On Sun, 15 Feb 2004 17:21:30 -0500, Bob > wrote:

<snip, cut, tear>

>Developed nations offer their citizens the greatest number of choices
>for their food. It doesn't mean they'll choose wisely. Indeed, they
>haven't. World-wide. Whether the fault lies in deliberate choices of
>nutritionally bad food when better could be purchased, or bad food was
>the only food available, humans don't have a good record for healthy
>eating until relatively recent times. Attribute it more to mass media
>than folk wisdom.

Whew! Very interesting post (and references). I agree with most of
what you wrote. And "mass media" promoting a steaming Whopper is
certainly more persuasive than a CNN report on, say, childhood
obesity.

It is odd that some 'peasant' food has historically been inadequate in
terms of total calories and nutrients, and is now harmful by way of
excess fat and sugar. Upscale food outlets offer coarse "stone
ground" cornmeal and bunches of dandelion greens at astronomical
prices. Many things seem to have switched places. A bacon-cheeseburger
is cheap; a salad of field greens luxurious.

I do doubt folk wisdom. Traditional diets in the southern US are
bloody awful! Pork side-meat with everything, plus sugar.*Good* diets
must be few and far-between. Maybe the ancients weren't *wise* to
choose beans&corn or lentils&rice, but just happily stumbled on an
economical combination that seemed to work. folk wisdom -- spend a
few hours waiting at the DMV and imagine how many clients you'd like
to have planning your meals. Much less driving on the same roads.
(What *was* that guy with a white cane doing there?)