Safe Eating Discounts

As I drove into work today, I listened to Boston's WROR FM (105.7) and heard an advertisement for 2 Sausage McMuffins with Egg and a cup of Newman's Organic Coffee.

I had just finished a breakfast of Bob's Red Mill Organic Thick Rolled Oats and a cup of green tea. My breakfast was

Nutrient Facts
Calories 190
Calories from Fat 30

	Amount Per Serving	% Daily
Total Fat	3.50g	5%
Saturated Fat	0.50g	3%
Trans Fat	0.00g	0%
Cholesterol	0.00mg	0%
Sodium	0.00mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate	32.00g	11%
Dietary Fiber	5.00g	20%
Sugars	1.00g	3%
Protein	7.00g	14%

The advertised McDonald's special was

Nutrient Facts
Calories 900
Calories from Fat 468

	Amount Per Serving	% Daily
Total Fat	52.0g	80%
Saturated Fat	20.0g	100%
Cholesterol	520mg	174%
Sodium	1860mg	78%
Total Carbohydrates	62g	20%
Dietary Fiber	4g	16%
Sugars	4g	12%
Protein	40g	84%

Essentially the McDonald's meal is diabetes and heart disease in a bag, exceeding the entire daily recommendation for Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. And with the Sodium load, you'll gain a pound or two of water weight.

While driving, it occurred to me that I get a safe driver discount, since I've never had a moving violation or accident claim.

Why not a Safe Eating Discount from my Health Insurer?

If I choose to be a vegan and have a diet that has zero cholesterol by definition, essentially no saturated fat, and almost no sodium, I am extending my life by making a disciplined lifestyle choice.

By keeping a body mass index of 20 via veganism and daily exercise, I am preventing future disease.

I know that Charlie Baker, the CEO of my insurer Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, is a very smart man and will have a very reasonable analysis. It takes dozens of people like me to support the medical care of the McDonald's eater, so it's really not possible to give a Safe Eating discount. However, if we're really going to have healthcare reform in the US, I would advocate a carrot and stick approach based on personal accountability.

Give folks with low fat, low sodium, low cholesterol diets a Safe Eating discount.

Put a tax on McDonald's meals, just as we do with tobacco products, to cover the cost of medical care incurred by eating more fat and cholesterol in a single meal than the FDA recommends for the entire day.

I realize that this may sound harsh and I will not make friends in the beef and dairy industry. However, at some point we need to be accountable for our own health.

Just as President Obama has encouraged us to take responsibility for reinventing America, we must take personal action to reduce the healthcare costs that reduce the competitiveness of the economy.

Rewarding healthful behaviors and penalizing harmful ones seems like a good idea.

Next time I see Charlie Baker, I'll ask him.