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June 29th, 2010
11:02 AM ET
Obesity rising; Southern states have highest ratesThe Southern states of the U.S. have some of the highest rates of obesity in the country, according to a new report from the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The report found that adult obesity rates rose in 28 states over the past year, with Washington, D.C. as the only area that showed a decline. Ten out of 11 states with the highest rates are located in the South; Mississippi has the highest for the sixth year in a row. Income disparities may contribute to this trend of obesity being prevalent in the South, said Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of PolicyLink. The issue of access and affordability of healthy food is also a factor, said Dr. James Marks, senior vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The analysis, "F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America’s Future 2010," is the seventh annual report on obesity from these organizations. The newest report looked at average rates from 2007 to 2009, compared to 2006 to 2008. Obesity rates are above 25 percent in 38 states, and above 30 percent in eight states. Back in 1991, no state had an obesity rate above 20 percent, and the national average was only 15 percent in 1980. In 12 states, the number of adults who say they do not engage in any physical activity rose. Washington D.C. and two states had declines in this area. Diabetes rates have gone up 19 percent in adults in the past year, the report found. Diabetes and hypertension are strongly associated with obesity. The report found a strong association between socioeconomic status and adult obesity rates. About 35 percent of those earning less than $15,000 a year were obese, compared to 24.5 percent of adults earning $50,000 or more per year. There are also racial disparities in the picture of obesity in the U.S. Blacks and latinos have higher obesity rates than whites in nearly every state. More than one third of children and teens are obese or overweight, even though over 80 percent of parents believe that their children are of normal weight. "We’re in danger of raising the first generation who could live sicker and die younger than the generation before them," said Marks. But there are signs of progress, he said. Twenty states and Washington D.C. have nutritional standards for school lunches that are stricter than USDA standards. There are also 20 states that have passed requirements for body mass index assessments or other weight evaluations in schools. iReport: Follow 10-year-old child's obesity challenge Policy interventions that experts think about on the community level address adults as well as kids, said Jeff Levi, executive director of Trust for America’s Health. Making supermarkets more readily available, reducing the number of fast food restaurants, and redesigning neighborhoods to create more opportunities for exercise would be positive interventions for both adults and children, he said. Here's the states with highest rates: 1. Mississippi (33.8%)
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good, maybe once the southerners lose the ability to reproduce from obesity we will have a more healthy jean pool
You sir, are an idiot.
Last I heard Michigan, Oklahoma, Kentucky and West Virginia were considered the "North". Let's not pin the stereotypical "uneducated, fat southerners" on this.
hmmm if you are going to be insulting to Southerners perhaps you'd like to use spell check next time to not make yourself look like an ignorant Northerner? Its GENE pool, JEANs are something you wear
LOL How come all my relatives here in the South are all healthy weights and my relatives in Ohio are all obese???
Is not gluttony one of the seven sins (or something like that)? I find it shocking...shocking that all those pious Christians down south are the most gluttonous, sinful people in this country. No wonder God routinely punishes them with hurricanes, tornados, and floods. I bet pestilence is next (probably caused by the flatulence from all those fat, undereducated rednecks.)
Wow you're sure up on a high horse. Let he who has no sin cast the first stone huh? I expect you're perfect in every way of course.
Amen. The hypocrisy (in so many ways) doesn't even occur to them!
I was hospitalized and gained 30 lbs, now I run everyday to lose the weight and I'm dieting, reading all these comments shows me that there are a lot of pathetic people. Everyone is complaining about it being to hot to go outside and run, if thats the case run in the morning or a night, Go to a gym or work out inside your house or apartment. They sell DVD's that you work out to. Diet, all you people bitching about the heat I bet you sit inside and eat unhealthy stuff all day. Even if it is hot out, go swim, swimming is good on the joints and gives you a great cardio workout. All you people are doing is making excuses and getting fatter, its disgusting. I'm 220 lbs right now, I broke 9 bones a year ago, I'm sore when I run, but yet I still do it so I can be healthy again. So many of you are making me sick, get off your ass and lose weight.
Amen. Its all about personal responsibility.
