What responsibilty does corporate America Have with Obesity?

Rant

[robjna]

As a long standing freeper, I know we preach self responsibility, but how much responsibility must be placed with corporate America in our vast obesity problem. I am only addressing this now as I try to remove myself from the obesity column. I am not considered a fat person , but in my forties and watching my gut balloon, I finally decided to put a stop to it. My research found that all the promise diets all came down to one thing-less calories. So I went about trying the weight watchers program as it seemed the most logical system. I did it online as I did not need the support group lectures that come with weekly weigh-ins and it made it my own personal battle.

I am on my way to my weight loss, but what I have discovered is that it is practically impossible to lose weight or maintain unless all the cooking is done at home. I must pack lunches that are healthy, and cook meals that are within reason to keep the weight loss going. It is almost impossible to find fast food that will keep me on pace and even going out to dinner requires careful planning to stay on track.

This is where my question comes in. I know it is easier to get profits by having fries go with the burger versus a fruit cup, and frying it up will get more orders than a broiled chicken sandwich, but by preying on our desires to please our pallette versus our bodies, America has created an obese society.Many of our children are clueless to what a balanced meal with vegetables and fruit is realy like. our restaurants think the bigger the serving , the better the food and the better chance of a return customer. This really is a case of profit over customer.

Agian , from the top, it is our choice to stuff ourselves or make Mcdonalds a daily requirement, but it is frustrating and sad to watch how many Americans are over weight and even sadder to see a generation of kids going the same route because they know not better. We need to have alternatives in our fast paced enviroment to the fast food companies. We need less portions at our restaurants and we need less research on how we can sell more sweets by adding flavor enchancers to lure in the consumer. OK , enough ranting , fire away freepers.

[Delbert]

If you get tired of doing that do the Subway thing like I did.
Is that you Jared????

[Dr. Frank fan]

As a long standing freeper, I know we preach self responsibility, but how much responsibility must be placed with corporate America in our vast obesity problem.

Zero. They sell products to people who voluntarily buy them. No guns are put to any heads.

And by the way, what do you mean "our" vast obesity problem? Speak for yourself.

We need to have alternatives in our fast paced enviroment to the fast food companies.

Uh, we do. In fact you already listed the main one: cook at home. No one forces you to go out to eat, anywhere. Buy whatever food you like at a supermarket (perhaps you've heard of them) and cook it at home to suit your tastes and/or dietary needs. What exactly is the problem? Are you a grown-up?

We need less portions at our restaurants

1. No, "we" don't. I like getting more in return for my dollar, thanks very much. 2. If you want a smaller portion, then ask for one yourself. Don't campaign to have restaurants skimp on my portion too. That makes no sense; I think by that point I'd thank you to mind your own damn business. 3. Since you seem to desire getting smaller portions for the same amount of money from all restaurants, but you are frustrated because those pesky restaurants insist on selling bigger portions, I have a solution which will work now and not require any restaurant changing their policy: buy tiny portions and meals, and then send me a dollar for each one that you eat. (Alternatively, buy the same portions but give me half the food....) This should make you happy, since that seems to be what you're asking for. 4. You know, just because a restaurant puts a plate of food in front of you doesn't mean you have to eat it all. Are you a human being or a robot?

[MEGoody]

We are each still responsible for what we put in our mouths. Sure, it's harder to eat 'healthy' but so what? The fast food places do have salads or we can order the broiled chicken without mayo.

Restaurants and food manufacturers will respond to what the market demands. If people buy the healthy stuff, they'll offer more of it. (The fast food places didn't used to carry salads, etc. That came about because of consumer demand.)

[MEGoody]

you are aptly named.

[Arkinsaw]

but by preying on our desires to please our pallette versus our bodies

The only commercials allowed on television or in print would be what? Brussel sprouts? Corporations, or you as an individual for that matter, are free to try to sell and make a profit on any legal product and as far as I can tell hamburgers and french fries are still legal.

I weigh 215 pounds and am 6'6" so I am not obese. I eat tons of hamburgers and french fries. Why would it not be legal or ethical to market this food TO ME? Just because Joe Blow is obese they can't market food to me?

It would be very unsafe for Christopher Reeve to drive a Ford truck. Does this mean that it is unethical for Ford to market its trucks? Should trucks be banned? Truck advertising?

Foolish freedom limiting ideas are not beneficial, stop advertising them. Its unethical.

[Delbert]

All i know is that it is sad to see such a large segment of our population literally going to pot.<<----Well theres your problem right there...it's the POT. Munchies are deadly.

[apillar]

There are actually two ways to lose weight -- decrease calorie consumption (eat less) or increase the amount of calories your body burns (excercise more).

I worked in at a real labor intensive, outdoor job for six years while I was going to college. Just about every meal I would eat as much as I wanted usually something like a couple Quarter pounders or a large pizza with coke or beer. I actually weighed less when I graduated from college than when I started (170lbs).

Well once I graduated I got a desk job for 8-10 hours aday, of course I was use to eating the way I had in college and within 2 years had gone from 170 to 260.

