Howard F'n County: now with less sugar?

Happy 12/12/12!

I am just... something by this web site.  I'm not sure what, but something.  This website was unveiled yesterday after the media event yesterday at Burleigh Manor Middle School to announce the county's new campaign against obesity.

I am all against obesity.  It's the cause of many a physical and social ill.  And I support all reasonable efforts to reduce the incidence of obesity in our society.

But I am going to call a bit of a foul on the theatre of this event.  Really.. the dumping of 9.6 tons of sand to simulate sugar?   And at a middle school?  Oh, but that's right, it's all about the children.  Heaven knows adults don't ever become obese.

Obesity happens for many reasons, not just because people drink too much damn soda.  They are obese because of their genetics.  They are obese as they gain weight as a reaction to medication for another physical problem.  They don't exercise enough.  They have a mental health condition which is alleviated by overeating.  

So while dumping the sand makes for a wonderful photo in someone's Gubernatorial website, it would be nice to understand that "Howard County Unsweetened" addresses all of these additional, and other, possible causes of obesity.  

Comments

[Ian]

So, a couple things.

The sugar stunt was designed to get media attention -- sometimes you've got to do something silly for people to notice.

Second, HoCo Unsweetened is being sponsored by The Horizon Foundation. To the extent the Exec is a willing partner in the effort, we're happy to have him involved. But this wasn't designed to help his political career.

Third, the exclusive focus on sugary drinks is purposeful. Lots of anti-obesity initiatives around the country take a comprehensive approach, but with such a high percentage of our obesity problem linked to sugary beverages, we want a laser focus on this issue to see if we can make an impact. We’ll be extensively measuring our work and outcomes with the help of experts at Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, and lessons we learn in Howard County will help shape similar efforts around the country. Moreover, reducing sugary drink consumption is an easy and immediate way to reduce intake of empty calories, and with the Better Beverage Finder, we’re making it even easier for people to find healthy options.