"food industry terrorism"

Such hyperbole.  

This terminology wouldn't have been used before 9 11.

The public deserves to known what's in what you are selling/buying.  I stopped in at a McDonald's restaurant in Indiana and in Kentucky and no one who was selling them knew the nutritional content of their frappe.  I contacted our local McDonald's and no one knew there either.  So, I did a bit of research.  Bottom line: it shouldn't be so difficult to find out what you are putting  into your body .  We are so trusting, thinking that food is regulated and therefore it must be "safe".  We regulate for things that cause food poisoning which more commonly amounts to diarrhea and GI upset but not often death, but very little about having a heart attack in the long run.  Food offered by a food chain that has ample advertising capabilities and numerous food scientists need  to make their contents easily known. They should display them "proudly" and if they aren't proud, they should change the content. I do believe a bit of concealment is going on here and McDonald's is just trying to let it slide by and hoping not many will bother to look.  That's why an "over the top" approach is warranted because they've tried to push the information so far "down to the bottom" that no one will make the effort to find out.

Melissa

This blog is super politically correct.  The idea that saturated fats are bad for you is way out of date, and has been thoroughly discredited by numerous scientific studies.  Our ancestors survived very well on animal fat (largely saturated), and would not have turned a hair at this new introduction by McDonalds.  They also suffered less than us from heart disease and cancer.

Forget about the fat, the thing has 450 calories and a lot of sugar.  Yes, most people who eat at McDonalds probably have no clue how many calories this has, and may not care.  Should it be "illegal"? No.  But should the marketplace frown on something so bad for you? Yes, but it doesn't.

These are probably the same people that think that society owes them health care despite making stupid choices about what they eat.  Socialism at its best...

Additionally, I utilize the soy base to avoid issues with lactose intolerance. You are correct in that I have no studies to suggest it's better than milk.......as a matter of fact, I'd much rather have milk.  So many in the food industry never acknowledge lactose issues.

Melissa

"terrorism"

I think not.

Our predecesors used to hunt or harvest food, they had no central heating or cars and were not eating to be satiated but to supress their hunger. My advice, drink water, read books, ride a bicycle, climb mountains and try to become less obsessive about food. TV is really not good as you are continuously exposed to advertising. Don´t live to eat just eat to live and get some hobbies going. Don´t be afraid to be a little hungry now and then it is a normal state for most living beings. Life is so amazing and it is so sad to see people spending so much time and thought about their eating habits and being so unhappy because the have become victims of one of the biggest industries on this earth. Maybe we should focus on animals as they seem to get the balance right unless they are being overfed by humans of course. Lifes pleasures are a beautiful sunset, the morning dew on a blade of grass, the crunching of autumn leaves underfoot or even an esspresso in a charming cafe on a piazza. Be inspired by some wonderfully stimulating things and not a slave to the stomach and the food industry!

J Feuer

If you are going to have two Frappe's, might want to take an insulin pen and some clopedigrel! HA!

Melissa

“Last week, I met with a family in the Optimal Weight for Life [OWL]

was obese. The five children were more severely obese and had

numerous weight-related complications –

And all had emotional problems related to their weight.

“Sadly, this family might be a microcosm of 21st century America….”

Most food chains use the excuse for mass producing lethal food stuffs that their products should be "used only in moderation". 

I submit to you that the word moderation is not in the American English vocabulary. This family proves that point.

 Melissa

I am looking forward to seeing what Mc Do CEO will do to modify its menu according your suggestion. As a Frenchmen, I was amused to see the word "Frappé" transformed into "crappé" that has no french meaning but that sounds perfect to support your purpose!

continue your crusade to educate on sound food!

Dr. Walton-Shirley;

Thanks you for eductating the public on the nutrional content of the McDonalds Frappe. Now that I am aware of what I'm getting should I CHOOSE to do so, I am well informed and can make an educated CHOICE.  I think it would serve you well to review the word "terrorism" in all of it defined and routine uses.  It refers an intent to maim, injure and even kill a targeted group with extreme prejudice and malice aforethought.  The eighth grade logics class at my childrens' school would destroy your logic. For why would McDonalds seek to destory their client base and thus their source of revenue. Your use of the term "terrorism" is a sharp and extreme attempt to arouse and emotional response rather than a logical consideration.  I find it very distasteful when the "educated, liberal elite try to use fear tactics to scare the public into certain life-style behavior modifications that serve a political agenda, a.k.a. Healthcare Reform, and the need to "corral" certain population and industry segments into lock-step with that agenda.

