Calorie Counts on Menus Go National

The health care reform bill signed into law Tuesday requires that restaurant chains with at least 20 outlets must post calorie counts for all the food items they sell.


 
Posted by Josh Friedland on Mar 24, 2010 in Appetizers, Policy | Link | | Print this page | Share This



 

Comments

Mar 26, 2010 8:34:57 AM
Posted By: jeffrey dach md

Selling Sickness in the Lobby, Fast Food in Hospitals

Peter Cram reported in JAMA that forty per cent of hospitals have fast food in the lobby. While you might consider this an outrage, the hospital probably considers it business as usual. Your hospital banned cigarette smoking long ago, yet still sends the message that fast food is healthy for you.

Fast Food Causes Chronic Disease

Michael Pollen, a journalist and author of "In Defense of Food", and "Food Rules" says in a New York Times Editorial that fast food causes chronic disease, and "there’s lots of money to be made selling fast food, and then treating the diseases that fast food causes. One of the leading products of the American food industry has become patients for the American health care industry".

For More:
http://jeffreydach.com/2010/01/27/selling-sickness-in-the-lobby--fast-food-in-hospitals-by-jeffrey-dach-md.aspx

 

Mar 29, 2010 12:29:32 AM
Posted By: Nicole Lasher

The food being prepared quickly isn't the problem. The problem is that the food is unhealthy, not that it's "fast". A cucumber is as fast as it gets, but it's quite good for you.

Hospitals should be setting a good example, but there is the issue of conflicting information about what that is. Some would say that chips are okay so long as they're fried in canola oil, but some of us would disagree since for a natural foodie canola oil is a powerful laxative and waste of calories.

I'm more worried about what they serve the patients at most hospitals than what they sell in the lobbies. However, they should do more to promote healthy, natural food. I mean, why not?

What would it hurt them to use organic fruits and vegetables, free range meats, and bake and broil instead of frying?

 

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