Soda at a health center

Jason

Thought I'd bounce this one off you to see if I'm being crazy zealous:

Taxpayers in [US county] are helping to pay for the new $4 million public [Branded name] Recreation and Health Center. It was sold to taxpayers on the premise that they must help fight the obesity epidemic.

The two-story building is comprised of a swimming pool, track, 60-piece weight area, spin/dance/yoga rooms, therapy pool, developmental needs spaces, and community meeting room. Another 5,000 square feet is leased by a hospital for pediatrics and physical therapy.

In the lobby there is a concession stand.

Should the concession stand sell Pepsi and candy bars?

Dromaro

In short, yes. Denying access at that one location will not stop access to those things in general.

Victor Frost

Yes, because people who exercise will feel that they deserve a treat for exercising. They will feel this way every time.

Dromaro

Yes, because people who exercise will feel that they deserve a treat for exercising. They will feel this way every time.

^^^ That. When I was a gym rat, I felt that way much of the time. It wasn't great for total weight loss but it was a thing my brain did to me.

Linkigi(Link-ee-jee)

Prominently include diet sodas and protein bars?

But yeah, the "treat" for exercising is a strong argument.

Wyatt

Yes.

They could sell products with better quality ingredients, focus on portion control, or guilt trip the fatties. All are viable options.

Jack Draigo

Yes.

They could sell products with better quality ingredients, focus on portion control, or guilt trip the fatties. All are viable options.

Oh yeah because what we fatties need is ANOTHER reminder of how we're ruining society.

Walker

Excluding unhealthy food in favor of cheap, tasty, healthy alternatives would stand out. That distinctiveness would be educational. It isn't a matter of denying access to unhealthy food, but of promoting the sale of better food. An institution dedicated to fitness shouldn't be giving money and ad space to Nestle and Coca Cola.

Dromaro

People sells those products because they make money, pure and simple.

I'm all for denial of access to food that will kill you but the reality of it in the US is that it's expensive to eat in a fashion that is 100% healthy. I'm not speaking for everyone here but for a good chunk of the population at large.

My local gyms sell "health food" in the form of protein powders and bars, and that sort of thing. BUT they also sell a small selection of candy. The cost to the merchandiser is very low to the potential upside of profit.

ninjarabbi

Plus if they sell them enough candy then the customer will need to go to the gym even more. And if they quit because they exercise isn't working from all the candy, then they still already paid for the membership so that just leaves more room for other members.

gomidog

Actually, exercise is not great for straight-up weight loss. It's great for other health reasons: It lifts your metabolism, helps your circulatory and respiratory systems, and builds muscle, which in turn burns calories, but actually I find that I just tend to be hungrier after I run a lot, and adjust my calorie needs without thinking to compensate. (There is just something about running our 2.5 mile loop and stopping for Malu Ice Cream on the way back to our apartment.)
As long as people understand that that candybar is basically ALL the calories they burned working out for a half hour, I don't see why it would be no good.