Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

#1

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 1:04pm

Mississippi, where an estimated one in three adults are at least 30 pounds above a healthy weight, has the highest obesity rate in the United States. And now the state is about to ban any move to regulate the food and beverage industry as a means of addressing the public health crisis.

A bill awaiting Gov. Phil Bryant’s would prevent any Mississippi county from enacting rules that either require calorie counts to be posted, limit portion sizes or keep toys out of children’s value meals, the legislation states.

The so-called “Anti-Bloomberg” law was advanced in reaction to the handful of public health initiatives New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has championed during his tenure.
pass me the fudge nuggets

#2

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 1:54pm

America seems to have forgotten what "moderation" means. It's all or nothing these days.

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....but the world goes 'round

#3

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:04pm

The so-called “Anti-Bloomberg” law

I think it's mostly about being anti.

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"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#4

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:10pm

Taz...it's not just about moderation. Mississippi is also the poorest state in the country. And poverty and obesity go hand in hand. It costs a lot less for people to fill up on junk food because it's cheaper. Part of the reason is because our government spends billions subsidizing sugar and corn and other basic ingredients in junk food and virtually nothing on fruits and vegetables. So healthy choices are often out of the question for those living in poverty or on food assistance.
There's a really fantastic movie out right now called A Place At The Table. If you get a chance...check it out.
A Place At The Table

#5

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:11pm

It's gotten to where, more times than not when our family dines out, I end up bringing at least half of my meal home with me. Some places, the portions are just ridiculous. I guess I can look at it like I get two meals out of it, but I'd rather pay less for less.

Edit: Erik, thanks for that link!

Updated On: 3/20/13 at 02:11 PM

#6

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:12pm

No problem. It's a great film. And I think it's currently available On Demand.

#7

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:20pm

What are you all worried about? The free market will take care of this, just like it solves every other problem.

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#8

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:22pm

Thanks for your post Erik. It's tragic that the poorest among us can more easily afford the unhealthy options.

And you're right, that has nothing to do with moderation. They don't always have the option to eat nutritionally.



I think what galls me about the story Joe linked was the "anti-Bloomberg" moniker. Sure, Bloomberg is an ass with his Nanny-state, but to pass a bill encouraging unhealthy behavior just to prove a point is like cutting your nose off to spite your face. It's infantile.

They should spend the money it will cost to pass this bill on helping to make sure Mississippians who don't have food get healthy food.

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....but the world goes 'round

#9

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:22pm

There's no such thing as a free market.

#10

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:37pm

Jeff Bridges, bless him, has been on the forefront in fighting hunger here and abroad for a long time. I think it's cool that he uses his celebrity as a means to inform and educate.

His web site ... I believe he does all the art, handwriting himself. Think he was one of the first actors / celebs to even HAVE an official web site, wasn't he?

Anyway several good links there -- importance of schools offering kids breakfast, etc.
JeffBridges.com - End Hunger page

#11

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 2:44pm

I really am amused by the idea that they ban any law requiring calorie counts in restaurants. This is the simplest, easiest way to encourage healthier eating. Hell, I am a big fat pig, but when I am running late in the morning and swing through McD's I know it's better to get a McMuffin (300 calories) than a steak bagel (760) and order accordingly (and skip the 150 calorie hash browns).

Apart from being a thumb in the eye to Bloomberg, it is a big sloppy wet kiss for the restaurant industry which HATES having to provide ANY nutritional information.

#12

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:02pm

I much prefer to know how many calories are in my foods......

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KFTC!!!!!

#13

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:03pm

I, too, want to give a shout-out to A Place at the Table. One of my best friends produced the film, and it infuriated me. Really...everybody...watch it.

#14

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:17pm

I will eat a big fat juicy burger and a tub of Coke if I wanted to. However, I want to be able to make informed decisions about what I put into my body. While I do not agree with Mayor Bloomberg banning large sugary drinks, I do not agree either with preventing people from making informed decisions by not letting calorie counts and such be presented to them.

#15

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:17pm

One of the most infuriating things about A Place at the Table was that we already solved this problem once. Hunger in American had virtually been eradicated. And then came Reagan....
A work in a public school in a neighborhood that has a high poverty rate. For many of my students their only sure meal is the ones they get at school. Which are atrocious to begin with. Thanks to congress making pizza a vegetable.

#16

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:27pm

Pizza isn't a vegetable. the tablespoon of pizza sauce is the vegetable.

#17

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:37pm

Pizza's NOT A VEGETABLE??? *slaps forehead* NOW you tell me!

But no, seriously, I don't give a hoot about calories. I try to make healthy choices and if I want to lose weight I cut down on portion size. "if you're overweight, you're overeating."

Now I must watch that film!

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<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#18

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:39pm

Pizza sauce...a vegetable loaded with sugar a partially hydrogenated corn oil. They also give "extra credit" to tomato paste. An 8th of a cup of tomato paste counts as a half cup serving of vegetables. This allows schools to serve students a slice of pizza and meet the vegetable requirement.
So essentially congress did make pizza a vegetable.

#19

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:45pm

I wasn't defending it- just explaining the "logic."

In the 80's Reagan's USDA attempted to categorize the ketchup and relish served on a hamburger or hot dog in a school lunch as a serving of vegetables.

#20

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:46pm

Let's not forget that carrot cake is a vegetable!

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"It does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are 20 gods or no god. It neither picks my pocket, nor breaks my leg." -- Thomas Jefferson

#21

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 3:59pm

I don't know where most people get their pizza, but the pizza I eat contains fresh mozzarella cheese, sauce made from tomatoes and seasonings, and olive oil. The crust is usually flour and water.

I consider my pizza as pretty healthy food.

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<-----I'M TOTES ROLLING MY EYES

#22

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 4:17pm

Pizza can be fairly healthy- crushed tomatoes, lots of vegetables, some cheese- but my cafeteria pizza was a doughy slab with sweet sauce, salty ground sausage and cheese. I remember it came on a small paper plate and by the time you got to your table THE PLATE WOULD BE Translucent FROM THE GREASE! It must have been 1000 calories a slice. I ate it every day in high school.

#23

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 4:30pm

Joe - Was it served in flabby rectangles? If so, we ate the same pizza!

Seriously craving a Cinnabon now.

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"What can you expect from a bunch of seitan worshippers?" - Reginald Tresilian

#24

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 4:31pm

Jane...come to my school for lunch one day. The pizza here isn't anything like what you describe. It's microwaved, soggy french bread with processed cheese and sauce.

#25

Mississippi re-affirms your right to be as fat as you want

Posted: 3/20/13 at 4:39pm

Yes Matt! A rectangle about the size and shape of a mass-market paperback.

And the "fries" were a strange, extruded mass that looked like mashed potatoes put through a play doh pumper into hot oil.