There is also plenty of cheap or even free second-hand fitness equipment out there if you just try to find it.
Elizabeth Landau,
How about "Here ARE the states..." instead of "Here's (Here is) the states..."?
Show some kindness folks. None of us are perfect.
its because of all you people who dont like fat people i would rather kill myself than listen to you complain i feel like you would be better off w/o me here....
dude, thats a permanent solution to a temporary problem. It's not so much that we dislike fat people, it's that we get tired of listening to them complain and not do a damn thing to help themselves. You have no idea how empowering losing weight and proving to yourself that you have the will to do it is.
It's usually also always best not to take most of the stuff you read on CNN comment boards *too seriously*. Some people are only here to troll. Ignore the haters though & you can find some positive messages & suggestions...somewhere.
I can't really sympathize. It's very simple if you ask me. Don't eat so much and exercise a few times a week. I know some of these people may be sick with thyroid issues, etc, but the majority eat too much and don't work out. You don't have to have a gym membership, do things around the house,mow the lawn, clean the house, run after the kids for a bit, or get a treadmill and place it in front of the tv...that should help.
"Southern states of the U.S. have some of the highest rates of obesity" -- This is what really caused the oil spill.
it is a journey not destination its a life long never give up thing
Why is this news? There have always been fat people and there always will be fat people. The population is increasing so naturally you are going to have more fat people. You're going to have more skinny people too. You shouldn't feel sorry for anyone fat or skinny. It's you life...do what you want. You want to be fat...be fat. You want to be skinny...be skinny. Who cares.
Someone doesn't understand the concept of statistics. Yes, as the population grows, so do the number of fat people. The issue is that the PERCENTAGE of fatties has increased - instead of being only 20% of the overall population in the past, now it's over 30% in some places.
***yay... texas is not on the lists of fatasses again!!!
Dude...that is hilarious. I just started laughing in my cubicle. Man...I needed that. Thanks!
Interesting. When my husband and I traveled to Germany/Austria a couple of years ago, we saw very few fat people. When we DID see one, we'd get all excited, as if we'd spotted a rare breed of tree frog or something - only to finally notice the Yankees ball cap on his head and the Brooklyn accent coming out of his mouth upon closer inspection. Literally EVERY fat person we noticed overseas was an American. Sad.
What else did we see over there? Well, lots of walking, bikes, and food sans chemicals. When my aunt went to Germany for a couple of weeks, she dropped eight pounds without ever changing her diet. Certainly exercise and quality/portions of food are factors, but I suspect that there are just too many other variables to be able to point to one as a root cause of this nation's obesity ills. That said, diet and exercise are probably the best places to start.
LOL! You go through all the expense and preparation to travel to Europe, only for you and your stupid husband to walk around and gleefully point out the only fat person you see????????
GOOD LORD! lmfao! Glad I don't know you losers! And no, I am not fat, so you certainly can not bother wasting your time with that immature comeback that I am oh-so-sure you were thinking of taking the time to type! LOL!
Valerie,
I think the point is-Americans are overweight. And it IS something interesting to notice. In other countries, people are rarely overweight, but here in the states, it's the norm.
That is kind of a funny story Kida
When I've travelled in continental Europe though I have to admit I've been a little surprised when I'd see a very fat person and realise they were a native. In the UK their infrastructure is not so different from that the rest of Europe, and of course, state-run healthcare system, but obesity is on its way to reaching a par with the US. As you say there a number of different factors at play and we can't change many of them, except our diet and exercise levels.
I see obesity every day and I travel into 3-4 cities during my daily commute. South End has way too many bread shops. Dorchester doesn't have one salad shop and neither does Roxbury. And I don't blame one person who doesn't pay the ridiculous prices for gym memberships. Given that winter is an exhausting 7 months in MA-I don't blame people for being overweight.
