Obesity problem: Are fast food restaurants responsible or not?

[phillyTIM]

So is this something that fast food restaurants are responsible for? Seems to me, people aren't forced to eat there and they know what is bad for them, yet they choose to purchase that junk. Seems to me the Bush regime is exerting it's control yet again.


Health Czar Warns Fast-Food Joints To Shape Up

Fast food joints may soon get singled out by U.S. health czar Tommy Thompson if they don't shape up and stop feeding the country's obesity problem.

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson on Thursday said public pressure may do far more than lawsuits and legislation to curb the junk food explosion that costs the government $117 billion each year in obesity-related health care costs.

'I'm going to start giving out awards and singling out ones that are doing good and the ones that aren't,' he told reporters at a food policy conference. 'If I get in trouble, I get in trouble.'

Thompson specified PepsiCo Inc., Coca-Cola Co., McDonald's, Wendy's and Taco Bell as companies that could offer consumers healthier options and promote more sensible diets.

 

[charrison]

Fast food is a factor, but they are not responsable.

 

[jaeger66]

Everyone knew this was coming after tobacco was successfully demonized, but the first attempts at sueing fast food have not gone well.

 

[Fencer128]

People eat what they like. They make the ultimate decision. However, matters are not helped when bad food is so cheap. Nor when it is marketed so incredibly heavily.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[eraser]

No the restaurants should not be held responsible for the choices people make, as far as what they consume.

As for the Bush regime exerting influence on the matter. That is nonsense simply because this issue as far as holding these fast food restaurants responsible for the diets of individuals that consume there porducts has been debated long before Bush took office.


Eraser

 

[spaceman]

No.Last time i checked, you had the option of going to any eatery you wish.

 

[Shelly21]

I have a silly co-worker who try told me that they are responsible for running ads that's geared towards kids....

 

[jjones]

Better add Frito Lay to that hit list.

What nonsense; this will only give the frivolous lawsuit people more ammunition to blame their lack of responsibility on a faceless corporation with deep pockets. They'll just say, "See, the US government says they're bad, so they must be bad. They made my ass the size of a mack truck, not me. Gimme mo' money".

 

[Bulk Beef]

Seems to me the Bush regime is exerting it's control yet again.

Are you going to blame the Bush "regime" everytime Ari Fleischer leaves the toilet seat up, or Donald Rumsfeld forgets to put the cap back on the toothpaste, or Colin Powell drinks straight from the milk jug?

 

[ConclamoLudus]

The slippery slope! We're going to fall down this one for a while. Can we sue gun manufacturers? Can we sue the companys that supply the metal to make guns? Can we sue the companys that make the grills that McDonalds uses? Can we sue the Ad Agency that makes the ads for kids? Can I sue my parents because I'm only 5'7"?

Somebodys got one big-@ss line to draw in the sand on this one.

 

[Amused]

Such crap.

The explosion in obesity is relatively new. (post 1980 and exploding in the 1990s) Yet people ate far more fat and grease before 1970. Hell, EVERYONRE cooked with lard or bacon grease in the 70s and before.

The main reason for obesity in the US: Lack of physical activity.

Obesity grew with video games, cable TV and the Internet. I PROMISE you obesity levels would drop to pre-1980 levels if cable TV, video games and the Internet disappeared.

 

[Zebo]

The scary thing is public perception by-in-large is starting to change and hold them responsible. I predict within 5 years a multi million dollar victory for the fatties.

 

[Fencer128]

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
The scary thing is public perception by-in-large is starting to change and hold them responsible. I predict within 5 years a multi million dollar victory for the fatties.

But I would hope/guess that the law doesn't take popular opinion into its objective appraisals.

Cheers,

Andy

 

[DZip]

How do I sue the news media? All these reports are driving me into depression and giving me anxiety. What is the going settlement for this?

The Bush administration must be responsible for this too.

 

[zephyrprime]

I bet a mcdonald's burger is actually healthier than a homemade burger of the same weight because of the filler in the mcdonalds burger. The filler would reduce the caloric content. (I hear the filler is sawdust.)

