By Ruth Kava, Ph.D., R.D.
Posted: Thursday, May 20, 2004

LETTER
Publication Date: May 20, 2004

Letter published in San Luis Obispo (CA) Tribune http://www.sanluisobispo.com/mld/sanluisobispo/8712182.htm

The article that ran in The Tribune titled "Exposé or con job? 'SuperSize Me' takes a bite out of McDonald's," calls director-star Morgan Spurlock a glutton for punishment. But what he demonstrated in his movie, "Super Size Me," was just plain gluttony, compounded by an intentional lack of physical activity.

Although he says the movie wasn't really about McDonald's food per se, Spurlock still accuses the company of being one of the culprits responsible for America's obesity problem. If McDonald's is a culprit, so is every deli, supermarket and salad bar (check out the number of calories in many of the salad dressings!).

Food of all sorts is readily available these days, to an extent never seen 30 or 40 years ago. That fact is not likely to change.

Consumers must learn to make appropriate food choices, and to increase physical activity to balance the calories they consume.

Further, we must teach our children to do likewise, or the negative health consequences of obesity will be epidemic as well.

Source Notes:  
San Luis Obispo (CA) Tribune