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 Study: U.S. obesity rate will hit 42 percentJust over one-third of American adults are obese. Though alarmingly high, this rate has remained relatively steady over the past decade, leading some public health experts to suggest that the obesity epidemic has peaked. Now, researchers at Harvard University are predicting that the worst is yet to come. If current trends continue, they say, the obesity rate in the U.S. won't level off until it reaches at least 42 percent, circa 2050. "The recent slowdown in the increase in obesity prevalence is a natural part of the obesity epidemic reaching a saturation," says the lead author of the study, Alison Hill, a doctoral candidate in Harvard's department of biophysics. But, she adds, obesity rates "will still continue to increase, although at a slower rate, if no interventions are introduced." Health.com: 25 diet-busting foods you should never eat In a 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Christakis and a colleague suggested that obesity can spread through social networks, much like the flu. In the new study, the researchers took this theory a step further and used the "infectious disease" model of obesity to predict future trends. Obesity rates have a tendency to snowball, they found, because a person's likelihood of becoming obese increases with each additional obese family member, friend, or acquaintance he or she has. What's more, obese people appear to have a stronger influence on their friends and family now than they did in 1971, when the earliest data used in the study was collected. Health.com: Is the fat acceptance movement bad for our health? Unfortunately that influence doesn't work the other way around. Only weight gain—not weight loss—is "contagious," according to the study. Hill and her colleagues predicted the national obesity rate by applying their social networks model to 40 years of obesity data from the Framingham Heart Study, which has followed several generations of people in a single Massachusetts town. (Obesity rates in that study have roughly mirrored national trends: 14 percent of the study participants were obese in 1971, but by 2000 that number had reached 30 percent.) Health.com: Obesity rates stabilize but remain high The data the researchers used to make their projections were collected before the obesity epidemic became a major public health concern, Kahan notes, and anti-obesity interventions have since been ramped up. "We're in a different place," he says. "We never addressed obesity until five years ago. … We're addressing policies and schools and social norms [now]."
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So 1/3 of us will have diabetes and 42% will be obese. I can't wait until 2050! We have to start teaching the newer generations all about living a healthy lifestyle since most of the obese today are a lost cause. That's not to say they cannot change, but if we can prevent all of the ones who haven't reached that point yet then those numbers will drop. If you're tired of being overweight check out http://www.diet-myths.com
I simply don't care. If people want to eat themselves into an early grave, let them. Moreover, the "increased costs" of obesity will be reduced by the decreased costs of their Social Security - they will die of an obesity-caused disease before they collect much, if any, Social Security. And, if insurance companies charge higher premiums to fatties, the stupider among them will pay for their piggishness themselves and the more intelligent among them will lose weight.
Bad choices have bad consequences. Every bag of potato chips and gummie bears a person shoves in their mouth will make them fat eventually. We now view obese people as "victims" just like smokers and alcoholics. Are they really victims pr do they just make bad choices: mouth full after mouth full after mouth full. Peter Klika, Kappau, Hawaii. The people in my community are big but they are not obese, They actually perform physical labor and eat real food like fish and vegetables instead of BigMacs and Cheetos. Get it? Maybe not.
I had the curiosity one night to ask for the nutritional info at my local Red Robin. I don't eat there anymore, although I liked the food. I have never seen such a gargantuan collection of fat, sodium, and calories like I have at Red Robin. It is 99% impossible to avoid exceeding (in one sitting) your healthy caloric or sodium intake. There was (1) item on the entire menu that came close, and even it (Veggie Burger I believe) wasn't impressive by nutritional standards. This was one restaurant chain. How many does the US have, crammed and stuffed into every corner of our society? Fast food chains, anyone? Do yourself a favor, and the next you're out, ask for the nutritional content across the menu. If you don't make decisions based on the horror you are then introduced to you, then either you've found a genuinely healthy place to eat, or you're indifferent to your overall and long term health.
If you consider obese people today to be a lost cause how far do you think we'll be able to go in educating the next generation. Kids who are obese in most cases have parents who are obese. If you consider these parents to be a lost cause then do you think they'll just start cooking healthy for their kids while they continue to dig their own grave. You wanna save the next generation you have to help THIS generation. This behavior is passed down. You can't fight childhood obesity by educating kids on healthier eating habits. You have to get the parents on board who are ussually obese too. If everyone thinks it's a lost cause then you may end up being right. Ussually when people give up on something, the issue doesn't get resolved.
this is a tough thing, but Americans are just more sedentary and consuming more caloric meals than they used to. portions are huge. I think printing the calories on the visible menus will help (as they have decided to do in Cali), but there is no silver bullet really.