Sonia,
I am trying to understand your point of view in a respectful way. I'm 110 pounds and even I have a $45 gym membership, I even paid $200 just for the sign up fee. I still feel like I am ripping THEM off because my gym has a pool, jacuzzi, sauna, basketball court, steamroom, a variety of classes, and not to mention almost 50 treadmills/ellipticals, so I never have to wait for one. This is a TINYYY price to pay for good health, not to mention, stress management (which is mostly why I go). I understand that some people can't afford this, but people NEED to exercise several times a week in order to be healthy. Before I went to the gym, I'd take walks around my neighborhood, I bought some cheap $10 workout DVDs from amazon. People need to get up and move it! I live in VA, the only time we have nice weather is April-May and September-October, 4 months out of the year. We can NOT make excuses.
Angelina, My point is simply that what you and I and someone else may see as simple and an excuse, is reality for another. Every variable you can think of, will influence someone's desire to be healthy. To say it's motivation, or laziness –I don't agree.
I just had a salad at from the South Bay(Roxbury) S&S. With a roll it was only $4. Also the public health commission has a fitness center in the South End that tries to cater to the under privileged with discounts and such. That might offset the bread shops.
I just signed up for a five month, personal trainer at my gym. I've been hitting it for two weeks and man am I sore but feeling great at the same time. I did this after being a member for two years and I saved the cash so I could really bust it hard this summer with a trainer. I couldn't do this without my income so I know that many of you cannot, so do what you can. Up here in Metro Detroit we have plenty of gyms that offer memberships at $10.00 a month. I would think that some of these inexpensive gyms would set up shop in the south if you folks don't have such convienences.
For what any reason that folks are overweight, it is their burden and not for us to judge. I think it's rude for any person to point the finger in terms of cost to justify your judgment. It's all our problem but if you're not helping, then you're part of the problem, not the solution. Appreciate the fact that you're slim.
Sonia: Many people don't care to hear what is an excuse. No matter what the reality is, there are opportunities for people to get healthy, and many are tired of hearing people complain how hard it is. No carp, it's hard! If it were easy, then nobody would be fat. Either you can whine and moan about your feelings and how hard life is, or you can grow up, take life by the horns, and change your habits. I haven't eaten fast food in 2 years, and i'm a broke college student. I exercise 3-5 times a week, even when i'm so unmotivated that i want to quit. I find active hobbies like tennis, taking walks, and lifting weights. It's hard at first, but it's not so hard that people can't do it.
Stop making excuses for those in rural areas, they can't exercise, they can't get fresh food. Well, if you're in a rural area, there's no excuse not to plant a garden! Grow your own food. Great exercise and much better for you. Only it's a lot easy to go down to the 7-11 and get a big gulp and complain the government won't give you enough money to eat properly.
I'm a girl raised in the south. My family did not have much money when I was growing up and most of the cheap food was unhealthy food. I was taught to clean my plate every time. I am obese because of it but I am working on it. I have lost 35 pounds and while some of you will rudely insult me for the shape of my body, I know that I am a better person because of it. I know what it feels like to be mocked and insulted and I refuse to be a condescending snob and tell someone to just "eat a salad" or "go for a walk." Believe it or not, its a LOT harder than that. So unless you have ever had a significant amount of weight to lose, please stop acting like the school yard bully.
I act this way because my entire life people were too worried about stepping on toes to EVER have the courage to say these things to me. I wish they had, because i would be in a better place right now. As it stands, i DO understand what you're going through and i applaud your weight loss. continue with it. I know it is difficult, but every day you grow stronger with the healthy decisions you make on a daily basis. Havent you noticed that you have been FEELING better as well since your weight loss?
It really is sad. Losing weight is an easy thing to do once you get over the carb addiction. Instead we are seeing these trends of BBW, overweight women describing themselves as curvy, and the maile equivalents of this behavior of sugar coating obesity. That is the worst part, that as a society we are starting to glamorize or make excuses for obesity. There are none. People need to lose weight asap ans stop griping about it. By 2018, it is expected that obesity will cost 25% of our healthcare dollars and obesity complication will surpass tobacco as the number one killer. Overweight people requirement more fuel, larger acoomodations, and many other extra costs. Want to help solve astronomical healthcare costs? Lose some weight.
Who cares???
They gave up in life a long time ago. If they choose not to change their habits f*** them!
