Obesity and the Fast Food Industry...

I remember a year or so ago when this was in the news a bit. Fat people were bringing lawsuits against the fast food industry. I do believe that the fast food industry contributes to our national girth, but I also believe people should take responsibility for their actions. I don't blame anyone for my weight but myself and the choices I make. OK, maybe a little of it is genetics. I know some people who would say genetics plays a bigger role than I think it does. But if my metabolism is to blame, well, then I need to make better choices about what I eat and how much I exercise. These are the cards I was dealt and it's up to me to play them to win, you know?

They are all bad and bad for you. And I admit I will occasionally indulge in the stuff. But I do so knowing full well it is bad for me. It's just a craving and sometimes it fits the bill - like when I'm driving somewhere and don't have time to eat properly. It's kind of like Wal-Mart for me, sometimes it's simply the only choice.

There are some free market realities involved here, and certainly a whole meal for under $5 appeals to some people. If a person is hungry and doesn't have much money, that person is looking to meet their immediate need and not so concerned with the long term ill effects the meal is likely to cause them.

So fine, sell your crap. This is America after all.

But it seems that the fast food industry has been emboldened by their court victories. Most of the ads drive me crazy. I hate that freaky Burger King statue. McDonald's offends me with their "I'm Loving It" campaign ("Me encanta" for our Spanish Speaking neighbors). Incidentally, I know a few people who have worked at McDonald's, and each of them has some stories of the type of things underpaid young employees do to the food, as if it wasn't bad enough already. And Jack In The Box ads now feature an apparently stoned young kid driving a van ordering 30 tacos. Isn't that a great message for our kids?


The worst, to me, is Taco Bell (Toxic Smell, Jake calls it). Taco Bell had this whole "I'm Full!" ad campaign. As if eating bad food until you are full is a good thing - it's a great value. I could chug a gallon of water and be full. At least I think I could. I've never tried. I could chug a gallon of milk, or try to, and get violently ill. And, of course, I could spend 6 bucks at Taco Bell and eat until I'm full. I may not throw up, but it won't be good for me. I will most likely have some wicked heartburn. I will also probably feel a little sick. And I am certain to pay for it on the back end of the transaction.

I just saw a new ad campaign for what they are calling The Fourth Meal - That late night meal between dinner and breakfast. The man says, "You've heard about the pyramid? Check out the square." It's "Melty, Crunchy, Spicy, and Grilled." This is, of course, a swipe at the government's food pyramid.

This stuff is just bad for you, there's no getting around it. And advertising is simply lies that attempt to get people to buy things they don't need, and may actually hurt them. The industry representatives say there are healthy choices on the menu and that they make the food's nutritional value available to consumers. This sounds to me like the old ads for cigarettes - "More doctors smoke Camels," for example.



What really gets me about this new campaign is that they are not only pushing the food, they are attacking and undermining the government's efforts at educating the public with the Food Pyramid.

They are also trying to add a fourth meal to everyone's agenda, as if we weren't fat enough already. On the other hand, it helps me because now I have more emotional and intellectual obstacles to overcome before I pull in to the drive thru. So thanks, Taco Bell, for helping me with my diet. After I saw that ad, I went upstairs and made myself a fruit smoothie for lunch.