Thanks you for the FACTS, I will make my own decision without the emotional rant.  Continue the GREAT rebuttal based on the truth of what is and is not of nutritional value. Meanwhile, I'm sure McDonalds and others in the food industry will continue providing what their customers want!

Many of these responses -- including those from members of the medical fraternity -- are breathtaking for their failure to comprehend the impact of the food environment and food 'choices' as drivers of health problems associated with overweight, obesity, and poor nutrition.

When you take the combination of poor health literacy, emotional eating, impulsive eating, rationalisation of food choices ('I deserve this!'; 'It's all about balance, isn't it?'), pricing incentives which favour energy-dense, nutrition-poor foods, the sheer number of food-related decisions we are faced with on a daily basis (up to 200, according to Brian Wansink, author of Mindless Eating), plus the power of commercial marketing, it is simply unrealistic to rely on millions of individuals all making the 'right' decisions -- even decisions that they themselves would really prefer for themselves. This latter point is actually the basis for doing more about 'choice architecture' (ie, 'nudges') to help re-empower people.

Here in Australia (where there are no requirements for the point-of-sale display of calorie or nutriet contents, or a ban on trans fats) some public health advocates are urging consideration of a 'calorie cap' on fast food products or meals. This is an interesting concept and would take some research to find out how it would affect people's food choices and overall energy consumption.

The idea that game animals consumed by hunter gatherers were high in saturated fats is a common misconception that has, unfortunately, become another rationalization for unhealthy eating. Wild game has a much lower body fat content then domestic animals, and due to a diet of wild plants, as opposed to the grains use to fatten domestic animals, what fat there is has a more benign fatty acid profile then commercial meats. Pre-agricultural peoples seldom got more then a few percent of calories from saturated fats and were active enough to burn most of the calories quickly. Grab a venison steak or roast, if you can find it or have a friend who hunts, but stay away from the meat counter at the market.

The content of fast foods is all about the bottom line. As long as unhealthy, yet tasty, ingredients have a price advantage over healthier choices, they will predominate in convenience foods for the mass market.  A corporations' only responsibilty is to make a profit for the owners. If they say something different, it's only to get you to buy something.

 We could encourage better eating through a system of taxes and subsidies, but it's not a realistic approach while society remains more scared of "socialism" then of premature death and bad health.

This is beside the question of free market/personal responsibility. Should people have the right to choose what they eat? Absolutely. Are we responsible for making sure they eat right? Nope. But the key here is availability of information that could factor into these decisions.

Basic nutritional information should be posted in restaurants. Not on a website that most people will forget to search when they get home.

 The average adult daily calorie allowance is 2000 calories. At 450 calories, people have a right to know that the drink they are ordering represents almost 25% of what they should be consuming in a whole day.

Wild animals probably did have less fat than domesticated ones, except perhaps in preparation for winter. However they always had fat surrounding the viscera, such as the kidneys, and in the bone marrow.  People such as the Inuit lived almost entirely on fat and meat: and they found that fat was necessary.  Meat alone made them ill. Explorers in the west of Canada and elsewhere lived for months at a time on pemmican, which consists half and half of animal fat and meat (which had been dried and finely ground.)  They remained healthy and (obviously) capable of hard work on nothing but pemmican. This food kept well for long periods and remained palatable without refrigeration or other preservatives.  It in quite possible that preagricultural peoples diacovered and used this food. 

Melissa,

Thank you for this article !

I believe your choice of the term "terrorism"

is NOT too strong when used in this context.

Read "The End of Overeating" and educate yourselves further. 

I strongly disagree with the article on principle grounds: Its tendency is another "good" example of the current tendency to shift responsibilities. It is always "the (food) industry", "the advertising people", "the ... (you name it)."

Reallly?

It is my responsibilty to watch what I am eating. McD is not known to be a spot for healthy food, so it is me to blame for entering. It is also me to blame if I "forget" that a "good" meal requires adequate physical exercise.  

