Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Yet another Bloomberg initiative turns out wrong

From 1010WINS:

New York City's pioneering law requiring restaurant chains to post calories on menus doesn't change the eating habits of people in low-income areas, according to a new study.

Half of the study's customers said they noticed calorie counts. Twenty-eight percent of those said the calorie postings had influenced what they ordered. Nine out of 10 of those said they'd made healthier choices as a result.

But receipts collected after purchases showed people had ordered slightly more calories than the typical customer before the law was put in place, researchers said.

Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a nonprofit health advocacy group in Washington that supports calorie posting, suggested low-income people were more interested in cost than calories.

For example, McDonald's offers a 300-calorie cheeseburger for $1.


Duh.

13 comments:

Taxpayer said...

On Nov. 3 we will have to post the calorie content of shit because that's the day the Commissar will be eating that NY treat.

Let's all dump for the Commissar on Nov 3.

Lino said...

The law simply gives people information.

Look, the first Surgeon General's report on smoking came out in 1964--people still smoke..but far fewer do.

It takes a lot of pounding to counteract the advertising and social pressures that lead to bad habits. There will always be fat slobs around but, eventually, with education there will be fewer.

I am in the hospitality industry..I don't see what has "turned out wrong" here.

Anonymous said...

"The law simply gives people information."

No, the law was meant to educate the po' folk and make them have a dietary epiphany. Written info is the wrong method of teaching that population. Many of them can't read....

Gary the Agnostic said...

Anonymous said...
"The law simply gives people information."

No, the law was meant to educate the po' folk and make them have a dietary epiphany. Written info is the wrong method of teaching that population. Many of them can't read....

Wednesday, October 07, 2009
--------------------------------------

People can read; it's a matter of paying attention or not paying attention.

Anonymous said...

Bloomberg pushes New Yorkers to reduce their waistlines...yet his fat-cat friends keep on adding girth to their already bulging bankrolls!

I guess he thinks he can cram more skinny people into each subway car...a far cheaper solution than improving mass transit.

Another one of Mike's eccentric crusades to avert our eyes from the real issues plaguing New Yorkers.

We're overtaxed and under served!

Eight years is enough.

DUMP DER MAYOR before he completes his plan to dump the middle class!

Anonymous said...

Most low-income people keep chomping those burgers because salads are very expensive.

I am a clerical worker with health problems and a very low income. Many times I chose MacDonalds or a ham sandwich made at home because I live alone and it is very costly to buy the multiple ingredients to make a good salad at home, while store bought salads start at $7.00 or more, vs. the two or three dollars I could afford.

Some poorly-paid workers on my building did me one better, they bought a chocolate bar for lunch.

Anonymous said...

The only people who watch calories are the ones who eat well, not because a menu tells them, but because they care about taking care of themselves. If you don't care about yourself, it doesn't matter how the calories are posted.

Anonymous said...

What is the rate of childhood obesity in the urban areas compared to the suburban areas? Where are the biggest healthcare issues? What about putting fatty foods on a no buy list for those using wic or other food stamps?

Anonymous said...

Sorry to disagree, but salads are cheaper than a burger meal at fast food joints. Also, buy chicken cutlets and grill them instead of frying. Cutlets are inexpensive.

Anonymous said...

Lino I agree with what you stated, but the issue here isn't just about education, it's about controlling people's lives and that is a bad thing. And when you stretch information to meet an agenda to line other's pockets that is also a bad thing. It makes especially the medical community a lot less credible. As an example High frutose corn syrup in EVERYTHING, there are no wars being waged to change this it causes diabetes. Extremely high salt contents in EVERYTHING surprised the tops of people's heads aren't blowing off, but again no mention about this either, only controlling the working class and what they do. Corporations are not held accountable to what's being put in our food and the FDA in my opinion is a useless agency.

georgetheatheist said...

"Extremely high salt contents..."

Did you ever notice when a product advertises it's low-sodium version, the salt content goes from 900-1200mg to about 500-700mg?

Salt (and corn syrup) are everywhere, in abundance.

CJ said...

Lino said...
"There will always be fat slobs around but, eventually, with education there will be fewer."

Thank you for your hospitality Lino.

Anonymous said...

I hear you George, but so are the drugs to curb the effects and that is the part that pisses me off. Because we are no longer about wellness another illusion in the illusion of a democracy.