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I would have never expected a trip to the pet supply store to be so
thought-provoking. While the sheer variety of dog food products
(including products with supplements like Omega-3s) stunned me, I was
most surprised by the “diet” dog foods. I have seen research
indicating that our dogs are also becoming more obese, but I didn’t realize
that the dog food industry was developing diet food products.
by Jennifer F.
Recent polls reflect America’s growing discontent with the current state of health care, as it consistently ranks among the top three voting priorities. For the upcoming elections, health care is again emerging as a prominent issue. While the discussions focus on important changes like providing coverage for the uninsured, the most important yet most overlooked issue is the need for prevention. Four of the leading causes of death—heart disease (#1), cancer (#2), stroke (#3), and diabetes (#6)—are among the most expensive to treat but are also among the most preventable, largely through modifications in diet. Ignoring this fact has been a costly mistake.
Continue reading "Prevention Each Day Keeps Health Care Costs Away" »
Is it ok for some job descriptions to include weight standards? A NY Post article recently criticized the lack of weight and fitness restrictions on New York’s Finest. According to the article, efforts to institute weigh-ins and fitness testing for police officers have been thwarted by anti-discriminatory laws, such as the ADA.
I find this commentary surprising, considering that there are currently no federal laws to prohibit discrimination based on weight. Whether obesity qualifies as a disability under the ADA has caused much debate. Overweight people who are not “morbidly obese” but who experience weight discrimination cannot file claims under the ADA because they are not considered disabled.
Amid widespread criticism, McDonald’s has ended its report card marketing campaign in Seminole County, FL and will no longer brand report card jackets with images of Ronald McDonald. However, local franchises will continue to reward children with happy meals based on their performance in school.
As noted in this blog in December, this promotion sponsored by local franchise owners may not have been in line with the company’s corporate policies regarding advertising to children. This week, the New York Times reported that McDonald’s USA had previously agreed to curb advertising to children in school, suggesting that this promotion appears to violate the company’s stated policy.
Continue reading "McDonald's Ends Report Card Sponsorship" »
On Monday The News Hours with Jim Lehrer aired a segment about the ongoing debate over menu labeling. It is no surprise that as the frequency of eating out has risen in America, so have rates of overweight and obesity. Research shows that individuals consume more calories and more fat when they eat in restaurants or fast food chains than when they cook their own meals. The rate at which Americans eat out makes consumer access to nutrition information especially important, and the Rudd Center has long been in support of menu labeling, which would require restaurants to display nutrition information prominently on menus and menu boards.
It was discussed in the school yard, at the water cooler and at cocktail parties. It was the toy that compelled people to line up outside big box stores for hours in the wee hours of the morning. It is, if you haven’t heard, the Wii. You can play sports (tennis, boxing, baseball, golf, and bowling) with this interactive video game system. Stress the word “active”. I have never seen my younger brother peel off his sweatshirt while playing his other video games.
