This weekend, I was talking to the little kids I teach gymnastics to about Halloween, and all they kept saying was how excited they were to dress up and get tons of their favorite candy. I think the candy is what every kid loves about Halloween. It is one of the few days in the year where they can really stuff their faces with sugary sweets. It got me thinking, because I am older and don't really obsess over Halloween anymore, what the health effects of that much sugar are.
I did a little research, and I came across this article that talks about how addictive Oreo cookies can be. Although it is not exactly Halloween candy, it is still a very sugary snack. In the article, they talk about a study that was done that proved how addictive Oreos were. They say that Oreos "may be as addictive as cocaine". Research that has been done shows that the addictiveness of sugary snacks like Oreos can have affects on the brain, which, they claim, is part of the reason that fattening foods are so addictive and obesity is a problem.
I think that unhealthy snacks like Oreos are very addictive, and are a big factor of obesity in America. America has been known to have an obesity problem, and I think food is a big contributor to that, but lack of exercise, among other things are also factors. However, I don't know if it is right to compare Oreos to dangerous drugs like cocaine and morphine. They have serious mental affects, and I don't think cookies could cause the same kind of mental damage. I am not saying that the addictiveness level of both is high, but I don't think it is fair to compare drugs and cookies as a whole.
Do you think this is a fair comparison to make? Do you think this is the main cause for obesity in America today? Comment below.
I agree with you Sara that it is not a fair comparison to make. When someone says "Oreos are as dangerous as cocaine" my first thought isn't that they are really addictive. Instead, it's that they could do the same sort of mental damage as cocaine which is not an accurate statement. Also I don't think it's fair to attribute obesity to only food. When I was younger I was such a picky eater that I ate only a few foods, and Oreos were one of them. This didn't have a big effect on me because even though I liked Oreos I was never addicted to them and I was also a very active kid. Therefore, I think that the article's claim against Oreos is a little harsh because diet is not the only aspect in Obesity.
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