Debating CSPI

Radley Balko | April 21, 2008

This morning, I debated a rep from CSPI for the Retirement Living channel on the topic of public health.

I was hoping she'd bring up trans-fats. And she did, blaming your partially hydrogenated oils for some 50,000 deaths per year. I have no idea where they got that number, but I did point out that if it's true, CSPI's activism is partially to blame. Back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the organization put public pressure on the fast food industry to adopt "healthier" trans-fats in place of animal fats. In response to one early study citing the dangers of trans-fats, one CSPI rep wrote in a newsletter, "trans-schmans!"

The restaurant industry caved, and now CSPI is demanding they switch back, at least when it comes to foods where other alternatives won't work.

Should have video in about a week.