Gothamist: Fast Food in Crosshairs Again

JenChungsBra

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 11:28:44 -0500

I work in a building surrounded by lower-middle class neighborhoods. When I go into the local Chinese takeout place I'm the only person ordering the steamed shrimp and broccoli or steamed chicken and broccoli off the lunch menu even though the steamed healthy dishes cost exactly the same as the greasy disgusting dishes with identical ingredients. Everyone else is ordering Kung Pao chicken, rib tips with fried rice, pork Lo Mein, fried chicken wings with fries or whatever. People look at me like I'm the crazy white guy, but we all have choices to make in life. (Not to say I eat that every day, I still like junior Whoppers but in moderation.)

Kevin Walsh

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 23:49:29 -0500

Politicians, get out of my eating habits. www.forgotten-ny.com

glennQNYC

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:34:46 -0500

I suspect the popularity of fast food has a lot to do with the "fast" part.

Toby von Meistersinger

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 17:29:45 -0500

Simply slap on a fast food chain tax to everything these places serve. It would have the advantage of raising revenue for the city/state and getting people to eat less of the crap.

babyhitler

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:54:58 -0500

You guys talk about education like these people are locked in a basement somewhere and nobody wants to tell them anything. The education is there. They know that fat foods will make them fat. They don't give a fuck! They keep popping babies out knowing that their life will be harder. What kind of human being has a baby when their life is in the gutter? answer? a sadist. To introduce new life into a world that's so bleak is real sadism.

TKaisen

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:28:45 -0500

i have to find the article but in france there are only one fast food chain per city and that's it. Different world. 1) I'm sure France has some kind of limit or rule about American-owned companies opening in France. 2) France (and most of Europe) never really got on board with the American quicker/faster/cheaper attitude of the Boomers combined with the car culture. That more than anything killed mom & pop delis/markets/cafes/etc and gave rise to McDonalds, Wal-Mart, and Starbucks. Maybe it's the naked boobies on regular TV. When I was in high school, on sports teams, after a game, the school bus transporting us back would always stop in the McDonald's parking lot. A Big-Mac and fries for dinner is not ever going to hurt an active, athletic person (like football players). McDonald's meals a few times a week combined with a sedentary lifestyle, on the other hand, is a recipe for disaster. I'm pretty sure schools still do this.

1987porsche944

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:33:35 -0500

I got stuck eating at fast food joint recently (McD's) because it was the only thing on the road I was traveling, it was late, I was starving. However, I had a salad with grilled chicken breast and a bottle of water. They even had it as a value meal. Granted, there aren't a ton of healthy choices in these places, but at least they've got something. Problem is, a salad tastes nowhere near as good as a bucket full of fries and a carton full of Big Mac. Much as I at times miss those flavors, I know how unhealthy it is. Education definitely is the key. When I was in high school, on sports teams, after a game, the school bus transporting us back would always stop in the McDonald's parking lot. Our athletic coaches were feeding this crap to us!!! O_O

zodak

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:10:41 -0500

as much as i love reading about deca's turds, i have to caution everyone to watch what you say about oddo or he might call in the dominion to take care of you.

rdsizzle

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:57:24 -0500

I agree that prohibition doesent work and that education is the key. A healthy lifestyle is also sooo much more then not going to wendys for lunch. In reality, educating people on a healthy lifestyle would be the awnser to many issues. For example; the real issue in my opinion is not healthcare but is how to prevent people from needing so much health care. I am working on a re-structuring down in Northeast Ohio and I swear that I cant find any place healthy to eat. I go to the local joints and you order a turkey wrap; well it comes wiht 2 pounds of turkey a white bread wrap a whole jar of mayo, bacon. But I do sub the fries for salad only to get that fuckin 1000 calory dressing shit. As a result, everyone here is a fatty mcfat and everyone is lazy and everyone is on 10 different medications sending issurance cost through the roof, making the company non-competitive. How to educate people away from Junk food seems like an impossible task. America you have a fat ass!

neckbeard

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:23:50 -0500

this is such a tough subject. in a perfect world this should never happen. in a perfect world everybody would take care of themselves, the government wouldn't have to step in and create programs, and there would be a huge tax relief. unfortunately its not a perfect world. people in these neighborhoods don't know any better. my brother teaches at a middle school in a rough LA neighborhood and he has plenty of students who have no idea that McDonalds is bad for you.