They will find themselves alone, miserable and will never enjoy what life has to offer.
Only respect the ones that want to make a difference with themselves.
This comment is not about hate, it's about the truth.
Your comment is pure hate, nothing less.
have some of you actually been to the South? while it's completely true that the food culture in the south heavily centers on fried foods, i can assure you that we do have access to sidewalks and yes, we do have what i would think would be considered "adequate transportation"–anyone who's been stuck in traffic in atlanta can attest to that. i think a lot of you have hit the nail on the head–fattening food (i.e. fast food) tends to be cheaper than healthier choices, so unfortunately i think the situation comes down to econoimcs. i do so enjoy reading these posts though whenever there is a story about the South. as someone who moved from SC to minneapolis, i can tell you that racism, ignorance and ethnocentricism are not all distinct to the South.
I was referring to people who live in remote areas(rural) not folks who live in cities, read what I said please before posting.
I blame the fat slobs who feed their kids garbage. It doesn't matter what state you are from. If you have taken your child to fast food more than 1 time a month I would say you are guilty. If you don't encourage your child to run around and exercise(play) then your guilty. If you feed your child processed garbage your guilty. If you are to lazy to cook a proper meal then your guilty. This criteria alone most likely puts 3/4 of ALL Americans in the guilty section. Which is the God's honest truth. Not to mention half of ALL American's are probably to lazy to get off their fat arse's and work out. Even a 15 minute walk around the block is better than nothing at all.
When Michelle Obama got out in front on this topic of childhood obesity, she got criticized by some for "making obese kids feel bad." I don't see it that way and I applaud her. Black women have the highest obesity rate and it is good to have the Obama family as role models for a healthier lifestyle. I especially want to promote the drinking of WATER. It is the easiest change to make and it will save you so much suffering down the road if you are addicted to high calorie sugar (or HF corn syrup) sodas. I see whale-sized teenagers gulping down sodas and it just makes me sad for them, and more than a little frustrated.
And diet sodas do not help either! I have never been really overweight but when I cut out drinking sodas during the work day and drank plenty of water I saw the difference!
Boka, you're disgusting.
I am sick and tired of all the thin people being so judegemental. What happened to compassion? Why is everyone so willing to judge others? Look in a mirror and show me the perfect person, and then come on here and tell others how they should live.....according to your values.....
Last I heard, the only perfect person to walk on this earth was Jesus Christ!
I am really sick of all of you people telling me and others who do not fit the perfect body image, how to live. I bet none of you look real good either....warts, pimples, big noses, fat butts, ugly freckles and moles....should we all try to look like you? I don't think so.
It's not about being "perfect". It's more about having a body that can maintain itself without additional medications due to shear weight. The human body was never meant to be as large as Americans have them: it was meant for physical work, and eating food as needed (note: not wanted). Too much food. Too little work, "Ok everybody, pile into the car so that we can drive to the end of the driveway to check the mail."
you tell me how you feel about achieving a healthier lifestyle when you're dying of a goddamn heart attack because you never had the will to put down the cheeseburger.
FYI- i'm not skinny or thin. I am a big guy. But, i'm also healthy, or at least almost there.
I dunno about some people, but i think it's more compassionate to tell it how it is (being significantly overweight is dangerous and a burden primarily to you and ancillarily to others), so that people can get out of their PC induced fantasy world and into reality, where you can't eat fast food 3x a week and live a sedentary lifestyle and be healthy. There's no malice intended, after all if you want to be fat, it just leaves more healthy food for me.
This is more than creepy. This also does not follow Rules of Conduct as it is obscene, vulgar content that suggests pedophilia. have reported abuse of this comment.
Americans are the fattest people on the planet: they eat too much and they do to little work. They build these fancy kitchens in their homes and go out to eat constantly. Try cooking food at home, and food does not come in a box: food comes as some sort of meat, vegetables, and perhaps potatoes or corn. Try eating a salad instead of fried veggies. Try steak, chicken, or fish on the grill instead of fast food garbage. Cooking your own food has less salt, less sugar, and less fat in it than any of that restaurant garbage. Nothing like seeing a bunch of fat lumbering down the mall aisles or sitting in the two seats next to you on a plane. Get some exercise.
