This book investigates how food and nutrition are constructed as social problems through the lens of social constructionist theory. Donna Maurer, a sociologist specializing in the study of food and health, examines the processes by which specific dietary issues gain public attention and policy priority. By analyzing the rhetoric of health experts, media outlets, and advocacy groups, the author demonstrates how scientific data is often filtered through social and political agendas to shape public perception of what constitutes a healthy diet.

Sociologists and public health researchers frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the intersection of social policy and dietary discourse. Experts highlight the clarity of the author's theoretical framework, noting that it provides a useful methodology for analyzing contemporary food-related social movements.