Dr Jonathan Wright
America's 'miracle' medic is now writing exclusively for our readers in the UK. Claim his 6-volume 'Library of Natural Healing' FREE!more info...
PAIN-FREE FOREVER
157 safe, natural pain relief remedies MORE effective than prescription painkillersmore info...
Does Obesity Mean Big Business For Lawyers?
I was walking along the high street of a small village in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas in the US two years ago and was startled by a classic and sad tableau of American youth. An old truck was parked across the street from the local McDonald's. Sitting on the bumper were three young teenagers swinging their legs and engaging in the incessant prattle typical of that age group. They all looked like juvenile replicas of the Michelin man: They were all about five feet tall and weighed in at about 160 pounds each.
But this scene isn't exclusive to the three teenagers I encountered in the US. Here in the UK obesity is an increasing problem. New research carried out by the World Health Federation shows that we are following close behind the US in topping the obesity league. Almost 20 per cent of men in the UK and more than 21 per cent of women have a body mass index (BMI) reading of 30 or more - the official definition of obesity.
Worryingly, about half of all adults in the UK are reckoned to be overweight, with a BMI of over 25. It's the same wherever you go in most western societies - swelling bodies, rising blood sugar levels, and rampant diabetes. This means business is great for doctors, the anti-fat industry, undertakers, and, of course, lawyers.
They've found a new profit centre - suing McDonald's for the pandemic of obesity in the West. As one newspaper reported recently 'Parents, on behalf of the youths, have filed a lawsuit seeking class action against the fast-food giant, saying the chain's unhealthy meals made them obese, which caused them to develop severe health problems including heart disease.'
McDonald's and the 21st century version of a home-cooked meal
The specific case referenced in the above quote was filed in the New York Supreme Court in the US in the summer of 2002. One of the teenagers involved in the suit is about 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs 270 pounds, the other is 5 feet 3 inches and weighs 200 pounds. And according to the article I read, they have been eating at McDonald's several times a week 'for years'.
John Banzhaf, a George Washington University law professor from the US, rushed to the new money trough and is acting as 'advisor' for this absurd food fight. Banzhaf said children are often unable to resist the chain's playgrounds, Happy Meals, and toy promotions, which are often tied to the release of popular films. 'Children clearly are not capable of making health-related decisions', he said. 'McDonald's tries to attract children and has an obligation to them.'
A McDonald's representative responded to Banzhaf, saying that the chain serves the same kinds of 'quality food' - beef, milk, chicken, lettuce, and potatoes - that families eat in their homes every day.
Well, he's got a point there. It is the same 'quality' of food served in many homes - overcooked meat, lots of sugar, and excessive carbohydrates, all prepared in unhealthy vegetable oils.
The Center for Consumer Freedom in the US, an organisation representing restaurant operators and individuals who want to preserve consumer choice, has jumped into this boiling pot with some telling ridicule. 'The notion that there's no parental authority over these children is ridiculous', said Mike Burita, a spokesman for CCF. 'Do little kids steal their parents' car keys and drive themselves to McDonald's?'
He's right. Banzhaf and his colleagues are suing the wrong group. While it is true that McDonald's serves mostly nutrition-free food, the lawyers should be suing the parents - for child neglect and parental incompetence.
Reference:
'Obese teens' suit blames McDonald's,' Atlanta Journal Constitution, 19/9/02, page G1
Click here to send to a friendShare thisPrinter friendly version
