Today I read in the Journal that Subway has surpassed McDonalds in number of locations worldwide. The Journal article cited the unusual location of some Subway restaurants and left the analysis for the growth of the chain rather open-ended. Perhaps, though, the growth of the chain in the past five years has been indicative of a new trend in American dining.
In the past decade, the media has bemoaned the rise in obesity in the United States. Diabetes is a looming threat on life expectancy and national obesity may become even more of a social issue under Obamacare as healthcare costs rise in tandem with unhealthy lifestyles. Yet, unlike many other countries, I find that America actively works on their cultural impediments. We’ve stamped out smoking culture, found ways to decrease the amount of drunk driving, promote safe sex, etc. etc. through our weird collective social conscious (to my chagrin, one that has had help from an active legislature). If there is a nation proactive enough to reverse an epidemic like obesity, I certainly think our country is the one for the job. I don’t have much evidence to corroborate my intuition on this one, but I think we’re going to see a trend towards personal health in the next few years. If I had to invest, I’d “long” Subway, EnergyKitchen, and other health-conscious restaurants.
Do you have the same optimism for American health?
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Comments
Wherever Wegman's goes new foodies will be born. Even my father knows what a stuffed peppadew is (he even made them for us). My dad would fit a redneck stereotype quite well. Anything is possible.
Kathleen, here's LukeHandCool's perfect diet. It's so simple:
Big bowl of chicken soup (with lots of vegetables) in the morning for breakfast. If that's the Jews' secret to making themselves better when they're sick, then I'm gonna do it even when I'm fine! It makes me feel full throughout the day and it's healthy!
I started doing this a few years ago. On my mom's Czech side, the woman were all slim and beautiful and the men all huge. My grandfather died of cancer at 58 and his seven brothers, my mom's uncles, all died of heart attacks in their forties. Their mother outlived them all. My older brother is also huge.
I'm a lean and mean 190 now and I feel great!
The media could give a rat's rear end about the obesity of the United States. What the JournOList media want is government control of the food industry. Take ME-Chelle Obama, the leader of this movement. Typical hypocrite. Ever see her exercise? Neither have I. What is she eating EVERY SINGLE TIME she's photographed? Ribs or some other 'unhealthy' food. Some have even nicknamed her 'rib-chompin' Michelle' for her obvious love of said meal.
So what's the point of all this? Simple. Here's how it works: (apologies if I've said this here oh, five hundred times)
– A crisis is created by the media – Obesity!
– The call is put out by the media for something to be done about this impending disaster – Government needs to step in!
– Regulations are enacted. Foods are outlawed. New government departments are created.
– A BILL IS PASSED.
– Soon, all workers in the food industry, from growth to serving are under the government's total control.
– Voila! Time to unionize under SEIU! Now, a portion of every sale and every paycheck automatically go to the DNC.
After reading a book by Gaylord Houser, I began reading labels way before it became popular. It still amazes me how little people seem to know about the food they're eating. Of course, advertising cereal as though if you eat it you don't have to eat fruits or vegetables for fiber doesn't help. And hiding fruits and veggies in our food is something else that is totally ridiculous too. What the heck is wrong with kids knowing that they're eating fruits and vegetables?
If parents eat good, healthy food their kids usually will too.
"Do you have the same optimism for American health?"
Yes, when the media also starts publishing accurate information, and questioning specious industry argument, about high-fructose corn syrup, MSG, and bovine growth hormone.
Those subway buns are pretty big and full of carbohydrates.
every time someone tells me "xyz is good for you" i take it off the menu.
after all, these are the same mental giants and world class scientists that believe in AGW…
besides, the leading cause of death in America today is living. we've all got to go, so i'm gonna go doing, eating and drinking what i enjoy rather than die miserable and hungry
(or worse, s*ber %-)
@Margaret Get a salad version then? Besides bread isn't going to be the biggest problem in Americans diets (myself included) its usually overloading on things with high fructose corn syrup (which is in everything… if they can find a way to put HFCS in something they will).
I'm not in shape, but I'm not even close to obese. My mother is diabetic so she pesters me to death about watching what I eat.
We'll all get a bit thinner as food prices rise.