Another country heard from: Brazilian judge blames McD s in a schmaltzy ruling

A court in Brazil has awarded a former McDonald s franchise manager $17,500 in damages after the manager sued the fast food chain for allegedly making him fat. The 32-year-old says that his employer caused him to gain 65 pounds in 12 years by pressuring him to taste-test the food and offering him free lunches. A similar lawsuit from 2002 tried to accuse the fast food industry of creating addicting foods that ultimately lead to obesity and other health complications.

ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross considers the idea of holding the fast food industry liable for weight gain to be outrageous and bizarre. There is no proof that fast food can create a physiological addiction comparable to known addictive substances, such as opiates. You can t create a food addiction by serving food that is high in fat or salt or grease or ketchup. People just like certain foods more than others. In both of these cases, the clients consumed the fast food because of its affordability and convenience.

In their coverage of the preliminary Brazilian ruling, Minyanville.com quotes ACSH s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan on the fallacies of blaming McDonald s for weight gain: Obesity is a very complex problem, and people always want simple solutions. Blaming a food chain is a very simple solution. I m horrified, frankly. Dr. Whelan also wonders if this ruling will signal a new definition for occupational hazard getting fat on the job.