Yesterday, I saw a favorite patient of mine and we were discussing diet and in particular, the new "Frappe's". He has twin 12 year old daughters who insist on his driving through every single day after school and "lives for those things".  He had no idea of the calorie and saturated fat content of those entities.

I agree with "be responsible yourself" that we should act in a reponsible manner when it comes to diet but I don't think you understand the extent of our ignorance when it comes to what we've been purchasing all these years.  In many portions of the US, like in our area of the South, the word carbohydrate has no meaning and there is no concrete definition of the word "gram".  Many folks don't even know that salt = sodium. Our education on the topic is terrible.  McDonald's reaches 47 million people per day.  47 MILLION.  What an opportunity!!!!!  

The honorable thing for entities like McDonald's to do was to FIRST sit down in the planning stages with their food chemists and nutritionists and say, "we'd like to make a great treat with good nutritional value, maybe add some protein, some fiber, etc.  and let's put the nutritional content RIGHT ON THE CONTAINER in which it's sold" so folks can make informed decisions.  Heck, let's put all the calorie, sodium and fat content on the wrapper and container of every single product we sell.  Then, let's print on the napkins the daily requirements/allowances for food stuffs.  Let's actually do a good thing and a benevolent thing.  After all, we've superisized America and now other countries and we've aided and abbetted a lot of death and dying and we've created a lot of metabolic syndrome with our marketing strategies.  Let's turn this thing into a good work and maybe the public will embrace us even more". 

You really shouldn't have to beg folks to do the right thing.  But then again....there is always SUBWAY who is successful and makes the best effort as far as I can tel to educate the public.

 Though this might just be "magical thinking" to hope that McDonald's and Burger King and Hardees might just start to act responsibly......dialogues like these definitely help to at least expose the issues.  Even if it helps just one person, it's worth the time to discuss it.

Melissa

Additionally, in the above post it is stated "it is also me to blame if I "forget" that a "good" meal requires adequate physical exercise.

You need to realize that many people CANNOT forget what they never knew....never even considered.....never had any education on the topic......never had access to understanding why they weigh 150 pounds and are 10 years old.  Your lack of understanding on this topic is telling and explains why there is going to be even more suffering and dying in our younger generation if we don't open these very important dialogues.  

With regard to the word "choice".....this dialogue is all about explaining that you do really have a choice....it's not really a choice if you just go in and purchase something because it's in front of you. You  only really make a choice if you understand there are options and reasons to consider those other options.  Right now, the drive through folks of the world aren't making "choices", they are just making purchases because of convenience.They have no idea what they are buying. It's not been easy to find the nutritional content of these entities because McDonald's is ashamed of it.  Not one single person who drives through is going to enjoy their 52 inch waste or their first heart attack and most of them would drive through for convenience and purchase other options if they have flavor and nutrition. I guarantee it.Furthermore, McDonald's has the revenue and the"know how" to make these offerings healthier and still preserve flavor and appeal.  They AREN'T behaving in a responsible fashion .  With success comes responsibility. 

Melissa 

- "(You don´t) understand the extent of our ignorance when it comes to what we've been purchasing ...  In many portions of the US .... the word carbohydrate has no meaning and there is no concrete definition of the word "gram".  Many folks don't even know that salt = sodium."

- "(Many people) ....never even considered.....never had any education on the topic......never had access to understanding why they weigh 150 pounds and are 10 years old."

- "They have no idea what they are buying."

Are you going to tell me that more than a very few  Americans are THAT stupid?

Sounds like arguments from a developing country, not an admired and respected nation.

I wonder what you are really on.

Peter

Peter,

You must work in a perfect world. I also beg to differ about the definitions of stupidity and ignornance. "Stupidity" generally means that you have been educated and chosen NOT to implement the information.  Ignorance is when you've never had the opportunity to learn or have no capacity for it.    Nutrition is NOT universally taught in our American Education system and we are dealing with adults that are aged 35 plus who've been out of school for quite some years. I believe you are ill  informed of the status of the understanding of nutrition in our culture.  But......keep wearing those rose colored glasses!  You'll be happier,  I assure you.     

