Junk-Food Jihad - to ban or not to ban

K@t · April 20, 2006

There was a thread here a few weeks ago that talked about baning fast food and advertising. I just found this article today and I think it's worth the read. Very interesting.

http://www.slate.com/id/2139941/nav/tap1/?GT1=8019

kimalicious · April 20, 2006

Good one!!!

sleepyjean · April 20, 2006

I had a whole rant about this, but I just erased it. I’m getting down off my soapbox, but before I do, I just want to say that I agree with the author. I’m getting really sick of legislation designed to save us from ourselves. I think it not only limits our freedoms, but it says two other things: A)we aren’t smart enough or responsible enough to take care of ourselves. the good news is, we don’t have to be. We can blame our troubles on “the industry” and conveniently overlook the fact that ultimately WE are the ones who decide what goes into our mouths.

Paulax · April 20, 2006

I had a whole rant about this, but I just erased it. I’m getting down off my soapbox, but before I do, I just want to say that I agree with the author. I’m getting really sick of legislation designed to save us from ourselves. I think it not only limits our freedoms, but it says two other things: A)we aren’t smart enough or responsible enough to take care of ourselves. the good news is, we don’t have to be. We can blame our troubles on “the industry” and conveniently overlook the fact that ultimately WE are the ones who decide what goes into our mouths.

I agree with this wholeheartedly.

I DO however have a problem with what is served to our children in schools. Children who are not adults and who are served deep fried crap on a daily basis. I am also a teacher and I hate the hold that 'business' has on our schools, so that if their products aren't displayed, the threat of money 'donated' is taken away and programs can't run on what the schools are given.

In Canada, there is very little of that, there are no hot lunch programs served in our elementary schools unless it is in a greatly impoverished area. So my kids eat what I give them. But we do have to fight to have junk food machines taken out of our elementary schools. There is a big movement toward that here.

I feel bad for our children. Sometimes it seems as though we have lost touch with what is good nutrition and we are feeding our children junk.

But I do agree with the premise that we and only we are responsible for what goes into our mouths. I just think we could protect our children a bit more.

Jamie Oliver Rocks! I missed his show where he changed the school cafeteria food to more healthful meals in England. I understand he is going to do a similar show in the US.

Now I will get off my soapbox. Anyone else wanna turn?

DonnaB · April 20, 2006

Don't trample on my rights and freedom, but DO limit the amount of time and space allowed to advertisers, manufacterers and distributors of junk foods. At the very least demand equal time to advertisement of good and healthy foods and pay for this advertising through taxation of these same unhealthy food manufacturers and distributors - NOT by making the American public pay for it through their tax dollars in the form of government "public service" advertising.

There is definitely a relationship between advertising and obesity but there are simple controls which can be put in place to reduce the destructive trend. We here at LapBandTalk, of all people, should be able to see that self-control is not only difficult to maintain against constant temptation but virtually impossible to continue indefinitely without outside intervention.

With regard to the link K@t has provided, (http://www.slate.com/id/2139941/nav/tap1/?GT1=8019) I disagree with the concept that there is no such thing as second-hand obesity. It runs in families for a reason and not all of those reasons are genetic. Children learn by watching their parents. Parents are poisoning their children with the choices THEY make. The parents' choices are being heavily influenced by marketing and advertising. IMO second-hand obesity is not only possible but prevalent. Children literally do not have a choice when it comes to the food in their homes. Even GIVEN a choice, children will choose sugary, fatty, unhealthy foods that taste good (good = sweet to most children) or that are "fun" to eat - think Easy Mac or Spaghetti-O's. Vegetables are rarely marketed as a "fun" food!

Should government intervene and take away our freedom of choice? ABSOLUTELY NOT. Should governement protect us through controls placed on the food and advertising industries? Probably. Almost certainly. I don't view this as any different than the controls placed on the drug industry.

This issue isn't going to solve itself and it's going to be an expensive battle we'll all have to wage and ultimately win. Either that or resign ourselves to the fact that our country will ultimately be overrun by a foreign power which we will be unable to stop because we can't get off the couch, or march into battle because our joints can't bear our weight for long enough to defend our country. That may sound melodramatic but we're already at, what?, a rate 60% obesity among adults with epidemic obesity rates among our children. How melodramatic will this be in 20 years? 30 years?

Where is this going? I'm not really sure myself, but we, as a country, have to do something about this situation right away. I truly believe our nation is at risk.

Man - talk about a soap box! Sorry to rant but, clearly, you've touched a nerve with me. :-)

Paulax · April 20, 2006

:clap2:

Great post DonnaB

I agree there is second hand obesity.

K@t · April 20, 2006

Welp, if you guys can find some data to back up your second hand obesity theory then maybe we can be in business!

TheWomanWithin · April 20, 2006

I agree here - limit some of the advertising junk.

There is just SOOO much out there that directed strictly to children/teens, who are so easily influenced by things of society.

How do we as parents know what our children/teens do at school? The schools should not allow coke/soda machines and snack machines in the schools (personal opinion here) School systems should hold themselves accountable for some of the problems of obesity.

Point in case: when my oldest children were in elementary school, the school board cut PE yes PE out of the schedule instead of the art program! I had alot to say about that - so did alot of other parents.

When they were in HS I found out the school installed coke machines, my oldest son in 9th grade would come home wild and crazy off of Mt Dew and I knew I didnt give him money for sodas, those were for special occassions. Kids are great at sharing and not all parents felt like we did and gave their kids money or the other kids spent their allowance and gave our kids sodas.

It runs in families for a reason and not all of those reasons are genetic. Children learn by watching their parents

While this is partly true, it is each parents responsibilty to teach children that what the parents do aren't necessarily "right" or "wrong" .

For almost 21 years, I have made sure that each meal we have, each of them have a portion of everything - EVEN if they don't like it! 3 green peas or a tsp of greens looks like a moutain to a kid!

wow what a pain my 3yr old is about it lol she says mommy I don't like green peas, so I say baby I know you don't like them right now, but you did when you were younger and you may when you are older, when you want to eat them they are on your plate - they make you grow big and strong and healthy.

She just looks at me and thinks and says hmmm, so I hope one day she will like them again.

We can each only hope to inform and arm our children what is out there of what is right and wrong and hope they make the right decisions.