Wed
Jul 30 2008
07:56 am
South Los Angeles: no fast food for you!
By: bizgrrl

Los Angeles City Council has decided to fight obesity in the South side by not allowing any new fast food restaurants in the next year.

"Thirty percent of adults in South Los Angeles area are obese, compared to 19.1 percent for the metropolitan area and 14.1 percent for the affluent Westside, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health."

Hey, Tennesseans, look out! We, along with Alabama and Mississippi, have the highest obesity rate in the country. (Stop the animated map at the year 2007.) Will the governor put a moratorium on fast food restaurants in the whole state? I think not. Our unemployment rate will sky-rocket.

Effective July 1, 2008, the CDC is funding a program in 23 states "to develop a state plan for nutrition, physical activity, and obesity (state plan)". Tennessee received funding. Alabama and Mississippi did not. Heh.

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bizgrrl's picture

If I move to Spring Hill or

Submitted by bizgrrl on Wed, 2008/07/30 - 10:19am.

If I move to Spring Hill or Brentwood will I get skinny?

RayCapps's picture

Cynical Comment Warning:

Submitted by RayCapps on Wed, 2008/07/30 - 11:02am.

I wonder how much Jack-In-The-Box "contrubited" to the Los Angeles City Council to keep Carl's Jr. off their turf... all in the name of fighting obesity of course.

Pamela Treacy's picture

Most restaurant food, not

Submitted by Pamela Treacy on Wed, 2008/07/30 - 4:21pm.

Most restaurant food, not just fast food, is packed with calories. Have you ever gone to restaurant websites to find a pasta dish is 2000 calories?

While I appreicate the attention, effort and concern, it doesn't seem like the role of government to pick on fast food over any other restaurant. Wouldn't it be better to have criteria regarding food product and calorie counts -- then the fast food and other restaurants would have to change in order to do business there? This would be similar to the ban on trans fat or the requirement that menus include calorie counts in some states.

We really need a movement to get high frutose corn syrup removed from food.

bizgrrl's picture

Maybe they should offer

Submitted by bizgrrl on Wed, 2008/07/30 - 4:33pm.

Maybe they should offer decent facilities for exercising within the neighborhood, e.g. parks, gyms, walking trails, pools, workout equipment, and a safe environment to go outside and play.

R. Neal's picture

I agree there should be

Submitted by R. Neal on Wed, 2008/07/30 - 4:43pm.

I agree there should be better disclosure. Wingnuts can complain about nanny state tactics, but actually it's a market based solution. If people could compare apples to apples, so to speak, they could make better, more informed choices and market forces would work their magic.

Same with requiring car commercials and ads to prominently display MPG.

(Did you know Taco Bell has some of the least un-healthy fast food, all things considered, if you can believe their nutritional info.)

Pamela Treacy's picture

Huge Problem

Submitted by Pamela Treacy on Thu, 2008/07/31 - 7:10am.

I recently read the reported restaurant calorie counts are way off for many restaurants. We really don't know what we are eating unless we make it ourselves.

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