Tuesday, February 03, 2004
Fast food
I had a stark reminder of why there is so much obesity amongst young people yesterday. Not having children of my own I tend not to take much notice of young people's culture or even to go near toy shops. However, having three nephews under five I am sometimes forced to engage in the process of present buying. Thus it was that I found myself in the Early Learning Centre early Monday morning. I was just paying for my purchases when I noticed the music playing in the background was very loudly extolling the virtues of MacDonalds and Pizza Hut. It turns out to be a hit record called the "Fast Food" song. Why don't they make songs about the virtues of fresh fruit, oily fish, fruit juice and plenty of exercise? Do they think it will not sell? If this is the sum total of cultural influences our children are subject to then they will be getting even fatter in the future.
