Rudd Sound Bites

Cooking for the World…Can One Chef Dish Up?

by Megan Weinberg

Recently, Alice Waters and other culinary giants joined forces to persuade President-elect Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama to choose their White House chef carefully. The goal would be to set an example for the world about healthy, sustainable eating. In an interview with Waters, who is a chef and sustainable farming advocate, Tara Parker-Hope of the NY Times.com Well blog asks why the selection of the White House chef is important to Waters. Waters articulates, “We have to bring children into a new relationship to food that connects them to culture and agriculture” and believes Obama is a person who “understands the issues of obesity and understands the issues of the environment.” In a letter to Obama, she posits that the selection of the right chef would send a powerful message that food choices matter.

I Will Walk 1,000 Feet

by Becca Krukowski

More and more states and cities are considering or passing laws regarding menu labeling, but what about labeling for physical activity? I wouldn’t have thought of labeling for physical activity before a recent visit to the Atlanta airport. At this airport (as pictured below), the signage indicates the distance between each concourse in feet and meters, as well as the choice of walking or taking the train for transportation. So, with this information, the traveler is encouraged to decide whether they can walk the listed distance, or whether, for various reasons, they should take the train. It makes me wonder whether these signs promote more walking at this airport as compared to other airports. 

Restaurant Mandates and Litigation

by Jennifer Pomeranz

Yesterday a representative from the National Restaurant Association came to the Rudd Center and gave a very informative and interesting talk. He stated that in the U.S., local restaurateurs fear being sued by private individuals for such things as false claims or misrepresenting information about the health or nutritional quality of their food. This scenario has arisen in the context of voluntarily offered nutrition information when the information was in fact false. http://www.law.com/jsp/article.jsp?id=1202422137974 These may be potentially valid lawsuits, but it is up to the courts to make that determination. However, I think it is worth stating that this is not the intended goal of menu labeling laws. Menu labeling laws are intended to be enforced by the government entity responsible for enforcing them. These are mandated disclosures that must represent actual (and reasonable) calculations of the nutrient content sought to be disclosed. Restaurant organizations should not attempt to water down proposed menu labeling laws or fight for preemption at the state or federal level. However, they should advocate for clauses seeking to have enforcement by the local government enacting the law. This would make them restaurants more comfortable and satisfy the consumers’ demand for the information in order to assist them to make better decisions for their personal nutrition requirements.

A Small but Significant Victory

by Rebecca Puhl

The city council of Binghamton, New York passed a law this week that will prohibit discrimination on the basis of weight or height. The Binghamton Human Rights Law specifically makes it illegal to discriminate in employment, housing, education or public accommodations. This is a significant victory, and sends the important message that all people, regardless of size, deserve these fundamental human rights. 

This Year’s Top Obesity Science

by Gabrielle Grode

In a recent issue of TIME magazine, the editors presented their annual alphabetical roundup of significant science in the article “The Year in Medicine: From A to Z.” Out of 32 entries (yes, there are 26 letters in the alphabet, but some letters were omitted and others had multiple entries), five related to food and obesity. The only subject mentioned more often was sexuality (big surprise!), with eight entries ranging from the difference between heterosexual and homosexual brains to the side effects of the HPV vaccine to the link between television viewing and teen pregnancy. Tobacco, once a leading public health concern, only received two entries. As a proxy for national interest, this article shows that obesity is certainly getting the attention it deserves. 

Real Cinnamon. Real Nutrition. Real Deceptive Marketing.

by Sarah Speers

Did you know that “There’s Nothing Silly about The Nutrition in Trix Cereal,” Cinnamon Toast Crunch has “Real Cinnamon. Real Nutritional Value” and Lucky Charms is “A Magical, Nutritious Cereal”? If not then I bet you also didn’t know that, thanks to Cocoa Puffs, you can finally “Go Cuckoo for Calcium!”.  If you don’t believe me just visit the General Mills website, www.GrowUpStrong.com.  You’ll find the well-known cereal characters Silly Rabbit, Sonny the Cuckoo bird and Lucky the Leprechaun beaming with joy because their cereals are a “Good source of Calcium and Vitamin D.” One look at their faces and you’ll know it’s true. At least that’s what General Mills hopes to convince parents.