Quote Originally Posted by Varga View Post
I don't necessarily agree with his idea but I have to say this, you Americans do realise just how huge the portions they serve here are, right? I still get surprised, even after having lived here for two years.
What is considered a large soda here, is unheard of back in Europe. Even in the same chains - such as Burger King and McDonald's - you order a large soda and it's going to be the size of of U.S. medium soda. I don't know why it's like that though. I don't think anyone at any point banned larger sodas. The need for them just never popped up I guess? I dunno.
I do have to agree with this statement... you certainly get value for money!

Since the drink 'refill' has been mentioned several times on this thread, perhaps it would be more beneficial (i.e. in terms of lowering incidence of obesity) to scrap that. I honestly don't know anywhere over here that does drink refills for free. When I was nine and holidaying in FL, of course I loved the fact I could run down to the hotel restaurant every morning and get a monster sugar rush before I'd even eaten breakfast . As an adult? It's a peculiarity. If I'd grown up with the idea and become accustommed to it, would I really feel like my 'liberty' was infringed upon? As a Brit, not a chance. As an American, I guess I can't say. One thing would be for sure - I'd probably be far less healthy than I am now (and I wouldn't count myself as the image of physical fitness as it stands!) Sometimes, one can be blinkered by an affinity for one's comforts. I respect the American passion for freedoms of all kinds, and can see how well ingrained it is in all American people that I have ever met. That is a wonderful thing; by no means is my opinion meant to cause offence. My stance is that I, personally, find that conservatism stretching to preserve drinks under the 'freedom-to-have-what-we-want' clause a little excessive.

We are more of a nanny state than you guys, no doubt. Sometimes that is indeed a bad thing. We are also an overweight nation.

What do most British obese people blame their weight on? Fatty and sugary foods being cheap, and accessible. They know the dangers of carrying so much weight, and many admit they don't even enjoy the food anymore - they just eat out of habit. And a habit, so they say, is impossible to break when it's staring you in the face most of the time.

Maybe some people need a little nannyin'?!

Again, NOT to flame. I have no sympathy for morbidly obese people hooked up to oxygen machines and unable to reach to put on their own shoes. On no basis is that condition genetic; terrible addiction, yes, genes, no. Addictions can, and should, be addressed before getting to that state. In this country, their care is financed out of the wallet of the taxpayer. We are bitter when we see millions spent on what we deem could have been avoided.

I believe the Delphic phrase is 'Nothing in excess', not that I know the Greek off the top of my head...

Perhaps I am beating around the bush. Our government recently tried to impose a tax on pasties and various other baked goods, depending on their temperature. Banning of supersized drinks seems such a more straightforward idea.