Opinion Talk

By Eric

August 4, 2008 7:37 AM | Link to this

Government should continue to provide nutritional information - the good and the bad - to its citizens, but has no right to interfere with individual choice. As soon as I learned about trans fat, I eliminated it from my diet on my own by selecting other foods. However, I do not need nor want the government telling me what to do!

By ron

August 4, 2008 8:35 AM | Link to this

There is enough information available about diet to anyone who wants to listen.Same for smoking,drinking,drugs,and fast driving.Add ,’don’t run with scissors’,change your underwear daily,wash your hands often and don’t engage in dangerous sex practices and you about cover the no nos.I have all the information I need to make wise choices. Even still,in the end I’m going to die,so maybe,just maybe,the ones that ignore all the warnings are going to be the happiest.

By Jaybird

August 4, 2008 8:39 AM | Link to this

Why is Opinion Talk always frivolous? You would think that the AJC were trying not to talk about the coming election. Today, the master of Oratory, Barrack Obama has refused to engage in town hall debates with John McCain. He is hiding from McCain and from the American people. He likes prepared scripts where he can promise unspecific change and not real life and real people. For a man with a messiah complex, Obama sure seems to be afraid of letting people see who he really is.

By Believer

August 4, 2008 8:40 AM | Link to this

Hey, this is capitalism at work. Companies manufacture products that provide the highest possible profit. They are not in business to necessarily provide something healthy any more than they are to provide something fattening. Years of studies and research on the part of these companies found that foods such as chips and cookies can be made at a low cost, stabilized for a long shelf life, and marketed to consumers based on taste and convenience. It’s the way we do things and have done things here in the US and now we’re spreading that philosophy throughout the world. Just wait until China and India are as fat and craving for more as we are. I wonder what steps they’ll take. Will it be like Japan or the US.

By MADMOMMY

August 4, 2008 8:59 AM | Link to this

Let’s add a dollar “fat tax” to every thing since the cost of all the health issues is skyrocketing. Then maybe that bag of $0.99 chips won’t be such a bargain and people will then find out how much healthier and cheaper it is to eat a healthy low fat diet rich in fruits and veggies. I understand that most places don’t carry much as far as fresh fruits and veggies, but it the cost of things rise and they stop carring those items, there is both room and money to purchase these items to sell to customers. Makes sense to me.

I guess it doesn’t matter because people don’t want others telling them what they can and can’t do, but I think people need to grow up and start doing the right thing.

By MADMOMMY

August 4, 2008 9:05 AM | Link to this

Let’s add a dollar “fat tax” to every thing since the cost of all the health issues is skyrocketing. Then maybe that bag of $0.99 chips won’t be such a bargain and people will then find out how much healthier and cheaper it is to eat a healthy low fat diet rich in fruits and veggies. I understand that most places don’t carry much as far as fresh fruits and veggies, but it the cost of things rise and they stop carring those items, there is both room and money to purchase these items to sell to customers. Makes sense to me.

I guess it doesn’t matter because people don’t want others telling them what they can and can’t do, but I think people need to grow up and start doing the right thing.

By MADMOMMY

August 4, 2008 9:06 AM | Link to this

Let’s add a dollar “fat tax” to every thing since the cost of all the health issues is skyrocketing. Then maybe that bag of $0.99 chips won’t be such a bargain and people will then find out how much healthier and cheaper it is to eat a healthy low fat diet rich in fruits and veggies. I understand that most places don’t carry much as far as fresh fruits and veggies, but it the cost of things rise and they stop carring those items, there is both room and money to purchase these items to sell to customers. Makes sense to me.

I guess it doesn’t matter because people don’t want others telling them what they can and can’t do, but I think people need to grow up and start doing the right thing.

By ron

August 4, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

Jaybird,dearest one,Bookman and Wooten cover politics,to which we all contribute our opinions.There is an unwritten rule that the first post of the day should,out of deference to the columnist,be about the chosen daily subject.Underdstand?

