The famous golden arches have been in the news this week and as usual attracting a degree of criticism. Questions have been raised about McDonalds sponsorship of the Winter Olympics and also a deal struck with weight watchers.
It is worth getting something on the table straight up. McDonalds is in the business of selling fast food. They have a legal and legitimate right to do so and to promote and advertise their products. They are entitled to offer sponsorship dollars in return for publicity.
Each individual person has a choice as to whether or not they choose to go to a McDonalds outlet and if so what menu items they choose.
The issue surrounding the Olympics is the usual gripe about an “unhealthy” product being seen alongside sports, and healthy athletes. It is fairly unlikely that the competitors at the Olympics eat much fast food from any company so they can hardly claim that any medal won was a tribute to the foods advertised. In turn it is drawing a long bow to suggest that viewers will draw that inference. Essentially this is awareness advertising and creating “warm fuzzes” so consumers look more fondly on the company, whether they buy the products or not.
The real question that arises is whether the organizers of the Olympics should accept such sponsorship? In my view there is no reason why they would not. Being sponsored does not imply support of the sponsor-it is the other way around. People can argue that there is endorsement by association. That is possible but even if it is the case-so what?
The key issue is that like all fast food, the issue is not its existence but how people use it. If someone goes to McDonalds once a month or so then really that is not a problem. Whilst I would not recommend it, and I am not a customer, I have no issue with people who go from time to time. Health problems arise if people eat fast food frequently. The product per se is not the problem; it is how people use it. That is a function of the individual not the company. When asked if you want to supersize or would you like fries you are not obligated to say yes. You always have a choice.
The second story is more interesting. In New Zealand (and Australia later this year) three menu items will bear the weight watchers logo. No doubt there has been a fee paid by McDonalds for this. Previously the company paid the Heart Foundation over $300,000 to put the tick on seven meals.
The Weight Watchers website advises people to avoid fast food, including warnings about salt, fats and additives. At the same time Weight Watchers logos will be seen on mats and menu boards in McDonalds. The three meals, which have earned the logo, are a wrap, chicken nuggets and a fish dish. All have around 400 calories.
What are we to make of this? The meals have to meet certain criteria to have received weight watchers endorsement. McDonalds have responded to previous criticisms by broadening their offering. Equally it is a strange pairing to have people on a diet go for fast food with the support of a group like weight watchers.
A few questions arise. Will the dieters order the weight watchers approved meals? Will they take their children and what meal will they have? Will people be full after these meals or might they go back for more?
Smart companies spot market trends and look to cater to them. Generally businesses are much smarter than “non profit” organizations for the simple reason that they have to be to survive. If there is demand for healthier food then smart businesses will respond to this. By the same token, smart consumers will know when they are being “taken for a ride”.
In my opinion those who genuinely want to lose weight will not benefit by going to any fast food outlet even if there are lower calorie options available and regardless of whose “endorsement” it has. If you want to have the occasional Big Mac then by all means do so and enjoy it-just do not make it a regular occurrence.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
A Glass of Wine is OK
One of the reasons that public health messages struggle to get through is that they are presented as very black and white, a bit like in George Orwell’s Animal Farm -“four legs good - two legs bad”. Yet with virtually all matters of health it is not that simple. There is usually a right amount. Too little or too much is a problem.
Even essentials like air and water come under this rule. If you breathe too quickly you get anxious and light headed. There is a “right” amount of air that the body needs. Too much water can be a problem as is too little.
Most public health messages are based on the tobacco principle. Tell people its bad and don’t allow any wriggle room. It is fair to say that tobacco is not healthy in any amount (although like with all poisons less is better than more). However with foods and alcohol the situation is not as clear-cut.
Now the problems associated with alcohol abuse and misuse, dwarf the combined problems from all illicit drugs. The problems include violence, road trauma, relationship breakdowns and of course numerous health problems from liver disease through to dementia. These are problems from excessive consumption of alcohol.
Yet consumed in smaller quantities these problems do not occur. Furthermore it is likely that the consumption of red wine is actually good for our hearts. This idea has been around for a while but has struggled to get much coverage as the public health people are terrified that if the public are told that a glass or two of wine is healthy that they will drink much more than that.
The really interesting thing is that those who drink harmful amounts of alcohol are not wondering about the health effects of their behavior, be it good or bad, and no one who doesn’t like wine will suddenly start drinking it for medicinal purposes.
