L.A. Ban Takes Aim At Fast Food

To Battle Obesity, City Wants To Block New Fast-Food Eateries That Don't Offer Less Fatty Fare

(AP)  In the impoverished neighborhood of South Los Angeles, fast food is the easiest cuisine to find - and that's a problem for elected officials who see it as an unhealthy source of calories and cholesterol.

The City Council was poised to vote Tuesday on a moratorium on new fast-food restaurants in a swath of the city where a proliferation of such eateries goes hand-in-hand with obesity.

"Our communities have an extreme shortage of quality foods," City Councilman Bernard Parks said.

The aim of the year-long moratorium, which was approved last week in committee, is to give the city time to try to attract restaurants that serve healthier food.

The California Restaurant Association says the moratorium, which could be extended up to two years, is misguided.

Fast food "is the only industry that wants to be in South L.A.," said association spokesman Andrew Casana. "Sit-down restaurants don't want to go in. If they did, they'd be there. This moratorium isn't going to help them relocate."

The proposed ban comes at a time when governments of all levels are increasingly viewing menus as a matter of public health. Last Friday, California became the first state in the nation to bar trans fats, which lowers levels of good cholesterol and increases bad cholesterol.

It also comes as the Los Angeles City Council tackles issues beyond safety, schools and streets. The council last week decided to outlaw plastic bags.

Fast-food restaurants have found themselves in the frying pan in a number of cities. Some places, including Carmel-by-the Sea and Calistoga, have barred "formula" restaurants altogether; others have placed a cap on them - Arcata allows a maximum of nine fast-food eateries; others have prohibited the restaurants in certain areas, such as Port Jefferson, N.Y., in its waterfront area.

Most initiatives were designed to preserve a city's historic character. The Los Angeles bid is one of a few that cite residents' health.

The mounting pressure has caused chains to insert healthier food choices in their menus. McDonald's offers salads and low-fat dressings; Burger King stocks Kids Meals with milk and apple pieces.

That's why the restaurant industry says it's unfair to blame them for fat people.

"What's next - security guards at the door saying 'You're overweight, you can't have a cheeseburger'?" Casana said.

But public health officials say obesity has reached epidemic proportions in low-income areas such as South Los Angeles and diet is the key reason.

According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 30 percent of adults in South Los Angeles area are obese, compared to 19.1 percent for the metropolitan area and 14.1 percent for the affluent Westside. Minorities are particularly affected: 28.7 percent of Latinos and 27.7 percent of blacks are obese, compared to 16.6 percent of whites.

Perry says that's no accident. South L.A. residents lack healthy food options, including grocery stores, fresh produce markets - and full-service restaurants with wait staff and food prepared to order.

A report by the Community Health Councils found 73 percent of South L.A. restaurants were fast food, compared to 42 percent in West Los Angeles.

If the moratorium is passed, Perry wants to lure restaurateurs and grocery retailers to area.

Rebeca Torres, a South Los Angeles mother of four, said she would welcome more dining choices, even if she had to pay a little more. "They should have better things for children," she said. "This fast-food really fattens them up."

[meinnv]

My grandma told me about prohibition. It didn''t solve anything; and this ban won''t either. The only thing it will do it put people out of work and we have to pay their unemployment and welfare. Then healthy eating will have to come second when the government raises taxes to cover the unemployed fast food workers.

We as a society have to learn to live with what we''re given. I am overweight myself, and haven''t been to the doctor for any serious health problems in over 11 years. I am realtively healthy, with a few problems, I am eating less and exercising more than I did, I''m still not losing any weight.

Looking back, I am eating half of what I used to and weigh more. That''s the way my body works. I can''t change it. I deal with what I can, and go on :)

[meinnv]

Oh, I know. Just as the ban on these Fast Food chains won''t stop the problem; it won''t make fat people skinny over night. It won''t happen.

Today for breakfast I had some sunny side up eggs (cholesterol); toast with butter (even more cholesterol) and bacon. None of that is good for you, but it is cheap to fix and eat; and I didn''t have to leave the house to go to McD''s for it.

But, the whole point is, if they''re going to ban the restaurants for health reasons; might as well go back to banning the alcohol too, that is even more dangerous. At least we are only killing ourselves, not like with DUI, others die as a result.

[barbaram99]

They did ban booze dear. ''member. It did not work. 20s abd 30s..People still got booze it went under ground.

[mjvw2]

Anyone know a imporverished neighborhood where I can open a high end health food store?

[meinnv]

Here''s another thought. Let''s say everyone decides to cook at home, which I do. I get a 10lb bag of chicken at Sam''s Club and FRY them. I am still eating fried chicken.

I get hamburger at the store, press it into patties and put cheese and all the conidments on it. Still eating cheeseburgers. For 50 cents I can get a cheap bag of frozen fries, and throw them in the deep fryer. I can also make tacos & pizza. No more McD''s, KFC, Taco Bell or Pizza Hut here.

BUT........

I''m still eating the same way, the only thing I''ve done is maybe put the fast food chains out of business, MORE PEOPLE OUT OF WORK, and more unemployment out of our hard-earned money.

It''s called personal freedom and choice. I say do away with the IRS and we take care of our own and stop all social programs. Our money should stay our money. That way we are only paying for oursleves.

[meinnv]

Oh, by the way--let''s ban alcoholic beverages. ALL OF THEM. DUI kills people, worse than fast food kills overweight people.

