Published in the New London Day (CT):
An article calls movie director and actor Morgan Spurlock a glutton for punishment. (“Expose or con job? Film takes a bite out of McDonald's,” May 16.) But what he demonstrated in his movie, “Super Size Me,” was just plain gluttony, compounded by an intentional lack of physical activity.
Although he says the movie wasn't really about McDonald's food per se, Mr. Spurlock still accuses the company of being one of the culprits responsible for America's obesity problem. If McDonald's is a culprit, so is every deli, supermarket and salad bar — check out the number of calories in many of the salad dressings.
Food of all sorts is readily available these days, to an extent never seen 30 or 40 years ago. That fact is not likely to change. Consumers must learn to make appropriate food choices, and to increase physical activity to balance the calories they consume. Further, we must teach our children to do likewise, or the negative health consequences of obesity will be epidemic as well. [Image]
Ruth Kava, Ph.D., R.D.
New York, N.Y.
The writer is director of nutrition for the American Council on Science and Health.