To prehistoric man, sweetness was an indicator of edibility. Its consumption was rewarded by the brain with happiness hormones: an indulgence they rarely experienced. That changed when sugar became a mass product on the shoulders of slavery and ecological exploitation. Today, the world‘s food and beverage supply is dominated by a few multinational corporations that have created highly processed sugar-rich foods that people find hard to resist. These are marketed specifically to children, from an early age they are accustomed to extreme sweetness.
Sugar is at the heart of the modern Western diet, and with its creation and spread, overweight and obesity have increased worldwide. For those affected, this increases the risk of numerous serious diseases of civilization. They are also stigmatized and suffer from social discrimination, feelings of inferiority and reactive depression.
In the public perception, responsibility for overweight and obesity is often attributed to those affected and their behavior. The industry rejects any responsibility and has been deliberately downplaying the dangers since the 1950s. It uses its power to manipulate scientific processes, to disinform and to exert political influence. Nevertheless, sugar is caught in a crossfire, fueled by science and media. Politics is forced to react in view of the enormous growing costs for the health and social system. Through photographic means, I examine the industry and its impact on the individual and society.