April 18, 2007

How often do you equate healthy and fast food?

The Wall St. Journal asked its readers: How often do you purchase the healthy offerings at fast-food restaurants? (read all the comments)

The results, above, are not surprising. Almost 35% of people who eat at fast-food restaurant have never ordered a healthy meal. Could it be that WSJ readers are not fooled by any fast-food restaurant that panders to critics by calling a pile of iceberg lettuce, healthy?

Here's one sample comment from the poll:
Hmmm. Last November, on the way to Las Vegas, I stopped at a McDonald's, used the restroom, then sat outside and ate my own packed lunch. On the way back, I stopped at a Wendy's and had a (small) hamburger and a green salad. I was shocked at how big the dressing packet was!! I just use enough to taste, not to drown.
Typical of Wendy's and McDonald's. Even when trying to fool the public with "healthy" options, they can't help themselves with appropriate portions.

2 comments:

Ali B. said...

I found you via Little Bald Doctors - was interested about your comment about Mindless Eating, since that's such a fantastic book. And this comment made me think of that book, specifically the folks who consistently underestimate what they have consumed when they go to a fast food restaurant that touts itself on being more heathful (i.e. Subway) vs. one that we all just know is bad. Interesting site!

Agile DJ said...

Thanks for your comment.

It seems to me, now, that we have progressed (or regressed) past mindless eating into falsely eating healthy. If something is advertised as "low fat" or "whole wheat" we eat twice as much. (Remember it didn't say low in calories.)

Again, Madison Ave. has figured out the advertising "cues" to make us eat more than we even think.

We need to stop them.