www.whyville.net Mar 7, 2003 Weekly Issue



googles
Times Writer

Food, Food, Food

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Food.

We all love it. You gotta admit it. Well, that is, unless you are one of those few people who has an excellent grasp on being healthy in this world. Let's face the facts. Since the '80s, portions of meals have MAJORLY increased. And no, not just McDonald's, where we are now urged to super-size our food not just once, but twice per item! The hamburgers have grown, the drinks have been up-sized and the fries have been, well, made even more unhealthy. Truth is, food portions have increased at home, too. But, as many people probably agree, sometimes it is just too hard to resist eating.

I'm sure some of you have heard about the kids who planned to sue McDonald's for gaining an immense amount of weight by eating at McDonald's everyday. As I write this, that lawsuit just got turned down and those kids will, as we all will, have to face the facts. WE are in control of what we eat, not the restaurants. They did not force Big Macs down our throats as we walked in the door to McDonald's. No no no.

Now, about the food at home. I don't know about you guys, but it is not very often that I actually sit down with my family at the table and have a healthy, food-from-each-part-of-the-pyramid dinner. In fact, I have grown accustomed to having sandwiches quite often and, sadly, soda as well.

It is odd that I can actually look back into my past and realize that I DID, in fact, used to have those types of all-around good dinners. I can remember green beans, fish sticks, milk. But now... well, let's just say I can't stand the sight of green beans or the smell of fish sticks. Milk I have occasionally, but I mean, it's not been my drink of choice.

I think this world is heading, or has already headed I might say, into a place where we do not want to be. The majority of the children of the U.S. are becoming overweight. Strike that. The majority of the children in the U.S. ARE overweight. It's a fact.

I say it's time we shape up.
Googles

Editor's Note: I absolutely agree that we must all take responsibility for the food (and exercise) we apply to our bodies. But don't corporations have a responsibility not foist unsafe, unhealthy products onto their consumers? Studies have shown that eating higher levels of fat and sugar as children can result in a kind of addiction as we grow older. Studies have also shown that McDonald's and other fast food corporations have specifically targeted kids in their advertising; should that really be okay, when Happy Meals lead to not-so-happy waistlines in the future? Or does this come under the First Amendment -- should anyone be able to sell anything to anybody else?

 

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