The Inmates Make Their Case...

[ChrisB]

I really don't think there is that big of a problem with people's diets. I think the biggest problem is the lifestyle that many people live now. Childhood obesity is up so what are we going to do? Let's educate them on eating healthy but in order to have time and money for that we need to eliminate something. Well, we can't eliminate the class explaining why little Jimmy has 2 dads, so we will have to eliminate phy-ed. Then these kids go sit in front of the TV the rest of the night. Adults are no better; sit in an office for 9-10 hours a day or more trying to make ends meet, if needed you jump on the riding mower to mow their 1/4 acre lot, then watch TV or play video games with the kids for some quality time.

Not everybody of course their are kids in sports, adults that go to the gym, bike, walk, run, or still play rec league sports but these aren't the people who are overweight for the most part.

It's got to be the fault of the food companies right?

 

[TexasBred]

I don't think we need to create a whole new bureaucracy to have a "food policy" like the article suggests. Heaven forbid. But we do have some problems. More and more people are obese, especially children, and the average American's diet isn't very healthy. The giant food companies put some pure crap on the market and too many people are dumb enough to buy it. They might label it "healthy choice" but it's not. I became a label reader when my father in law was in decline and we were trying to find microwave "heat and eat" meals for him. [I ended up cooking an extra portion at our house for him, we had our own little "meals on wheels" program.] Reading all those labels was an eye opener. I hardly buy anything anymore that isn't just a basic ingredient, minimally processed.

How do you help people become smarter and more discerning in their choices, without taking away their free will/liberty? It's a pickle.

More and more people eat way tooooooooo much and then sit on their ass all day long....that is the choice they make........burn a few of those calories you take in and the weight might fall off. (Just a thought) Not a lot different than feeding cattle.

 

[Nesikep]

If all the junk/fast food, chips, pop, and candy are making people fat and unhealthy, use the same solution as cigarettes and alcohol.. tax it 50%...

I'd really like to see a study of if diet soda has any beneficial effect on helping people lose weight. I don't know about the rest of you (chevy vs ford?) but I will die of thirst before I drink diet pepsi, regular pepsi and diet coke are nearly as vile. Regular coke is OK, though I prefer tonic water