Melissa

Melissa,

I find this discussion not only highly amusing but also of some educational value: I did not know about the differences between stupidity  and ignorance - thank you for your help (most probably you already suspected that English is not my native language - sorry for my ignorance (correct usage this time?))

Drinking a fatty frappé once in a while is not the least harmful but even the "healthiest" food is - if regularly consumed  in huge quantities.
This is not science but common sense, and I wonder if any education is needed to understand this.
Even the 10 years old most certainly knows very well the reason for his/her weighing 150 pounds - "educated" or not.
In short: It is not the food, it´s the habit.

Apart from my incorrect wording, I hold on to my position: Having the greatest respect (if not love) for the American people, I do not believe that tens of millions of them are as "ignorant" as you choose to consider them.

Of course, you do know the facts all too well, and, being a highly educated professional yourself,  basically do not disagree with me, I am sure.
 
So why this gross (and in my view: unethical) exaggeration of linguistically comparing the offering of a certain (non-toxic) drink with the placement of explosives at Time Square?

Removing my rose colored glasses for a moment, I see clear now:
In your culture the reputation of  being a courageous, unconditional, non-compromising, ... critic of Big (Food) Business is nearly as profitable as being part of Big Business itself. But constant spin-doctoring is needed to keep up, weakness of arguments notwithstanding (nothing illegal with that, I presume.)
Note: "There is no such thing as bad publicity."
I put the glasses on again.

Peter (The Happy)
Berlin, Germany
.    

Richard, Remember that the ancestors didn't sit on their butts all day either!

Dr Melissa, Thanks for the being brave enough to post the challenge!

Lynn,

You are most welcome.  I can only hope that this information might make folks skip the drive thru for some healthy fiber containing fruit on occasion! 

Melissa

Au contraire my soeur Sarah...

Basic nutritional should not be posted unless the private owner of the business, in this case McD and its shareholders, agree to do so. I, as a consumer, have no right to demand but certainly have the ability to ask. And if unsatisfied, I have the ability to inform McD that I will not be a patron in its establishments. BTW, everyone knows that fast-food places serve mostly unhealthy foods. I don't need anyone to tell me that fries fried in super-high heated oil, regardless of the type, will soak into the potato. 

If most people are really so uneducated as to not know that sodium = salt, that is just further proof that the education system in America is f'd up. Instead of wasting time complaining that McDonald's dare have unhealthy food on its menu, perhaps we should be focusing on educating people properly.  

I choose not to eat meat. I choose not to eat at most fast food restaurants because they don't serve food that is on my diet. If I wrote a blog complaining that McDonald's doesn't serve enough vegetarian meals, people would (rightly) respond that it's my choice not to eat meat, that I should know better than to try to get vegetarian food at a fast food restaurant, and that the restaurant should not cater to my needs when a majority of people do not follow the diet I follow.

I fail to see the difference between the example I just gave and the argument in this blog that McDonald's should serve healthy frappacinos.

I don't think McDonald's is obligated to offer us a healthy frozen drink, but I do feel it is the right thing to do to offer a one-serving size with nutritional info available.

It appears the full nutritional info is not available online, so I don't know how many grams of sugar there are in that one cup.

I'm guessing there are at least 2 servings in that one cup--at least twice the daily sugar intake that is safe for the heart.

Assuming many customers are alone or not with someone with whom they want to share a straw....what is the customer expected to do with the 2nd half of a frozen drink?  Throw it out?

 McD's could at least try doing the right thing--split all products into actual serving sizes.

Geat Editorial.

 But weren't we anticipating a kinder, gentler huggier corporate world when women took the reigns of power from the testosterone overdosed boardroom?

Many Americans -- Hundreds of Millions!!! --  don't speak much  and read less English, are too young, too poorly educated, or are trusting enough to believe that big companies with attractive logos and good advertising are providing them with beneficial  choices. 

 Let's be honest enough to realize  that sometimes   political correctness and left-leaning activism have it right, and that "The Man" and "The Suits" really often are the enemy.

"Instead of wasting time complaining that McDonald's dare have unhealthy food on its menu, perhaps we should be focusing on educating people properly."  Ii seems much   more efficient to try to modify one chief executive's profit-oriented belief system,  rather than initiate a massive education program (socialism, anyone?) to reach and change tens of millions of customers.   

