health, 2006
  18. ↑ Report wants to know how much soda is bought with US food stamps, Reuters, 2012
  19. ↑ Report Faults Food Group’s Sponsor Ties, New York Times, 2013
  20. 1 2 3 4 Eat Drink Politics YouTube Page
  21. ↑ Justice’s Plans for Event Tied to Pepsi Stir Outcry by Yale Alumni, New York Times, 2/7/13
  22. ↑ Sonic, Burger King, other fast-food chains selling alcohol, USA Today, 7/1/11
  23. ↑ Are LFTB or ‘Pink Slime’ Safety Claims Meaningful to Consumers?, ABC News, 4/3/12
  24. ↑ Appetite for Profit, Michele Simon - CV
  25. ↑ Wall, Alix. "The 1st Master's Level Food Studies Program Launches on the West Coast". KQED, 11/24/15.
  26. ↑ "Plant Based Foods Association". Plant Based Foods Association - Past Events.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.