I agree with you food producers have no problem making gigantic serving and larger plates and hawking HEALTHY on everything. People don't even get out of their cars for FAST FOOD. Nobody cooks anymore it us just easier to toss something in the microwave or pick it up Pre cooked..
I definitely agree-most americans don't cook or eat much, if any, fresh produce anymore. One of the most best decisions I made in college was to learn how to cook, I had to do it on a tiny student budget with very limited time, but it could be done with planning. It's also much cheaper to cook and eat at home–not to mention that cooking can bring families and friends together in a meaningful and constructive manner which slouching around a tv certainly doesn't do.
The primary causes of obesity, eating too much junk and not exercising enough, are actually caused by lack of sleep, being overstressed, lack of education, child abuse and a whole host of other social problems. We have basically become a mean uncaring place and people overeat to compensate. We need to get back to hugs, taking care of our neighbors and increasing social justice. Only then will we begin to solve the problem.
The problem is not one sided and it is not simple. I blame both the consumers, for the choices they make, and corporate America who cares about profits and about little else. The result is a consuming public, pushed by longer work hours and addictive "animal based" fast foods (MdDonald's, etc) and a disproportionately body of offerings (heavily weighted towards higher sodium, higher fatty foods) that together leave little to the imagination as to why our society is continuing to get fatter and unhealthier. Add tobacco companies, and you've got around 150 million ticking time bombs walking in our cities. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of work to eat and live healthily, but the options are available.
@JoeS
You are correct that there are two sides of it, but if people start demanding better food, or better yet, stop eating the unhealthy food, then businesses will certainly take heed. We need to go back to the basics of eating, plain grown food without additives. We may not be able to avoid all improper food processing techniques, but we can at least avoid the major ones. Don't let the big corporations get away with endangering your health...take control.
@ MK
The problem is economic as well. Studies show poor people do not eat as well as wealthy. This is not because of lack of education, laziness or any personal defect, it is because many poor people cannot spend $150 at the store to purchase ingredients to cook healthy meals for a week. It is less expensive to feed a family of 5 for $10 a day on fast food and cheap pizza. When it comes to kids, these people just want their children to not go to bed hungry, even if it isn't healthy.
Even if a person heads to the store to purchase groceries, the lean meats, vegetables and fruits are the most expensive items. It's a matter of economics. Until lean hamburger meat, fruits, veggies, bread and cereal are as economical to buy as hotdogs, mac and cheese, chips and frozen dinners, as the economy worsens you will see more obese people.
Supply and demand is turned on its ear when there are simply no other options.
I don't think it's a coincidence that the obesity rate has increased as the gap between rich and poor has increased. It's EXPENSIVE to eat well. When the US government created the formula to calculate what they considered to be the poverty line, it was based on what it cost to feed a family times three. Who spends one third of their income on food these days?
When it comes to trimming a budget, one of the first areas families cut down on is what they spend on groceries. Frankly, it's cheaper to eat crappy than it is to eat well. Processed foods chocked with preservatives are cheap to produce and take ages to spoil, so for a family on a tight budget it may make more sense to spend $20 on frozen pizzas, cereal, and snack bars than on 3 lbs of vegetables that may spoil before you can use them.
My husband and I buy ethically raised meat and organic produce from a local co-op, and we budget $200 a week for groceries, household items, pet care, and eating out. $200 a week, for two people! Some families with 4 or 5 members have to stretch $200 over an entire month! My husband and I are normal, healthy weights, while people who live on half of what we do often have weight problems. That alone should be evidence enough that there's MORE going on here than personal lifestyle choices.
At the International Essential Fatty Acids meeting this past spring it was clearly determined that beginning in the 1980's we began consuming about 9 times the Omega 6's that our parents did. Omega 6's block the signal from your stomach to your brain that you are full. Omega 6's are the vegetable oils. You cook with them and they are in most salad dressings. Always look at labels and see if they are on the ingredient lists. That is why we are putting on weight. You are not guilty nor do you lack control. You are consuming too many Omega 6's.
This has little to do with it.
It's Darwinism. Let 'em eat all they want, get fat and die young. The only thing that bothers me is that the rest of us are saddled with their health care costs.
