How to get fat without even trying

Kudos to those who believe that people should choose for themselves, instead of the government telling us what to do. Children need to be taught by their parents how to make good life decisions. Parents need to take the responsibility of policing what they want their kids to see, eat, etc. And then when the children are adults, hopefully they learned well and were taught well, and will continue making the good decisions on their own.
Over- regulation by the government is not good believe me. What if the government decided one day that your protein shakes and bars are not good for you and you won't be allowed to eat those anymore? I believe in choices and I have enough faith in my fellow man(and woman!) to believe that they are capable of making good choices.
The government is slowly taking away our choices and freedoms as we speak. I know these are off-topic but look at that ridiculous Patriot Act. Did you know you any one of us could be thrown into jail with no bail if the government ever even suspected one of us as being a terrorist? And I bet that few of you know this, but did you hear that "mocking laughter" has been banned at the University of Connecticut? If someone wears a hat that you dislike, for instance, and you laugh at said hat, you are guilty of "mocking laughter" and will be punished accordingly.
Anyway just my thoughts.
Trevor :)
 
Ah, but the vast majority of people know nothing about about making good decisions regarding food. We are a minority who are aware of the danger out there and it is dangerous! Particularly to those disadvantaged children for whom cheap nutrtionally bankrupt food is the only option. I think we can pick and chose regulations that makes sense, regulation that protect us and more importantly the "them" who are dying from this junk! Because in the end, our society as a whole pays the cost of obesity and why protect advertisers who are laughing all the way to the bank? I believe there is a huge difference between the hijacking of civil liberties and legislation to protect ourselves from advertisers and corporate America. Our government is in bed with these huge corps and they get to decide for us what we see flashing before our eyes everytime we turn on the televison and they appeal to us at a subconscious level. THAT'S Big Brother and he has the power here!
http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
I’m sorry, but the government and advertising have NOTHING to do with what I put in my mouth. I would hope most people would be interested in what they are feeding themselves and their children, rather than turning a blind eye to nutrition labels (which are on pretty much everything now). It’s not the advertisers or the governments job to teach me what to eat and what not to eat. There are plenty of people who are VERY aware of what is good and is not good for you and they CHOOSE to stuff the supersize fries down their throats. It doesn’t take rocket science to figure out that fruits and vegetables are better for you than a big greasy cheeseburger.

Do people really need to have their hands held and not be subjected to advertising in order to make wise food choices…I don’t think so.
 
Basically it's my belief that the people who need to be told what to eat, what to do, how to do it, etc. etc., should be allowed to naturally phase themselves out of the gene pool. It's a cold statement but it's natural selection. If you decide to eat yourself silly, you shouldn't be allowed to have taxpayers foot the bill for all of your medical problems.
We need to get back to a society that actually thinks on it's own more.
 
"We need to get back to a society that actually thinks on it's own more. "

You've summed up my feelings in one great line Trevor!
:)
 
Hmmm, I wonder what name brands you have on hand in your cupboard? People are deeply affected by advertising whether you want to admit it or not. Cigarette advertising is a great example. Teenagers are most likely to become new smokers and it isn't that they are stupid, it's that they are young and not in touch with a realization of long term effects of things. Advertisers knew that and targeted them. Advertisers target and people buy. Socio-economic grouping plays into it as well. How many people really read nutrition labels, let alone ingredient labels? Darn right, people need to be protected. Obesity IS an epidemic. We are all helping to foot the bill of rising health costs due to obesity. Children ARE targets. Advertising does affect everything all the time if it didn't, we wouldn't be bombarded with commercials. Why should we be reluctant to protect people who don't make wise choices? Were you upset by the ban on cigarette ads? Has their absence from television diminished your liberty? Some measures make sense. Others violate our freedom.

There's been alot of information about trans fats and they are going to start labelling it. Trans fats, once thought to be a healthy alternative to sat fat and butter ahve turned out to be deadlier. I personally feel it should be taken out of our food supply. Do you remember when red dye # something or other was removed? Caused cancer. Saved lives. I see no correlation between regulation of advertising and loss of liberty. We are our brothers keeper. We are all in this together.

