Mackey says: "71% of Americans are overweight and 42.5% are obese. Clearly, we're making bad choices in the way we eat," he says. "It's not a sustainable path. And so, I'm calling it out."

All true, but he is the wrong messenger at the wrong moment for this.... #mondaythoughts https://twitter.com/CNBC/status/1346105372579397634

2020 was the year the mask was ripped off of the mass inequality we avoid facing in this nation. The wealthy added to their net worth while millions lost their jobs, health insurance, stood in line for food, got sick & faced eviction... #2Americas https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/28/upshot/income-inequality-visible.html?smid=tw-share

Having the CEO of #WholeFoods, who is a multi-millionaire, tell folks that they should eat better and make better lifestyle choices in the middle out of control pandemic & associated economic and social crises is at best tone deaf (I'm being nice here)...

The backlash is certainly predictable & understandable. No, eating right won't directly prevent genetic diseases or help you in a car accident but the larger point remains true:

Americans don't want to be told what they need to do. They want a pill & keep on keeping on...

We do a poor job in making the choice to take action early in order to delay, reduce or prevent the development of many of our top conditions. We expect modern medicine to fix us & this fixing should not require any additional efforts on our part.

A modern-day example would be people refusing to wear a simple mask.

"The vaccine is here. No need".

If fact, many people feel that their doctor did a poor job if they don't leave with a script in hand for the latest and greatest drug. Some will change doctors until they find one that will write them the prescription they feel they need and deserve.

There are many cases in which a patient may present a condition that is modifiable by changes in lifestyle:

Elevated blood sugar =
More consistent physical activity and a few less wings and beers.

Or

Take this pill, covered by insurance keep the party going.

Easy choice.

Many doctors won't even bring up the lifestyle modifications. Some don't want to make their patients feel uncomfortable or ashamed. Others are simply resigned to the fact that most patients won't follow doctor's orders despite the known benefits of exercise & balanced eating.

There are initiatives like this one from @eim and @ACSMNews, which aim to empower medical professionals to promote #ExerciseIsMedicine

We must be able to have a nuanced discussion on the disparities in food access, nutritional education, access to quality healthcare, alongside food deserts, manipulative marketing & big farm corn/sugar subsidies.

Accountability of all parties involved is required.....from governments, to big business to consumers.

Unfortunately, given the state of affairs, this is much easier said than done and.... Goddammit... I ain't given up my nachos.