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CNN Live Today

Supersized Fast Food Meals Supersizing America

Aired June 18, 2002 - 10:41   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: People trying to squeeze a little more value out of their fast-food menus may find that they have to squeeze to get into their clothes, or maybe even their cars. A new report shows that restaurants with the supersizing option are really supersizing America as a whole.

Our medical news correspondent, Elizabeth Cohen joins us now from New York. She has got more on the side effects of supersizing -- Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH COHEN, CNN MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT: Leon, we've all seen the signs. You go to a fast food restaurant, and they tell you, Supersize it, make it a value meal, and you think, What a deal, I have got to do this.

Well, there is a new report today from nutrition advocacy groups who are saying, Wake up, America, you may think it is a great deal for your pocket book, it is not such a great deal for your waistline.

We actually have examples of what supersizing a meal really means. For example, if you go to Burger King, and you get their medium value meal, what you're getting is a medium fries -- you can see right here, medium fries. And then you also get a medium-sized Whopper, and you also get this drink.

But for just 87 cents more, you can get a larger version of everything. So what you are getting is a king-size fries, and an even bigger burger -- whoops, lettuce flying everywhere -- and a mega -- I can barely lift it -- a mega, jumbo-sized drink. So, for just 87 cents more, you can make everything bigger, but what you get is an extra 440 calories. That is basically the extra calories that you would get if you ate two candy bars.

So for just 87 cents, you are getting two candy bars worth of calories, and these nutrition advocacy groups saying they are not really sure that people realize that, and they want to educate people.

We have some other examples. For example, we have all heard of the big gulps that you get at stores like 7-Eleven. For a regular big gulp, you can pay 89 cents, you get 150 calories. For a double gulp, you pay 37 extra cents, and you get an extra 450 calories. So it sounds like a deal, but think about what that is doing to your waistline, 450 calories is a lot. They also looked into movie popcorn, and they said that for a small movie popcorn, you can pay $3.13, and get 400 calories. For an extra 71 cents, you get 500 extra calories. Again, sounds like a great deal, but think about what it's doing to your waistline.

Now, it is interesting, because a lot of the fast food places tried to do lower calorie and lower fat options a couple of years ago, and you know what? It didn't work. People didn't want to buy them, but these value meals have been very successful -- Leon.

HARRIS: That's right. This is America. All right, we are supposed to be able to choose what we want to have here. We have to go, but can you just do me one favor? Let me see that supersize fries one more time.

COHEN: Is this your lunch?

HARRIS: I'm having a moment here. Elizabeth Cohen in New York. We got to go. Thanks. Bon appetite.

COHEN: Bon appetite to you, too.

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