Michael F. Jacobson
| Michael F. Jacobson | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | July 29, 1943 |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Nutritionist |
| Notable work | Center for Science in the Public Interest |
Michael F. Jacobson (born July 29, 1943), who holds a Ph.D. in microbiology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is an American scientist and nutrition advocate.
Jacobson co-founded the Center for Science in the Public Interest in 1971, along with two fellow scientists (James B. Sullivan, Albert J. Fritsch) he met while working at the Center for the Study of Responsive Law. When his colleagues left CSPI in 1977, Jacobson became its executive director. Today, Jacobson also is the secretary on the board of directors of the organization. He has been a national leader in the movement for healthier diets, focusing both on education and obtaining laws and regulations. It was Jacobson who coined the now widely used phrases "junk food" and "food porn".
Jacobson sits on the National Council of the Great American Meatout, an annual event sponsored by Farm Animal Rights Movement, that encourages people to "kick the meat habit" for a day. Jacobson and his organization have criticized a wide variety of foods and beverages as unhealthful. He and CSPI frequently use colorful terms to emphasize their opposition to certain foods, for instance referring to fettuccine alfredo as a "heart attack on a plate."
He founded Food Day , a nationwide celebration of healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food and a grassroots campaign for better policies. Food Day was celebrated annually from 1975-77 and 2011-15. Jacobson also founded Big Business Day and the Center for the Study of Commercialism .
"Soda is the quintessential junk food—just sugar calories and no nutrients," says Jacobson. "Americans are drowning in soda pop—teenagers, in particular. The average teenage boy is consuming two cans of soda pop a day." Jacobson proposes several warning labels, including "Drinking (non-diet) soft drinks contributes to obesity and tooth decay," and "Consider switching to diet soda, water, or skim milk." He once asked a CBS News reporter: "Obesity is an epidemic. One-third of youths already are overweight or obese. Are we just going to sit around and do nothing? Or should we do something—a modest, sensible step of putting a health message on cans and bottles?"
In 2005, Jacobson's organization proposed mandatory warning labels on all containers of sugar-sweetened soft drinks, to warn consumers about the possible health risks of consuming these beverages on a regular basis.
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