A recent study on obesity in America had some shicking results - but there is no sign that anyone on Wall Street plans to change their it's eating habits.
It
has become a tradition among stock market traders to have a joint lunch right
before the weekend: pizza, French fries, White Castle, Philly cheese steak
sandwiches, chips, chicken wings - Friday afternoon on the trading floor
resembles a snack bar. The menu can hardly be called balanced. But why should
traders on the floor be expected to eat better than the majority of their
fellow countrymen?
[Editor's Note: The word
hamburger is derived from the German city of Hamburg.]
This
week, the U.S. government published a study that found 72 million Americans can
be classified as obese. That’s 26.7 percent of the total population. Those
ranked as “merely” overweight represent around 64 percent. In nine states, according
to the most recent figures, upwards of 30 percent of those in the youngest age
group were registered as obese. Meanwhile, the gluttony has become a troubling
economic factor. The food and fast-food industries do indeed profit from these ravenous
cravings, but macro-economically, this results in serious damage. The costs of
obesity are estimated at $147 billion annually.
All
the mistaken nutrition doesn't begin with burgers and pizza during lunch. Froot
Loops, Lucky Charms, Cocoa Krispies: For years, and not only in the U.S., the
nutritional value of breakfast cereals has been disputed. But particularly in
America, attempts have failed to prohibit companies like Kellogg's from
advertising their products as healthy. Opponents of the Kellogg's-lobby eagerly
point to tests the show had rats fed with corn flakes live shorter lives than those
which consumed the cardboard packaging.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
The
tobacco industry has reason to be pleased by this new enemy. Most of the
dollars that were once spent combating the blue haze now go to campaigns
against obesity. While one in five U.S. citizens still smokes, nearly one in
three is obese, which is no less a health risk. Even first lady Michelle Obama has
taken a string stand in favor of healthier eating. But on Fridays, traders won't
be rushing to switch from burgers and pizza to tofu and sushi anytime soon.
*Jens
Korte writes as the Wall Street Correspondent for the FTD