"For why would McDonalds seek to destory their client base and thus their source of revenue?"  By the time customers are old and sick  and have  reaped the benefits of decades of poisonous fast  food their demographic isn't very important consumers of fast foods  Look at any drive-in -- athough you will often see a group of oldsters having their regular breakfast at a fast food outlet.  Any honest food marketer will tell you that advertising gives the best dollar return when directed at the young and impressionable (who have not  learned about the realtionship of food contents and health). Think Corporate Cigarette Advertsing until just recently.

" A corporations' only responsibilty is to make a profit for the owners." Perhaps.  Seems to me we're all in this together,  When I was younger making a profit on other people's injury was called "Blood Money"  Might be worth while to revive the teaching, "Thou shalt not put a stumbling block in the footsteps of the Blind".

Thank, Dr. Walton-Shirley!  And thanks to all you free-marketers and independent thinkers for giving us so many examples of your ability to turn any discussion towards the defense of your own selfishness-based ideology!  Have a nice day!!

.

Enjoy a cup of hot coffee with a dollop of fresh heavy cream.  This is a low carb delight, and is much cheaper.  You may find that you do not need to add a sweetener.   Besides Truvia contains an artificial sugar alcohol which could be bad for diabetics if the portion size is large enough.

 Really, Why attack the frappe at McDonalds? 

 No one buys one thinking it is healthy.  They get it for the taste and experience. 

Are you going to suggest that we shut down the bakeries and ice cream parlors if they don't inform their customers that the products contain starch and sugar?  Do we need to put labels on the ice cream.    Where is the "terrorist" warning outside of "Ben and Jerry's".  Are you going to require nutrition labels on the floavored fruity marguritas at the local gathering places.  Perhaps the nutritional content can be placed on the little umbrellas. 

 Most Americans are not stupid or ill informed.  Many JUST DONT CARE! 

It is someone elses responsibility if they have a heart attack.  The insurance company or government is responsible.  If they have no insurance, they will go to the ER, and somebody elses money will save their life and provide care for them.

By the way, I dont know if you noticed.  Tricare will pay for bariatric surgery, but NOT for medical weight loss.  If an insured becomes obese, then the government will pay for someone else to do something to them.  No compensation to help them help themselves.

Go ahead, go after McDonalds. Go for it.  Go after that evil executive!

 Might be better to look at ourselves as physicians, and get it straightened out amongst ourselves first.  Lets take a hard look at what we are teaching our own, and our public before criticizing and blaming.

The McDonald's frappe is only one example. Go ahead and check the web site of other chains, e.g. P.F. Chang, and you will be surprised. I was, learning that most of the menu items have their caloric value around 1000 Kcal.

I do quite a bit of busines traveling, and lately I travel with my own prepared food to avoid visits to restaurant. People working in the food industry are not interested in food, they are interested in the money they make feeding people. They are not knowledgeable about food ingredients, methods of preparation, not mentioning nutrition.

We should teach kids about all aspects of life as parents, and as a society to make them able to take care of themselves. The body of knowledge about human life should, or rather MUST include a healthy relationship to food, knowledge of nutrition, enjoying physical activities, positive outlook, among other important elements of being a human.

At first the taste and experience was addicting but now after only a few weeks my fiance is throwing up Frappes and whatever else he consumed with it, to the point where he was scared out of his wits. 

We are used to eating at home,a this bomb concoction of nothing but dollar sighns for the owners made it where we have been more sick than ever. 

I'm sticking to my home made meals, if you don't care about your health, that is your problem. 

Melissa,

Thanks you for the information.  Many of the people responding are actually upset that you are sharing this information or that you chose to use certain words to describe it.  

