I copied this article from another thread.. you may have heard of this topic..
I would love to hear your thoughts on this subject.
Thanks,
Dana
Fri Jul 26, 5:43 PM ET
By Gunna Dickson
NEW YORK (Reuters) - A 5-foot-10-inch, 272-pound man has sued four major fast food chains, claiming their fare contributed to his obesity, heart disease and diabetes, his attorney said on Friday.
The class-action lawsuit, filed in the Bronx Supreme Court on July 24, is seeking undetermined compensatory damages against McDonald's, Wendy's, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger King on behalf of 56-year-old maintenance worker Caesar Barber and others.
The lawsuit, which estimates that millions of Americans could be included in the claim, also seeks to have the companies label individual products with fat, salt, cholesterol and other dietary content as well as to warn users of the health effects.
New York attorney Samuel Hirsch, who is representing Barber, said consumers are not getting adequate warning about foods that could cause obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol levels.
"Fast food chains failed to disclose the contents in terms of calories, fat grams and sodium. Even when posted, the information is not easily understandable to the public," said Hirsch.
A National Restaurant Association executive said the lawsuit "gives frivolous a bad name."
"This lawsuit, which solely makes restaurants responsible for obesity in America, swallows a simplistic notion," said Steven Anderson, president and CEO of the Washington-based association. "It is a blatant attempt to capitalize on the recent news stories on the growing rates of obesity."
LABELS FOR ROCKET SCIENTISTS?
Barber told MSNBC he didn't realize fried food was bad for him until three years ago, and that he had been eating fast food for decades because it was convenient.
"I didn't find out how bad it was until 1999," he said. "I ate a lot because I was by myself."
Hirsch, who accompanied his client on the MSNBC show, said they particularly wanted better labeling for the "real offenders--the Big Macs and Big Whoppers." Now, he said "you have to be a rocket scientist" to be able to read labels that he said were deliberately designed to be confusing.
McDonald's spokesman Walt Riker called the claims "ridiculous," saying: "Our menu features choice and variety with lots of options for consumers."
In Miami, a spokesman for Burger King, which was bought by Texas Pacific group on Thursday, declined to comment as the matter is under litigation, but referred calls to the National Restaurant Association.
"There are 858,000 restaurants and food service outlets in the country serving a variety of food that will meet anyone's specific dietary needs," said the association's Anderson. "The nutritional information usually appears on a chart at the right of the counter and is as easily understood as any nutrition label you would see at the retail store."
"The important thing to remember is that there is a certain amount of personal responsibility we all have... the issues of obesity and nutrition are much more complicated than this and involves factors such as genetics, medical conditions and the level of physical activity," Anderson added.
Well if Americans can sue tabacoo companies and get away with it -
If you buy tabacoo products you are warned on the label - I'd like to see those kind of warning on my french fries..
In a way I can understand this - I was never "forced" to eat all the nasty foods these people offer, however - there are not many wise choices out there. Even if the food you eat while you are out is healthy... the portion sizes are double what they should be.
It seems that no matter what eating establisment I go to I have to search for the right item.. think about it.. in an average restaurent that offers 25 choices - how many should you eat? 2? 1? any at all?
I don't agree with suing these places - but I believe this is a very good topic that all of America needs to pay attention too...
I don't agree with the sueing. I say this because nobody made him eat that stuff. It was his right to say yes or no and he chose yes. Everyone in their right mind knows that stuff isn't the best/healthiest for you. My husband and I were talking about this a few days ago(as I got this very article in my email from a dear friend) and he feels the same way about me.
Hmmmm maybe I missed my chance, I gained almost all my weight working at McDonald's for 8 1/2 years. Should I have sued the company even though I knew a 20 piece nugget a day would make me fat???? I think this guy looks like a moron by stating he never knew fast food was bad for you, DUH , heck I'm 29 years old and almost for as long as I can remember I heard this stuff wasn't healthy for you to eat everyday, perhaps if he wasn't so lazy and cooked a meal or two on his own he wouldn't have this problem.
Kim
336/???????????grrrrrrrrr/170
P.S. I'm afraid to get weighed because I started working at McD's again part-time. This time I'm suing!!!
thanks for your replies ladies!
I agree with all of you - the man's an idiot!
My question is.. how do we force places to serve more healthy choices? Some places are - and that's where I go. ie. I love the low fat chicken enchilda's at chi chi's - but I only had 2 choices on the menu!!!
Arby's used to have a great low fat menu but canceled the program
I email company's when I'm pleased with their menu - we need to encourage business owners to continue this trend.
Dana
ps.. Kim.. what are you going to do with the free food they give you at mc donalds??? I normally get the ceaser chicken salad with vinergette dressing.. 3 ww points
He not only looks like an idiot, so does his cracker jack box lawyer.
We all know that fast food is not good for us. Just like pizza, chocolate, twinkies, cookies, cheesecake, beer and liqour aren't "good" for us. But it's not about that really. There is absolutly nothing wrong with driving up to the drive through and ordering a #1 Meal from McDonalds.
We cannot blame the fast food industry for making "fattening" foods.
We cannot blame the reseraunts for making their servig sizes way too big. Let's face it. In America, the bigger the better. They are all after that golden dollar. And they have been getting it.
What it comes down to is this. We need to keep balance in our lives. If we eat out 5 times a week , or have fast food meals once a day, the outcome will be weightgain among other health problems.
