My first post,
I played with the idea of starting a blog, and thought that I really didn't have much to say. A message I received today changed my opinion. Let me give you my background. I'm a dietitian who has worked in adult hospitals, mental health units, long term care units, cardiac units, intensive care units. I was employed as a dietitian in a childrens hospital on the oncology unit and am currently working with patients who will undergo weight loss surgery; that's right I'm working with the enemy. In a surgeons office who does lap band, gastric bypass and gastric sleeves. Let me also go ahead and say I'm not a crazy dietitian who only eats healthy. I enjoy fast food on occasion, and in general I exercise so I can eat what I want.
Today I received a request to join a group to ban a fast food establishment from a children's hospital. You're thinking "no brainer, you're a dietitian, of course you want to ban a fast food joint from a kids hospital".. I'm sure that's what the person who sent me the message thought. This is how I responded
I hesitate to join your group only because I have no experience at your hospital. My previous experience in a childrens hospital lead me to be disappointed in general with the food that was offered through the kitchen, let alone in the cafeteria. The hospital I worked in had no proper kitchen , the food was brought in frozen and reheated, and honestly its disgusting. If I were to guess I'd say its extremly high in fat and salt in general, and it was a challenge to get our SICK kids to eat.
When I worked in an adult hospital they faced the same thing. With some Cardio Docs and nurses pushing to remove Tim Hortons from the hospitals. Had food services done this, we would have had significantly more doctors upset because they couldn't get their caffeine fix.
I believe strongly in personal choice and education for parents and kids undergoing treatment in hospital. If I could have gotten one of the kids to eat on the oncology unit by offering Burger King both I and the parent would have been happy for it.
Instead of banning Burger King, they should be forced to offer healthier fare, and provide education as part of their contract. The fact is fast food establishments aren't going away, and people need to be taught how to fit them into a healthy diet.
I currently work with adults facing bariatric surgery due to morbid obesity and severe co-morbidities, their main problem is not the flourishment of fast food establishments in Houston, but their general ignorance and lack of education when it comes to healthy eating.
I applaud your effort, and wish you luck.
And that in a nutshell is my general opinion on nutrition in general and what I employ when speaking with clients. Education is the key. Its the key to weight loss and maintaining that weight loss. No gimmick is going to help you lose weight, fast food restaurants alone aren't to blame for weight gain. Its about personal responsibility and education.
