(COMTEX)     B: Obesity Cited in Fast Food Suit
B: Obesity Cited in Fast Food Suit
 
NEW YORK, Jul 26, 2002 (AP Online via COMTEX) -- A man sued four leading fast
food chains, claiming he became obese and suffered from other serious health
problems from eating their fatty cuisine.
 
Caesar Barber, 56, filed a lawsuit Wednesday in Bronx Supreme Court, naming
McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King and Kentucky Fried Chicken.
 
"They said '100 percent beef.' I thought that meant it was good for you," Barber
told Newsday. "I thought the food was OK."
 
"Those people in the advertisements don't really tell you what's in the food,"
he said. "It's all fat, fat and more fat. Now I'm obese."
 
Barber, a 5-foot-10 maintenance worker who weighs 272 pounds, had heart attacks
in 1996 and 1999 and has diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He
said he ate fast food for decades, believing it was good for him until his
doctor cautioned him otherwise.
 
"The fast food industry has wrecked my life," Barber told the New York Post.
 
Barber said there is no history of heart disease or diabetes in his family. He
said he started eating fast food in the 1950s because it was cheap and
efficient.
 
His lawyer, Samuel Hirsch, said the restaurants should list ingredients on their
menus.
 
"There is direct deception when someone omits telling people food digested is
detrimental to their health," Hirsch said.
 
The four chains have been providing nutritional information, including carlorie
and fat content, of their meals for many years.
 
Steven Anderson, chief executive and president of the National Restaurant
Association, called Barbers claim "senseless and baseless."
 
"Obviously the lawsuit is a blatant attempt to capitalize on the recent
publicity and news stories on the growing rates of obesity," he said.
 
 
 
 Copyright 2002 Associated Press, All rights reserved
 
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APO Priority=r
APO Category=1110
 
 KEYWORD:          NEW YORK
 SUBJECT CODE:     1110
 
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