Fast food intake makes students rethink diet
Elizabeth Taggart
No new fast food restaurants will be opening in south Los Angeles for at least a year.On July 29 the Los Angeles City Council unanimously passed a proposal banning any new fastfood eateries from being built in a 32-square-mile radius in south L.A.
The Los Angeles Times reported last year that south Los Angeles had the highest percentage of fast food eateries as well as
a higher rate of obesity compared with the rest of the city.
MCC student Amber Courter said she disagreed with the fast food ban because people should be able to choose where they
want to eat and it’s not up to the government to tell them where they should and should not eat.
Santos Guereca, another MCC student, said he thought the ban sounded like a good idea for Mesa because there are already too many fast food places.
“There’s a McDonalds on every corner, I pass three of four just on my way home from school.”
Courter said she doubts the effectiveness of the ban in fighting obesity.
“If you get rid of them completely it might limit it but you would have to ban them everywhere.”
“Fast-food may be all that some people can afford,” Courter said, “it’s not really fair that it’s only in one lowincome area.”
Dr. Maureen Zimmerman, a registered dietitian and MCC nutrition faculty member, said that although she dislikes the idea of limiting free choice, research has shown that policies changing the environment that people are in, have a good impact on their eating habits.
“If it’s not around you then you don’t eat it,” Zimmerman said, “Sometimes we need that encouragement to make good choices, but it doesn’t set right that that’s what it takes.”
Zimmerman said she wrestles with the idea of political regulations, but that when obesity increases healthcare costs it may be necesary.
She also believes it’s possible to get healthy fast food but that when people eat fast food they are missing out on what makes eating enjoyable.
Zimmerman emphasized that many cultures make it a point to eat together.
“Food and fellowship brings great joy and increases the quality of life,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman added that there are always options out there to overcome whatever barriers that are keeping people from eating healthy.
Most grocery stores offer a variety of semi-homemade food that people can bring home and prepare quickly if they don’t have the time to cook, Zimmerman said, and it ends up being less expensive than eating out.
She explained that one thing she tries to impart to all her classes is,
“Enjoy real food, enjoy it with others and enjoy it in just the right amounts.
