Let’s Start a War
Do we really need a million dollar study to tell us that the food advertised to our children on TV and sold to them in stores is making them fat? Isn’t that a no brainer? Thing is, though, that’s not only true for the children, but for the adults too. So, what can we do?
In some ways the junkfood, fatteningfood situation in this country is like the Iraq War: with Iraq, we are there now and have to make the best of a bad situation. With processed food in this country, it’s everywhere, almost like the only game in town, and we have to learn some healthy alternatives, against intense pressure to do otherwise. Just like the Iraq War, our people are dying, but from obesity. The companies aren’t the enemy, but often the food is. Who would choose a bowl of beans and rice over a plate of Fettuccine Alfredo? I would, but how many others would? Not many, right? And that is the problem.
So I propose that we start a war on fattening food. Any successful war begins with a single shot, so this is my shot: take responsibility for your health, for your life, and make some healthy food choices. There’s lots of healthy food out there that tastes pretty good. Give it chance. Change your attitude. Watch your calories just like you would watch out for spiders. Get some exercise.
Can we win this war? Probably not. The food companies have too many resources in their arsenal, one of which is the American public’s disdain for a healthy lifestyle. Maybe we can’t change the world, but we can win a few battles. We can change ourselves. And if enough of us do that, maybe I would be optimistic again. After all it’s a war many of us can’t afford to lose.
Tags: health, obesity, diet, advertising, TV advertising, weight loss
Do we really need a million dollar study to tell us that the food advertised to our children on TV and sold to them in stores is making them fat? Isn’t that a no brainer? Thing is, though, that’s not only true for the children, but for the adults too. So, what can we do?
In some ways the junkfood, fatteningfood situation in this country is like the Iraq War: with Iraq, we are there now and have to make the best of a bad situation. With processed food in this country, it’s everywhere, almost like the only game in town, and we have to learn some healthy alternatives, against intense pressure to do otherwise. Just like the Iraq War, our people are dying, but from obesity. The companies aren’t the enemy, but often the food is. Who would choose a bowl of beans and rice over a plate of Fettuccine Alfredo? I would, but how many others would? Not many, right? And that is the problem.
So I propose that we start a war on fattening food. Any successful war begins with a single shot, so this is my shot: take responsibility for your health, for your life, and make some healthy food choices. There’s lots of healthy food out there that tastes pretty good. Give it chance. Change your attitude. Watch your calories just like you would watch out for spiders. Get some exercise.
Can we win this war? Probably not. The food companies have too many resources in their arsenal, one of which is the American public’s disdain for a healthy lifestyle. Maybe we can’t change the world, but we can win a few battles. We can change ourselves. And if enough of us do that, maybe I would be optimistic again. After all it’s a war many of us can’t afford to lose.
Tags: health, obesity, diet, advertising, TV advertising, weight loss
posted by Ed Bremson, MFA @ 9:03 AM
1 Comments:
At 9:24 PM,
Anonymous said…
we most certainly can win the war, and you have the solution right in your post - the battle is won by getting americans to take responsibility for themselves. that means not only teaching them to take responsibility for their actions, but also to take care of themselves and their bodies. it's a shame that so many physical education programs have been budgeted out of our schools, but that doesn't mean a parent can't get their child involved in sports and feed them healthy foods from a young age and instill good habits that way.
nice blog, btw!
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