interlard

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:02:29 -0500

I agree we need some kind of zoning. People who aren't ignorant about food are forced to eat crap because their neighbors are attracting junk vendors. Just don't turn it into prohibition. You have to educate people. Most "information" about food in the US is total bullshit. How many people do you know who are on "low fat diet"? That doesn't work: calories make you fat, not fat in food. Fat in food makes you feel full and stops you eating more. Low fat-junkies often eat more throughout the day and just get fatter. Since this is news to most people, you KNOW we need better education and less fat diet ads on TV.

triggerzer0

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:38:30 -0500

don't use prohibition but there should be a zoning law on how many fast food restaurants or starbucks there are in a certain radius. it's ridiculous. i have to find the article but in france there are only one fast food chain per city and that's it. i don't care how many france jokes there are after this post, but hell we gotta cut the crap and the chains.

TK

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:15:21 -0500

I cant believe people actually think these laws are a good thing. Friggin' ignorant people everywhere! PROHIBITION NEVER WORKS!

matty

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:13:26 -0500

Rediculous. If fresh and healthy restaurants wanted to open in these places they could but they don't cause no one will eat there. Absolute BS

Deca

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:09:43 -0500

#10, it means I was releasing the fats and grease at the time. I mentioned this happened several years ago. My goal at the time was a rapid and controlled drop in bodyfat.

babyhitler

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:05:33 -0500

I don't know what you guys are talking about "cheaper". Healthy food is marginally more expensive. Like maybe 50 cents more expensive for the equivalent in junk food. In the short run it might be a tad more expensive but in the long run how much more money do these low income families save in time and money and quality of life from not suffering debilitating health problems and frequenting the doctor? It's cheaper to spend that extra dollar on a meal a day on healthy food than spending a hour in the doctor's office and a hour in the social welfare services department to pay that doctor. So you are actually paying MORE for junk food.

Kojak

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:57:08 -0500

Thx for the 411 Deca. I take great pride in my massive dumps. The more they smell, the more people around you will say to themselves, "That man sure does eat well. I have to find out what restaurants he frequents". Sissy girlie shits are the mark of a child, not a real man.

babyhitler

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:56:55 -0500

#9 - you don't want your shit to float in the water. That means its got fat and grease in it. Floating stools are a pre-sign of colectoral cancer. Better get that shit checked out (literally and figuratively)

Deca

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:53:27 -0500

After I stopped eating at McDonalds years ago, my shits became more solid, they don't smell as bad, and they actually can float in the water. I was impressed. I also started getting regular bowel movements after cutting out the junk, not to mention a lower body fat ratio. This was in conjunction with regular exercise. The next time you libs are in the bathroom, straining out a shit, huffing and puffing like you were delivering a child, and stinking up the place; you should think about that.

Gothampc

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:51:58 -0500

Lawmakers wouldn't bother to think that these "certain areas" may need the entry-level jobs that fast food chains provide or the extra tax money they create. It's just all about policing how many french fries a person eats.

plk779

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:50:25 -0500

Wait. what's wrong with Jiffy??

lagomorph

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:48:59 -0500

If Oddo wanted to help his district he needs to ensure that there's access to healthier choices at affordable prices than what is currently available. Keeping fast food chains from opening up isn't going to do squat in the absence of any positive actions. The problem of why people in low income areas have high levels of obesity compared to higher income areas has been studied and the findings are actually pretty straightforward. Here's a quick article on limited access and use of fresh produce Simply put, healthy food costs far more per calorie than crap. Low income families are interested in feeding their family on a limited budget so they're going for more bang (calories) for the buck which means fast food is a good deal as is highly processed foods. Whole grains and fresh vegetables don't provide as much satiation value or calorie count as wonder bread and jiffy.

taipan85

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:28:03 -0500

Rep. James Oddo

NannyState

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:27:54 -0500

It's all about James Odd having to pay for anything. Cheap prick.

Kojak

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:21:32 -0500

You can't just force people to eat healthy. You have to educate as well as offer (cheaper) alternatives. This won't work.

Deca

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:20:40 -0500

No one's forcing anyone to eat that crap. Fruits and vegetables are cheaply priced. Why bring in the nanny state to stop people from eating things they can easily stop on their own? Whatever happened to free men (and women) and free markets? Isn't that what made America great?