 I agree that many Americans are uninformed and ignorant and some are even stupid. Yes, stupid, as in continually choosing things that are bad and/or unhealthy for them.  Every once in a while a Frappe or even a Big Mac are probably not going to kill you but on a daily or weekly basis, they will definitely add up and probably do significant damage to your health and weight.  I did not realize until I read your blog that there are 20 grams of fat and 450 CALORIES!!!! in a McD mocha frappe.  I may not have one for another month or two but knowing what I now know, I will definitely not have one twice a week.  They are very tasty but soooo unhealthy. Shame on McD for not doing more research into how they could have made one that was less calories and fat.  Maybe they'll do it in time.  I also think if they offer up the nutritional information on their menu or table or napkins, that they'd be doing all of us a big favor.  It may not dissuade us from patronizing fast food establishments but will allow us to make more informed choices from their menus.  I may walk in wanting a filet-o-fish, but after comparing calories and nutritional value, I would probably leave with a salad and be a lot happier with myself at making a better choice for ME!

Again, thank you.

I am glad to see so much interest in this.  I think terrorism is overstated, but hey, it did make me read the article, which is the point of "catchy titles" anyway I believe.

Many people don't know how to eat in moderation.  I have been a Registered Dietitian 24 years, and people have consistently had a lack of understanding about how to do this. 

Look at the issue up close, the real culprit is not Mc Donalds, they've been dishing up junk for a long time.  An occasional stop there probably is fine for most people.  But, we have a whole generation of kids who are not able to use self control.  They've never been taught it.  Yep, Never taught the kids to stop eating when they're full.  They don't know to eat only when they're hungry.  They are "on the go" all of the time with schedules that would seem daunting to any CEO, lessons, sports, playdates...

But, in all of that, no one has ever sat down with them one on one and taught them from an early age which foods provide what nutrients and which foods don't offer much except enjoyment.  If they knew that and saw that the household followed that standard from meal planning and purchasing all the way to everyone eating it, it wouldn't be so hard.

Most kids don't know how to wait for anything.  It's all about instant gratification.  And, they don't use self control in other areas of their lives.  They watch too much tv, they're in front of the computer too much, they watch vulgar movies, they go from one planned activity to another...they don't have any down time.

And, their parents are doing the same things.  So, where's their chance to learn?  School?  Walk through a school during class time, or just ask a teacher how they feel kids are in regard to respect and responsibility.  They don't take responsibility.  It's Mc Donald's fault for making the high calorie, high fat/sugar drink.  It's not my fault I'm spiraling out of control.  No one ever showed them how to be in control.  Practice with money, eating, exercise, studying; any of these things can be done in moderation or to excess-yes studying so many hours that they don't interact and have people skills.

Why do I see so many kids with eating disorders and obesity?  And so many adults who need to return to parenting themselves to a level that provides health for themselves?

If we can give our kids (and adult patients too) the information clearly and consistently, make them responsible for getting some of those choices right on their own--make the lunch with a few food groups covered, check the snack for the right amount for their hunger, let them know that they will have it again, so they need not overeat now...

I do that with all ages, and it works wonders.  The guilt is gone, the blame game isn't working, and responsible limit setting comes in to help them through all of life's hurdles.

And yes, as you aptly said, they have to pay for it because insurance will cover the surgery, but not the preventative education for a family, or weight loss sessions that can take a year to lose fifty pounds.  Registered Dietitians are uniquely capable to work on this issue, but it isn't promoted by the insurance companies.

Thanks for this forum, we need to bounce this around with each other to get on the same page to treat our patients.

Susan,

I appreciate your perspective.  It's frustrating that we can get an echocardiogram, stress teseting , etc.  paid in the year following a heart attack to the tune of several hundred dollars, but try getting dietary counseling paid for ( at much less cost even ) for an entire year. 

It's the old "give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and  he eats for a lifetime" situation.  If we'd "TEACH" a man HOW To eat, he'd gain a lifetime's worth of health and happiness.  

And yes, you are correct. I choose titles that stir emotion and a dialogue.  I don't think anyone would have read this if I entitled it "McDonald's serves another fattening dish".  Besides, I believe when you serve food to the public, you have a responsibility to serve nutritionally sound food, or you are aiding and abetting illness and death. McDonald's and all entities that serve food should be "called on it" in a way that allows education and then an educated choice. If it's an entity like transfats that no one would miss in the food chain but would benefit with a substitute equal in flavor but far safer, then it should be regulated.   These restaurants know better and they have the resources to do better. Shame on them.

 Thanks for your post. 

