Fat Food?
This weekend, a car full of us drove to Los Angeles and back. On the return trip, we stopped at In-N-Out Burger, which sparked a conversation about fast food chains. We agreed that while the ubiquitous McDonald’s is not that tempting, In-N-Out is another story. We were happy the only one in town is at Fisherman’s Wharf, where none of us ever goes. Because we know, of course, that fast food shouldn’t be a staple of our diet, right? It went without saying that all of us, who are a reasonably health-conscious bunch, try to avoid it as much as possible.
I was reminded of this discussion when I read the results of a Canadian study that found a direct correlation between obesity and the proximity of fast food.
For every extra fast-food restaurant per 10,000 people, a city’s obesity rate goes up 3%, said Sean Cash, a health economics professor who drew up an obesity map that plotted obesity rates and the density of the top 10 fast-food chains in Canada. “The strong relationship really suggests that access to fast food may indeed be one of the issues that may explain increasing obesity rates… We were surprised by the strength of the relationship, but we weren’t surprised to find that there was a relationship. This has been a likely culprit that has been discussed quite a bit over the last few years. This provides support for that view.”
I guess the correlation isn’t news to me. At times, when I do get fast food, I have been self-conscious about it. I feel like “oh, of course, the fatty wants a Big Mac!” even though I most likely eat fast food no more often than many of my thinner counterparts. (I’d be interested to hear how often normal-weight people eat fast food.)
So, there’s a stigma to fast food, and it’s not entirely undeserved, but does that make it right? I find it a tricky issue to figure out, quite frankly. I don’t want to assign morality to food, but Pizza Hut now has a type of pizza where each slice contains 580 calories, and I kind of think it’s irresponsible to make something like that. I blame the people who make it, though, not the people who eat it. I’m not sure why that is, considering that for the most part, I am all about personal choices and personal responsibility. Maybe it’s that I’ve been working in advertising too long.
Some more interesting statistics:
According to a report published in Chicago Tribune, fast-food consumption is more in higher-income households, young boys, older children, African-Americans and children living in the south, whereas fast food consumption is found to be low in youngsters living in the West, rural areas, Hispanics, white women and those aged 4 to 8. Due to the increase in the number of fast food outlets, fast food prevails in virtually every segment of the society, including hospitals and schools, as per a study on fast food & obesity by Harvard School of Public Health.
Can that really be true? There is more fast food consumption in higher income households? I always thought it was the opposite. (I can’t find the original Chicago Tribune report.)
So anyway, now I’m wondering. How often do you eat fast food? How does it fit into your life? Do you think it boils down to class, convenience, cash? Is there a fast food stigma? I’d love to know your thoughts.
Posted by mo pie
Filed under: Advertising, Food, Health, International, Personal, Question
I don’t eat fast food much — mainly because I like to cook and we eat a sit-down family dinner almost every evening. I’m too cheap to buy it at lunchtime and almost always take my lunch to work.
I used to love fast food, but as I’ve grown older, I don’t care for most of it. I do still love QPs, though I eat one probably once a year. There is definitely a stigma attached to eating fast food among my peers.
Sarah,
Please find these several studies and back up your ignorant assertions.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/humanbody/truthaboutfood/slim/fatthin.shtml
http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Nov06/meal.size.calories.ssl.html
There’s a couple to get you started, and google.com if you want to look up more, I don’t have time at the mo.
Also, let me repeat, in MY vegan existence. I do not need to know every strict vegan, because if you are eating only greens and grains basically, it is pretty hard to get fat. If you know a vegan living on french fries and soda, then they are likely not a strict vegan if they care so little about their health.
I hope you realize, Sarah, that my comment was not meant as some sort of personal attack on you, just my personal viewpoint. You really shouldn’t get so upset about things on the internet :)
My best friend has been a very strict vegan for nearly 10 years now. Still fat. She doesn’t eat anything with wheat or yeast, too. Doesn’t eat sugar either – most sugar is refined using ash made from animal bones. Nor glucose syrup, as that’s often made from wheat. Still fat. Has never owned a car and walks about 3 miles a day minimum. Mostly eats vegetables, beans, fruit and brown rice or buckwheat. Still fat, has had doctors telling her to stop eating Big Macs. When she started out as a vegan, her concern was not “oh, being a vegan will make me lose weight/stop getting fatter/be a saintly healthy person!”, it was motivated by environmental and animal rights concerns. Still is. In fact most vegans I know are not in it for themselves, but out of concern for animal welfare and the earth. The few who got into it “for their health” are the ones more likely to be found eating fat-laden vegeburgers and fries and sugary soy shakes.