So lets just stick to the facts. It has long been observed that the French have lower rates of heart disease despite eating diets higher in fats compared to Anglo-Saxon countries. Attempts to explain this have always come back to the consumption of red wine. This has been documented many times. There are a few mechanisms-the main one being Resveratrol. There are some “cardio protective” effects from this including an increase in HDL or good cholesterol.
Resveratrol is now marketed as a supplement and this likely has some benefits. However, it is also likely that the benefits from red wine are not just due to Resveratrol and that there are other bio-active compounds working in with it. Reducing nature to one working part will generally mean something is left out.
So what is the take home message in all this? A glass or two (1-2 for men 1 for women) of red wine a few days a week is not only not bad for you but probably good for you. Is this a reason to take up wine? —No. Is more better? —No it’s worse.
Can you enjoy a glass of wine with your meal and not feel guilty? –absolutely.
Monday, October 19, 2009
If it wasn't a pill that caused it...
It is reported in The New York Times(see link) that 3 new diet drugs are lining up for regulatory approval. It is estimated that Americans spend $59 billion annually on a range of weight reduction measures from diet books to stomach surgery.Yet as the paper reports only a very small amount of this is spent on prescription drugs.
There are two main reasons for this. Number one is that they don’t work particularly well and secondly there is a track record of diet tablets being taken off the market due to safety concerns. The new drugs have shown some “positive” results over a one-year trial. This is not a long time though and the safety issues with previous drugs only became apparent after they were used by a much larger number of people.
Given the huge potential profits it is easy to see why the pharmaceutical industry may be keen to get involved (the drugs are owned by biotech firms looking for a pharma partner). This is despite sales of current weight loss pills being small and the safety/liability issues. There is also the FDA concern of them being used “recreationally” by people who are not overweight but say want to drop one clothes size.
Here is something to think about. If it wasn’t a pill, which made you put on weight why do you, need a pill to reverse the process. It is always interesting to hear when people say diets didn’t work. Diets have no moving parts .The only way it can “work” is if the individual sticks to it.
Now herein does lay the issue. Many “diets” are considerably removed from what people normally eat each day. Hence the change is too hard to sustain. Even when people stay the course for long enough to reduce weight, they then revert to the previous eating patterns, and not surprisingly this takes them right back to where they started.
Whilst this should not come as a surprise it usually does.
So is there a solution? Of course there is. It starts with taking personal responsibility. You must accept that it is your own actions, which have led you to this place, and that it is only your own actions that can take you to a different place.
The solution is to change your eating patterns. It is no use repeating the same thing and expecting a different result. You need to change the way you relate to food . For example, if you comfort eat then recognize this and deal with the underlying issue. If you have a sweet tooth (like I do) accept this and allow yourself some small treats rather than going without for so long that you end up binging.
Keep at the front of your mind this simple concept. The body stores energy it does not use up as fat. The only way to reduce weight is to use up more energy each day then you put in. This gives you two dials to adjust. Use more energy by being active and consume less energy(calories).
Do not go hungry. Choose foods, which provide nutrition without excess calories. In simplest terms this will be whole food. Food that till recently was moving around, or growing somewhere.
Cut down on processed and packaged foods. Drink mainly water. For sustainable change these must become what you do daily not just a “diet” for a few weeks.
It has been done, it can be done and you can do it if you so choose.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/business/17obesity.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a6
There are two main reasons for this. Number one is that they don’t work particularly well and secondly there is a track record of diet tablets being taken off the market due to safety concerns. The new drugs have shown some “positive” results over a one-year trial. This is not a long time though and the safety issues with previous drugs only became apparent after they were used by a much larger number of people.
Given the huge potential profits it is easy to see why the pharmaceutical industry may be keen to get involved (the drugs are owned by biotech firms looking for a pharma partner). This is despite sales of current weight loss pills being small and the safety/liability issues. There is also the FDA concern of them being used “recreationally” by people who are not overweight but say want to drop one clothes size.
Here is something to think about. If it wasn’t a pill, which made you put on weight why do you, need a pill to reverse the process. It is always interesting to hear when people say diets didn’t work. Diets have no moving parts .The only way it can “work” is if the individual sticks to it.
Now herein does lay the issue. Many “diets” are considerably removed from what people normally eat each day. Hence the change is too hard to sustain. Even when people stay the course for long enough to reduce weight, they then revert to the previous eating patterns, and not surprisingly this takes them right back to where they started.