Melissa

Oh WAAHHHHHHHH.. how dare anyone make a scrumptious dessert drink

WAHHHHHH!

(my synopsis of your post)

It's funny how many people on here call others ignorant and then complain about the fat levels and saturated fat in this drink (or claim vegetarianism to be the healthy choice).  

Most recent science shows that animal fat is good for us (although this drink is a terrible sugar bomb).  However most people have been brainwashed by the last 30 plus years of anti-fat campaigning that was pushed through by a vegetarian.

In any case, everyone has their own views, diet is a very personal thing.  Even people who claim to be educated on here are behind the times, and must check research regularly for the latest information.   Everyone can make their own decisions based on this, and I feel the only responsibility McDonald's (and every restaurant) has is to give us the nutritional information.

As others have mentioned on here, not fair to target McDonald's as they make this info available while many other places do not.  And really, does anyone go to McDonald's expecting health food, or do you go there knowing you're going to get something tasty and cheap? 

Yes we all have eaten it and yes we know it is bad for us.  But why do we keep going back for more? it's cheap convenient and if you have children they all love those dang chicken nuggets. The key is moderation.  I only might take my daughter to go out to eat once a month.

We have found that by eating at home and we have lost weight and fell a lot healthier, not to mention how much money we keep in our pockets. But I do agree that it is okay to splurge once and awhile.

Staying healthy in 2010

RS,

I stopped in at two McDonald's in two separate states and made several phone calls to restaurants who told me they had Not been given nutrition information that they could pass on to the public.   Just wanted you to know that even for interested folks, it was NOT easy to get this information.

Melissa

I have to say that I just gave in this past weekend and had one at my local McDonalds - good thing I purchased a small one.  To be honest I was going to get an iced coffee (which I should have!) but I really wanted to try this drink. 

 Needless to say...it was DELICIOUS!!!  I knew as soon as I took my first sip that this drink was NOT low in calories, fat or sugar.  But I continued to drink and finish it - I agree with someone who posted earlier that we have no one to blame but ourselves for what we consume.  I guess you can say that McDonald's might share a small amount of responsibility but not much.  In the end, we need to educate ourselves - I should have gone on their website before I went there to check the nutrition guide - I didn't do that - my fault. 

Angie, 

I agree that education is key.  The information in my blog should have been made readily available to the public. I had to do a little work to find that information and several restaurants could not even give it to me months ago. If enough folks complain or boycott it they would definitely produce the same drink with better nutritional value.  There really isn't any excuse for it because it's not that difficult to do it better. We should not stand for their (McDonald's) laziness.

Melissa 

Melissa,

I hate to see that a well educated doctor as yourself puts off the blame on a resturaunt when every individual is entitled to their own choice. And drinking one Frappe is not going to cause coronary heart disease. Moderation is the key. People need to take responsibility for their own health and stop laying the blame on everyone else...Do you really think closing down McDonalds will change our obesity chrisis...NO..

Angie, I don't think it will solve it now. Pandora's box has already been opened. I do think  we have a responsibility as enterpreneurs to provide products that are the best quality possible.  Would it be OK just to add shoe polish to this drink as long as it tastes good?  The point is that Americans are OK with dying of something 10 years from now even if it's still at age 55.  If drinking a Frappe everyday (and believe you me, folks are drinking them daily) killed you next week, we would all be up in arms.

Protests like the piece above does drive change and encourages companies to see they have options and obligations with regard to what they mass market to our population.  They now have smoothies that are said to be lower in fat but I've not researched it, so they must be thinking in a new direction. 

In this drive through world, folks just don't think about how they are changing their DNA with unhealthy items that promote cancer and cardiovascular death.   The movie "supersize me" made that point exactly. I agree with your idea that people should make their own choice, but the only problem is that hardly anyone knew what was in those things when they were driving through and ordering them. It is shocking that someone would even market that item to the public. 

Now you can make an educated choice as to whether or not you want to order one of those things.

Dear Jan Fields,

Big pharma loves you, big fat people love you, and mostly funeral directors love you. I just had one of your frappes, my first time in mcdonalds in years. Unfortunately I checked the nutritional profile after drinking it. I feel sick. I hate mcdonalds and I hate you.

Al