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Obesity and Coercion

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Food Insecurity, the Obesity Crisis, and Exploitation in the US Food System

Part of the book series: Palgrave Series in Bioethics and Public Policy ((PSBPP))

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Abstract

We apply the concept of informed consent discussed in the previous chapter to demonstrate that individuals often cannot autonomously make choices when it comes to their eating behavior. We argue that choices about food and diet are not truly autonomous. The second element of exploitation, therefore, obtains. Further given that the activities of agribusiness and food retailers that have contributed to the obesity crisis have also resulted in the generation of a great deal of wealth for firms operating within those two sectors, the first element of exploitation also obtains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Minnesota, Morris, Morris, Minnesota, USA

    Clement Loo

  2. University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA

    Robert A. Skipper Jr.

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  1. Clement Loo
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  2. Robert A. Skipper Jr.
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Correspondence to Clement Loo .

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Loo, C., Skipper, R.A. (2017). Obesity and Coercion. In: Food Insecurity, the Obesity Crisis, and Exploitation in the US Food System. Palgrave Series in Bioethics and Public Policy. Palgrave Pivot, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53704-1_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-53704-1_4

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Pivot, New York

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-137-53703-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-137-53704-1

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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