Calories Do Count - a NYTimes article

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/29/dining/29ca lories.html

What do you think? I agree with some points but actually find the article a little obnoxious and the last sentence is just wrong! Anyone who has actually counted calories to successfully lose weight (and keep it off) knows better!

Well, it's truthful in that it says the book published in 1918 says that. It is a bit misleading that it just lets that stand alone without any mention of its accuracy, though.

It almost sounds like restaurants are displaying calories because of a fad, and I think that's wrong.

I'm not sure why they even put the comment in about the book at the end. It sounds like they're just slapping the whole thing as a joke with that comment.

I don't know that I would like to know the calories in what I eat out all the time. Sometimes I just need a break from calorie count, lol! But I would like to know more of the time than not, so I do think it's a good thing overall.

Original Post by tincognito:

It almost sounds like restaurants are displaying calories because of a fad, and I think that's wrong.

I don't think something should be wrong simply becuase it's a "fad" (ie a lot of people are jumping on the band wagon). The only reason anything happens in America is because of public pressure. Why is public pressure for a healthier America automatically bad, just because a large majority of people are jumping onto that train of thought? Restaurants should be displaying calories. Knowledge should always be pervasive--people should never be so ignorant of what they are consuming, as they are now (although clearly this problem is getting better!). This might be an abrasive way to accomplish this goal, but as long as it's accomplishing the goal of educating the masses, then okay! Let's do it!

I, for one, am relieved to see this type of push towards healthier food options in many fast-food chains... it's one step in the right direction towards fixing the obesity pandemic in America. It's on par with the push away from cigarettes. Anything that betters the public health of the nation is automatically good in my book.  

Hahaha, no cwarren6! I meant I don't think they're doing it as just a fad, but because we really need a push in this country to promote healthier eating. The article makes it sound like they're just doing it because calorie counting is become a fad or something, which I don't think is why law makers are doing it. I mean, they never do anything else because it's a fad in the general population, why something as extreme as this?