Unhealthy Profits: How Food Giants Capitalize on the Obesity Epidemic

The article delves into a troubling revelation - major food conglomerates like Nestlé, Danone, and Unilever are profiting from the very health problems their products help cause. These companies are investing in weight-loss drugs, medical nutrition for diabetics, and treatments for digestive issues, all while continuing to manufacture ultra-processed and unhealthy foods that contribute to the global obesity epidemic.

Fueling the Problem and Profiting from the Solution

The Duplicitous Game of "Having Your Cake and Eating It Too"

Multinational food companies are engaging in a dubious strategy, akin to the "Beyond Nicotine" approach of tobacco giants. They are making money not only from selling unhealthy processed foods, but also from investing in products designed to address the very conditions their products help create. This includes weight-loss supplements, medical nutrition for diabetics, and treatments for digestive issues.An investigation by The Investigative Desk found that half of the 10 largest producers of ultra-processed foods in the European market are also investing in these types of "solutions." Companies like Nestlé, Danone, Unilever, and Kraft Heinz are profiting from both ends of the spectrum - selling the problem and selling the cure.

Stretching the Boundaries of Regulation

The food industry's tactics are exploiting the thin line between food and medicine in European Union regulations. While separate bodies exist to evaluate medicines and supplements, the dividing line is proving to be blurry. Companies are making clever use of wording to push the boundaries of what is permitted, often making claims that would be considered medical if applied to a pharmaceutical product.Experts from the Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) have expressed concern over the industry's attempts to circumvent regulations. They have seen a rapid growth in the number of supposed "health" products, particularly on social media, but lack the resources to thoroughly evaluate all of them.

Influencers and Celebrities as Marketing Vehicles

To promote their weight-loss products and nutritional supplements, food manufacturers are leveraging the power of influencers and celebrities. A quick search on social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube reveals numerous examples of fitness gurus, personal chefs, and even professional athletes endorsing these products.Tennis star Yanina Wickmayer, for instance, has shared on Instagram her endorsement of Pronokal, a Nestlé subsidiary that offers a very low-calorie ketogenic diet program. Similarly, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has openly discussed using the weight-loss drug Wegovy, manufactured by Danish pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.

A Symbiotic Relationship with Pharmaceutical Weight-Loss Drugs

The food industry is actively embracing the emerging market for pharmaceutical weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic. These injectable medications, approved for weight loss in the United States and Europe, are seen by food companies as complementary to their own products.Danone's CEO, Antoine de Saint-Affrique, has stated that the company views these weight-loss drugs as "complementary" to their offerings, as they provide the necessary proteins and nutrients that people may not get from regular food when using such medications.Nestlé has even launched a new line of "Vital Pursuit" products specifically tailored for users of weight-loss drugs, claiming they are "high in protein, a good source of fibre, contain essential nutrients and are tailored in portions to the appetite of a weight-loss drug user."

The Societal Cost of Corporate Greed

The food industry's pursuit of profits at the expense of public health is a concerning trend. Experts like Hanno Pijl, a professor of diabetology at Leiden University, have denounced the "incredibly cynical" nature of these companies' strategies, which place shareholder interests above the well-being of consumers.The annual total cost of adult obesity in the European Union was estimated at 70 billion euros in 2016, including healthcare costs and lost productivity. Pijl argues that the food industry is causing the damage on the "front end," while healthcare systems are left to "repair the damage" on the "back end."As the global obesity epidemic continues to worsen, with the World Health Organization predicting over 1 billion adults will be obese by 2023, the need for decisive action against the food industry's exploitative practices has never been more urgent.