weight loss and fast food restaurants

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/mar/03/weight-watchers-mcdonalds-obesity

The above linked was provided by Ellen and dicusses how in New Zealand, Weight Watchers is teaming up with McDonalds to affix the Weight Watchers logo to several of the food items on the McDonalds menus...the chicken sandwich and the McNuggets. This "endorsement" of Weight Watchers will presumably help overweight people feel better about entering the hallowed hallways of the largest fast food chain.

I would point out that when you compare the growth charts of fast food restaurants in America that growth exactly parallels the growth of obesity in America. When our patients tell us baout buying premium salads, taking he buns off of the burgers, only eating a few fries etc, I tell them that it is dangerous and sabotaging to ever go into a fast food restaurant. The marketing of their "value" meals, saving money when you order the larger sizes etc...all of these are sabotaging your efforts to be happier and healthier. The overweight rate in the African American population is over 85% and many fast food tv commercials are geared to appeal to African Americans.

No, you will NEVER see Serotonin-Plus logos at a fast food restaurant. The argument would be "well, if you just eat the chicken, diet soda, etc, you willl not be eating many calories". But my argument is that there exists such a thing as human nature and when an overweight person walks into a fast food resturant, sees the pictures of those big juicy burgers and smells those fries, then control becomes lost and the Big Mac Attack occurs.

I always praised Weight Watchers Company in this blog as their program is based on real food and behavior modification. Today I am a bit disappointed. Walking through the doors of any fast food restaurant for an overweight person is not behavior modicfication and will present incredible challenges.