 

[Fencer128]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
I bet a mcdonald's burger is actually healthier than a homemade burger of the same weight because of the filler in the mcdonalds burger. The filler would reduce the caloric content. (I hear the filler is sawdust.)

Any chemicals/preservatives to worry about though?

Cheers,

Andy

 

[zephyrprime]

I want to sue lawyers. They've made everything more expensive because of the cost of sueing.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: Fencer128

Originally posted by: Carbonyl
The scary thing is public perception by-in-large is starting to change and hold them responsible. I predict within 5 years a multi million dollar victory for the fatties.

But I would hope/guess that the law doesn't take popular opinion into its objective appraisals.

Cheers,

Andy

I have never noticed. Objectivity that is as applied to law. Seems every case is designed to play on emotion. And emotion and feeling wins out often when amatuer jourors are involved as the US practices. Weather showing the graphic pictures of a murder victim or allowing a cancer patient/plantiff families take the stand in a tobacco case, it's designed to lend creadence to one side based on emotion.

I like the way some european nations and Japan has it's justice system with professional jourors (usually 3 judges) who have seen it all and more likly than not would scoff at such appeals to emotion.

Anyway my point was if enough of the jury pool "feel" the fast food companies are responsible they will be, just like tobacco, just like gilf war symdrome, just like OJ was innocent.

 

[Zebo]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
I bet a mcdonald's burger is actually healthier than a homemade burger of the same weight because of the filler in the mcdonalds burger. The filler would reduce the caloric content. (I hear the filler is sawdust.)

LOL Not quite, it's soy. But ya it has less calories than a home made 100% beef patty. But beef is healthy for the most part.

 

[Fencer128]

I have never noticed. Objectivity that is as applied to law. Seems every case is designed to play on emotion. And emotion and feeling wins out often when amatuer jourors are involved as the US practices. Weather showing the graphic pictures of a murder victim or allowing a cancer patient/plantiff families take the stand in a tobacco case, it's designed to lend creadence to one side based on emotion.

I like the way some european nations and Japan has it's justice system with professional jourors (usually 3 judges) who have seen it all and more likly than not would scoff at such appeals to emotion.

Anyway my point was if enough of the jury pool "feel" the fast food companies are responsible they will be, just like tobacco, just like gilf war symdrome, just like OJ was innocent.

Not wanting to get into a protracted discussion - but haven't some of the larger tobacco cases actually been justified. For instance I believe many people scientific documents have been leaned on/distorted to paint a not-so-bad side of smoking, etc, etc.

Also, in the case of Gulf War syndrome there is definately something at work. Too many soldiers who when you see them don't look like they're faking it to me. Very recently the UK MOD has had to pay compensation to a soldier with what he describes as "gulf war syndrome". He claims it is the symptoms of the cocktail of injections he was given prior to leaving. The MOD has always claimed this is not the case and that the injections are perfectly safe - and that something beyond the MOD's responsibilities causes this illness. Thing is - this guy didn't go the gulf in the end - unlike his buddies with the same symptoms. This rules out DU and other gulf environmentals as being the root cause. The doctors and judges at this case agreed that the drugs he was given probably were responsible for his illness and the MOD must pay up.....*sound of floodgates opening* IMHO not "an open and shut case" of no MOD responsibility.

I agree about OJ though!

Cheers,

Andy

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Fencer128

I have never noticed. Objectivity that is as applied to law. Seems every case is designed to play on emotion. And emotion and feeling wins out often when amatuer jourors are involved as the US practices. Weather showing the graphic pictures of a murder victim or allowing a cancer patient/plantiff families take the stand in a tobacco case, it's designed to lend creadence to one side based on emotion.

I like the way some european nations and Japan has it's justice system with professional jourors (usually 3 judges) who have seen it all and more likly than not would scoff at such appeals to emotion.

Anyway my point was if enough of the jury pool "feel" the fast food companies are responsible they will be, just like tobacco, just like gilf war symdrome, just like OJ was innocent.

