Socialized Food Reform?

Published: November 17, 2009

Health care food reform

by Abby Armbruster

Recently, one of the hot-button topics in Washington, D.C., and across the nation is universal health care. But another health care issue has been plaguing America for 10 years — obesity.

In the Kinesiology 460 class at Liberty University, students learn that three things cause obesity: genetics, excess calories and lack of exercise. Genes are clearly unavoidable, and Time magazine recently said that the amount of exercise we have each day is surprisingly consistent with what generations in the past have had. Therefore, the one thing left is excess calories, which the American government could radically help change for a healthier nation.

“The biggest problem with the U.S. health care system is that it has long been designed to respond to illness rather than prevent it,” Time magazine reporter Alice Park said in her yearly article discussing American health.

One of the leading ways to prevent the illness and health complications is evolving our dietary decisions.

The 2004 documentary “Super Size Me,” which raised questions about the healthiness of fast food restaurants, indirectly showed how universal food reform would be considerably better for the physical health of the public. Drink sizes are one.

“When Burger King first opened, they had a 12-ounce small and a 16-ounce large. Now, the 12-ounce size is kiddie, and the 16-ounce is a small,” Professor of Nutrition at New York University Lisa Young said, according to the documentary.

Though Burger King’s small size is a 16-ounce coke, with 56 grams of sugar and 210 calories, at Wendy’s, that same label of “small” is given to a 20-ounce drink.

With universal food reform, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) could mandate that each restaurant’s small, medium and large drinks be a certain size across the board. That way, people counting calories are not surprised with the drinks they are handed at the pick-up window.

Another health-minded improvement has already taken place in New York City. When entering any fast food restaurant, the menu is listed with not only the prices, but also the calorie count in each dish. It is a regulation in New York City to post this information, and it makes people think twice about what they are ordering. Most restaurants post their nutritional information online, but unless consumers check a computer before going out to eat, that option is inconvenient. The New York City mandate allows guests to factor calories into their meal decision.

Trans fat also creeps its way into fast food diets unnoticed. Trans fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, are used in fast food restaurants for the desirable taste, texture and low cost. The bad news about trans fats is that they lower good cholesterol levels and raise the bad ones. The FDA should also prohibit all restaurants from using trans fats. This change has already begun in certain brands of potato chips and peanut butter, but now it is necessary for the rest of the food industry to follow suit.

Park writes, “If Americans get flabby and inactive together, we can also get fit and healthy together.” A universal food reform is definitely in order.

Contact Abby Armbruster at

aarmbruster@liberty.edu.

The Image Of Beauty Is Distorted

Published: October 20, 2009

The Image of Beauty Distorted

by Abby Armbruster

Ralph Lauren has been fashion-forward in ready-to-wear clothing for over 42 years. With their empire expanding over 22 countries, Ralph Lauren looks stronger than ever when looking on paper. Once a new advertising campaign was leaked on the Internet, however, the company instantly had to defend their character and integrity.

In the advertisement, model Filippa Hamilton looked extremely distorted and clearly not healthy. The photo, obviously airbrushed, was released in one store in Japan, though Ralph Lauren said it was not supposed to run in American markets.

Ralph Lauren has admitted that the photo was digitally altered, although it did not apologize for using the photograph in their advertisement.

Either way, Ralph Lauren should realize that their extreme effects of airbrushing not only look unrealistic but also are creating another byproduct: shedding light on the health of models today. What is considered beautiful to Ralph Lauren is seen as disgusting to the average eye. Consumers are less likely to shop at Ralph Lauren if their vision of beauty appears distorted.

Hamilton said on the Today show on Oct. 13 that it saddens her to believe that Ralph Lauren, an American company, is sharing this image. She said it makes her sad that this is the image they are trying to promote for young girls to try to achieve. Hamilton said that body image portrayed is not healthy and should not be considered as the healthy standard.

What throws more fuel on the fire is that Hamilton, her 5’10 frame weighing in at 120 pounds, claims she was fired from Ralph Lauren due to weight gain after seven years with the company. According to Ralph Lauren, a statement was made saying she was let go over an “inability to meet the obligations under her contract with us.” Hamilton, who has modeled for the company since she was 15 years old, says she has maintained her same weight in her seven years with Ralph Lauren.

“They fired me because they said I was overweight and I couldn't fit in their clothes anymore," Hamilton said in a recent New York Daily News article.

“Cosmopolitan” editor-in-chief Kate White added during the “Today” show interview that one of the motivations for Ralph Lauren, and other fashion companies, to have smaller sample clothing for models is due to the Kate Moss era of models that is now under scrutiny. Looking back at Christie Brinkley and Cindy Crawford, those models were curvier than what is considered beautiful in the modeling industry now, White said.

White believes that one of the only ways for the modeling industry to change its standard body type back to a healthier, fuller body type is by having women stand up for this change and provide feedback demanding it.

