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CNN Live At Daybreak

America's Voice: Fast Food for Thought

Aired July 21, 2003 - 06:37   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've got some fast food for thought for you this morning. You've heard it before. America's love affair with all things deep fried is causing an obesity epidemic. But who is to blame for America's super-sized problem?
Gallup poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport has put the question to you.

So, Frank, show us the numbers.

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Indeed. Good morning, Carol.

We've been looking into the fast food situation. It's kind of interesting. Most Americans agree, or at least a majority, that fast food isn't necessarily healthy for you. But, you know, just a little over half of Americans say at least weekly they're in a fast food establishment eating the food.

Who is most likely to be there? I thought you'd be interested in this. It's younger men. It is age-related, but look at that. If you're man 18 to 49, it's 70 percent eat at least weekly there; women younger a little less likely. Then if you're an older American, you can see, quite a bit likely on the right there.

Now, here is a core question. We split out our sample by those who are overweight and said, do you eat at fast food? Then we looked at those who aren't overweight. A self-report here, not much difference at all, so we really don't find a correlation between being overweight and eating at fast food -- 56 percent of fat people eat at fast food restaurants, but 50 percent of normal people at restaurants.

Also, people who define their health as excellent, 50 percent still go to fast food restaurants. People whose health is actually fair or poor, a little less likely actually to eat at fast food restaurants.

Carol, no real correlation there between what's been talked a lot about -- obesity and eating at fast food restaurants -- in our data.

COSTELLO: I think you've just given some ammunition to defense attorneys, Frank, which brings us to this question: How does the public feel about the lawsuits claiming that fast food causes obesity?

NEWPORT: That's a key question. You know, it was on the cover of "Fortune" magazine a month or two ago, the new target for legal action is fast food restaurants. Senator Mitch McConnell now has put forth a law he's proposing, saying to shield the fast food industry. The public in favor of what Mitch McConnell says.

Overwhelmingly, 89 percent of Americans say no to the idea of lawsuits against fast food restaurants. They're not responsible. The public saying it's the people who eat there, they should be making the choices themselves -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Somehow I still think the lawsuits will be filed some way, somehow. Frank Newport, thanks for bringing us those interesting numbers this morning.

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 July 21, 2003 - 06:37   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We've got some fast food for thought for you this morning. You've heard it before. America's love affair with all things deep fried is causing an obesity epidemic. But who is to blame for America's super-sized problem?
Gallup poll editor-in-chief Frank Newport has put the question to you.

So, Frank, show us the numbers.

FRANK NEWPORT, GALLUP POLL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Indeed. Good morning, Carol.

We've been looking into the fast food situation. It's kind of interesting. Most Americans agree, or at least a majority, that fast food isn't necessarily healthy for you. But, you know, just a little over half of Americans say at least weekly they're in a fast food establishment eating the food.

Who is most likely to be there? I thought you'd be interested in this. It's younger men. It is age-related, but look at that. If you're man 18 to 49, it's 70 percent eat at least weekly there; women younger a little less likely. Then if you're an older American, you can see, quite a bit likely on the right there.

Now, here is a core question. We split out our sample by those who are overweight and said, do you eat at fast food? Then we looked at those who aren't overweight. A self-report here, not much difference at all, so we really don't find a correlation between being overweight and eating at fast food -- 56 percent of fat people eat at fast food restaurants, but 50 percent of normal people at restaurants.

Also, people who define their health as excellent, 50 percent still go to fast food restaurants. People whose health is actually fair or poor, a little less likely actually to eat at fast food restaurants.

Carol, no real correlation there between what's been talked a lot about -- obesity and eating at fast food restaurants -- in our data.

COSTELLO: I think you've just given some ammunition to defense attorneys, Frank, which brings us to this question: How does the public feel about the lawsuits claiming that fast food causes obesity?

NEWPORT: That's a key question. You know, it was on the cover of "Fortune" magazine a month or two ago, the new target for legal action is fast food restaurants. Senator Mitch McConnell now has put forth a law he's proposing, saying to shield the fast food industry. The public in favor of what Mitch McConnell says.

Overwhelmingly, 89 percent of Americans say no to the idea of lawsuits against fast food restaurants. They're not responsible. The public saying it's the people who eat there, they should be making the choices themselves -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Somehow I still think the lawsuits will be filed some way, somehow. Frank Newport, thanks for bringing us those interesting numbers this morning.

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