We’ve all heard it, whether it be through a friend, the news, or in the newspaper. Lawsuits being filed against McDonald’s for the cause of obesity in the accuser or their family. In August 2002 two different parents of two different girls both living in the Bronx sued McDonald’s for the obesity of each individual child. They stated that McDonald’s had failed to disclose clearly the ingredients in its food, therefore, accounting for the obesity. Again in February 2003 another claim was made by an unknown “victim” that McDonald’s food is more dangerous and harmful than a customer would have reason expect. In July 2002 a man by the name of Caesar Barber filed a suit against McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Burger King. He alleged that their food caused his obesity, heart attacks, and diabetes.

All of these ridiculous lawsuits have, in essence, blamed McDonald’s for the obesity of one or more persons but is McDonald’s really at fault? Judge Robert Sweet, who handled all of the cases above, wrote in January 2003 “McDonald’s cannot be blamed by consumers who choose to eat there” and “it is not the place of the law to protect them [the accusers] from their own excess. The amount of obesity has dramatically increased among both children and adults. The prevalence of obese children since the 1960s has more than doubled in children from ages 6-11. 5% to 13% in boys and 5% to 9% in girls who are in the age group 12-17 in the USA. Today 190 million American adults are obese. Obesity accounts for 2%-6% of all total healthcare costs in several developed countries. 147 billion dollars were spent in the United States alone. A lot of the general public blames the obesity on McDonald’s, but isn’t it us who eat there? It’s not as if McDonald’s forces us to eat there. Studies show that the basic cause for obesity is the amount of excess energy intake.

Dietary intake services indicate a per capita increase of 200 kcal/d from 1977-1978 to 1994-1996. The US food supply (total food processed, less exports, plus imports) now provides 500 kcal/d per capita more than in the 1970s. Food intake increased outside the home, which accounted for 34% of the food budget in 1970 but 47% by the late 1990s. Out-of-home portion sizes are increasing as well. Larger portions not only contain more energy but also encourage people to eat more making it difficult to balance static levels of physical activity. The FDA encourages people to “sensible” portions but they don’t specify what these portions are. The USDA recommends the food pyramid and the FDA standards for food labels based on a 2,000 calorie diet. With the single exception of sliced white bread, all of the commonly available food portions measured exceeded the USDA and FDA portions. The largest portion excess is in the cookie category which has risen by 700%. Cooked pasta, muffins, steaks, and bagels exceeded USDA standards by 480%, 333%, 224% and 195%. The size of current common foods almost universally exceeds the sizes of those offered in the past. When foods such as beer and chocolate bars were introduced they appeared in one size. That one size is smaller than or equivalent to the smallest current size available. This applies to hamburgers, French fries, and soda, for which current sizes are 2 to 5 times larger than the original. It is proven that obesity is a well known cause of heart attacks. In 2006 425,425 people died of heart attacks. Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me” displays the dangers of eating fast food excessively.

McDonald’s along with other fast food chains (Wendy’s, Burger King, etc.) used to offer only one size of French fries. That size is now considered “small” and is one third the weight of the largest size available in 2001. Today’s “large” weighs the same as the 1999 “supersize”. The 2001 “supersize” weighs nearly an ounce more. Since 1999 a McDonalds “supersize “soda is nearly one third larger than the “large”. In 1998-1999, the largest order of French fries in the United States contained 610 calories. The portion sizes are growing, along with the people who eat them excessively. We cannot solely blame anyone person or corporation for the obesity of America. If we learn to control the amount we eat maybe we can prevent some of the obesity in America.