Google Plus Business   Pinterest

800.ELLIMAN

uptowngirl
uptowngirl

Fighting Fast Food in New York City

The City fathers are at it again as city officials are thinking of banning fast food out lets from high obesity areas of the city. More than obesity levels folks who live in these high risk areas are more concerned about the loss of jobs from the neighborhoods.
http://www.metro.us/us/news/newyork/


Most obese residents:

East Harlem: 44.2 percent

East New York/New Lots: 35.6 percent

South Bronx: 33.8 percent

Least obese residents:

Upper East Side/Gramercy: 11 percent

Chelsea/Greenwich Village: 9.8 percent

Upper West Side: 8.2 percent

New York City Community Health Survey of 2008 gives an estimate of these high risk areas and the figures don't throw up any surprises, but is this the right approach to tackling the problem? Cheap food is usually calorie filled and artery clogging and its no wonder that it is consumed in the areas of the city which are considered to be not particularly affluent. More than banning these fast food outlets perhaps the officials can try persuading them to offer less fattening, flavorful alternatives. I mean Macdonald's doesn't have to offer only sweetened Ice tea it should even offer an unsweetened version just like the more upmarket Starbucks does. Surely it can afford to at the same price point , What do you think?
Question asked via StreetAdvisor The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
8 people following
this discussion
Report

28 Comments

JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
The problem, I think, is that crappy food is the cheapest. You can buy a giant extra value meal at McDonalds for like 5 bucks. And, a sandwich at the deli (you'll be hungry again 2 hours later) is close to 10.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@JenMac At what Deli? You can get a sandwich at a BK deli for $5.

I think a lot of people are undereducated about the cost of food - they think they are getting a deal with a McDonald's meal, but whipping up some rice and beans is a lot more cost effective. I have seen some lean times in my career, and I was certainly not hitting up the dollar menu - that is actually not cost effective, just seems that way.

@everyone I definitely do not think that banning these places is the right thing to do - for many reasons - and from what I understand about the fast food industry, they will never let this happen anyway.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uptowngirl: I'm not surprised by East Harlem and South Bronx, as I lived near there at one time. But I am surprised by the fact, certain areas in Manhattan have low obese areas, since when I run on subway each morning, the people who get on the train, many are fat.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
@neversleeps: These tiny sandwiches at Khim's across from my apartment are 7 bucks. Im hungry like 2 hours after I eat of them.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps I so agree with you about rice and beans. Thats one of my favorite meals, brown rice and a bean curry. Try and eat it for lunch quite often and its not that expensive at all.

Of all the fast food joints , I think Energy Kitchen is the healthiest and they claim nothing on their menu is more than 500 calories. Their bison burgers are quite substantial and delicious but at $7-$8 they are way more expensive than a McDonald's.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@hhusted I speak for the Upper East Side where people are quite fitness conscious and generally slim. Very rarely do you see an obese person in my neck of the woods.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
@JenMac That's crazy. I can get a huge sandwich in Park Slope for about $5....
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
Yeah, I think heroes at my local deli are about $4.50. Sometimes I opt for the cheese sandwich on a roll, which is about $2. Yay Bushwick and its inexpensive meals!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Too bad there weren't any statistics for Brooklyn, though the Manhattan figures are pretty telling already. How crazy is it that people are marked by poverty by being obese? Just another way by which the rich and poor see a visual difference, along with good teeth, good skin...money buys beauty in the US.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@DBlack: As my girlfriend once said, "Money buys honey." In other words, the more money you have the better your life can be. That doesn't necessarily mean you will be happier, just richer.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@DBlack So true. I'm scared to count up all the money I spend on beauty products, spa, gym, haircuts and colors, etc. because it would probably total a big chunk of my income. And I don't really feel like any of these are optional, but necessities. You really do get judged by how you look.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
I agree, uraniumfish. I spend so much money just to do the bare minimum of keeping up appearances. I tried cutting back on what I thought was superfluous upkeep spending and I swear I felt old and fat in like a week.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish So true! especially in a city like NYC where almost everyone is well groomed and well dressed.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@uptowngirl Seriously! And people make it their business to point out your defects to you. One day I had put on an old pair of pants that were torn at the bottom of one leg, to run out and get some groceries. And some guy actually stopped me to say that I shouldn't go out in public like that! Sheesh!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: I thought anything goes in NYC. I didn't think people would actually say anything if they saw something strange, weird, or out of place.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@hhusted I hardly think a little tear at the bottom of a pair of pants fits the description strange, weird or out of place...
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
NeverSleeps
NeverSleeps 2yrs+
I think Brooklyn is a little more relaxed than Manhattan. When I was living in the Village I didn't dare go out of my house unless I was dressed to the nines. And even though I live in Park Slope, I occasionally see someone who obviously just got out of bed to get a pack of cigs at the corner store. Sometimes I am that person.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
@NeverSleeps Definitely more chill in Brooklyn. Manhattanites are really wound too tightly. When I've lived in Manhattan I too become that person wound too tightly, what with all these concerned strangers putting in their two cents about my appearance...Yeeesh.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Haha. I've been in Italy and everyone is commenting on my appearance - namely, that I'm not wearing enough on my legs and must be freeing! Now, after NYC/England, Italy is positively BOILING to me, so I'm perfectly warm, but enough with the concern already! I like my clothes the way they are
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
Yeah, Brooklyn is way more relaxed. I'm outside in pajamas every day in Willy and I'm fine strictly due to the fact that I actually showered and it appears that most people have not. No one is ever in jammies in the city. Shame.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
DBlack
DBlack 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish I sometimes try to give unexpected compliments but I would never stop someone to point out how they're not dressed well enough! What a lot of nerve!
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
ajadedidealist
ajadedidealist 2yrs+
Only in New York, folks, only in New York. As they say...
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
BroadwayBK
BroadwayBK 2yrs+
@JenMac pretty funny.

