A July 12, 2006 article by Matt Wells noted reactions to talk of banning restaurants from some areas of New York City with high obesity rates:
Another vocal critic is Dr. Elizabeth Whelan, president of the conservative-leaning American Council on Science and Health, based in Manhattan.
"I think it's an absurd solution -- not just from the point of individual choice, it just wouldn't work. If you love fast-food and you're fat, you'd just go to another neighborhood -- and you probably wouldn't jog there, you'd probably take a cab," she told the BBC.
She acknowledges the rising risks posed by obesity, but for her, effective public education is the only way forward.
"We have to start with parents, and then kids, and tell them how many calories they need in a day. There is no other way. Passing laws is simply not going to work."
She suggests another intriguing solution that relies on scientific research and the good faith of the big food conglomerates -- better quality fast food.
The cholesterol-heavy chip could be revolutionized if only the consensus was there between consumers, and providers.
"We have a bio-engineered potato that exists, it's very high in starch, and when you fry it, it doesn't absorb very much oil. Why aren't we talking about that?"