WITHER OUR JUNK FOOD?

Here we are in a new year, which means we are all on a diet and exercise plan again. At least until this Friday. The second Friday of the year is known as “quitters’ day”, a day in which all healthy new year’s resolutions fly out the window. And little wonder. In large swaths of the country the weather is wet and/or freezing, which makes long walks impossible. Going to the gym this time of year risks exposure to every known respiratory illness known to man. If, as my brother suggested last week, we reorganized our holidays and made New Year’s Day in July, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’m guessing we could postpone “quitters’ day” until at least September, when football season starts. Which brings me to the second reason resolutions go out the window this week: it coincides with prime football watching. Sure, we could indulge in carrot sticks and celery while watching a game, but I think it’s almost a law to eat pizza, wings and potato chips, lest you risk your team not making it to the Super Bowl.

If you are one of the millions of people who are taking one of the new GLP-1 weight loss drugs (Wegovy, Ozempic, et al) to boost your new year’s weight loss goal, you are actually having a detrimental effect on the economy. Last week the Cornell SC Johnson school of business released their latest research on the nation’s eating habits. As a result of these drugs households with at least one GLP-1 user reduce grocery spending by approximately 6% within six months of adoption, with higher-income households reducing spending by nearly 9%. These reductions are driven by significantly larger decreases in purchases of calorie-dense, processed items, including a 11% decline in savory snacks. In contrast, they observed directional increases in nutrient-dense purchases, such as yogurt and fresh produce. They also examined eating habits at fast-food chains and coffee shops and found reductions at breakfast and especially during dinner times. They concluded that their findings highlight the potential for GLP-1 medications to significantly reshape consumer food demand, a trend with increasingly important implications for the food industry.

Okay, people, can we all see where this is going? Clearly these GLP-1 drugs are a great treatment for people who are obese and/or diabetic. But I know some people who are only a touch overweight and are taking them so they can lose the 15 pounds that have been sitting on their hips since the 80’s. If everyone who is just slightly overweight starts taking drugs and eschewing junk food, pretty soon we’ll live in a world without hot wings, Big Macs, or cookies! And then where would we be? Do your part and buy a bag of Oreos this week and enjoy a good football game.