Should the Gov't Regulate Fast Food/Restaurant Commercials on TV?

[Used and Abused]

I'm trying to diet to lose about 20 lbs, and every other commercial I see is involves fast food. It's making me crazy. If smoking commercials were outlawed, then why can't food commercials be, at the very least, minimized? Obesity is an epidemic that has killed millions.

[troubleinwinter]

1. Yeah, sure. The more regulations on freedom of speech, the better.

[mcscajun]

2. No...and I loathe fast food and have a weight issue, also.

The best answer is to stop watching commercial television. I gave it up for other reasons, but you're right. Every other freakin' ad is for something that's so totally good-looking yet is bad for you AND fails to deliver on what they show you Anyhow.

Turning away from commercial television entirely answers so many different problems, not just fast food commercials.

If it's got ads, I don't want to watch it.

[SoCalDem]

3. Just some truth would help

At the beginning of the commercial:

"The meal depicted contains 5,250 calories..the recommended caloric intake total for an adult is 1,800 per day....it takes xx minutes of vigorous exercise to burn xxx calories"

or..

like the "hate radio hosts" like to say..."This commercial is for "entertainment purposes only"..

[Skeptic_All]

4. If more people regulated themselves...........

and showed a certain amount of self-restraint, this topic would be moot. Now come on..........the American people are collectively some of the most well informed people on this earth as far as what is good for you and what is bad. There is no question that a diet of Big Macs and Whoppers is not the best thing in the world for you so moderation here is the key. Is one Big Mac a month bad? Of course not. Two? Probably not. The American people have, over the last twenty to thirty years, changed their eating habits to the point where preparing the home cooked meal has been supplanted and in some cases replaced by the restaurant. As long as tasty treats like MacDonald's, Wendy's and Burger King remain within the American people's budget, they will continue to flock to these places, waistline be damned.

[newyawker99]

7. Hi Skeptic_All!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Lone_Wolf_Moderate]

5. Tell me, why should I give up my freedom of speech rights,

because you can't control yourself? To answer your question directly, no. The government shouldn't regulate commercials, be they smoking, fast food, or otherwise.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. With all due respect, this kind of thinking is what gives ammunition to

the right.

I agree with your underlying concern, but this is exactly the kind of "mommy" shit we get lambasted about.

And then there's the minor issue of free speech.

[DrWeird]

10. Yeah, he knows.

He's being sarcastic.

[pdxmom]

14. I agree that there shouldn't be regulation

But I don't think the Repubs have any ammunition from the "mommy" stuff with regards to TV/Radio. They are the ones that want to tell us what we should be watching and the limits on the airwaves are getting worse and worse because of them.

I hate censorship!!!

[devilgrrl]

8. No. However, you're welcome to ignore them.

Or read 'Fast Food Nation', you'll never touch that shit again.

[DrWeird]

9. No.

Unless those restaurants are purposely publishing false data on the nutritional content of their products; e.g. saying their burger had 120 grams of fat when it actually has 180 grams of fat. As a recent lawsuit alledged.

[AgadorSparticus]

11. absolutely not. gov't needs to do LESS censoring. too much of it

already.

[MergeLeft]

12. No, but maybe fast food places should be required to

post the nutritional values of their offerings.

[Sugarbleus]

13. No.

Stop the food police, please! Show some self control. I would like to see an end to military recruiting ads though...

[InvisibleBallots]

15. I say unionize all the fast food places

A union workplace will take health and safety issues seriously and maybe they can force management to make their food at least edible and not poisonous. That would be a start.

[depakid]

16. Absolutely

They need to be banned from all childrens' programming. Period.

Of course, the media whores will fight tooth and nail against it- as they would against removing misleading prescription drug advertising.