Whilst this should not come as a surprise it usually does.
So is there a solution? Of course there is. It starts with taking personal responsibility. You must accept that it is your own actions, which have led you to this place, and that it is only your own actions that can take you to a different place.
The solution is to change your eating patterns. It is no use repeating the same thing and expecting a different result. You need to change the way you relate to food . For example, if you comfort eat then recognize this and deal with the underlying issue. If you have a sweet tooth (like I do) accept this and allow yourself some small treats rather than going without for so long that you end up binging.
Keep at the front of your mind this simple concept. The body stores energy it does not use up as fat. The only way to reduce weight is to use up more energy each day then you put in. This gives you two dials to adjust. Use more energy by being active and consume less energy(calories).
Do not go hungry. Choose foods, which provide nutrition without excess calories. In simplest terms this will be whole food. Food that till recently was moving around, or growing somewhere.
Cut down on processed and packaged foods. Drink mainly water. For sustainable change these must become what you do daily not just a “diet” for a few weeks.
It has been done, it can be done and you can do it if you so choose.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/17/business/17obesity.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=a6
Sunday, April 19, 2009
You become what you eat
Two recent reports highlight how easy it is to significantly reduce your likelihood of getting common diseases, and improving your health at the same time.
Research in the UK published in the European Journal of Cancer prevention showed that rates of colon cancer could be cut by around 30% in men and 20% in women. This is achieved by simply eating more fruit and vegetables, cutting down on red meat, (to under 90g per day) doing regular exercise, drinking only moderate amounts (maximum 2 drinks per day for women and 3 for men) of alcohol and being in a healthy weight range. Of course the last one is a by-product of the others.
Meanwhile a review of 50 years of studies on diet and heart disease was published in Archives of Internal Medicine. This showed that eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and fish reduced rates of heart disease. A diet high in processed foods, refined grains, high GI (glycaemic index) foods, red meats and foods with trans fats increased the risks.
These findings do not come as a surprise. Whilst there is at times a view that we are “innocent victims” of disease there is very much that we can do to influence our chances one way or the other. Whilst eating foods which our bodies need and doing regular exercise does not guarantee we will never get sick it does significantly reduce the chances.
You wouldn’t dream of deliberately putting fuel not suited to your cars engine into the tank. Yet many put fuels not suited to our bodies into ourselves. Eating good food is not difficult, boring or expensive. Apart from the benefits outlined above you will have more energy and feel better. What you eat today becomes you tomorrow - think about what you put into your body.
The best way not to get sick is to be healthy.
http://journals.lww.com/eurjcancerprev/Abstract/publishahead/The_potential_for_prevention_of_colorectal_cancer.99995.aspx
http://tinyurl.com/c9xf72
Research in the UK published in the European Journal of Cancer prevention showed that rates of colon cancer could be cut by around 30% in men and 20% in women. This is achieved by simply eating more fruit and vegetables, cutting down on red meat, (to under 90g per day) doing regular exercise, drinking only moderate amounts (maximum 2 drinks per day for women and 3 for men) of alcohol and being in a healthy weight range. Of course the last one is a by-product of the others.
Meanwhile a review of 50 years of studies on diet and heart disease was published in Archives of Internal Medicine. This showed that eating a diet rich in fruit and vegetables, whole grains, nuts, legumes and fish reduced rates of heart disease. A diet high in processed foods, refined grains, high GI (glycaemic index) foods, red meats and foods with trans fats increased the risks.
These findings do not come as a surprise. Whilst there is at times a view that we are “innocent victims” of disease there is very much that we can do to influence our chances one way or the other. Whilst eating foods which our bodies need and doing regular exercise does not guarantee we will never get sick it does significantly reduce the chances.
You wouldn’t dream of deliberately putting fuel not suited to your cars engine into the tank. Yet many put fuels not suited to our bodies into ourselves. Eating good food is not difficult, boring or expensive. Apart from the benefits outlined above you will have more energy and feel better. What you eat today becomes you tomorrow - think about what you put into your body.
The best way not to get sick is to be healthy.
http://journals.lww.com/eurjcancerprev/Abstract/publishahead/The_potential_for_prevention_of_colorectal_cancer.99995.aspx
http://tinyurl.com/c9xf72
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