Fast food outlets in hospitals? You’ve got to be kidding me!

Just the other day, a work colleague passed on a copy of The Medical Post (April 22, 2014).  She pointed out an article that she thought would catch my attention…and it did indeed!

The article entitled, “Why hospitals can survive, and thrive, without fast food,” by Allison Dunfield, raised concern about the kind of food being served in some hospitals.  At one hospital in particular, staff complained that they couldn’t get through the lunch line.  It appears that after a nutrition policy at a nearby school banned deep fryers, the students were going to the hospital to get their fix of french fries and poutine!

The article pointed out that in a 2002/03 survey of 200 hospitals with pediatric residency programs, 29.5% had fast food restaurants in their cafeterias.  Also, 50% of Canadian hospitals were found to have non-cafeteria food service outlets in a 2004/05 study.  Later on, the exposé outlined that one of the major arguments hospitals were using against the notion of getting rid of fast food outlets and/or carb-loaded items was that they would lose money.  Another argument related to the need to allow staff and visitors the freedom of choice.

To that, all I can say is: “Wow.”  Fast foods—and might I add the fast food conglomerates—have even taken a foothold in institutions that are supposed to promote health.  They do anything they can to make a buck!  Although I do believe in freedom of choice, I submit that it is difficult to freely choose healthy options when you are constantly being bombarded with ads steering you toward fast foods.  This is brainwashing at its best!

The piece underlines how there are advocates who suggest that hospitals are supposed to be examples for the community.  Furthermore, the article emphasizes that preventing disease before it starts is an urgent health care issue, and that changing the environment to one that supports healthier eating can significantly reduce the incidence of numerous chronic diseases.  At last!  It is such a relief to find that there are others out there who also take this subject seriously and who have taken steps to rectify the problem!

Let’s follow their example and make the necessary changes that will help ensure our good health!  It is time to fight back and make the right choice!  And if people are too lazy to do any of this, all I can do is…blame it on fast foods!

- B. J. T. Pepin