If anything there should be more regulation regarding our food and our environemnt and advertising is a great place to start. Food is abundant but it's poison. Or envrionment is toxic and we should be using advanced medical technology to enrich our lives not to manage our disease. Heart disease and cancer are being fostered everywhere because you walk into a supermarket and 99.9% of what's available is garbage! We do a poor job educating and ketchup is considered a vegetable on the school menu. But I am sure the Kellog's corporation and the people who do their advertising appreciate that you want to protect their profit margin at the expense of the children at risk.

Besides, would you really miss the Trix rabbit and do you think he'll ever get to eat Trix?

http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
I think the bunny lies... he eats Trix all the time! He just has an ungodly fast metabolism so he can keep his shapely figure.
:)
 
It’s the parents responsibility to raise their child with good eating habits. Pack the kids lunch for school…and no, you can’t make sure your child isn’t getting a twinkie at school, but you can be sure he won’t get one at home. Eating a twinkie at school or at a friends house once in a while is NO big deal. If you provide them for your child at home so he/she can divulge 24/7 then there is a problem.

If people don’t know what is good and bad for them to eat by now, they have been living in a hole!! Or they simply choose to ignore it. NOT looking at a nutrition label is called DENIAL….I’ve done it on my favorite ice cream…
 
Natural selection would be the best possible thing, but unfortunately, people want health care to be free for all, drugs to be free, everyone but themselves to pay for their medical care. They want long appointments with any doctor they choose, the best high tech medicine, etc. but they don't want their taxes raised. So...my feeling is, the only reward you will ever have, Trevor, for being healthy, is feeling good. The medical system is not going to ever make any sense.
 
LOL!! Trevor you are a man after my own heart!! "should be allowed to naturally phase themselves out of the gene pool" Yeah, baby!! LOL!! If only we could ... in a perfect world ... did you ever read "Brave New World" by Aldous Huxley? It was first published in 1932, and I have no idea if it's still in print. I'll lend you my copy if you want! You would love it!!

Carol
:)
 
Wow, good discussion.
There is so much to think about here. Maybe the answer isn't all or nothing. I was on the side of no government intervention but I'd like to point out that the food labeling is a result of legislation. I read the labels and I am GLAD they are there.

Second, I'd like to state my opinion, and if you agree with it, answer my question.
IMHO, soda (i.e. pop, tonic) is a total WASTE. It has NO value as a beverage. Regular sodas have too much sugar, and often, caffeine and sodium. Diet sodas have too many chemicals.

How many of you have drunk a soda in the past week?
-joy
 
It is a parents responsilibty but it takes a village and not all parents have good nutritional skills. . Oviously this society is failing miserably at educating the majority and advertisers are convincing them that certain foods which are part of the obesity problem are in fact healthier than they are.

Their are foods which are purchased as health foods by people in these forums that have more sugar than soda. So it becomes necessary to intervene and to regulate. It's a power we have. I am no fan of the Patriot Act and I just found out I can't express my views toward the current administration at the U of Conneticut.

Statistics regarding the effects of our diet are put out there, but that doesn't ensure that people will be educated. They aren't in holes; they are the products of their upbringing. Do you know how difficult it is to unlearn eating habits?

Look at the Dairy Council and the milk mustache commercials that have folks believing there's a calcim crisis in this counrty. There isn't. Further drinking three glasses of milk a day may increase your risk of prostate and ovarian cancer. In the Nurse's Study women who drank two or more glasses of milk a day were at least as likely to break a hip or forearm as those who drank one glass or less a week. My source for that is Walter Willett, M.D. and he co-developed his book with the Harvard School of Public Health. The book is called Eat, Drink and BE Healthy and, here's a surprise, it didn't make the New York Times Bestseller List.
The reality is people are clueless when it comes to diet. If we have a chance to diminish obesity by curtailing advertisers, I say yes! I don't want to have to give up SpngeBob but that Lucky, he's got to go!

