High fructose outrage!

Maybe I'm a little late to the Anger Party here, but that's because I don't watch a lot of Discovery Health Channel on TV.

But I did last night, and saw something that has me fuming. The commercial shows two kids arguing about the high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in their breakfast cereal, with the kid who explains that it's a natural, nutritious food winning the argument. No kidding.

The ad is paid for by the Corn Refiners Association. On Discovery Health. OMG.

The dangers of HFCS are very well documented, and you can see the results every day at Valley Medical Center. Our patient population of obese children and adults is growing fast, and HFCS, which is found in darn near every processed food sold inexpensively in America, is a major culprit.

I agree that as individuals we are all responsible for our food choices, but it gets pretty hard when ads like this, combined with McDonalds and Burger King selling cheap quick (unhealthy) food, tell undereducated consumers what they want to hear (eat and drink up; it's good for you!)

Physicians have an uphill battle, and the foe has squillions of dollars to spend selling their products...to a population that is on track to not outlive their parents - for the first time in human history.

Yes yes, I know overconsumption of ALL sugar is bad...so we at the VMC Foundation will continue raising funds to support our Pediatric Healthy Lifestyle Center and diabetes education programs. This year, the county Board of Supervisors called for a "Soda-Free Summer". Can we make it through fall and winter, too?

If you want to help, please donate at http://www.vmcfoundation.org/ Thanks!