This Wednesday: I’m not lovin’ it
April 25th, 2007 by Progressive Wednesday
Problem:
A few weeks ago, I was driving home from my in-laws late at night. Feeling a bit drowsy, I decided to stop at the nearest restaurant for a caffeinated beverage. I don’t usually eat at fast-food joints, but there aren’t many choices near their house (cows outnumber humans by a ratio of about 4:1). So Burger King it was for a large diet, yes, diet coke and some cheesy tots for my “cheesy” tot.
After I placed my order, the little machine at the counter piped in: “Would you like to add a Whopper with cheese for 80 cents more?” By rounding up to an even five buckaroos, I could save over 60% on “ America’s favorite burger.” So I stared at the 12-foot banner advertising the Quadruple BK Stacker (that’s a full pound of beef, if you can call it beef) behind the 5’ 6”, 220-pound cashier trying to decide. Almost 800 calories for only 80 cents. That’s, let’s see… 800 divided by… carry the one… 10 calories per Lincoln head. No wonder we’re so fat.
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Make Progress:
When I say “we”, I have to include both of us here at Progressive Wednesday. And, for that matter, two-thirds of our great, if somewhat gluttonous, nation. Yes, according to the American Obesity Association, 64.5% of Americans like us are considered to be overweight, while half of those fit the definition of obese. That definition? A Body Mass Index over 25 is considered overweight. A BMI surpassing 30 is considered obese. You can figure out your BMI with the calculator here.
Obesity is not an issue of beauty; it’s an issue of health. It’s not about fitting into those size two jeans or looking good at the beach this summer in that new two-piece. It’s about living longer and feeling better. It’s about being around when your kids have kids, and maybe even when your kids’ kids have kids. It’s about being there when the Buffalo Bills finally win the Super Bowl, whether it’s this year or in 2077 (that’d be Super Bowl CXI).
But the effect the amount and type of food we eat stretches well outside the milieu of health or appearance. These issues wander into the field of economics, both local and global, health care, animal rights, the environment, agriculture, human rights, and… do I really need to list more? Let’s make some progress.
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