@everyone When I was living in the LES back when it was the hipsterville that has now moved to WilliamsBush, I dared not step outside in my pajamas. But somehow it seems like an okay thing to do in Billyburg... I guess it really is a Brooklyn thing.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
JenMac
JenMac 2yrs+
Maybe it is because I've never seen anyone in jammies in Manhattan now that I think about it. And, even when people are dressed in Billburg, "dressed" is a pretty loose term.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@JenMac lol..
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
Uraniumfish
Uraniumfish 2yrs+
I would LOVE to see jammies become the next big thing in Manhattan. I just met a famous fashion critic recently and she was saying you can make anything into a fashion statement as long as you hold your head up high and walk around like you mean it. Hilarious. She told this story of being a young hipster in SanFran, and one day she wore a while plastic bathing cap to a club. The next week at the same club she saw two other girls wearing plastic bathing caps...

Somebody please start the jammies trend. I think Manhattan needs it.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
hhusted
hhusted 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish: I agree with you with you stated in one of your posts above that the people in Manhattan are round too tightly. At least they seem to be based on the look on their faces, and that they bump into you and don't say excuse me.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.
uptowngirl
uptowngirl 2yrs+
@Uraniumfish you said it .. maybe you should try getting a few NYC based models to step out in their jammies..can then just see jammies being the next big thing and stores like H&M, TopShop , Old Navy selling scores of them. Bet Stacy and Clinton of TV's What not to wear fame who fly badly dressed Americans to NYC for makeovers would be suitably horrified.
Report
The opinions expressed here are those of the individual and not those of Douglas Elliman.

Add a comment

Corporate information:
Services:
Affiliates:
© Douglas Elliman Real Estate.
All Rights Reserved.

All data is deemed reliable but is not guaranteed accurate by the RLS or Douglas Elliman. See Terms of Service for additional restrictions.

All information regarding a property for sale, rental, taxes or financing is from sources deemed reliable. No representation is made as to the accuracy thereof, and such information is subject to errors, omission, change of price, rental, commission, prior sale, lease or financing, or withdrawal without notice. All square footage and dimensions are approximate. Exact dimensions can be obtained by retaining the services of a professional architect or engineer.

The number of bedrooms listed above is not a legal conclusion. Each person should consult with his/her own attorney, architect or zoning expert to make a determination as to the number of rooms in the unit that may be legally used as a bedroom.

© 2014. Douglas Elliman Real Estate. All material presented herein is intended for information purposes only. While, this information is believed to be correct, it is represented subject to errors, omissions, changes or withdrawal without notice. All property information, including, but not limited to square footage, room count, number of bedrooms and the school district in property listings are deemed reliable, but should be verified by your own attorney, architect or zoning expert. Equal Housing Opportunity.