By zeke

August 4, 2008 10:03 AM | Link to this

How stupid can the nanny government be? Trying to make laws to care for us against our will? Too many liberal socialist involved! In South L.A. there will be no more new fast food restaurants because the residents legal and illegal are eating too much fast food for their health! So, what are these people going to eat? They cannot go to Ruth’s Chris, Spago or others! WHAT HAVE THE MORONS DONE NOW??

By rightytighty

August 4, 2008 10:14 AM | Link to this

I for one am against government intrusion in every form. But childhood obesity is child abuse, and it should be treated as such. If a child is obese before 16 then that child should be taken away from the irresponsible parents and put into a military school.

Let me say it again.., childhood obesity is child abuse.

By C.A.

August 4, 2008 10:30 AM | Link to this

Hey, righty-tighty, who’s going to pay the military school tuition for the chubby children? Do you really think that all the (equally chubby) parents have the disposable income to meet those expenses, or should the governement, whose intrusion you object to in every form, be responsible?

By jabster

August 4, 2008 10:38 AM | Link to this

It’s not what you eat, it’s how much, how often, and making sensible substitutions (like water or diet coke for regular sugary cokes, or plain green tea for coffee with cream and sugar, or 1% milk for whole). But exercise beats them all.

I’ve been studying Hapkido since March, and I am minus-20 pounds and minus-3 inches and counting…all while eating about 90% of what I want.

I’ll be 41 this month, so it’s never too late to get moving—no excuses. My grandfather tended a garden until he was 89, and died of…OLD AGE.

The last thing we need is a fat tax or any other tax. No “tax not me, tax not thee, tax the SOB behind the tree!”.

No more taxes, period. We need to stop the blimping of the government, too.

By justduckie

August 4, 2008 11:00 AM | Link to this

it’s capitalism at work unless the govt ends up picking up the healthcare tab at taxpayer expense. We need to choose one side of the fence or the other, folks. I don’t want to have rising cost of healthcare forced on me as a taxpayer because someone can’t voluntarily put down the smokes and cheetos. Not really excited about a “twinkie tax” either. So I don’t know the right answer - but govt healthcare, poor diet and me first mentality spells trouble.

By H.R. BuffnStuff

August 4, 2008 11:24 AM | Link to this

Big government’s “nanny state” doesn’t solve anything…less government is best government. More/further taxation is never the solution! The answer lies in personal responsibility and discipline.

One doesn’t have to be super-clean on the diet or a gym rat to be in decent shape. It’s all in maintain a calorie intake in conjunction with activity level. If someone is more sedentary, then they need to keep total cals lower (especially saturated fats, sodium & sugars). Those who are active have more leeway (depending on genetics & how active they are). Most process foods (fast foods, snacks, etc.) are total garbage anyway, so I’d recommend whole, natural foods a good multi-vitamin (geared towards age, male/female needs, etc.) plus a few others like Omega 3, garlic, Co-q10, resveritol, etc.. There are no easy shortcuts (despite all the BS infommercials), it’s all about having dietary discipline & getting consistent exercise. It can be summed up in one sentence…Push away from the table/couch, and get some exercise!!

By sid

August 4, 2008 11:25 AM | Link to this

why aren’t republicans up in arms against mccains attack on mrs. hilton’s daughter like they were when kerry mentioned dick cheney’s daughter? why the double standard? why was it such a outrage then? because it was just meant to sling mud on their opponent, that’s why. paris hilton is an idiot, no doubt, but her parents are financial contributors to mccain and dishonorably he attacks them in a mean way going straight for their child with no good reason. kerry talked about the lifestyle of dick cheney’s daughter and never once put her down, and that was an outrage. total lack of character on the part of all republicans.

By rightytighty

August 4, 2008 11:53 AM | Link to this

Obesity tuition would be paid for by 2 years of military or civilian service after age 17. At 20, scholarships at the military academy for all who choose it. The structure is already there. And it has proven itself capable of delivering citizens that can make positive contributions to society.

