I used to work in the big bad world of mainstream advertising, so trust me on this one.
Fast food is this generation's tobacco.
Both products are poison.
And yet, we're still selling one.
We're advertising fast food -- and what's worse, we're advertising it to kids. In my opinion, it's as unethical as advertising tobacco. Remember the fights a generation ago about smoking in public? Or about warning labels a generation before that? We need to have those public fights about fast food today.
We could start with warning labels--going one step beyond nutritional information--on fast food and sugary drinks. Last year, the Ontario Medical Association called for warning labels on fast food.
Last week, Ontario Health Minister Deb Matthews got the ball rolling by announcing fast-food joints will be forced to list calories on menus and menu boards . That's one step in the right direction.
She also suggested the government will look to reduce advertising for unhealthy food and beverages to kids -- a very important and very necessary move.
But the real solution is simple: we need to stick it to fast food.
Beyond just promoting a month-long boycott, the initiative was educational. We shared recipes and simple ideas for students (and their parents) to make healthy, yummy, affordable food. Because fast food won't change -- it's made by scientists in white lab coats to be as cheap and addictive as possible -- the only way to stick it to fast food is to replace fast food with quick and delicious real food.
(Don't believe me that fast food is made by scientists to be as cheap and addictive as possible? Check out Michael Moss's investigative book, Salt Sugar Fat: How the Fast Food Giants Hooked Us.)
Our campaign was all about promoting healthy food as much as it was about boycotting fast food.
But here's the thing: we couldn't get a sponsor. Not the Heart & Stroke Foundation, not the Diabetes Association, not any level of government.
We pulled off a great campaign when we partnered with Virgin Mobile, MuchMusic, Roots and the Ministry of the Environment to encourage people to FLICK OFF to tackle global warming.
But our Stick It campaign was our firm and some high schoolers against the world.
It engaged a great group of students across the province. Was it a failure? No. It just wasn't the success I wanted it to be. We didn't have the resources.
Maybe small initiatives like Stick It, though, are how it starts, how we start to fight back against fast food.
If the Ontario Ministry of Health is starting to push back against fast food and help kids make better choices, that's a good sign.
What You Need To Know About Calories
Not All Calories Are Equal(01 of07)
Open Image Modal"Certain calories will be more nutritious, will fill you up with fibre, make you feel more full over the course of the day," says Rachel Berman, director of nutrition at CalorieCount.com. "You have to look for heart-healthy fats, or whether a food has a lot of saturated fats." (credit:Shutterstock)
Know Your Macronutrients(02 of07)
Open Image ModalSimply put, people should be looking at 50 per cent carbohydrates, 30 per cent fat or less and 20 per cent protein in their diet each day -- what Berman calls macronutrients. "That's not to mention getting enough fibre, limiting your sodium, your saturated fats, things of that nature -- but once you get the macronutrients down, the step can be 'Am I getting enough vitamins and minerals?'"
How Much Do I Need In A Day?(03 of07)
Open Image Modal"Most nutrition facts are labelled based on a 2000-calorie-a-day diet," says Berman -- but that's an average amount, not something that should apply to the whole population if you're trying to stay healthy. An easy way to calculate your calories per day, says Berman, is take your weight in kilograms and multiply that by 25. If you'd like to lose weight, take your ideal body weight and then multiply that by 25 to see the number of calories you should be striving for. "But I would never go under 1200 calories per day," Berman notes. (credit:Shutterstock)
Know What You Need In A Meal(04 of07)
Open Image ModalOne of Berman's biggest concerns with the menu labelling is that while it tells people how much is in a meal, it doesn't help them figure out what they need in a meal. Berman says a rule of thumb is 300 to 700 calories a day, but that varies quite a bit. What you can do is divide your total number of calories per day into the number of meals you have per day -- so if, for example, your ideal calories-per-day is 1800 and you eat three meals, you're looking at 600 calories a meal. (credit:Shutterstock)
Get Some Resources To Find Out(05 of07)
Open Image Modal"Not to be all self-promotional," says Berman, "but CalorieCount.com has apps on the go, so you're able to look up a food and we actually give it a grade based on its nutrient density -- it's based on a lot of different factors." She notes there are other sites who give similar information as well.
Balance Yourself(06 of07)
Open Image Modal"I like to focus on the balance of the meal," says Berman. "If you have a very nutrient-dense meal, like a burger, what you need to do if you're still hungry after that is pair it with a low-calorie food, like a carrot or another vegetable to even it out."
Don't Go Overboard(07 of07)
Open Image Modal"Don't be someone who always needs to have 1500 calories," says Berman. If one day you have a little more and the next a little less, that's fine -- just aiming for a general number will be a good goal. (credit:Shutterstock)