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CNN Live Today

Trimming the Fat

Aired May 13, 2003 - 10:18   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: We'll shift gears to another story in the news this morning. The fast food industry is being served up a challenge. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson is calling on the industry to trim the fat in order to whittle down America's growing girth. It's a battle of the so-called health czar has himself waged, and seemingly won, as you see here. He joins us from Washington to talk about his effort.
Good morning. Good to see you again, Mr. Secretary.

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Well, it's always a pleasure, Leon, and thank you so very much for putting this program on, because we really want Americans to be healthier. And the best way to be healthy is to exercise, and to watch what you eat, and to lose some weight and stop smoking.

HARRIS: I must say, if you don't mind, that you have been following your own advice, we're seeing less and less of you these days. And I got to think that's driving you in this regard here with this campaign.

What specifically are you asking people to do across the country?

THOMPSON: What we're trying to did is, first off, we're trying to get Americans to understand how important it is and we spent $117 billion a year on obesity-related disease, and 300,000 Americans die, and two-thirds of our American citizens are overweight or obese, and 15 to 20 percent of our children, and that's very unhealthy.

So first off, what we have to do is convince them to start watching what they eat. They'll be much healthier and to exercise. And then we're asking the fast food industry, and all of the restaurants to start looking at their menus and see if then can diversify, and put some healthier foods on there, and help promote them.

HARRIS: As I understand it, you'll also be putting pressure on some specific restaurants. How do you do that? I understand, I heard something about you giving awards to some that do what you want them to do? I mean, what specifically are you looking for them to do?

THOMPSON: Well, we're asking them to step up and see if they can do innovative things, like encouraging their customers to eat properly and to exercise, and those companies and those fast food chains that do that, we want to recognize them and acknowledge that, and compliment them, and do it in a public way to encourage other ones to do the same. So it's really trying to put pressure on them to do what is right for Americans.

HARRIS: You know what, just as a matter of fact, we've been watching menus change in our country, really the last few years. We even saw McDonald's come out with salads. That's something I thought I would never see in my days here. If restaurants are doing that, what more could they possibly do?

THOMPSON: What more they can do is they can actually help promote them. And when people come in, and say this is good for your health, and put information on their menus as to what is good for their health, what is good for heart, cardiovascular diseases, what's good for reducing diabetes, as far as holding down your weight, telling parents to start walking with their children, encouraging these things, handing out promotional items, to get people do to things that are healthy. There are many things that fast food industries can do, and we're hoping that they follow through.

McDonald's, by the way, is putting more salads on their menus and diversifying, and I think that's a wonderful sign. I think it's a good step.

HARRIS: As a matter of fact, we're going to have Richard Simmons join us later on. You know, he's the diet guru. Before I get to him, though, what is your secret? What worked for you?

THOMPSON: I'm reducing what I take in as it relates to food. I watch my carbohydrates, and I also do a lot of exercising. And I think that's important.

HARRIS: That's the key.

THOMPSON: And I hope you do the same thing, Leon, you'll be healthier.

HARRIS: All of the time, four it five days a week, I should say.

THOMPSON: That's wonderful.

HARRIS: Let me ask you something, to be devil's advocate here, what if this program turns out to be the kind that basically warns people if you go to this restaurant, you're not going to like what it taste like? I mean, because Americans, if given the choice of choosing something that's healthy and choosing something that tastes great, they've shown by the polls, they will always go with what tastes good. What happens if that is the effect you actually get out of this program?

THOMPSON: I think you are going to have to have a balanced menu, just like people should watch what they eat, and there is no question that I like a good cheeseburger, and a lot of people do, but at the same time, you can watch the intake, and also use -- eat fruits and vegetables. Five to seven times a day, you should have fruits and vegetables on your menu. That will make sure you're healthy. It will reduce heart diseases. It will reduce colon cancers. It will also reduce diabetes. Seven million American have diabetes, and a lot minorities, and we've got to get this program out, Leon, that this program is very helpful in accomplishing that, and I want to thank you for doing this.

