Health Habits

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Posts Tagged ‘mcdonalds’

Who needs steroids when you got McDonalds

February 21st, 2010

At this year’s Olympic games, we have seen some amazing performances.

Petra Majdic winning a bronze medal in cross country skiing after suffering 5 cracked ribs and a deflated lung.
Lindsey Vonn winning downhill gold with her messed up shins
Shaun White twisting and turning like the Tazmanian Devil
Jon Montgomery coming from behind to win gold in my new favorite winter sport – skeleton

And, in past years, we might have attributed those performances to steroids…but not with these Olympians.

They don’t need steroids.

They’re being powered by the official food & drink of the 2010 Olympics…

McDonalds and Coca-Cola

But wait, it gets better.

McDonalds has decided to sponsor hundreds of young athletes as they train & eat their way to future Olympic glory.

Allow me to introduce you to the 2026 Olympic gold medal winner in downhill skiing and competitive eating.

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A BAN on Fast Food TV Advertising Would Reverse Childhood Obesity Trends

November 19th, 2008

In the past few years, childhood obesity has grown from being a personal health issue to a public health issue.

And today, it is fast becoming a political issue.

Way back in the 1980s, this is what a fat kid looked like.

(Bonus points to anyone who recognizes Chunk from “The Goonies”)

Today, Chunk would almost be slim by comparison.

Not only are today’s fat kids fatter than ever, their numbers are swelling as well.

In 2006, the CDC said that “the prevalence of obesity among children aged 6 to 11 more than doubled in the past 20 years, going from 6.5% in 1980 to 17.0% in 2006.

The rate among adolescents aged 12 to 19 more than tripled, increasing from 5% to 17.6%“.

And if that wasn’t bad enough, research also shows that there is an 80 percent chance an overweight adolescent will become an obese adult.

But maybe, you’re not a numbers person.

If that’s the case, and this data isn’t enough to grab your attention, take a look at this train-wreck:

Clearly, we have a problem.

What to do, what to do…

Well, according to researchers from the National Bureau of Economic Research, a ban on fast food advertisements in the United States could reduce the number of overweight children by as much as 18%.

Should the U.S. pursue that path, they would follow Sweden, Norway and Finland as the only countries to have banned commercial sponsorship of children’s programs.

This new research builds onto the findings of the 2006 report issued by the Institute of Medicine.

That report:

Indicated that there is compelling evidence linking food advertising on television and increased childhood obesity
Recommended congressional regulation of television food advertisements aimed at children
But also said that the link that would definitively prove that children had become fatter by watching fast food commercials could not be made.”

Michael Grossman, co-author of the NBER study, say that “our study provides evidence of that link.”

The Link between Fast Food TV Advertising and Childhood Obesity

Alright, problem solved.

TV fast food advertising is the villain.

So, what now?

Now we just need a champion to step in and kick a little corporate butt.

Let’s see, who can we get….hmmmmm, who would be a good choice?

Wait, I know!!!

Tipper Gore

That’s perfect!

Let’s unleash Tipper on those evil fast food and television executives and our childhood obesity problem will disappear faster than the cake at a fat kid’s birthday party.

Okay, I just happen to have her private number right here….dialing……it’s ringing…….someone’s answering…..and…but….but….I see….well..but….ok…thanks anyway…

Sorry people, Tipper’s too busy helping her husband eliminate global warming to help us eliminate childhood obesity.

We’re on our own.

So what do we want to do?

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NYC Food Police: Keeping New Yawkers safe from the evil Big Mac

May 8th, 2008

Newsweek reports that as of this past Monday, New York City’s health department began ticketing restaurants that haven’t complied with the new law requiring them to post calorie counts on their menus.

By the end of Monday, five restaurants had been ticketed. The perpetrators: Dunkin’ Donuts, McDonalds, Popeye’s, Sbarro and TGIFridays.

Lucky for them that the citations were little more than warnings. They carried no fines, because a federal judge had said the city could not impose fines until mid-July. When imposed, the fines will range from $200 to $2,000.

And what about those rebels that refuse to go along with this by-law? While the New York State Restaurant Association has taken the city of New York to court over this issue, the restaurateurs themselves seem to be falling into line.

And just to make sure they do, the form that the city gave to the offending restaurants carried the warning that the health department “expects that the conditions will be addressed promptly.” The form cautioned that “any recurrence of these conditions could result in further action being taken.”

Maybe they should call in McDonaldland’s former Chief of Police, Big Mac.