All bad choices

Re “That salad sounds healthful, but is it?” April 18

It’s hardly a cause for concern that most consumers flunked a quiz on the comparative caloric, fat and salt content of various fast-food meals. Instead, the quiz proves the truism that bad questions beget bad answers. It matters not a whit whether a consumer knows which breakfast choice is lowest in calories among a ham and cheddar omelet, country fried steak and eggs, three slices of French toast or three pancakes covered with syrup and margarine. What is important is that a consumer who needs to lose weight knows that all of these choices are bad compared to a bowl of oatmeal or scrambled eggs with dry toast. But the quiz didn’t permit that comparison.

PAUL BERGMAN

Los Angeles