Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Fast Food

On Good Morning America today Dr. Oz was interviewed by Diane Sawyer. He performs 300 open heart surgeries a year and believes that the majority of them could be avoided by diet and exercise. One third of Americans are overweight and allowing fast food chains on every corner is a major reason; we make it too easy to eat poorly. Dr. Oz's opinion on the heated health reform is not favorable because seeking how to pay for health care is not a solution. The best solution, according to the doctor, is to make it easier for Americans to become and stay fit. Examples given were safe walking paths and getting a workout some how during working hours.

The segment ended and a McDonald's commercial aired. Seriously? A working mom comes home from work and gets bombarded by her kids the minute she walks in the door. Can you guess what her answer was for a minute to unwind? Yep, she pulled out Happy Meals from her over sized purse.

If you have read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser or seen the movie based on the book and/or watched the documentary Super Size Me you may feel the same way I do about fast food. Don't get me wrong, I'll occasionally visit such establishments (and I have a secret love affair with Chick Fila) but it makes me angry that it is so convenient, so cheap, so bad for our bodies, and so heavily marketed to the most vulnerable.

Anyone with me?

2 comments:

Covey said...

I am so with you!!! I am happy though thtat they have started offering mandarin oranges at Wendy's and apple slices at McDonalds. Actually, I think if they offered the toys a la carte I would just buy a toy and get them something healthy off the menu--Elijah LOVES the fruit and walnut salad at McDonalds. Taco Bell isn't too bad either--you get the bean instead of beef and add tomatoes instead of cheese--voila! Even Dr. Oz and Weight Watchers approve of that one. Now--onto the sodium!!! My mom is in heart care and its the sodium, not the fat, that will kill you!

Leslie Ruth Petree said...

Oh girl, I am SO with you. What ticks me off the most is that the healthiest options at fast food places are always the most expensive. I'm with Dr. Oz on this one. Making healthcare accessible to everyone is NOT going to solve the problem of why Americans are the most overweight citizens of this earth.