Yea, we should all be callus like you. Don't encourage them to loose weight hope they die?! Well I hope you never gain weight and die because being that big makes it hard to do anything. I may be thin, but that doesn't mean I can sympathize with the large people. Try having everybody tell you a fat boy or girl and pick on you all the time with nobody to get support from and see how you do, take a look at yourself in the mirror next time before you fling jokes at some poor person trying to loose weight and not finding a way to do it.There are thing to cut out like soda, fast food and as many boxed foods because they have massive levels of Sodium and preservatives. Teach a cooking class if you want to make a solution. Simple stuff as easy as finding things online to cook eating vegies and fruits.
Exactly! That's what really irks me too. I saw this bumper sticker a few weeks ago: "Save the Planet: Shoot an Obese Person Today" Obviously a joke, but it gets the point across...
I heartily agree, Craig. These disgusting fat bodies need to start dropping dead of massive strokes ASAP! AND WHAT'S WITH ALL THE SPANDEX & EXPOSED FLESH that they so proudly flaunt? They make me puke – too bad must of them aren't (they might actually lose a few grams)
Technically not Darwinism since most of obese people reproduce.
I hope you dont go to church. What wool you would be pulling over there eyes with comments like that. Youre worried about fat people? What about ignorant jackasses ? We deal with our kids being TAUGHT by you, or have to deal with you when we order our fast food and you ask us if we want fries with that.
i agree, they are the ones that eat what they eat.
The only problem with the Darwinism argument is that (clearly) being overweight has no real infuence on ability to reproduce. If early deaths occurred before say, early 20s, then they would be weeded out. Or, we could unleash wild animals near strip malls in the US...
You know talk to food makers, get smaller plate for god sake EXERCISE, even if you don't feel like it is doing something getting your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes will help you greatly.We also need to stop focusing on how fat and ugly everybody is. I mean come on how is that helping anybody in the self esteem department?! Go away Michelle Obama pick another topic and quit telling our kids that they are fatties.
She is not telling kids they are fatties, she is encouraging them to live healthy lifestyles. Your comment made no sense!
If they can figure out a way to kill my taste buds I'll be more than happy to start eating healthy. Until then food is the only enjoyment I get out of my miserable life.
Obviously not healthy but I like the realism. No "I cant stop myself" crud.
If you don't like how healthy food tastes, you're preparing it wrong. Don't steam your broccoli, lightly toss is in olive oil and some spices, and you've got a yummy side with a nice little crunch. If you don't like zucchini or mushrooms or yellow squash, puree and blend them into foods you DO eat, like tomato sauce. If you don't like store-bought wheat bread because it tastes like cardboard, make your own at home! When you learn how to eat healthy and appreciate foods for their real flavors, you'll find that you actually prefer the tasty, whole foods over the junk... at least, most of the time. I mean, who in their right mind turns down chocolate cake?
If the govt would not allow junk foods such as chips, dips, sodas, candy, gum, snack foods, etc. to be purchased with food stamps then the obesity problem would not be such a huge problem. When I am shopping I am amazed at the shopping carts filled with only junk foods. They ignore meat, vegetables, fruit, eggs, milk etc. for the bakery products and other sugary foods. It is often impossible to get down an aisle with the junk foods because it is filled with huge people filling their shopping carts. Paper products are at the other end and it impossible to reach it because of the obese buying junk foods. It is shocking to see how much candy they buy. The govt contributes to this problem with allowing junk foods to be purchased with food stamps.
Totally agree. Anything that is not hot food in a grocery store is available to them, but it should be restricted to exclude some very basic things like candy and soda.
Right, because ONLY people with food stamps are obese...are you serious?
a lot of elitist on this blog, huh? Wow...I am a size fit, and I exercise everyday, and I don't look at fat people as disguisting. Everyone has different circumstances. And just because someone is skinny, does not mean they are healthy. They can be alcoholics, doing drugs, or have high metabolism, but may still have heart disease from eating poorly. So much judgment going on in this blog. Look at yourself and ask if you are perfect before you judge.
I mean size 5
The point is not an elitest one. The point being made is if you are getting food for free, it should be for sustenance. Not candy.