Not wanting to get into a protracted discussion - but haven't some of the larger tobacco cases actually been justified. For instance I believe many people scientific documents have been leaned on/distorted to paint a not-so-bad side of smoking, etc, etc.

There hasn't been a person alive after the mid 50s who didn't know smoking was bad for you. About the only person I'd think had a case was a person who smoked prior to 1950, quit as soon as the AMA declared it unhealthy, and THEN got sick.

Also, in the case of Gulf War syndrome there is definately something at work. Too many soldiers who when you see them don't look like they're faking it to me. Very recently the UK MOD has had to pay compensation to a soldier with what he describes as "gulf war syndrome". He claims it is the symptoms of the cocktail of injections he was given prior to leaving. The MOD has always claimed this is not the case and that the injections are perfectly safe - and that something beyond the MOD's responsibilities causes this illness. Thing is - this guy didn't go the gulf in the end - unlike his buddies with the same symptoms. This rules out DU and other gulf environmentals as being the root cause. The doctors and judges at this case agreed that the drugs he was given probably were responsible for his illness and the MOD must pay up.....*sound of floodgates opening* IMHO not "an open and shut case" of no MOD responsibility.

You mean Gulf Lore Syndrome? Seriously, read this entire article.

Many people believed the breast implant BS as well. So much so that a major American company was bankrupted. Yet it all turned out to be a pile of crap.

 

[Fencer128]

There hasn't been a person alive after the mid 50s who didn't know smoking was bad for you. About the only person I'd think had a case was a person who smoked prior to 1950, quit as soon as the AMA declared it unhealthy, and THEN got sick.

You mean Gulf Lore Syndrome? Seriously, read this entire article.

Many people believed the breast implant BS as well. So much so that a major American company was bankrupted. Yet it all turned out to be a pile of crap.

Here is a counter article to your smoking reasoning (which is why I saw justification).

Here is the article detailing the UK vets gulf war syndrome recent win. Having seen some of these people for myself (and there are 1000's of them) I find it hard to believe they are faking it! Something happened between them getting ready to go to the gulf and coming back that has left a lot of them with very dibilating conditions - not after a while, but shortly after returning from service.. I can't deny what is in front of my eyes.
I admit that it may be something not at all to do with the MOD - but how likely is that? I also admit that a number of "sufferers" may be lying and playing the system. This will run and run and is by no means conclusive...

Cheers for the info,

Andy

 

[dahunan]

Does the fast food industry put addictive agents in their food?

If NO... then END OF STORY - NO GUILT - just lazy little fatasses - with no self control

if YES, then SUE THEIR ASS and get rich.

 

[zephyrprime]

Does the fast food industry put addictive agents in their food?

Ha ha. Just imagine a heroin burger!

 

[LilBlinbBlahIce]

Originally posted by: Amused
Such crap.

The explosion in obesity is relatively new. (post 1980 and exploding in the 1990s) Yet people ate far more fat and grease before 1970. Hell, EVERYONRE cooked with lard or bacon grease in the 70s and before.

The main reason for obesity in the US: Lack of physical activity.

Obesity grew with video games, cable TV and the Internet. I PROMISE you obesity levels would drop to pre-1980 levels if cable TV, video games and the Internet disappeared.

This is true, Americans in general are lazy in terms of health activity. My parents live in Houston, recent winner of the "fattest city in America" title, and I tell you it is really sad. There are gyms everywhere, we have Memorial park which has a beautiful track going around it, but very few people use them. Most people drive, even if the destination is a block away. Get off your ass, go for a walk, put down the fork. How can you possibly blame a restaurant for getting you fat? Its ridiculous. I'm a smoker, but I don't blame cigarette companys for me smoking. It was a decision I made, and one that I will live with. It sickens me that some fat fvck has the audacity to blame his disgusting state on anyone but him/herself. If I want to quit smokeing, its going to be hard, but its going to take a concious decision to do so and effort on my part. If fat boy wants to get thin, hes going to have to stop eating crap and get off his ass. Just my two cents, unless is medical, I have no pity for fat people.