Fast fraud? Avoid major pitfalls in the new salad craze

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The fast-food industry stands accused of adding bucketfuls of fat to the American diet, exacerbating what health experts now call a national obesity epidemic. Facing lawsuits that might conclude with Big Tobacco-sized settlements, it appears the industry's case may receive little help from the salad movement.

Diet-related illness is a critical challenge facing the United States government and health care system at large. According to the Centers for Disease Control, obesity may cause more than 300,000 deaths in the United States each year. The annual cost of related medical expenses? About $100 billion.

An online report from the Surgeon General's office lists some grim reminders of the consequences of carrying excess weight--high blood pressure is twice as common in obese adults compared to normal weight adults, a weight gain of just 11 to 18 pounds doubles the risk for developing type 2 diabetes and women gaining 20 extra pounds by middle age double their risk for postmenopausal breast cancer.

While fast-food giants struggle to strike a balance between profits, customer preferences and better nutrition, consumers will have to look beyond the labels to sort the good from the bad. A Forbes report from market research firm NPD Group found safes of quick-serve salad entrees up 9 percent from last year, indicating that our intentions, at least, are on the right track. Healthy food choices are increasingly in demand, but as busy families know all too well, convenience often reigns supreme. Restaurants that meet the challenge by catering to both of these needs will be lifesavers, in some cases literally.

"For now, I tell my patients this quick rule of thumb," Turner-McGrievy adds. "Move away from heavy dressings, meats and cheeses. Request as many colorful vegetarian foods as restaurants offer and you'll be moving in a much healthier direction."

For more information on the fast-food salad survey, visit the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine's Web site, www.pcrm.org.

A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

McDonald's restaurants are expanding a program designed to prompt families to incorporate physical fitness into their daily lives, one step at a time. The program, "Step With It!"[TM], developed by The Coca-Cola Company, features "stepometers" (i.e., small pedometers that track the number of steps taken in a day) and encourages participants to increase daily walking to maintain good health. "Step With It!"[TM] also includes educational guidelines and suggestions on how to increase physical activity.

This initiative expands upon Coca-Cola's successful program for middle school children, which was developed in coordination with The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and The President's Challenge Physical Activity and Fitness Awards Program. Now, through the participation of McDonald's restaurants around the world, "Step With It"[TM] will reach millions of consumers, young and old. It is part of McDonald's recently announced "Healthy Lifestyles" activities, designed to help people lead balanced and healthy lifestyles through informed menu choice and variety, education and physical activity promotion.