I finally decided to lose some weight this summer when I started to realize that I had to stop and rest after going up a flight of stairs. After trying the typical "rabbit" diet I just about gave up.

What I finally found that works for me is to eat moderately the things I like (instead of a supersize meal at McDonalds now I get a cheesburger, small fry and diet coke) and to excercise more -- I'm up to 1 hour a day. So far I've lost 20LBS since mid-summer and I have yet to feel deprived.

[Sungirl]

Well..since they MAKE you take an UNPAID HOUR for lunch I think they are repsonsible for making eat MORE FOOD.

IF they paid us for lunch and told us we only have 20-30 minutes....we'd all eat less.

[robjna]

on a side note,one of the biggest scams in America is handicap parking permits. And the ones who abuse it the most are the ones that could probably use the extra walking as it is the weight that makes them think they qualify for special consideration in parking.

[MEGoody]

"no public monies to provide health care for people who become ill as a result of their addictions."

I presume that would mean no public health monies for those who contract STDs (including AIDS) due to their own sexual behavior, no public monies for abortions except in cases of rape, no public monies for people who get hurt because they are addicted to exercise (they are out there). If you don't agree with all these things, then what right have you to say that public monies should be withheld from other groups who have health problems due to their own choices?

[goodieD]

People eat out more because women don't stay home where they belong and cook like they're supposed to. (I can find a way to blame just about anything on the women's movement. LOL!)

[keepvotin]

Not only is overconsumption of unhealthy fried food to blame for obesity, but most Meat cattle has been injected with steroids to make them grow bigger. Perhaps when we eat that meat we grow bigger too.

In McDonald's defense of the recent obesity lawsuits, they say that they post the nutrition facts in the restaurant. But nowhere do they warn that the beef contains steroids.

[Numbers Guy]

What I finally found that works for me is to eat moderately the things I like (instead of a supersize meal at McDonalds now I get a cheesburger, small fry and diet coke) and to excercise more -- I'm up to 1 hour a day

That's what worked for me too. I just ate similar things, but smaller portions, and exercised more.

That's the dirty little secret, that others have pointed out here. There's only two ways to lose weight: EAT LESS and EXERCISE MORE. Both of those are under people's own control. Yes, genetics may mean some have healthy base weights that are higher than others, but that doesn't justify being greatly obese.

It's also the eat on the run mentality and the greater difficulty families have in sitting down to dinner at one time. And I don't understand why parents let their kids drink anything other than water or regular milk (not chocolate) at meals. Other beverages should be a treat, not a regular staple of the diet.

[Delbert]

Im not going anywhere near that one, quick.... go to your closet and grab your flame suit...youre gonna get burned : )

[discostu]

I know it is easier to get profits by having fries go with the burger versus a fruit cup,

Here's the key. Why is it easier to make a profit selling fries than fruit cups? The answer is there is a higher demand for fries. Just like smut on TV and in the movies the corporations are responding to demand. They don't dictate taste, they respond to it. If we want corporations to supply healthier food then we should... well REALLY want corpotations to sell healthier food and demonstrate this by buying the healthier food and making it more profitable to produce and sell. This is Subway's big push, and they're well on their way to replacing McDs as the king of fast food. Of course we also have one of the longest life expectancies on the planet, so I wouldn't get in a fluster over our supposed weight problem.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Congratulations and good luck to you! Salute!

(Too many) Americans are too damn fat!

Simple as that.

I get a "reverse culture shock" every time returning to the USA from fast-paced, slimmed-down Asia. While in Osaka or Seoul or Bangkok everyone is racing up and down escalators, walking two miles a day, old ladies walking blocks with heavy groceries, stylish women in tight dresses and beautiful complexions; in the USA fat women and men drive up to the 7-Eleven doorstep and take five minutes getting out of the car and waddling in, panting and palpitating, and coming out with their greasy hotdogs and potato chips and sugar laced cokes.

President Bush is really right on this one. If Americans ate decently then walked or exercised a lot, and lost a lot of weight, why I'll bet you would see huge drops in crime, unemployment, strife between people, drops in school dropouts, depression, child abuse and many more harmonious marriages.

Watching a TV trash show in the afternoon shows that when people sit around like demobilized pigs feeding themselves poison, the lethargy, depression, and victim's consciousness spreads like a virus. I wish our country were more in shape. To me, that would strike me as 'patriotic', too!

[big gray tabby]

Bingo!

Eating fats and proteins is pretty easy, too. I had a 12 oz. prime rib Saturday with carrots and beer. I wasn't feeling too deprived after that.

[liberallarry]

I do mean all those things.

No one is perfect so all of us make bad choices. There's a limit to blame and personal responsibility. I recognize that. Also, I'm not insensitive to practical difficulties, or to special circumstances. It may turn out that what I'm advocating is impossible.

But it's a possibility which should be explored.

[goodieD]

I've used that line on various threads this week..and surprisingly enough.. not even a singe... but to be good and answer the original question, my answer would have to be: NONE. We adults are all responsible for our own health.

[BlazingArizona]

This year, corporate America is doing its part in controlling obesity in a major way: it laid everybody off, which in the long run will make us skinnier.