E34: Obesity Isn’t a Mystery—It’s Portions, Profits & Policy

Dr. Marion Nestle, leading nutrition expert and author of Food Politics, joins the show to expose how food industry funding distorts science, policy, and our diets.

Guest info: Dr. Marion Nestle is a renowned nutritionist, author, and Professor Emerita at NYU, known for her influential work on food politics, industry influence on science, and public health advocacy.

Topics discussed:

• The hidden influence of food industry funding on science and dietary guidelines
• Her time working on the Surgeon General’s Report and conflicts within federal agencies
• GMO policy, labeling battles, and the power of Monsanto
• Attending the World Economic Forum and seeing global power dynamics up close
• The rise in obesity and ultra-processed food
• Why portion sizes—not just ingredients—may best explain America’s health crisis
• Career longevity and achieving late-life success in academia

Best quotes:

• “Larger portions are a sufficient explanation for obesity—you don’t really need anything more complicated than that.”
• “People eat what’s in front of them. If the muffin is 600 calories, they’ll eat all 600.”
• “Industry-funded research almost always favors the sponsor. I can usually guess who funded a study just by reading the title.”
• “My two years in Washington? I refer to it as federal prison.”

📺Watch the full pod on YouTube➡️https://youtu.be/kt35SZnfj5A

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us.

Thanks for listening!