We're getting more conservative and fatter at the same time. Coincidence? I don't think so.... Conservatives are much more likely to be fat.
and stupid
These overweight people are lazy and the more we give in the worse it will get. There is no excuse for it. I lost 75 pounds a year ago and continue to run 45 miles a week, work 2 jobs, have 3 kids and make homemade meals. I write down what I eat and count calories. I only eat out once a week and take my lunch with me if needed and just order a drink. Restaurants don't care if you do that, just order a drink or side salad – and take your own dressing. Everybody wants it easy and in a pill. You have to plan your meals. You can eat at McDonalds and not be fat – but you can order a small hamburger and a side salad and unsweet tea. People aren't counting the drinks they consume. When a restaurant is constantly refilling your drink that is about 220 calories each time!!
Why is there so much hatred? You don't know a persons history, past or present issues! I am 5'6" and consume 1200 – 1500 calories a day. I must watch it carefully along with stricture on sodium. This being the case I have gained 100lbs this past year? Why? I have a chronic illness and I am bedridden. Doc says I shouldn't restrict calories further because my body needs the fuel to function and fight my illness. So don't be so hateful. You have no idea of a persons life struggles.
Sounds like a Tea Bagger to me – always blaming someone else.
I agree Jen has issues. She is trying to maintain this view that she is perfect but then the paint starts to chip. Now she sees that she can't keep up. It stressing her out so she starts to hate those who are lazy, like they are the problem that her paint is peeling. Once you realize, Jen, that everyone is a product of their past and no one is to blame for anything your life will be better.
Bob –
Your "paint" working makes no sense. I am certaintly not stressed out and never said that and I am not perfect. I have an overweight mother and I just chose to work hard at it and not excuses and carry the weight issue on to my own kids. I have hired nutritionist to teach my kids about how important taking care of yourself is. I just say it how it is. People are overweight because they eat too much, don't track their food, and don't exercise.
You hired a nutritionist to teach your kids? You've got to be kidding. Why don't you just serve veggies first, fruit second, dairy third and if they're still hungry after that let them eat what they want? Just don't let them eat bread, pop, dairy, meat or snacks first. That's all you need to do. One sentence and I could have saved you $500.
Ani, if you are bedridden and you need the nutrition without the weight then stop worrying about the amount of calories and worry about which foods you are consuming. Stick to fruits and vegetables, cut out as much meat and dairy as possible. Try to eat uncooked vegetables if possible, also. These will help you get better without contributing the animal fats and proteins to your artieries and other places.
Jen. Doctors arent always very intelligent when it comes to nutrition. Theyre just people, not all knowing super humans. You gained 100 pounds and your doctor says you need energy? What do you think that 100 pounds is? Youre bed ridden, you need less energy. This is a huge problem when it comes to weight loss in America. Too many people were trained by the corporations trying to sell more food. Youre eating and eating and watching your body grow and grow and you refuse to believe it might be the EATING doing it.
ANI's numbers don't check out. She says she gained 100 pounds in the past year. That is 45.455 kilograms or 45,455 grams of fat gained. At 8.9 calories per gram of fat, that is 404,545 extra calories in one year, or 1,108 extra calories per day, on average. If she ate only 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day, as she says, that leaves her only 100 to 400 calories per day for basal metabolism, which is not enough to keep her basic functions going. Like most people, she drastically underestimates her calorie count, probably because a lot of what she eats simply does not register in her mind. Possibly her condition is complicated by illness, but that excuse, which may be valid in her case, does not wash for the millions of people who are obese - although practically everybody I know who is obese trots out an illness excuse or a metabolism excuse or a genetic excuse. They never blame themselves for what they stuff into their mouths or for how frequently they stuff themselves. There are things over which people have little control - e.g., in this economy, their unemployment or underemployment - but as to what they put into their stomachs, adults have total control. It may be difficult to eat well, but so what? Anything worth doing is usually difficult to do.
Bob –
Bob, you're not looking at the long term outlook. Nutrition is not taught in schools and all parents should provide their children with the education of it. I only spent $200 and it was the best $200 spent because sometimes kids do better when they hear things from people other than their parents. They explain it in kid terms and have examples for them to see. It's education!! Why would Iet my kids eat whatever they want after veg/fruit. Candy, cookies,etc. No no, those yummy things are treats for occassions or holidays. If you're a parent I hope you provide your children with the proper knowledge. My 14 year old has thanked me over and over for having the nutrionist come out to teach him. I'ts a great thing!!
We need to help people understand that "it's not okay to be fat." We strike a message of "no discrimination," where we have to treat obese people that same as physically fit people, and to consider obese as "normal." The obese come to believe that they are normal. They pass this attitude on to their children. We need to punish obesity and award physical fitness, maybe through reduced insurance premiums for fit people. There needs to be more incentive for Americans to get in shape.
