Here's another finding from the Rudd Center's f.a.c.t.s. report on the relationship of food advertising and children:

Children consumed up to 200 excess calories (above recommended calorie limits for lunch and dinner meals) during the average visit to nine of the twelve restaurant chains in our analysis. Teens consumed between 100 and 700 excess calories at ten restaurants. In addition, 30% or more of all fast food calories came from sugar and saturated fat, two nutrients that young people already consume in excess.

No matter where you come down on the politics of fast food, this is the reality of it, and there is no arguing with reality.

Somewhat tentatively, I stand with those who say that new laws are not the answer, but unlike many of us, I see that the problem doesn't go away once we decide to keep onerous, meddling, power-hungry Big Brother out of our kitchens.

(Yes, I'm making fun of my compadres; I don't feel that way about government. I just don't see a political solution that would work, predominately because of the knee-jerk Neanderthals. I'd be delighted if we could just get a level playing field for all foods, instead of the status quo that heavily subsidizes MdDonald's and all the other purveyors of processed food.)

Typically, "my" side bangs on the table for personal responsibility, and I  l-o-v-e  that. Taking responsibility for the food I put into my mouth has been the basis of my two-decades-and-counting recovery from extreme obesity. Part of what helped me do that was a broken health-care system that screwed up (sort of) and let me get the treatment that made the difference, and part of my message is that we have to fix health care so that others can get the help I got.