Schussman.com: What part of "bacon and cheese" is unclear?

News bulletin: Obese man sues fast food companies.

“They said ‘100% beef,’” he says, indicating he always thought that fast food was healthy for him. The 56-year old man is suing McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken, saying he started eating fast food in the 50s because it was cheap and … yes, fast.

I’ve spent the past two weeks convincing my medical sociology class that some of our health lifestyle decisions are not really decisions at all—that they are, essentially, constrained by numerous social forces beyond our control. For example, when chili dogs are two for ninety-nine cents, and a serving of healthier frozen pasta is four dollars, what is the disadvantaged diner going to eat? That’s right, Weinerschnitzel. Aggregate those constraints over entire populations, and it makes sense that the poor are less able to chose healthy lifestyles. As Max Weber put it, their Lebenschancen (“life chances”) impinge on their Lebensführung (“life conduct”).

See, sociology works! But I am conflicted by one simple problem, and that is the fact that this guy thought he was eating healthfully. Did he never get any hints from the bacon-double-cheeseburger that maybe it wasn’t the very best thing in the world? Admittedly, awareness of diet has come a long way since the 50s, and the preparation of fast food has undoubtedly changed, arguably for the worse. It’s quite possible that eating lots of burgers and fries seemed like a good idea in 1950, when the guy suing McDonald’s was four years old. So maybe that perspective just stuck with him, right through the Kentucky Fried Chicken and the Wendy’s years.

Combined with the idea that it’s not always easy or possible to choose healthy behavior, the persistence of habits lead me to buy the notion that this guy may not have had a lot of options in his diet. But to believe, all along, that it was really good healthy food, this guy must also still be asking for extra palm oil drizzled on his popcorn.

I completely agree! And my other complaint: Vending machines in schools (and elsewhere) always have the less-healthy soda for a cheaper price than the healthy juice. If I only have a couple quarters and miscellaneous other coins in my pocket (and I'm a teenager who wants my candy money to go as far as possible), I'm going for the cheaper soda in a second - no thought required! Make the juice cheaper!! And they wonder why our country has so many obese youngsters.
— Jul 27, 01:29 AM #

I'm on the fence with this one. Part of me wishes people would just take responsibility for their actions. However, wouldn't it be great if McDonalds and Co. would somehow become more regulated and thus serve much more nutritional foods? Perhaps this will raise more awareness of the need for a healthier population. Die Big Mac Die!
— Greg Jul 31, 12:21 PM #

What, and he never had his cholesterol checked? Never saw a doctor? Was he overweight and then saw a doctor and didn't get ANY advice about it? He gets the DOOM boss of the year award in my book. - Eric
— Eric Jensen Aug 28, 04:21 AM #

Actually all of you are wrong. Any biometrist will tell you that it does not really matter whether you eat healthy or not. The FACT is genetics controls most everything that happens. Sure its possible that you have pre disposition for heart attacks in which case you should try to avoid fast food as much as possible. But honestly, life is too short to eat healthy bs. You'll die when you're suppose to die. Nothing changes that. Maybe exercise will work, but I've seen world class runners with healthy diets have heart attacks. It's all in the genes baby....
— TruthSeeker Jan 2, 08:48 AM #

I have been going to Wendy's for many years. Last week I went to the Wendy's at the Loop in Methuen MA so I can purchase a book of coupons and they said they didn't have any more that they would be in by Monday. So I went in on Tuesday to get these coupons and they said they are not in. I asked when they would be in and the guy at the window said they didnt have any control over it then a woman came on and said the supervisor was to bring they in but she should be in tomorrow. I then went to the Wendy's on Route 28 in Methuen and the same thing happened, so I drove down to the one on Rt 114 in South Lawrence and the same thing happened. I think Wendy's have gone way down. You mean to tell me that no Wendy's had these certificates. I have been in the one at the Loop and remember being in there and the Spanish kids working there were giving bags and bags of food away to there friends. I don't know what kind of supervison you have there but they aren't doing there job, I am really upset about these coupon books. So I went to McDonalds and bought $20 worth of certificates to send to my neice in Florida for her birthday. I am very disappointed in the service at Wendys. Another example, I bought my daughter a mandarian orange salad and there was hardly any lettuce in it all there was was chicken and oranges and a couple of leaves of lettuce. It looked nothing like the picture. I have no Idea who is in charge now since the owner past away, but it just hasen't been the same. The people you have working for you either can't speak english or are very rude. I use to think that Wendy's was the best but I think differently now. Those gift certificates were for my niece who happens to like Wendy's. I would like a response to this email please. If you would rather write to me send it to: [ ed: address redacted ]
— Sharon Carter Apr 10, 02:38 PM #

Name		Remember
E-mail		(will be spam-armored)
http://
Message
	Textile Help