Reduced insurance premiums for fit people? Right. Do you really think that thin, fit people don't have high blood pressure, kidney problems, thyroid issues, mood disorders (I'm mentioning things that require longterm or lifetime medication and follow-up care)? And what about the marathoners and extreme athletes who rack up huge medical bills for their injuries and physical rehab? Should rates be lowered for women who don't give birth? Should they be even lower for vegetarians? Vegans?
The idea is absurd.
I agree that it is not ok to be fat. But your solution does not work. We need to be supportive of everyone regardless of their situation. If you discriminate against those overweight they just don't come out of their homes and they get fatter. Is that what you want, Jay. Not too smart. The solution is to except everyone as they are today, because that simply is the way it is today. You can only make things better in the future. The way to do that is to get these people to enjoy life. If you discriminate, they will no enjoy life and they will just go home and hide.
What about being penalized for being an IGNORANT IDIOT...youre probably bald with bad teeth, and youre going to point fingers? That wont disguise youre "thin" body buddy.....
Veggiehead....
Also, ANOREXIA And BULEMIA. Those will take ages to fix as well. Thnaks for being reasonable.
Jay Williams.... everyone has issues nad just like overweight people can help themselves so can rude ignorant and uneducated people like Jay WIlliams. Look in the mirror buddy, its not always about phyiscal attributes. ...How about your obnoxious comments? And no, im not fat I just think the comments are awful.You make fun of others to hide your own inadequicies .
Veggiehead – The reality is that people who are normal weight and in decent physical shape for their age (whatever their age may be) are far less likely to have problems like high blood pressure, kidney problems, thyroid issues, mood disorders, etc etc. If insurance premiums are lowered based on physical health - and they should be - weight, gender, and age would only be part of the factors considered. Other factors would include a full physical and fitness test. If you, for example, had blood pressure that was a little high and you could only run .25 miles without stopping, but you worked on your fitness and next year your blood pressure was normal and you could run 1 mile without stopping, then your premium would be lowered, because you're now a lower health risk.
And if you don't want to have health screenings or take fitness tests... then don't. Pay whatever premium is set based on your age, gender, and whether or not you're a smoker, and don't complain about it.
LEB,
Thin people are less likely to have thyroid problems or mood problems? Where's that statistic? Thyroid problems come in underactive (which results in overweight people) and over active (which results in skinny people), and both could be expensive, depending on what other ailments might follow. As far a mood problems go, some are a result of chemical imbalances in the brain (which are not connected to weight), but claiming obese people suffer more is like the old "chicken and the egg" argument. Were they depressed and started eating? Or did they get overweight and then get depressed? What about a large chunk of medications being prescribed out there for mental health and medical reasons. A significant proportion of those drugs have weight gain as a side effect, not necessarly because people eat more, but because the meds screw around with hormone levels, or metabolism, or who knows what else. I've had some clients on some heavy psych meds and none them ever reported the doctors working with them, or offering education or support, to help them adapt their diets to their meds. Maybe some doctors do, I just haven't heard about it.
Just to clue you in, folks, but the really, really expensive illnesses are the chronic ones that go on and on into a person's old age, and the illnesses that are being aggressively treated at "end of life" stage. $4,000 to $9,000 per month at nursing homes, not including the meds or other medical attention, and treatment for certain cancers that go into the millions per person (can be covered by insurance, but might end up as "societal cost"). Addiction treatment? Depending on the facility, it can cost $3,500 to $9,000, not including the medications, ALL of which can be covered by insurance. Arthritis, either RA or OA, can go on for decades, not to mention if someone needs to have a knee or hip replaced because of it. Many doctors won't do joint replacement on someone who is obese, which means the THIN patients will be the ones racking up these costs ($20,000 to $35,000 per knee).
Yeah, I guess for some it might be easier to blame one group of people, but costs of medical care cannot be solved by "getting rid of the fat people." It sounds harsh, but it is rare for someone that obese to survive beyond their 60's, therefore these "high costs" people talk about are far more limited, and not as chronic, as some of the other things the so called "thin" people could have for longer periods of time.
What's this article about? I was busy eating and didn't have time to read it...
LOL. I love that.
Lmao! Good one Jay!
