In my recent post "Beauty Truth and Realization" I spoke about childhood obesity. Well a week ago today (Apr 28, 2010) HealthDay News released that "Officials in Santa Clara County, Calif., voted . . . to forbid fast-food restaurants from offering promotional toys with children's meals if those meals don't meet nutritional standards set by the federal Institute of Medicine." I can understand this push but is this going a little too far as to say a child cannot have a toy unless they eat a salad and fruit?
They believe that "the new law would level 'the playing field by taking away the incentive to choose fatty, sugary foods over healthier options,' Ken Yeager, president of the board of supervisors in Santa Clara County, told The New York Times."
Officials are afraid that children associate the "fatty, sugary foods" with the toy they recieve in the meal. therefore "What [they are] trying to do is de-link the connection between unhealthy food and toys."
This new law is "the first of its kind in the United States, [and] was passed by the board in a 3-2 vote [which] will take effect this summer after [the] final vote in May, The Times reported."
So what I am asking is for my readers to give me their comments. . . Is this a good things or a bad? Is it just another way the government is trying to control its people. Dont forget fellow New Yorkers. . .we are next!! NY may soon have a new tax on soda and juice drinks to help lower the consumptions of these foods!!
**CLICK HERE** For those who are interested in reading the article, "Citing Obesity of Children, County Bans Fast-Food Toys" from the New York Times mentioned above.
**CLICK HERE** For those who are interested in reading the article, "Citing Obesity of Children, County Bans Fast-Food Toys" from the New York Times mentioned above.
I'm fine with any kind of tax the gov't wants to levy on crappy foods, but attacking sugar in general is just going to create a new set of problems.
ReplyDeleteFor example, denouncing Vitamin Water, SoBe Life Water, and similar products simply because they use sugar as a sweetener in ridiculous. Why should companies be encouraged to use chemical substitutes like aspartame? It's indigestible.
Ooh, sugar is evil because it has calories! So what? The public at large seem to forget that calories = energy. We kind of need energy.
As for disassociating the toys with fast food, that's fine too. Happy Meals were only ever just a way for parents to remain uninvolved in their children's development; give the kid some fries as a Spongebob toy to shut 'em up. This country's parents need to actually raise their children instead of letting media and McDonald's do it. It's not surprising that so many children are obese and/or detached from life.
Very interesting,I'm not a parent myself but I think it's a step forward if the point of it is to promote healthier lifestyles.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree! With everything that has been said. Vincent- I am actually working on a post about aspartame and sugar substitutes including high fructose corn syrup. :o)
ReplyDeleteIt's one thing to promote healthier lifestyles, it's another to say "Want a cheeseburger? No toy." C'mon, really? I'm all for kids eating right, but they should also learn what that means. Taking away the "toy" incentive won't teach them why they're choosing one meal over another.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, anyway.