Does McDonalds Food Kill?

That’s a question being raised more frequently these days. A recent television advertisement, entitled “Consequences,” has generated more than 1 million YouTube hits in just weeks and links fast food to death directly.

Author John Robbins has written an excellent, well-reasoned article about the ad, but expands his discussion to the broader food debate. Some of the facts about food and health in our nation that I found shocking:

1. In 2010, we will spend $2.5 trillion on health care. In 1950, we spent $70 billion (adjusted for today’s dollars).
2. 36 other nations are healthier than the United States.
3. 50 to 70 percent of today’s health care costs are preventable.
4. Nine out 10 American children eat at a McDonalds each month.
5. One out of 3 children born today will have diabetes in their lifetime.
6. You would have to walk for 7 hours without stopping to burn off the calories of a Big Mac, Coke and order of fries.

Not convinced about the harmful, grossness of this food? Maybe I should offer you some soft serve.

Oh, that’s actually mechanically separated chicken that will go into chicken nuggets?

McDonalds and the other food chains are not responsible for the health epidemic by themselves. We do ultimately decide what we put into our bodies. But, the harms are now pretty well-established. Think twice.