Alabama's Fat Tax
Friday, March 27, 2009 at 11:49PM 
Last August, in response to Alabama's growing obesity epidemic, our state officials decided to impose a so-called "fat tax" on state employees who do not pass a required wellness screening, which includes a measurement of Body Mass Index, blood glucose levels, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Those individuals who are considered obese, or have high readings in any of the aforementioned categories, will pay an additional $25/month for health insurance starting in 2010.
About a month ago, I took my spot in line, joining my fellow co-workers for our own in-office fat test. We were escorted to scales, our fingers were pricked, and our risks were assessed. We all had our time behind the curtain, where a nurse gently went over our results, and urged us to take one of the many handouts that outlined a successful diet. As you might imagine, I was curious to see what suggestions these handouts might make, so when prodded, I gladly grabbed a few. The handout that I found the most entertaining was the one depicting sample meals -the staged pictures just don't look appetizing at all. Is it just me or do those vegetables look like they came straight out of a can? It's funny that out of all the possible healthy lunch options, that they chose to feature hamburgers and pizza. Take a look at some of the other handouts I received below - you'll especially love the one that delineates foods into Go, Caution, and Stop categories.
At the end of my consultation with the nurse, I thought about telling her I was on the all Alabama diet. After all, it had worked for me - I felt healthier, had lost weight, and was eating mostly vegetables. What if instead of telling people to eat more Go foods and follow this handy dandy chart, we tell them to spend more time in the kitchen cooking meals from fresh ingredients? To limit their consumption of processed foods, fast foods, and junk foods? But, as the next person was shuffled in and the nurse began her proselytizing, I decided to save my food confessional for another day.
Reader Comments (2)
WOW. i'm speechless. thanks for sharing, rashmi.
Those look like the most lifeless, boring meals imaginable! Yuck!