Dr. Leana Wen, deposed former president of Planned Parenthood, is not amused by Krispy Kreme’s free donut promotion for customers who have received the Covid-19 vaccine, noting that donuts are “treats” and eating them daily can result in weight gain. No mess. It’s a good thing no one probably eats Krispy Kreme every day like Wen’s Wall-E flavored dystopia suggests, but why give people a little respect when you can come up with the most gluttonous scenarios instead?
Krispy Kreme is giving away a complimentary glazed donut to anyone with a valid Covid-19 vaccine card at participating sites. The promotion will run until the end of the year. According to the company press releaseKrispy Kreme will also “support health workers and volunteers in the coming weeks to help administer vaccines and deliver free donuts to selected vaccination centers around the country.”
It’s nothing to call home: A company is pushing life-saving vaccinations by pushing their product, an effort to show goodwill while getting bodies through their doors. Krispy Kreme probably counts on customers drinking coffee while they’re at it, or buying a box of a dozen donuts to take home and enjoy that free covid donut on the go.
If the prospect of a free donut every now and then is enough to encourage someone to get vaccinated against a virus that killed nearly 550,000 Americans in the past year rather than later, so be it. But Wen apparently disagrees.
On Tuesday, Wen, currently a visiting professor at George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, tweeted at Krispy Kreme, where they praise the company for their vaccination incentive, but criticize the implementation.
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“… donuts are a health-inducing treat if eaten every day,” Wen wrote. “If someone does indeed eat an original glazed #KrispyKreme donut every day as your offering envisions, and doesn’t change other aspects of their diet / exercise, they would gain about 15 pounds by the end of 2021. I’m sure that’s not your intention is. “
“Why don’t you give vaccinated people a box of donuts to give to an organization of their choice?” Wen suggested. “They can take it to their office, donate it to charity, share it with their friends, or eat it all themselves if they really want it. Do it as a one-time offer of appreciation. “
She added, “As a public health expert, I cannot endorse a diet of daily donuts.”
Why is Wen so convinced that those who take advantage of this promotion will waltz to Krispy Kreme every day to grab a glazed donut? Her assumption is rooted in such a profound disdain for Americans who consume fast food, not to mention Americans who hypothetically could gain 15 pounds too much. If it sounds like standard medical fat phobia, that’s because it is.
But Wen isn’t alone. On Monday, Dr. Eugene Gu, a man best known for camping in Donald Trump’s Twitter entries, also condemned the Krispy Kreme promotion, tweeting, “Krispy Kreme offering free donuts to be vaccinated is like Marlboro who offers free cigarettes to get a flu shot. “
As more people get vaccinated and covid-19 safety measures slowly begin to lift, some extra pounds during the pandemic is building up. In the past week alone, NPR has discussed how to improve your pandemic weight gain in children, while New York Times Columnist Jane Brody on personal health wrote a piece condemning Americans’ failure to tackle obesity, and how we see the consequences of that failure in covid-19 death toll. That obesity can lead to covid-19 complications is not in question, but you have to wonder if Brody’s humble bragging rights about maintaining healthy portion control and daily exercise during a once-in-a-lifetime global pandemic – one that likely caused healthy eating options that are even more scarce for Americans on a tight budget – is the most effective way to get her point across.
If you’ve read my column for years, you already know I’m not a fanatic when it comes to food. I have a lot of ice cream in my freezer; cookies, crackers, and even chips in my cupboard; and I enjoy a burger every now and then. But my daily diet is mainly based on vegetables, with fish, beans and low-fat milk as the main protein sources. My snack and ice cream consumption is portion-wise and, along with daily exercise, have enabled me to maintain my weight despite years of pandemic stress and the occasional despair.
We must be honest about the fact that severe obesity can lead to a whole host of health problems, both major and minor. But there is room to acknowledge this for a while condemn the medical fat phobia which can actively harm overweight and obese people, as well as the benefits of moderation and the dangers of persistent overuse without acting like a free Krispy Kreme donut every now and then – or, God forbid, gaining 15 pounds – is the end of the world.
So please get vaccinated and eat a goddamn donut to celebrate.