Comments on: Who Is To Blame For Fat Chinese Kids? Who Will Be Blamed? http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/ Wed, 08 Sep 2010 09:02:18 -0700 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Chris Devonshire-Ellis http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/comment-page-1/#comment-1515 Chris Devonshire-Ellis Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:43:23 +0000 http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/index.php/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/#comment-1515 There is still a strongly ingrained perception that "American food is better" almost to the extent that having your young princeling eat a McDonald's double cheeseburger with shake is almost guaranteed to make him more intelligent and get him into a place at Harvard later. There's also the issue of prestige - McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, Haagen Daaz are premium brands in China, with meals costing far more than the local joint. Being seen in one is sending a Chinese message of face - "I'm successful. I can afford to take my kids to eat in American styled restaurants". But familiarity will breed eventually contempt. There is still a strongly ingrained perception that “American food is better” almost to the extent that having your young princeling eat a McDonald’s double cheeseburger with shake is almost guaranteed to make him more intelligent and get him into a place at Harvard later. There’s also the issue of prestige – McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks, Haagen Daaz are premium brands in China, with meals costing far more than the local joint. Being seen in one is sending a Chinese message of face – “I’m successful. I can afford to take my kids to eat in American styled restaurants”.

But familiarity will breed eventually contempt.

]]> By: Ron http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/comment-page-1/#comment-1516 Ron Wed, 16 Jul 2008 09:42:13 +0000 http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/index.php/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/#comment-1516 In regards to your original question, I don't think that McDonalds or any big food operators have any reason to worry from a legal standpoint. In the big picture, I think this is not something that the central gov't is worried about. With the average Chinese population outside of the big cities not even eating from these fast food places because there aren't any in their "small" town they inhabit OR because of economics (remember Western fast food is still very expensive for most Chinese people), I do not forsee this being a problem in the near future. In regards to your original question, I don’t think that McDonalds or any big food operators have any reason to worry from a legal standpoint. In the big picture, I think this is not something that the central gov’t is worried about. With the average Chinese population outside of the big cities not even eating from these fast food places because there aren’t any in their “small” town they inhabit OR because of economics (remember Western fast food is still very expensive for most Chinese people), I do not forsee this being a problem in the near future.

]]> By: Rich http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/comment-page-1/#comment-1520 Rich Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:23:19 +0000 http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/index.php/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/#comment-1520 @ Tim/ Ron McD's does offer some measure of consumer awareness as to the ingredients.. the question comes down to whether or not that makes a difference. Not trying to insult the intelligence of anyone, but many nutritionists are still debating the basics, and given trans-fats are probably a new term to most Chinese, I am not sure this information really means anything or would enable them to make a responsible decision. As for the genetics vs consumption question, I once saw a study that did link the consumption of hot dogs and its genetic impact. Ironically enough, I forwarded it to a friend of McD's at the time ... who quickly dismissed the study as hogwash. @ all Any thoughts on my original question. Is McD's and other big food operators at more risk here than in the US? Could consumers point the finger and take a stroll? Would a China based court be more likely to find that fast food causes fat, and that Big food should pay for that? R @ Tim/ Ron

McD’s does offer some measure of consumer awareness as to the ingredients.. the question comes down to whether or not that makes a difference.

Not trying to insult the intelligence of anyone, but many nutritionists are still debating the basics, and given trans-fats are probably a new term to most Chinese, I am not sure this information really means anything or would enable them to make a responsible decision.

As for the genetics vs consumption question, I once saw a study that did link the consumption of hot dogs and its genetic impact. Ironically enough, I forwarded it to a friend of McD’s at the time … who quickly dismissed the study as hogwash.

@ all

Any thoughts on my original question. Is McD’s and other big food operators at more risk here than in the US? Could consumers point the finger and take a stroll? Would a China based court be more likely to find that fast food causes fat, and that Big food should pay for that?

R

]]> By: Ron http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/comment-page-1/#comment-1517 Ron Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:33:47 +0000 http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/index.php/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/#comment-1517 I agree with personal responsibility. Our niece (Chinese) lives in a small town outside of Nanjing is two years old and is fat! They have no McDonalds, no KFC, no Western restaurants. If you look at our nieces Mom and Grandma, they are both obese. It is the diet that makes a person fat, not a certain food. Plus, McD's places their nutritional information on all their foods here in Nanjing (assuming elsewhere too). I agree with personal responsibility. Our niece (Chinese) lives in a small town outside of Nanjing is two years old and is fat! They have no McDonalds, no KFC, no Western restaurants. If you look at our nieces Mom and Grandma, they are both obese. It is the diet that makes a person fat, not a certain food. Plus, McD’s places their nutritional information on all their foods here in Nanjing (assuming elsewhere too).

]]> By: Rich http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/comment-page-1/#comment-1518 Rich Tue, 15 Jul 2008 18:25:27 +0000 http://www.allroadsleadtochina.com/index.php/2008/07/14/who-is-to-blame-for-fat-chinese-kids-who-will-be-blamed/#comment-1518 @ Chris I am a big believer in personal responsibility, and I am often dismayed to see a parent juicing up their 5 year olds on ice cream and french fries. That said, Big Food has come under a lot of pressure in the US for the role their products play in a larger health picture, and to date they have largely been able to successfully defend themselves. The question for me though, are they more at risk here in China where their business models have been very successful to date overall? @ Chris

I am a big believer in personal responsibility, and I am often dismayed to see a parent juicing up their 5 year olds on ice cream and french fries.

That said, Big Food has come under a lot of pressure in the US for the role their products play in a larger health picture, and to date they have largely been able to successfully defend themselves.

The question for me though, are they more at risk here in China where their business models have been very successful to date overall?

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