don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

"This work is a torture on the rump but a joy to the heart." Eduardo Galeano

I was reading a statistical report the other day. It seems that dining habits of a great many Americans leave much to be desired, wellness-wise. Consider:

• The number of calories in a typical meal of hamburger and onion rings in a sit-down restaurant -- 1,550.
  
  
• The number of calories diners estimate are in a typical meal of hamburger and onion rings in a sit-down restaurant - 865.
  
  
• The recommended daily calories for an adult -- 2,000.
  
  
• Calories in the Outback Steakhouse's Bloomin' Onion, a battered, deep-fried onion served with a dipping sauce -- 2,200. 
  
  
• The percent of U.S. adults who eat the amount of fruits and vegetables the government recommends per day (two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables)-- less than 33.

I thought about these numbers when I read that the water ride for Disneyland's "it's a small world," designed for 1963-sized derrieres when the attraction was opened, can no longer accommodate 2007 model derrieres. This is not a great sign of the times. Quoting the Miceage website where the information was spotted, "Americans riding in those pastel boats almost 45 years ago were much slimmer than those boarding the same boats now."

"How did cast members manage to fit people in the seats in recent years?" you might be wondering? They were imaginative about it. Workers "try their very best to eyeball the girth and size of the riders coming down the line and purposely leave a row or two empty on many boats." This stopgap measure helped, but was not enough. The attraction was recently closed to allow for seat replacements. The new seats will accommodate adults weighing more than 200 pounds. Guess that's progress, American style.

It's always fun to pick on Disney. Unfortunately, I can't think of a way to suggest that Disney is responsible for, rather than just responsive to, the girth growth of its customers. But I'll work on it.

Of course, there is the possibility that Disney offers hamburger and onion rings and other tasty food hazards to those preparing for and alighting from it's water and other rides, but that would be pure speculation. As far as I know, Disney serves low-fat, organic treats and lots of fruits and veggies in an effort to boost the health as well as the merriment for its customers. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt.

Be well. Look on the bright side of life.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the PHYSICAL DOMAIN under the skill area of nutrition. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

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