Eat This, Not That (Fat)

650 Calories! Over 35% calories from FAT

LA Times: San Francisco bans Happy Meals
The city's board of supervisors votes to forbid restaurants from giving away toys with meals that have high levels of calories, sugar and fat.

http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/02/business/la-fi-happy-meals-20101103

- no free toy if the Happy Meal is over 600 calories and over 35% of calories are from fat


CNN: Mayor vetoes San Francisco ban on Happy Meals with toys

In making the veto, the mayor (Gavin Newsom) released a new report on how a public-private partnership is combating childhood obesity and how San Francisco's more than 55,000 public school students are now eating fresher and healthier foods.

"Parents, not politicians, should decide what their children eat, especially when it comes to spending their own money," said Newsom. "Despite its good intentions, I cannot support this unwise and unprecedented governmental intrusion into parental responsibilities and private choices."

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-12/us/california.fast.food.ban_1_childhood-obesity-shape-up-san-francisco-food-desert?_s=PM:US

Here are my thoughts..
The average McD Happy Meal is 650 calories, over half the recommended daily allowance for a toddler. Holy smokes, why would you buy your kid that (often)?! Why not just mandate eliminating all soda and french fries? I suspect this alone would bring it under the 600/35 line. And also, add non-fried choices (grilled chicken strips versus McNuggets). Outside of California, the nanny state, there currently is no legislation like this. Yet already, there are SO many more healthy choices available now compared to just a few years ago. Why? Consumers are demanding it.

Examining the rare fossilized remnant fry or nugget littering my minivan booster seats and floors, you don't need to be Miami CSI to figure out that I occasionally support my local McD Drive-Thru, from time to time. For the most part, I order apple slices, instead of french fries.. and milk, juice, or water. Never soda. If my kids ask for junk.. most times, this is how I deal with it:

"You eat what I buy you."
(at home, it's "You eat what Mommy makes you")

What happened to "personal responsibility"? Plus, this is just another useless symbolic gesture. To think this will have ANY impact on childhood obesity is just stupid. Are parents are so feeble-minded to be swayed by this symbolic gesture? If so, then what additional symbolic gesture can we implement to get parents to get their fat kids off the Nintendo DS, Wii, TV, and outside playing, moving, exercising, .. truly being fit?

If we are going to move towards legislating or dictating peoples "personal responsibility" and really wish to affect peoples behavior, then at least do something truly effective. Hit'em where it counts. Money. Have the courage to say out loud. "You smoking, or you being fat, is unacceptable to yourself and to society".. and it costs us (society) in terms of healthcare dollars spent caring for your irresponsible behavior. Therefore, we are going to implement a prohibitively high "sin" tax on those cigarettes, soda, and high-fat meals. Show me a pol who says this out loud, and I would at least applaud their honesty and courage.. and support his/her (short) career.

Ok.. that is all for today. Have to go hit up the Drive-Thru.. I hear the McRib is back.

Hey, there are veggies in there!