McDonald's and BMI

[Warren Dew]

The issue of San Francisco regulating the content of McDonald's "kid's meals" was raised here:

http://www.rationalia.com/forum/viewtop ... 25#p650609

The question was raised on whether people's position - supporting or opposing the ban - was correlated with their BMI here:

http://www.rationalia.com/forum/viewtop ... 75#p660368

One theory is that overweight people who can't lose their weight and want to blame McDonald's, while thin people know they can control their own weight and don't think McDonald's is part of the problem. Another theory is that higher BMI people are happy with their weight and don't think McDonald's should be regulated, while thin people are thin because they avoid McDonald's and support the law because they don't think people should be fat.

This poll is to provide data that might test those theories.

A BMI calculator can be found at:

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bminojs.htm

[charlou]

I think you need a larger sample size if you want to test those theories and extrapolate the results to the broader population.

[Tigger]

Interesting though.

[Warren Dew]

I think you need a larger sample size if you want to test those theories and extrapolate the results to the broader population.

The original question had to do only with rationalia posters, and not even all of them. Extrapolating to the broader population would indeed probably be dangerous.

[Tigger]

I think you need a larger sample size if you want to test those theories and extrapolate the results to the broader population.

The original question had to do only with rationalia posters, and not even all of them. Extrapolating to the broader population would indeed probably be dangerous.

... and it may make people hungry.
Actually, I'm no fan of McDonald's and I prefer something that tastes less synthetic like the equally unhealthy (I'm assuming?) Burger King or preferably Wendy's, of which I have had but one.

[Warren Dew]

I'm not a fan of McDonald's either, though I do eat there sometimes if I need something quick and convenient. My dislike isn't because the food is unhealthy, though; it's because most of it tastes like cardboard.

Burger King burgers taste a bit less synthetic because they are flame broiled rather than fried, though they are still excessively lean. Burger King chicken is worse than McDonald's, however.

[anna09]

While I find all fast food restaurants disgusting for many reasons, it's simply NOT the government's business to regulate something like that.

[Pappa]

While I find all fast food restaurants disgusting for many reasons, it's simply NOT the government's business to regulate something like that.

But they do regulate lots of similar things, like how much salt is allowed in children's food products, no direct advertising of certain products to kids, etc.. It's not qualitatively different to these.

[Warren Dew]

But they do regulate lots of similar things, like how much salt is allowed in children's food products, no direct advertising of certain products to kids, etc.. It's not qualitatively different to these.

Actually it is a little different since this law isn't regulation of the food, but regulation of "tying" non-food products to food, but that difference may be irrelevant to this thread.

[Coito ergo sum]

But they do regulate lots of similar things, like how much salt is allowed in children's food products, no direct advertising of certain products to kids, etc.. It's not qualitatively different to these.

Actually it is a little different since this law isn't regulation of the food, but regulation of "tying" non-food products to food, but that difference may be irrelevant to this thread.

And, while there may be something in the UK, I don't think the US does regulate how much salt is allowed in children's food products nor is there a legislated category called "children's food products." For example, children eat lots of hot dogs in this country and there are limitations relative to salt thereon. There are some "infant formula" regulations.

[Warren Dew]

I think there are also regulations on baby food; I can't think of any other explanation why they are so much more expensive than adult equivalents. However, I think you're right; it's only on food that's marketed specifically for the use of infants.

[Warren Dew]

And with regard to the poll, it seems the main result from early votes is that skinny people are a lot more opinionated than fat people. That's an interesting result that I didn't expect.

[GreyICE]

McDonald's is one of those restaurant that sucks until you're in a foreign country where you really, really don't trust the food (hi Mexico, we were talking about you). Therefore, I forgive them a lot of things.

[Coito ergo sum]

t's "food porn." That's what the Center for Science in the Public Interest dubbed the 1,030-calorie, deep-fried Lasagna Fritta appetizer at the Olive Garden.
The restaurant, known for its "bottomless" salad and breadsticks, made the consumer group's 2010 "Xtreme Eating Awards".

Other restaurants you frequent also made the list: P.F. Chang's, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen, Outback, Chevy's and Bob Evans.

Two Cheesecake Factory dishes were also singled out. The pasta carbonara -- described as spaghettini with smoked bacon, green peas and a garlic-parmesan cream sauce -- is loaded with 2,500 calories and 60 grams of saturated fat. The chocolate truffle cake has 1,670 calories and 48 grams of saturated fat.

The group, which some call the food police, knocks Five Guys for its 700-calorie hamburger and its fries (620 calories for the small and 1,460 for the large). Five Guys is "no friend to your hips," CSPI says, pointing to the bacon cheeseburger and large fries adding up to 2,380 calories.

In issuing its awards, CSPI says two out of three adults and one third of children are now overweight or obese in America. Nearly 30 percent of young people are too heavy to join the military.

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=2124737

Sounds like some of these other restaurants may be bigger contributors to obesity.

[GreyICE]

We've started eating out more.

Seriously, that's really it. Two people are now working. Used to be mom cooked and cleaned, dad worked. Sexist? Yes. But we lost sexism, and with that loss, we lost good teachers and home cooking.

I'm not saying woman's lib was a bad thing, but if we want to identify "OMFG what fucked up America," America never had a restaurant culture. America ate out to celebrate! This contrasts large parts of Europe. A 2,300 calorie meal? More excusable when it happens once a month.

We're trying to turn that into a restaurant culture, and it really is not fucking working in the least.