I'd like to see the comparison between religious background and obesity. I've seen pastors who take up half a pew when they sit down, but they'll rail against every other sin. They seem to forget that "your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit" and "Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags." Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit so let's get the church involved in helping its congregants and leaders show the world how to live a life of moderation.
these are the same fat people from down south that voted conservative republican that voted against the health care programs that they are going to need the most==how ironic and naive ate these people–I hope they have lots o money to buy there own heathcare premiums.....
Jillian Michaels & Bob Harper, so much for Biggest Loser "inspiring a nation" as you both love to spew on that ridiculous show. Apparently obesity rates are rising and yet Loser reaches a national audience. Really?? Jillian & Bob, just admit it's just show biz and stop trying to justify torturing fat people on TV by saying there is a deeper message behind your show. Sorry a bit off topic but I just saw an interview where Jillian Michaels states that she is really helping with this issue. Ugh.
JDPT – i know this is a concept that will go over your head, but im going to give it a shot anyway. Biggest Loser cannot do ANYTHING to get lazy fat people up off the couch, except keep trying to hammer home the point that they need to. They are inspiring to many people, but obviously not enough. "torturing fat people"? Exercise is torture? im guessing people like YOU are the problem, not biggest loser.
she is. The biggest loser was one of the things that showed me that it was possible to lose weight. and guess what? i did it on my own, not going through the conditioning courses that they put those folks through. All they are doing is putting the message out there that you dont have to be that way anymore.
Solution: Stop Eating!
I'm in the Army and we do physical fitness training, which includes running, in the mornings while the temps are in the ninties. Stop making excuses for being FAT! If you are fat and it is not from a medical condition that can't be helped then you are LAZY and DISGUSTING! You are costing everyone else for your self-induced medical problems! Don't take too much comfort from these statistics if you live in the north. I'm from Florida but recently moved to Omaha, Nebraska and I don't think I have ever seen so many morbidly obese people in my life! Truly disgusting. Put down the food, get off of your A$$ and go for a walk/run/swim, SOMETHING!
Excellent post.
ITS CALLED AMERICAN FACTORY FARMING...
watch Food, inc. and stay away from processed foods..
Absolutely correct: Factory farming, brought to you by the likes of Cargill, ADM, and Monsanto and their government subsidies have brought to us lots and lots of cheap corn (for cheap and unhealthy beef and high fructose corn syrup). What happens when you have too much cheap (and unhealthy) food? You get fat people, and here we are! There is a mechanism or a machine to help with any form of physical work, so no one does any work either (riding mowers, blowers, Segways, escalators/elevators, etc....). Now, we can even be fatter!
Try to find some real food: localharvest(dot)org. Yes, it is more expensive, but that is what real food costs. The rest of it is subsidized by your government, and made cheap for profits by corporations. Beef cattle today are being cloned and fed genetically modified corn and antibiotics and growth hormones. Does that sound like dinner?
You are absolutely right. I saw Food Inc. and was absolutely horrified when I learned how food is produced in this country. my husband and I decided that we would no longer subject ourselves and our children to those foods and decided to eat better. We stick to farmer's markets and are mostly vegetarian unless we can find organic meats on sale. Of course this food costs more, so we had to decrease our portions. My husband has lost almost 50 pounds over the past 3 months and I have lost 36 with on our new simplified eating plan. We prepare our meals at home and get our excercise in the community pool or by doing workout videos at home. If you have cable television, you may have access to some sort of "excercise on demand" channel that you aren't even aware of. You can try all sorts of workouts before spending money on buying them from the store. And trust me, excercise is definitely possible for an obese person. I started out at 260 pounds. Do what you can (pushing outside your comfort zone a bit, though) and keep on trying to reach new levels of intensity. Losing weight is not as easy as some folks on here try to make it seem, but it is not impossible. If you don't know where to start, there are many free sites you can go to for some good advice, like fitclick(dot)com and Livestrong(dot)com. Don't let the fact that you can't run a marathon (yet) discourage you. You would be surprised at how good even 15 minutes of activity will make you feel. It can be tough to get into at first, but consistency is key. Eventually, you will find your body craving good food and workouts. I know that doesn't sound possible, but it is. I am still working on getting to a healthy weight, and just enjoying how much better my body feels in the meantime.