As much as a healthy body is respected in our culture, Ralph Lauren crossed the line too significantly to be praised for their digitally altered photograph. Women need photos that embrace real women and real curves, much like the Dove campaign has tried to do over the past five years. Seeking real body types for young girls to model themselves after is a healthier image than those that can be drawn with a computer mouse.

Contact Abby Armbruster at

aarmbruster@liberty.edu.

Leading By Eco-Example

Published: September 29, 2009

Leading by eco-example

by Abby Armbruster

The United Nations met in New York City for the first ever Climate Week on Sept. 20. China and India were major players of the summit, as they both are big contributors to global warming. Because of their emissions-burning status in the world, China and India were encouraged to start using renewable energy in the future, even though a bigger player, the United States, has not pledged whole-heartedly to reduce carbon emissions.

As one of the top five leading nations, it is hypocritical for the United States to ask the 100 nations represented at the summit to reduce their pollution when as a nation we are not willing to do the same.

“The crisis today on climate change is the inability of the United States to put on the table credible emissions reduction targets for 2020,” India’s environment minister Jairam Ramesh said Sept. 22, according to the Associated Press.

As it stands, China and the United States each produce 20 percent of all greenhouse gasses, according to the Associated Press. President Barack Obama said America will try to reduce American emissions by 2020 to those of1990, but there is no serious agreement on the table.

Some American restaurants are making environmental efforts to make their eatery more eco-friendly. For instance, Panera Bread has reduced its use of paper by introducing new plates and dinnerware, and Starbucks now uses post-consumer recycled products for to-go cups and sleeves.

Grocery stores feature more environmentally-friendly packaging as well. Coca-Cola launched a new bottle prototype this year that uses less plastic for two-liter containers. Purex brand laundry detergent has a sleeker bottle for an updated look that also uses less plastic than its old containers.

Over the past few years, eco-friendly product lines have made it easier for consumers to make greener choices. Companies nationwide are already executing environmental solutions, so why has Congress not yet mandated these measures for all companies? Half of the work is already being done, so the other half—that of legislation from our government—should be done to ratify the issue.

Britain will cut its emissions to 40 percent by utilizing low-carbon energy sources by 2020, according to Reuters.com. Now it is America’s turn to step up. Before we can point the finger and address environmental issues of the world, the United States needs to focus inward on reform.

Environmentally positive actions speak louder than eco-friendly words. America should not worry about other nations taking steps to reduce carbon emissions, until we are taking steps to do likewise.

Contact Abby Armbruster at

aarmbruster@liberty.edu.

SNL Dropped the F-Bomb

Published: October 6, 2009

The FCC not cracking down on TV

by Abby Armbruster

Most fans tuned in to the “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) season premiere to see the comedic side of Megan Fox, but instead were greeted with someone dropping a curse word on air.

Jenny Slate, one of the newly featured players on SNL, was the main character of a skit in which her character repeatedly said derivatives of the four-letter word, without saying the implied expletive. But becoming wrapped up in the character, Slate slipped the word in for everyone watching in Eastern Standard Time to hear during the live taping. Once it reached Pacific Standard Time, the offensive word had been censored.

Though the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) claims that language after 10 p.m. is permissible, more and more vulgar language is allowed on the air, with hit shows such as the CW’s “Gossip Girl” and CBS’s “CSI” passing through the velvet ropes. Both allow uncensored expletives, even though the shows are at 8 and 9 p.m., respectively. Since these shows are scripted, and not prone to improvised slip-ups, they should be held to a higher standard.

The FCC does not describe specifically what words are on and off-limits. The standard for language must be reconsidered, as explicit vocabulary continues to slip into culturally accepted territory. Television producers, directors and scriptwriters should know where the line is drawn instead of pushing the envelope in every episode.

In the past 10 years, the FCC has received a fair number of cases concerning profanity and indecent behavior. From Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl incident to “Family Guy” episodes causing the Parents Television Council (PTC) to go berserk. Since no official, definitive line is drawn, the FCC has been forced to go through major rulings on a case-by-case basis.

Even though crass words are slipping into primetime television, there is proof that many Americans still want more conservative language in television shows. After a “Family Guy” episode aired in March of 2009, over 150,000 people submitted in indecency complaints to the FCC for graphic sexual themes. The PTC was behind most of the complaints and they still rallied for “Family Guy” to pay for their vulgarity at their pre-10 p.m. time slot.

As far as the Jenny Slate SNL case goes, neither SNL nor the actress was fined by the FCC for her slip-up occurring after 12:40 a.m.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. In February of 2005, ABC Broadcasting Company decided to air “Saving Private Ryan” in its totality without censoring any language. The movie’s storyline, containing 21 words that would have been omitted under normal circumstances, was considered raw and heroic, and bypassed censorship even though it aired before the 10 p.m. safe harbor.

But when did “Gossip Girl” and “CSI” become heroic tales comparable to “Saving Private Ryan?” The work of primetime shows should focus on the storyline instead of the vulgar language. Although mistakes tend to happen on the air from time to time, pre-recorded television shows should hold a tighter reign on what they are and are not allowed to say.

Contact Abby Armbruster at

aarmbruster@liberty.edu.