Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Doctors: Let's start eating like we want our patients to eat

In my new viewpoint in JAMA, I propose that at all the meetings health professionals go to, there should be healthy food.  This may sound like a simple idea, but it has yet to materialize.  Physicians get "mad" at patients for not eating a healthy diet, and then go to a lunch seminar and eat roast beef and cookies.

It is hard to eat healthy in today's America.  Even when I'm at meetings, it's difficult to not take (at least a piece) of a cookie, when they are offered for free.  So let's make it easier by not providing junk food (cookies, soda, chips) at meetings.

Then we can make sure our meals are consistent with the dietary guidelines: they should be mostly made up of vegetables.  Once we do that, we can help our communities eat healthier.  Let's clean up our own eating habits and set an example for our community.