Monday, May 24, 2010

Weight weight don't tell me...

In case you missed it, the Healthy Weight Commitment Foundation, an advocacy group made up of the country's largest food manufacturers, restaurants and retailers, announced that it will reduce the American diet by 1.5 trillion calories by 2015.

According to this press release, they're going to do it by cutting the calories of existing products where possible, offering low calorie alternatives and cutting portion sizes.

Just how much is 1.5 trillion calories? Based on this actual chart I downloaded from their website, it sure looks like a lot...



But lets have some fun here, shall we.

There are 300 million Americans who, estimated conservatively, eat 2,000 calories per day 365 days per year. That's 219 trillion calories. So if my math is correct (and it may not be, after all I majored in Latin), that's a reduction of about .7% in our collective diet.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for doing things to help us eat and live healthier, but our national obesity crisis is not going to go away without a significant reduction in calories and increase in physical activity.

So take this project for what it is, smart marketing that will have little effect if any on the actual problem.

Now, where's my jelly doughnut?

Oh and thanks to my buddy Chad from EatBigFish for the heads up on this one.

2 comments:

  1. And how are they counting the reductions. If people were switching to lower calorie items before, and all they are doing is taking advantage of a trend, does that really count.

    Always remembers, companies are for profits first. Doing something that promotes our well being makes sence only if there is money in it.

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  2. I like the looks of this chart. Perhaps the brain trust at this foundation could work with Washington to cut the Federal deficit at the same time.

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