Health committee  When you say free fruits and vegetables, does that mean that we've already eliminated from all of the schools all of the candy and pop machines? The problem is, when you're given a choice, it's like saying this is good for you, take it. You tend to grab things that you desire more, and if the option is still available to these children, by having those machines readily available, they will opt for them, even though the fruits and vegetables are free.

Health committee  Exactly. Yes.

Health committee  So you guys are worse than kids, then.

Health committee  Valerie addressed this in her—

Health committee  While what you're saying does make sense, and I think supplementation is important, I don't think it replaces the proper meal and the proper intake. It would be giving them the wrong idea, that it may be okay to eat the junk food and then simply take the supplements. The same thing happens in the medical field.

Health committee  In fact, supplementation is indicated, and the guidelines do support their use in a variety of groups. Whether they are suffering from malnutrition, whether they are obese, or whether they are actually healthy, they still require some form of supplementation. Pregnant women require supplementation of folic acid, for example, or some iron.

Health committee  Thank you, and I'm flattered that you did research on my hospital. However, before you point fingers at my hospital, you should point fingers at the cookies you guys are serving.

Health committee  Actually, on a number of occasions I have met with our hospital CEO and the nutrition department in dealing with this very issue. To be quite honest, the answer I kept getting back was money. They feel this is what most people want. They want French fries and burgers; they want the high-caloric, high-fat meals that will fill their bellies.

Health committee  I would love for it to be banned. Just practically, realistically speaking, all the crackers and junk food make up probably about 20% or 25% of most grocery stores, and their income is dependent on that. I agree with the previous comments that once you remove such a large income source, they are going to want some form of retribution.

Health committee  Yes, it's easy to put in theory....

Health committee  I wouldn't mind answering on the labelling issue. The labelling issue is actually a form of behaviour modification.

Health committee  I think it is practical. In the different communities I've seen, both South Asian and other communities, where they have begun labelling them from the source, it has made the consumer aware of the exact caloric intake. The consumers and the public in general need to be aware that a certain number of calories equals a certain weight.

Health committee  The data I was speaking of had to do with two parameters, two variables. One was the prevalence of obesity and the second was the prevalence of hyperinsulinemia. That is the pre-diabetic state I was alluding to. Those are the two parameters that have really stood out. Most of the data I mentioned came out of Britain.

Health committee  I think the educational program not only needs to target different groups; it needs to target different tiers within each group. By that I mean we need to first educate ourselves on the need to become aware that this is an epidemic, a disease state. You must understand that for the longest of times, everyone, including the medical community, looked at obesity as a cosmetic state, as a physical thing—we're out of shape; it doesn't necessarily indicate that we're going to die.

Health committee  I believe it's important, but—