BINGO! I subscribe to Michael Pollan's Seven Word Diet: Eat food.* Not Too Much. Mostly Plants. (*food being unprocessed, real stuff- something your great-grandmother would recognize as food.) I've gained weight the past few years because of my cardiac meds, but it is finally coming off. And plants are pretty tasty too!
The reason this nation is getting FATTER is not from lack of exercise but from consuming too much greasy food, starchy food and sugary drinks. Instead of worry about calories, worry about nutritional intake. We are not getting the nutrition’s our body needs from consuming this type food. Hence the cravings! Give your body what it needs. Eat your greens, eat your fruits and drink your milk and enjoy the sun. Weight loss will come naturally when you eat a balance meal. I have lost 15lbs since November from just changing what I eat on weekends. Just imagine the possibility If I could do it all week and I'm not even trying to lost weight.
i lived in the south for 25 years now. We're fat because we're lazy to exercise and we eat too much of the bad stuff.
Boca, please have a seat over there...
Sweet take down Hanson. Make sure you confiscate his Apple Puckers, condoms and old Halloween candy.
My favorite movie was blob. It would keep rolling over people and get bigger and bigger. OMG, I'm so scared right now.
I am confused about the 'affordability' of healthy foods. I'm pretty sure that McDonald's meals are much more expensive than buying ingredients at the supermarket to make your own food. This boils down to pure lazyness.
I agree with you about the cost issue with healthy foods because it is becomming a tired arguement. But in some instances the closest place to get food is a place that does not sell fresh fruit or veggies. I remember when I stayed in Graham, NC a while ago. The closest place that had food was like a 7-eleven typr place. That was in walking distance. Usually places like 7-11 do not sell fresh fruit or veggies or even frozen ones. So you are hungry on a hot day, typically your are going what is available.
Yeah but, it's too humid, too hot, too cold, too windy, not enough breeze, too dark.
And, I'm just a victim of my glands.
And exercise is so boring, and the exercise equipment at my club is too difficult, and the fit people there are so boring and stuck up. And I have fibromyalgia compounded by diverticulosis. And I can't seem to find good exercise shoes for my particular feet. Why take the stairs when we have a perfectly good elevator – and it's crazy to not search for a parking space closer to the mall stores. Better yet, have someone drop you of at the front door. I won't golf unless we rent a golf cart. Stupid to walk all that ways!
And I hate fish unless it's fish & chips. And I can't eat or drink anything without real sugar – fresh fruit is yuckers. I can't stand low/non fat dairy products. They're so unnatural. Why mess up the kitchen when you can dine out?
Did I mention that I think healthy diets and exercise are boring?
Gotta run (figure of speech) my favorite TV shows are beginning.
Excellent post. Nice writing/turns of phrase. 'Yuckers' and 'particular feet' especially. I am serious. Nice.
I'm from the south, and I can tell you right now what the problem is – southerners don't recognize when they are over weight. Southern men are the worst. They think just because they can put in a good day's work at the factory they can't be overweight. I know one that's overweight, diabetic, recently diagnosed with cancer – if you ask him if he's overweight, he'll say "no". The man works HARD all day, every day of his life. Sweating in the southern heat. But he eats like nobody's business. Thinks he's got to because he works so hard. You work hard, you eat big. That's the southern thinking in a nutshell.
Ignorance plays into it. Most people dont know the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. Most are convinced that it's fat in the diet that makes you fat. The largest selling vegatable is a potatoe. Soda is the main beverage on every menue. Some places in the South dont even know what a salad is. I know because I live in Florida. Barbecue and and fried potatoes and hambugers. I have seen plenty of businesses go out of business trying to sell healthy foods to the ignorant.