DUI is a crime, but people still go out drink, drive, then cause accidents killing & disabling people. So, I want the government to ban alcoholic beverage sales & make it a crime to drink any of it. There will be less DUI''s and less fatalities from it. Less lives will be ruined.

[meinnv]

The one thing the government could do is lower prices on the healthier items, encourage us to keep our grocery receipts and get more of a deduction at year''s end.

That would encourage me. Give me a tax break, that way I can continue to afford to eat healthier. But I don''t want ANYONE telling me what to do--fat or not.

[meinnv]

By the way, I cook at least 5-6 days a week, only one time I go out. As far as double charging the over-weight people, that is discriminatory.

What next, double-charge anyone we don''t feel as though deserves what they work for? The government has no place in this matter. This is AMERICA. LAND OF THE FREE????????

Fat people pay taxes too. They are entitled to whatever skinny people are. And, some "fatties" are healthier than you think. Anyone remember Florence Griffth-Joyner? She was an athlete, she died of natural causes and she wasn''t fat. IMAGINE THAT.....

[meinnv]

I think food prices depends on where you live and how much you make. If there is a choice between your health by eating healthier or having a roof over your head, would you prefer to be healthy & homeless or unhealthy and have a home?

If you only have so much to feed your family on, a 99cent double cheeseburger is cheaper than $1.30 for veggies. Both last the same amount of meals. One is cheaper. If a salad is $5 and all you have is $2, can you get the salad? Yeah, if you steal it.

[grammawhamma]

You can blame our system of charging high prices for good healthy produce. And it is going to get worse. Farmers have received subsidies to turn their corn into ethanol, so there are going to be a lot less healthy choices in the market. Junk food is cheap.

Posted by rudy654 at 01:39 PM : Jul 29, 2008

But rudy, all this time you have been telling us that the reason produce is affordable is because of the illegal immigrants willing to work in the fields for slave wages. Now you changed your tune?

I don''t know if you are for or against it...but in my opinion ethanol production from corn is not a good idea.

[grammawhamma]

Fast food is not cheap. You can go to the grocery store and buy a pound of frozen veggies for under $1.30. Raw unprepared chicken is also cheap per pound. Get off your butts and turn on that thing called a stove. But I agree the government has no right to dictate what we can and can''t eat.
~~~~~~~~~~~
If California bans all plastic bags...what are the drug dealers going to package their drugs in?
~~~~~~~~~~
California....the land of earthquakes, wildfires and big brother. Paradise indeed!

[grammawhamma]

Fast food is not cheap. You can go to the grocery store and buy a pound of frozen veggies for under $1.30. Raw unprepared chicken is also cheap per pound. Get off your butts and turn on that thing called a stove. But I agree the government has no right to dictate what we can and can''t eat.
~~~~~~~~~~~
If California bans all plastic bags...what are the drug dealers going to package their drugs in?
~~~~~~~~~~
California....the land of earthquakes, wildfires and big brother. Paradise indeed!

[barbaram99]

I am 53. I sat on the ground ,steps, That is what I did. Why/ I am legally blind with c/p. Not all were/are ablwsbodied.
I know who the gangs are they tag every where.

[denn034]

Education will lead to less business for fatty fast food businesses so, there''s no need to mess with market forces. This just seems dictatorial to me. If people want to eat fatty food, so be it but, forcing fatty food stores out is contrary to the whole concept of free enterprise. Just educate people and let them make the decision to keep those businesses or not with the power of the purse is what I say.

[bikerb54]

If they are so concerned with people''s health, let''s start with the cost of health care. Then let''s go to the quality of air we breathe. People are going to eat what they want, they just need to be motivated to get their butts off the couch, chair, whatever, and MOVE. Exercise, people!!! Remember when you were a child (in the 50''s and 60''s) before video games, computer games and all night TV? Playing outside, riding bikes, playing kick ball, playing with your friends??? We weren''t overweight then (or at least not so much) and McDonald''s was around. Ice cream stands and hot dogs, cotton candy, soda and all the stuff they tell us now that it''s bad for us. What is the difference between then and now? We Moved!!!

[bretster7]

payasyougo said,
Oh wait, liberals love Starbucks. And cigarettes.



How true. The liberals will demonize an activity (such as smoking) so they can justify suing the manufacturers, and taxing the *** out of it, all the while taking part in the activity ,(is Obama still a closet smoker)look at hollywood. They want to make smoking in movies a reason for a PG13 rating, but how many of the "stars" smoke? Total hypocricy.

ubrew. Are you going to site the source of your stats?
Didn''t think so...

[payasyougo]

We understand that caffeine is bad for you in large quantities. Time to start shutting down Starbucks to save people from that coffee that does so much harm.

Oh wait, liberals love Starbucks. And cigarettes.

[mbcsmith]

LIB FASCISTS!
Get OUT of peoples lives.

[papabc]

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast - Light salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon.

In a cast-iron skillet add 3 tb spoons EVOO, medium heat and cook Chicken. Once chicken is 3/4 cook place in 275 degree oven.

Cut up
Squash - Yellow Summer, zucchini.
1 Yellow Onion Sliced
1 cup Sliced Mushrooms
1/4 Bell Pepper
2 Garlic

Saute these veggies in EVOO with light Salt, pepper, lemon until tender.

Baked potato as you wish.

Add to this a dish of slices Pears, Apples, Grapes

Takes 30-40 minutes to cook and is faster than driving to get a BIG MAC.

[bretster7]

"No doubt a bunch of leberals trying to tell you what you should and shouldn''''t eat and what kind of business you can open"


Of course, the libs are the true facists.