And yet, my dear friend manages not to be a sanctimonious, self-righteous, judgemental ass about veganism. Fancy that.
I would say I eat fast food MAYBE once a year. Very little of what they offer tempts me. Fries – that’s about it – but I am pretty picky about what I eat and usually only “go there” if I am wildly PMS-ing, LOL.
As far as the whole “fat vegan” thing goes… Two ways to look at this. The first is, if you do vegan it is almost difficult to get fat. It is also very hard to do vegan properly and sustain it for long times and remain healthy – it is an effort. MOST people don’t have it in them to do it. Myself included. If someone really is a strict vegan and is still what society would consider fat I think that helps to make my point that we are all different – what is good and healthy and normal for one is not necessarily the same for others.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could just love and support each other and not argue about who is the better vegan? Is it really necessary to say that someone who chooses to try being a vegan because they are concerned about their health is not as “good” as someone who does it because they love animals?
Peace y’all… Happy New Year!
DaisyBug, I wasn’t quite trying to argue that my friend was a “better” vegan, just that a lot of people seem to equate healthiness with moral virtue, and see veganism as some kind of ultimate health kick that somehow gives them a saintly glow. You know – it’s all about THEM. :) (there are of course animal rights supporters who get like that, there’s fundamentalists in any movement.)
My friend also knows a hell of a lot about nutrition and spends a fair bit of time creating balanced meal plans so she doesn’t get vitamin and mineral deficiencies. (And has of course been told she has no “willpower” for not losing weight…yet like you said, it takes a lot of self-discipline to work out a good vegan diet to stay healthy. Go figure.)
We eat it maybe once a month. We might even go a few months without it. Which is surprising because there’s a McDonalds about two blocks away and we both like Big Macs (all this talk about BMs is giving me a craving).
Fast food is an occasional treat for us. I find it expensive. I’m surprised also by your mention that there’s a higher incidence in the upper class because I have always thought they accused the poor fat people of taking over the joints.
As for stigma, I always feel uncomfortable eating in. Like everyone there is thinking, I eat there all the time. So we usually do drive through.
Is In and Out Burger really that good? I never go to Fisherman’s Wharf either so I’ve never had it. 21st Amendment and Burger Joint are my spots to satisfy a craving!
As to how often “normal” weight people eat fast food…hmm. Are we counting Chipotle? It is owned by McDonalds. I probably have that about once every 6 months or so. McDonalds I haven’t had in about 20 years, because I hate everything they make except the chicken nuggets. I had Burger King and Pizza Hut a couple of times each a few years ago while travelling on business, but haven’t done so since Starbucks became ubiquitous since I like their sandwiches and bagels better.
See, I think this is sort of a wierd question, because what are we defining as fast food? Are Vietnamese bahn mi (sandwiches with grilled or bbq meats on french rolls) fast food? I eat those all the time. What about burritos you buy from a taqueria? I eat those all the time too. Is a burrito from Chipotle fast food but one from Pancho Villa considered not fast food? Is the difference nutritional content or how many outlets a company has? And if so are BurgerMeister or Barney’s fast food? They both have multiple outlets.
The fast food = fat people idea seems kind of wierd to me, because honestly, there have to be just as many calories and just as much fat in a jumbo burrito from Pancho Villa as in a Big Mac, and the reason I eat the burrito rather than the Big Mac isn’t because I’m trying to limit calories, it’s because imo it tastes better. But there’s a stigma attached to eating a Big Mac that isn’t attached to eating a burrito, unless the burrito is from Taco Bell, which again is worth looking at since the burrito from the corner taqueria is usually a lot bigger. I really have to wonder how much of the stigma is about class markers.
(I know this post is really old but I was browsing through your old stuff. Also non-locals please excuse references to SF foodie landmarks.)
Yes! In and Out Burger is REALLY that good.