What do you think of legislating health?

[JoeJustice]

New York City has banned trans fat. And now this:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11162008/news/regionalnews/bloomy_to_nyc__hold_the_salt_138959.htm

What do you guys think of legislating health like this? Personally I'm against it. I think this is what you would call nannystateism. Part of being free is the freedom to make bad, unhealthy decisions.

Before you know it'll be against the law to go to bed after 9:00PM and a cop will be checking in on you to make sure you brush your teeth!

-Joe

[kelbiz]

I would like to see a healthier standard adopted as far as resturants are concerned. If people want to load up on condiments, they can always feel "free" to exercise that right by putting as much salt, pepper and whatever they want on their food.

Or food can be prepared to the taste of the customer. "And I'd like that fried in animal fat with about a square inch of butter added and really go heavy on the salt. And a diet Coke please."

Is it too much to ask people to be a little health conscious? I've been out of the country a few times and notice that obesity is less seen outside the US. Maybe our right to choose is taken to an extreme in some cases. Who pays the bill when someone eats their way into disability?

Did you ever have to squeeze into a seat on a train or bus next to a (politically correct) very large person? Should they person who ate themselves double-size have to pay a double fair?

At a ballpark, do you enjoy when someone is spilling over their seat onto your comfort zone?

How come people that are in shape are called "health nuts" in comparison to the rest of society?

Just because we have the "right"' doesn't always make it right.

Remember the kid that wanted to sue McDonald's because he was obese? That is a totally extreme example for sure, but the fact that someone thinks that they deserve to win a lawsuit because they ate themselves into obesity is a sad statement. Did the judge have the right to laugh that person out of the courtroom?

And shall we mention the cost of health care we all must pay while people are getting their HMO's to pay for a gastric bypass operation?

If I hurt anyones feelings, I'm sorry. If I made anyone want to do another set of any exercise, I'm glad.

Jack

[Andy62]

The less Government involvement the better.

[Hank_Z]

New York City has banned trans fat. And now this:

http://www.nypost.com/seven/11162008/news/regionalnews/bloomy_to_nyc__hold_the_salt_138959.htm

What do you guys think of legislating health like this? Personally I'm against it. I think this is what you would call nannystateism. Part of being free is the freedom to make bad, unhealthy decisions.

Before you know it'll be against the law to go to bed after 9:00PM and a cop will be checking in on you to make sure you brush your teeth!

-Joe

Joe,

I'm not sure what your complaint is regarding the article that you linked to. The article says absolutely nothing about "legislating health."

The article specifically says, "Restaurateurs will be encouraged to join a "voluntary" initiative and that there won't be new regulations."

Getting the food industry to voluntarily reduce the amount of salt in "processed food" would be terrific. And anyone who chooses would be able to add all the salt they want via salt shakers.

There's a bigger point for me...and it's only my personal opinion. I'd much prefer that posts threads like this one go on a different Transformetrics forum. The one in which a lot of people seem to feel the need to vilify and demonize politicians and others with whom they disagree.

I think that often brings out the worst in people, has nothing to do with my physical fitness through Transformetrics programs, and often leads to something much different that the respectful discussions that I so much appreciate on this forum. Again, just my personal opinion. :act-up:

Hank

[Kevin Nickerson]

To borrow a quote from an earlier thread-"A man convinced against His will,is of the same opinion still"-Benjamin Franklin

[Royce]

From what I can determine the case against salt is inconclusive.

I take the position that some people are “salt sensitive”, and they can have a problem with excessive salt intake. Other folks can use salt without a problem.



http://heartdisease.about.com/cs/hypertension/a/saltwars.htm


The larger question concerns whether or not the salt content in food should be regulated. Well……………..if food is spoisoned, I am sure most of us would like to see regulations in place to prevent that food from getting into the supermarkets.

Is salt a poison? Some people suggest that it is a kind of low grade poison—like cigarettes. I happen to disagree. Actually, I think the case again trans-fats is a lot more compelling.

Like Joe, I’m skeptical of politicians digging into things they know little about and then submitting knee jerk legislation that supports their point of view.

[JoeJustice]

The trans fat ban was started as a voluntary action too. I don't think a topic like this is out-of-bounds on a fitness forum like this one. We can discuss it civilly, I believe.

One thing that made me ask is in reading Men's Health magazine they often criticize members of Congress who do not support health legislation. And you'll see it all over the place in the fitness world. Men's Health has even equated Ronald McDonald with Joe Camel.

Take wanting to ban High Fructose Corn Syrup, for example. Do I think it's bad and unhealthy? Yes. But I don't think it should be illegal. Compare to cigarette smoke, for example, banning that makes sense to me because your smoke effects others. But your food intake does not.

That's just how I feel about it. I was curious what others thought. That's all.

-Joe

[JoeJustice]

Those kinds of requirement would probably be hard for small, mom and pop style dinners. I doubt your average small town greasy spoon knows how many carbs are in their fried chicken or how to find out. But I could see that with chain.

I know all fast food place have nutritional information. Just ask for it and they'll give you a pamphlet.

-Joe