People who are overweight and stay overweight just make excuses to stay that way. I was raised in Alabama by a very southern family, so I am used to the weight issue. I weighed just at 300 pounds at my heaviest, but I started being careful about what I eat. I still have my southern comfort foods, but I eat them less often and have smaller portions....I realized that you can still have an amazing tasting meal without gravy or bread. Go to the super market, find a healthy salad dressing that you like, I guarantee they have at least one, and eat salads. That's how I started eating healthy and I'm down to 260.
Wow, you were PAID to write this article? REALLY?
"In 12 states, the number of adults who say they do not engage in any physical activity rose in 12 states"
Really? Team Redundancy Team is here to save the day!
Also:
"Here's the states with highest rates:"
As in, 'Here is the states with the highest rates.' Wow. Please, just send your paycheck to me, I'd be happy to write these articles for you.
@ Harry "Hey at least if there is another civil war they will be to fat to fight... LOL" - No, if there is another civil war, the fat people will eat the skinny people. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
But how in tarnation we ever gonna catch em?
Those under-300 types sure are quick, the way they zip right by my motorized cart and cut in line at Country Buffet. In fact I'm gettin mighty tired just thinkin bout it. I think it's time for a nap...right after I makes me another sammich...
Getting up early in the am will beat the heat, and exercise before work. cut out videogaming, and join a gym. Limit fat food and enforce portion control.
If you happen to be one of those people with low metabolism or poor genetics making you obese, ever consider not passing those genes on? There are plenty of people in the world without another porker kid turning into an ugo adult suckling at the taxpayer teet.
To everyone else: exercise. Walking is what you do to enjoy a nice day. Exercise involves getting your heart rate up and sweating for a while.
And when should we expect to see your picture?
I am highly disturbed by the generalizations here. Not all southerners hate northerners. Not all southerners are fat a$$es. Not all southerners are racist. Come down and check out how many hot women are from the south. We have lots of 'em. Ya'll take care now.
Here here. Those that judge Southerners without ever knowing one are clearly not all that sharp themselves. Do people actually believe that people living in tiny backwoods towns in Michigan are any different from people living in tiny backwoods towns in the South? As a Tennessean living in Chicago, I don't see much of a difference. It's more an issue of access to resources than cultural differences.
I had seen a packet of licorice in the super market that said fat free on it. No dout just waiting for some ignorant fat bastrd to pick it up.
This article stinks of of legislative case-building. Ie., people are too fat, therefore we may need to outlaw or sanction certain foods and behaviors. The only possible role government has in this realm is one of education. It's the right of every American to put any legal substance in their cavernous pie-hole that they choose, and they reap the benefit or concequences. Government does not exist to protect us from ourselves.
One path that needs to be followed is to get rid of the government's corn subsidies. Corn is the base ingredient or feed for the majority of unhealthy cheap foods in this country. Cheap corn=cheap grain for cattle, which leads to red meat being more available and a better ratio of $ per calorie. It also is the main sweetener for soda, candy, and other miscellaneous unhealthy food products. This is the reason you can go to McDonalds and get a Double Cheesburger and a large Coke for under $3, but it will cost you that or more for just a salad with half the calories. Our government is aiding obesity just as much as they are fighting it, by trying to help farmers. Get rid of the subsidies and let the healthy food prices come down.
Wow – only in America (USA) can the poor be obese in other countries the poor would starve. Ironic!!
Sue, who ever said I was overweight? And like I said creating a meal plan and exercise plan is common sense to some and not others. It's not an excuse, it's reality. No one is making excuses. I just simply stated that you should help someone along. Some people need a little extra help than others to get started. So glad you didnt need it. And good for you for loosing the weight. I hope you keep up the good work and encourage others they can do it as well.
Sonia – Thank you.
Wow, only in America (USA) would the poor be obese. In other countries the poor would starve. Ironic !!
I needed that LOL Wally! Thank you. I come from a third world country where everyone is poor and skinny! But somehow, all the poor people, on government aid, are fat?? I think we should sample who the FAT ones really are. I think it's the GOPs! Fat pockets, big heads and enlarged hearts that are about to burst!