Fat-Drinking: Do You Want that on the Rocks?

It all started with a few subway billboards that the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene placed in NYC back in August. This was their attempt to draw attention to the growing number of obese Americans and the need to limit sugar consumption. Discussing "fat" is a touchy subject for anyone who is struggling with weight issues. I know because I used to own a gym and women especially stammer on the word "fat". We don't like it, we can't say it and we don't want to talk about it - let alone, see it on a billboard.

The Department of Health wanted to take the billboard campaign one step further - they have produced a video that sort of puts it smack dab in your face - or on it!

The Department of Health's newest anti-obesity advertisement makes their last fat-in-a-cup subway ad seem mild. The video is on the Department of Health's website and can be viewed on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/drinkingfat. I have to warn you - it is pretty gross and boasts that drinking just "one can of soda per day can make you 10 pounds fatter a year!"

The video shows a man consuming a soda, fat spilling down his cheeks (Yuk!) and then it spills over on to a plate! This is the grossest ad I have seen in quite awhile and it makes me happy that we do not drink soda!

To actually "see" what ten pounds of fat looks like lying on a plate is disgusting and it helps you to visualize what that fat looks like inside of your boby.

The Director of the Health Department's Physical Activity and Nutrition Program says the intent for both ads, was to do something "hard hitting." If that was the "intent" then they certainly hit the mark.

I don't know about you but I think this latest video is a bit over the top. We know when we are "fat" and we certainly know what is healthy and what isn't. The holidays find us overindulging on things that we shouldn't be in an attempt to be joyful and jolly. If the Health Department wanted to run this video ad, I wished they would have waited until the New Year - when everyone is a bit more concerned about losing what they have gained.

In the meantime, bottoms-up, but choose water over soda or you might be featured in the next video clip! Cheers.