The tax savings from future healthcare assistance alone would offset any other cost overruns.

By gwarfan

August 4, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this

Paris Hilton is a no talent hack that is only a celecraty because she is rich. Who was outraged over Cheneys daughter? Talk radio? Fox news?

If I go and get myself a double whopper with cheese or a monster burger from hardees it is a choice. No one thinks it is good for them, they damn well know it is going to kill them at some point. People all over the work are getting fatter because we have easy access to food and sit on our butts all day. A “fat tax” is just going to punish the poor, since the worst foods for you are cheap. What is more expensive, organic apples or a big mac?

By GaVoter

August 4, 2008 12:12 PM | Link to this

McCain merely pointed out the obvious air headed relationship that Paris shares with Brittney Spears and Barack Hussein Obama. Empty suits that can only lead to major policy “refinements” and paparazzi(progressive news anchors) rushing in for crotch shots. From here in middle America…, it’s hard not to see the connection.

By T

August 4, 2008 12:54 PM | Link to this

I don’t like government regulations on the fast food biz. I miss super sized fries. Did people really think that eating Mcfried fat all the time and always sitting on the couch wasn’t going to make them fat. Really? I think it is the lack of nutrition based education.

By Dan

August 4, 2008 12:59 PM | Link to this

Sid is the kind of voter dems rely on, with zero ability for critical thinking. Paris is an icon/celebrity/whatever all to herself and no one in her family is running. It doesn’t even compare remotely to Kerry dragging in the family of his opponent.
That kind of vacuous reasoning is precisely the reason, Obama is where he is

By Dan

August 4, 2008 1:06 PM | Link to this

Hey with all the social programs and laws designed to protect people from their own stupid decisions, we have to leave some forum where Darwin can clean the pool

By BeeJay

August 4, 2008 1:07 PM | Link to this

Government needs to stay out of it, period. They need to stay out of lots of things they butt their business in, but they must NOT regulate what people eat - or what restaurants serve. Let insurance companies, doctors, and medical institutions render extra charges at their will for medical needs due to obesity. That, of course, would entail the entire industry staying out of the hands of the government. People can eat what they want, feed their children what they want, but when there are negative consequences that impact their community and society as a whole, let them pay for it. That can extend to theatre or airplane seats, and anything else individual enterprises choose to render. Some price is already paid - fat clothes cost more, for example. Until the good of society is affected, who cares.

To forestall obesity, educstion is always the best measure, although some as usual will choose not to learn. That also is a human condition you cannot change.

By LB

August 4, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this

In regards to obesity, and even smoking, “stupid is as stupid does”.

By SL3

August 4, 2008 2:19 PM | Link to this

I agree with Jaybird! What a waste of blog space. So many important issues needing to be talked about instead of this frivolous gibberish.

Dan you are right about Sid too. He is definitely a democrat.

By Allen

August 4, 2008 3:47 PM | Link to this

Here’s an idea: make people take responsibility for their own actions. Health insurers, including Medicare, medicaid, the VA, PeachCare, and private insurers should simply not pay 1 penny of the cost of treating diet-related obesity. Obviously a genetic condition is another matter.

By Ms. Tucker If Ur Nasty

August 4, 2008 4:37 PM | Link to this

How could a discussion about obesity morph into an attack on Obama? Since we’re morphing, has anyone noticed that mass shootings and serial killings have increased lately? I wonder if any of the perpetrators are obese, hmmm?

By demwit

August 4, 2008 4:53 PM | Link to this

Obesity should be treated with nothing less than an automatic ticket to a fat farm! A boot camp style fat farm with huge bicycle turbines that produce clean electricity and feeds it back into our electrical networks. Release would come with an average weight.

Just image all the clean energy that fat America could produce! Not to mention the natural gas emmissions that would be reduced..