Textbook for “We Are What We Eat”

January 9th, 2010 § Comments Off § permalink

In December, I chose the textbook for “We Are What We Eat” and the college curriculum committee has given its approval to the course. Work continues, planning goes on, and we’re still on track for the Fall course launch.

Finding the right book for a course about nutrition, food sources, public health, economics, and public policy was an interesting challenge.  Ultimately, when it came tome to pick one, I settled on Dr. Marion Nestle’s What to Eat.  Dr. Nestle, from her bio, is Paulette Goddard Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health (the department she chaired from 1988-2003) and Professor of Sociology at New York University.

The text approaches food from the perspective of the supermarket, in an aisle by aisle, or section by section discussion of food, labels, nutrition.  Our goal from the inception of this course was to blend the theory and science with the practical so that future public health leaders can influence reasonable policy.