But seriously, we have the FDA and the CDC to protect us. Sometimes from our very own government. Do you remember how the CDC fought to get the blood supply tested when AIDs came on the scene and the Reagan Administration allowed millions to be infected by turning a blind eye? If we know this advertising is dangerous why not make advertisers accountable? There's a link between the obesity epidemic and advertising. We have the power to help end it. I didn't see the show but to anyone who did, I would love information regarding what steps I can take to get legislation passed to get advertisers to stop targeting children.
My kids have a health nut mom and they know that sugary cereal is an occasional thing, doughnuts are for birthday breakfasts or sleepovers and Micky D's is a treat. It doesn't stop them from begging when I make the mistake of taking them to the store and I hope they won't rebel when they leave home and go on a junk food binge! But I feel badly for the myriad children who's parents aren't into that the way I am and I want to help!


http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
Personally, I drink diet soda only on occasion. But this is what it comes down to-personal choice. I know soda has no value whatsoever but you know what…if I want it, I can drink it. We all stray from the “perfect diet” no and then but we do it knowingly. People need to educate themselves and make their own life choices.

Are people so brain dead that they can’t resist the tempting advertisements??? In my opinion, a lot of the low-income families fall prey to food with no nutritional value. Not because of advertising but because their income and the cost of food. Unfortunately, fast food becomes a way of life for people with very little money to live off of. BUT they can choose the salad at McDonalds instead of trying to sue McDonalds for their weight gain.
 
I haven't posted in ages but this discussion hit on some of my personal pet peeves regarding health and eating.

To say that the government should regulate advertising or food is over the top. We all need to take responsibility for our own actions.

I can't tell you how many medical studies I have read that were conducted on diet that related to people who are given nutritional counseling for weeks/months then revert to eating what they like and enjoy KNOWING full well how bad it is for them, once the study is concluded. People make bad decisions, that is free will and our right.

Blaming it on TV or advertising is as mentally lazy as eating "bad foods". TVs have Off switches, there is no reason for you or kids to be subjected to TV. My sister made a decision when her kids started school that there was no TV in their house form Sunday at 4 pm to Friday night. Guess what, her kids were not mutants. Lack of TV forced them to participate in life and other activities.

How can we as educated people who read about life in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq where the government controls every idea and thought support our own government trying to control food options or commercials? Consumers need to vote with their dollars, if there is a market for healthier options, companies will offer them.

And, if you personally feel like something needs to be done to educate people about better nutrition choices... then start a local non-profit or community organization in your neighborhood where you spend your time educating people about food choices and nutrition. YOU can make an impact, we do not need the government to be involved in every aspect of our lives.

Sorry for coming out of lurking with such a strong stance. I am a strong believer in the concept of personal responsbility.

Michelle
 
Have you heard of the Food and Drug Administration? They regulate the companies who put products on the market to ensure that we know what we are getting and we won't be harmed by the things we consume. They also remove products that prove dangerous. It's a good thing.

Advertising is proving to contibute to the obesity epicdemic and advertising to children is particularly cheesy practice as far as I am concerned. I plan to see what I can do to bring about regulations to prohibit it.

I don't think obese people are lazy but I do think that the majority of people do not have a clue when it comes to proper nutrition. It's a sort of vicious cycle and the fact that more and more processed foods are developed does not help. I also think that there is a sort of naive trust on the part of a large number of consumers that if it's in the store in a bright package and it's got those catchy phrases that make it sound good, how can it be bad? And we really do need to educate people but don't assume that because you pay attention and get it anyone else will. Many people still believe you should clean your plate and drink milk for strong bones and teeth. We obviously need better education and why not remove that soda machine from the school cafeteria because it's mixed message might be the one that sticks. This is a case where advertising might be not in the best interest of a demographic I hold near and dear to my heart. I thinks it's great I can appeal to my government to change that!

http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/user.gif Bobbi
 
Hi Carol!
It's funny you mention that book. A friend recommended it to me recently and I am going to read it. I am sure it's on half dot com really cheap so I will look there. Thanks for offering your copy however.
By the way your pics look great! Keep up the good work!
Trevor :)
 
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