Lawyer Preps For Fast Food Fight (Blames fast food for obesity)

cbs ^ | 11-03-03

[wheelgunguru]

John Banzhaf, the law professor who first took on big tobacco, today has a bigger - make that fatter - target in mind. Banzhaf, who teaches a class nicknamed "sue the bastards," now plans a series of lawsuits blaming fast food for making America fat.

As CBS News Correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports, Banzhaf thinks restaurants like McDonald's should explicitly tell you a Big Mac meal, for example, gives you most of the fat you need for the day.

"I think when people walk into McDonald's they know the food is fattening," says Banzhaf. "I don't think they have any idea how fattening.

"I think the fat suits could be the next tobacco."

If that sounds outlandish, listen to his latest strategy: the addiction theory, which claims that fatty foods create a type of addiction.

"There is growing evidence that fattening foods can cause the same addictive effect as nicotine," says Banzhaf.

To the restaurant industry Banzhaf is out there, but this is what he is relying on.

Researchers like Dr. Michael Schwartz, who studies obesity, believe obese people slowly lose the brain signal that says, "stop eating." He points to a very fat rat, being used in an experiment, as an example.

"His brain is saying, 'I don't have enough fat,'" says Schwartz, about the rat.

But a craving, Schwartz says, is no addiction.

"You can say you are addicted to air, but I don't think that's a compelling argument," he says.

Still, the legal question surrounding obesity will always be, whose fault is it, really, if you are fat?

Is it the restaurant's fault if your favorite food is a hamburger and fries?

In class, Banzhaf's own students lecture him on personal responsibility.

"It's not McDonald's fault they continue going there every day," says one of his students.

But the kings of Bazhaf-bashing own the Seattle restaurant Five Spot.

They've drawn up a fictitious contract.

"I release the Five Spot from all responsibility," it reads.

Anyone ordering a dessert called the Bulge, has to promise not to sue.

"People want to sign it," says restaurant owner Jeremy Hardy. "It's a fun way for them to go on record as saying this is ridiculous. Enough."

"Remember Gandhi said, 'First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then you win,'" says Banzhaf.

He says he just wants to win information. He wants fat and calories listed on menus beside the price of the food. It's that or he'll claim the industry's liability for obesity is $150 billion.

French fries bearing a warning

[SheLion]

Now with their ox being gored, I am planning to sit back and laugh!

Got to laugh to keep from crying, actually. When will it ever stop, CSM? When!

[CSM]

"When will it ever stop, CSM? When!"

Onle after freedom loving productive people shrug!

[Mamzelle]

re: There is something wrong with a society that let's leeches like this thrive.)))

Thrive ??

We reward them to the tune of billions, and ruin our competitiveness, create crippling healthcare costs--

[MrLeRoy]

personally I don't want to pay more in insurance for anothers food addiction or resulting health problems.

Insufficient sleep leads to health problems; do you support courts or government setting your bedtime?

[MrLeRoy]

listen to his latest strategy: the addiction theory, which claims that fatty foods create a type of addiction.

"There is growing evidence that fattening foods can cause the same addictive effect as nicotine," says Banzhaf.

"First they came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." - Martin Niemöller

[Gabz]

My utter disdain for Banshalf-brain and his ilk is an addiction. I just can't help myself.

[jmc813]

WOD Ping

[PaxMacian]

Blaming any food for the sin of gluttony is nonsense.

[MissL]

True lack of sleep does that as well but part of that can be traced back to being overweight. Not breathing properly during sleep is a result of overweight and results in some not sleeping for days. Depression, high BP, stroke, high cholesteral, heart problems, knee and hip problems, diabetes and on and on are a direct result of being fat and not being active. I say face the addiction it is greater then any other addition because it is legal and those with no self control can go wild.
Simple rule...You have to move more then you eat. You have to burn those calories to maintain. If you sit on your butt you will need a bigger chair !!!

[MissL]

Try owning a small business and wanting to do the best for your employees but you cannot afford to give them the best break possible on health insurance. No, I am taxed now and I cannot afford to totally pay health insuance for my employess ans some of them cannot afford the cost either. Is that fair, nope? Think about it, America is fat and is not trying to do better...to eat healthier or just want to live and live a good long heathy life. Think about this, fat people die younger and don't leave an attractive corpse, just a big one.

[Judith Anne]

Are you an American citizen?

[MissL]

So totally American that I don't want anyone infringing on my rights and my life.

I have only one thing more thing to say...most everyone here, includeing my self is a Christian and belives in God's word. I belive that there is a passage about your body being a "temple" but it does go beyond that...you were given the gift of life and your body and it is your to take care of that gift.

I am not nor did I say that we needed laws to control food intake or a fat tax, all I said was watch what you do, watch how you live, embrace health and the rest of us will not have to pay for your poor habits and it will only get worse if you are not aware and you shorten your life and possibly become a burden to those you love and who love you. Not my choice it is yours. I don't belive in more laws just responsibiliy as any American.

[Judith Anne]

And if I, a slender person, choose to eat what I can eat, whether or not it is high fat, what business is it of yours?

You are not the arbiter of what Americans should do. I may eat a chocolate eclair, should I choose, and it will not be a moral issue. I may eat rice, or I may eat filet mignon. I may have lobster, I may have chill boiled shrimp with marinara sauce and a side of sauteed portobello.

I may have homemade bread and pecan pie...mangos, strawberries, and a lemon souffle...it is not a moral issue. Why are you making food a moral issue? Fat people eat more than they consume, in calories. That is their decision...your post presumes that no one who treats his/her body as a temple will EVER become a burden--but you are wrong! Everyone becomes a burden at the end of life, everyone requires care, even those whose who have never eaten or drunk to excess.

Do you think that people never become sick, if they only eat the way that you think is best? I have news for you--those who take care of themselves get sick and die just as those who do not. If you think otherwise, you are very young and foolish.

[CSM]

MissL,

Why is it the employers responsibility to provide health care? The essence of compensation is to attract the best possible person to buy their time and labor for the task that you need them to do. If you can not afford to offer competitive compensation in the industry that you are participating, then there is something else wrong. If you are offering competitive compensation and still "wish" you could offer health care then you are just "wishing" you could offer the best in class compensation. Charge your customers more and see if they are willing to subsidize your "wish".

The cost of health care is going up for a heck of a lot more reasons than the obese. Lives are being extended, more people are on prescription drugs, more people abuse their health insurance because it is available.

It is clear from your posts that you haven't really thought about this, instead you are looking down your nose in judgement of someone else's behavior. Of course, that's OK because it is the "christian" thing to do.

[MrLeRoy]

Insufficient sleep leads to health problems; do you support courts or government setting your bedtime?

True lack of sleep does that as well but part of that can be traced back to being overweight.

What about non-overweight people who choose to regularly stay up late? Based on the resulting health problems, do you support courts or government setting your bedtime?

[MissL]

LOL...You keep on trying to say that I am for mor legislation or fat tax when I have stated in previous posts that, that is not so. I just say get off your butt !!! Move more then you eat !!! Watch what you eat !!! It is no ones fault but your own if you are Fat and you are going to die early and miss tons of life. It is your choice !!! You don't have to be extreme....just careful.
Personally I want to see my kids and grandkids grow up and have a long full life. Healthy is up to me.
Stop trying to make in into the "fat police"...everyone needs to police themselves and know that if they are not careful food choices and lack of reasonable exercise will result in an early demise. The Government cannot make your choices but it is up to everyone to learn and why put your family through the pain of your illness, death or incapacity...simply because you did not eat right. It just makes no sense to me...why throw your self in the path of a bus?