We are in control of what goes in our mouth. There will always be good that isn't the best choice for our bodies. But as humans, we love to indulge. Which is fine. But not every day. Not every week.
He knew the Big Mac wasn't the best thing for him. And if he really didn't, then he shouldn't even be out on the street by himself.
Those ppl who sued the tobbaco companies, I have mixed feelings. They knew ever cig they lit up, it wasn't good for them. Look at the statistics of how many ppl die each year, develop lung cancer. (BTW, I smoke). But all that aside. It's addicting. It's a drug. McDonalds is not addicting. Cigs are addicting. And they are making a pretty penny for all of those ppl who die each year. America should put a stop to it. America should ban all sales of cigs. I know it's a bit extreme, and as a smoker and an American, I can say, there would be alot of unhappy ppl. BUT they would be all living.
Anyways..I gave more than my 2 cents. But I just don't feel that the food industry should have all the blame. They are providing food that we all enjoy. No it's not good for us. But it's not bad for us to have it once in awhile. The problem lies within those who have it too much. All about balance.
Almost like a drinker blaming the bar because of his drinking problem.
I agree he shouldn't sue. I am sure this will get thrown out of court as well. Nobody put a gun to his head and said eat at McDonalds!! Even there, you can get better choices, like grilled chicken or a salad with low fat dressing. Or heck, go to Subway and get one of their low fat subs or something. All fast food doesnt have to be junk food. He is just trying to blame someone esle for his problem!!
I think you are being way too easy on the compaines
This is not a cut and dry issue here. The fast food companies are extremely manipulative. From the day we are born we are bombarded with commericals. Ronald McDonald is one of or the most well known persona in the entire world. Kids going to school are now often hit with McDonalds and Burger King right in their schools. McDonalds runs more playgrounds by far then anyone else and produces a sizable portion of the toys sold every year. They are using every possible means to hook people in when they are young and keep them hooked. Of course there is personal responbiliy but why give such deep discounts when you buy a super-sized meal? In other words, per ounce super sizing is a good deal. If they had any concern why not offer the same or similiar pricing on all sizes? A corporations goal is to make money for its stock holders. It is up to the legal system and the government to make sure the public interest is being respected by compaines. I may not totally agree with the lawsuit, but there is something to it. These compaines have made their fortunes by pumping out commericals that 2 and 3 year olds watch and holding school districts strapped for money not exactly hostage, but forcing their ways into schools. I stopped going to fast food, it is true, and I lost a lot of weight. But that doesn't mean that how they are operating should go unaccounted for, and if this lawsuit brings that out, then it is way more justified than almost any lawsuit I could imagine. Read fast food nation if you want more info on how fast food compaines operate.
ok slimdown as for the free food they give, I try to eat before I go to work and just drink only there. If I am truely hungry I'm opting for just 1 cheeseburger or hamburger and a small fry. Sadly enough after already working there for 8 1/2 years the food isn't really all that appealing unless you are starving So all in all once I get a set schedule for every week I should be able to plan things out better.
I think the only things we can do is write to those restaurants that don't offer the healthy choices and tell them that they might get more business if they did. And if they chose not to, then you won't be visiting their restaurant till they did.
Also for those restaurants that do offer the healthy choices, I would commend them for doing so. I myself only hope that McD's keeps up their healthy choices menu past the summer.
I absolutely contact restaurants and tell them what I'd like to see on their menu, and if I just don't have enough options, I tell them that's why I won't be coming there anymore. And regardless of what I think of this guy's lawsuit, for our economy's sake, we better hope he loses.....
I agree that this is a silly lawsuit and he shouldn't get anything out of it. Nutrition labels are not hard to read and if he didn't understand them all he had to do was go to the library and get a book on basic nutrition. that would have explained everything.
On the other hand...I had no clue until I saw the nutritional content in a book just how fattenning a lot of fast food really is. You expect that it is going to be higher calories and fat than food you make at home but really it is more than what I expected. I think we really get hooked on the larger serving sizes and therefore think we have to have a big mac instead of a plain hamburger. When you go to a restaurant even the dinner plates are lots bigger than the ones people use at home.
I can remember when having a big mac combo supersized plus a cheeseburger was a regular fast food meal. Now I don't even know when I last had a big mac.
Is this guy for real? How ridiculous. I truly hope it gets thrown out. By using the excuse he lives alone and was convenient sums it all up right there. Yes they are convenience foods and you do pay a price for eating convenience foods all the time.
I agree something needs to be done to get these restaurants to serve healthier menus, but suing them isn't one of the options. You could always get a few friends, get a permit to picket and stand out in front of mcdonald's, burger king, arby's etc. with signs asking for healthier choices on their menus.
I think the lawsuit is idiotic! Even without having the nutrition statistics, how can you not know this food is BAD for you? French fries are FRIED in oil, the sandwiches have tons of mayo, etc. You would have to live in a cave to have never heard that this food is bad for you. No one forced this guy to eat it. He could also go into a supermarket and make a salad from the salad bar just as quickly.
I saw the guy on CNN with Connie Chung, and it really looked like she was struggling not to call him stupid to his face. I don't mean to say the man is stupid, but I just don't get how you could not know these foods are not good for you.
What are your thoughts?
, heck I'm 29 years old and almost for as long as I can remember I heard this stuff wasn't healthy for you to eat everyday, perhaps if he wasn't so lazy and cooked a meal or two on his own he wouldn't have this problem. 
