Homer Simpson diet slammed

Filed under: Celebrity,Study — Tags: homer — @ March 25, 2004

Findings from a recent Rutgers University study on the fictional Homer Simpson diet–which is based on a staple of fats, sweets, alcohol, doughnuts and salty or fatty snacks–have Carol Byrd-Bredbenner, the study’s lead researcher, calling for an investigation into how health-related messages on TV impact children’s behavior.

“Television offers numerous opportunities to learn, but can contribute to a variety of public health concerns for youth,” said Byrd-Bredbenner. “Thus, it is vital for health professionals to become aware of the types of health-related messages broadcast on television.”

Stephanie Alloway, a nutrition researcher at the University of Alberta, says if people actually followed the Homer diet, it would wreak havoc on their health. “As you could guess, Homer is at risk for heart disease, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer–basically, he’s at risk for every disease related to lifestyle.”