HARRIS: All right. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, thank you very much. Appreciate the time this morning, and the advice as well. Take care. Good to see you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 13, 2003 - 10:18   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: We'll shift gears to another story in the news this morning. The fast food industry is being served up a challenge. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson is calling on the industry to trim the fat in order to whittle down America's growing girth. It's a battle of the so-called health czar has himself waged, and seemingly won, as you see here. He joins us from Washington to talk about his effort.
Good morning. Good to see you again, Mr. Secretary.

TOMMY THOMPSON, HHS SECRETARY: Well, it's always a pleasure, Leon, and thank you so very much for putting this program on, because we really want Americans to be healthier. And the best way to be healthy is to exercise, and to watch what you eat, and to lose some weight and stop smoking.

HARRIS: I must say, if you don't mind, that you have been following your own advice, we're seeing less and less of you these days. And I got to think that's driving you in this regard here with this campaign.

What specifically are you asking people to do across the country?

THOMPSON: What we're trying to did is, first off, we're trying to get Americans to understand how important it is and we spent $117 billion a year on obesity-related disease, and 300,000 Americans die, and two-thirds of our American citizens are overweight or obese, and 15 to 20 percent of our children, and that's very unhealthy.

So first off, what we have to do is convince them to start watching what they eat. They'll be much healthier and to exercise. And then we're asking the fast food industry, and all of the restaurants to start looking at their menus and see if then can diversify, and put some healthier foods on there, and help promote them.

HARRIS: As I understand it, you'll also be putting pressure on some specific restaurants. How do you do that? I understand, I heard something about you giving awards to some that do what you want them to do? I mean, what specifically are you looking for them to do?

THOMPSON: Well, we're asking them to step up and see if they can do innovative things, like encouraging their customers to eat properly and to exercise, and those companies and those fast food chains that do that, we want to recognize them and acknowledge that, and compliment them, and do it in a public way to encourage other ones to do the same. So it's really trying to put pressure on them to do what is right for Americans.

HARRIS: You know what, just as a matter of fact, we've been watching menus change in our country, really the last few years. We even saw McDonald's come out with salads. That's something I thought I would never see in my days here. If restaurants are doing that, what more could they possibly do?

THOMPSON: What more they can do is they can actually help promote them. And when people come in, and say this is good for your health, and put information on their menus as to what is good for their health, what is good for heart, cardiovascular diseases, what's good for reducing diabetes, as far as holding down your weight, telling parents to start walking with their children, encouraging these things, handing out promotional items, to get people do to things that are healthy. There are many things that fast food industries can do, and we're hoping that they follow through.

McDonald's, by the way, is putting more salads on their menus and diversifying, and I think that's a wonderful sign. I think it's a good step.

HARRIS: As a matter of fact, we're going to have Richard Simmons join us later on. You know, he's the diet guru. Before I get to him, though, what is your secret? What worked for you?

THOMPSON: I'm reducing what I take in as it relates to food. I watch my carbohydrates, and I also do a lot of exercising. And I think that's important.

HARRIS: That's the key.

THOMPSON: And I hope you do the same thing, Leon, you'll be healthier.

HARRIS: All of the time, four it five days a week, I should say.

THOMPSON: That's wonderful.

HARRIS: Let me ask you something, to be devil's advocate here, what if this program turns out to be the kind that basically warns people if you go to this restaurant, you're not going to like what it taste like? I mean, because Americans, if given the choice of choosing something that's healthy and choosing something that tastes great, they've shown by the polls, they will always go with what tastes good. What happens if that is the effect you actually get out of this program?

THOMPSON: I think you are going to have to have a balanced menu, just like people should watch what they eat, and there is no question that I like a good cheeseburger, and a lot of people do, but at the same time, you can watch the intake, and also use -- eat fruits and vegetables. Five to seven times a day, you should have fruits and vegetables on your menu. That will make sure you're healthy. It will reduce heart diseases. It will reduce colon cancers. It will also reduce diabetes. Seven million American have diabetes, and a lot minorities, and we've got to get this program out, Leon, that this program is very helpful in accomplishing that, and I want to thank you for doing this.

HARRIS: All right. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson, thank you very much. Appreciate the time this morning, and the advice as well. Take care. Good to see you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com