I get angry when I read that the more you are around obese people - friends or family - the more likely you are to be obese eventually. That makes it sound like you can't fight it, so why bother trying. My spouse is obese, I am thin and very fit. One of my parents was obese, as are many of my relatives. My spouse has obese parents and siblings. I have relatives who are diabetic (Type 2). Shouldn't I be fat? I decided early on that I would make the effort to maintain a healthy weight and level of fitness throughout my life, and to heck with the genetics. It just takes discipline. I'm working on changing the spouse's foodaholic ways, but it's slow going.
What part of more likely did you miss? Did the article say every person who is around obese people becomes obese? No. A single data point does not a study make.
Since it is clear that the abundance of sugars, starch, industrial vegetable oils and processed foods in the diet cause diseases of civilization like obesity, the solution lays simply in dramatically reducing these foods. We need to go back to foods as consumed by our ancestors.
Another thing is that physicians, medical specialists and dietitians don't know how the fat metabolism is working, so how can they help the obese? If you understand the fat metabolism, you can figure out yourself which measures you have to take to control your fat stores. Read more here, http://bit.ly/9bFxBU
Agreed Karen, the low carb/paleolithic/primal diets are the way to go. I struggled for years to lose an extra 40 lbs. I was eating 'right' exercising (very strenuous cardio + weights) a ton and yet continued to carry a big bulge... Until I eliminated the carbohydrates, grains, processed oils, etc from my diet and turned to the natural foods we are adapted to digest: such as meats, fish, cheese, eggs, etc. I have now lost over twenty of those intractable lbs and it continues to come off.. I don't feel hungry or have cravings, eating this way couldn't be easier. I don't worry about fat (heck that's where my energy comes from mostly) I eat big delicious steaks and juicy burgers (w/o the bun). Please, those of you who struggle, give it a try. You won't regret it.
I don't believe in judging or being critical. We could all be criticized for something, but I'd rather people focus on caring about each other and loving each other, reaching out to show kindness and friendship to everyone, not just the "good looking" people.
Parents, please stop and think about the kind of role model you're being. Are you teaching your children, through your words, to criticize, look down on others, to judge? Also, are teaching them to make healthy choices? To snack on fruits and veggies, to choose whole grain breads, how to cook and prepare healthy foods?
I've noticed people will eat what those around them are eating. If a few people start bringing fast food to work for lunch, that's what everyone else wants to bring. If people start bringing fruits and salads and healthy sandwiches, and talking about how they prepare healthy food, others start to follow suit.
We all need to be role models for each other, with healthy eating and habits but ALSO with love and acceptance, and not stooping so low as to EVER call someone "fat," including ourselves or the people we don't like.
Here's the deal, folks. It is better to be exercise and have a BMI of 22 than to not exercise and have a BMI of 30. But here is what is never mentioned: It is more important to eat fruits and vegetables than it is to exercise. You can not out run a bad diet. If you eat a perfect diet and just walk a few miles a day you will be much more healthy and happy than the guy running ten miles per day but eating junk.
Now as to why people become overweight, there are dozens of reasons and they are not excuses. Genetics, stress, education, wealth disparity, poor pre and post natal care. People who are overweight and unhealthy have it hard enough to have a bunch of prima donnas telling them that they are lazy and that it is all their fault. This country is falling apart due to the vindictiveness of these idiots. And idiots they are. If they really cared about anything other than how they look in the mirror they would be out helping other people instead of spending all of their time at the gym.
Wow Bob:
I completely agree with your first paragraph. Weird. It is true that people have an attitude of healthy food cancelling out unhealthy food, or exercise doing the same.
Mike,
You agree with Bob's first paragraph, but not the second? Hmm..interesting.
It's an American notion that the individual retains total control of everyting in their life. In the real world, not so. It is the individual's choice on how to handle their issues, but not always their choice about what issues they need to handle. I take Mike's comment not as an excuse as to why obesity is such a problem here, but rather an acknowledgement that the problem is far more complex than "exercise more and eat more veggies."
Personally, I find another fact rather interesting: other industrialized nations do not have this problem, and they have universal health care, while the US struggles with this as an epidemic AND we do NOT have universal health care. Maybe, just maybe, there's a connection between adequate health care and healthy bodies.
Coincidence? I suspect not.
Obesity is a truly sad epidemic since it is, in almost all cases, very much preventable. The last sentence of the article is one of the most interesting, in that the quoted doctor feels as though "social norms" are changing to help prevent further increases in obesity rates. Unfortunately, I think the opposite is true. Part of the problem, especially in this country, is that social norms have changed to view overweight and obese subjects as the new normal. Even a significant percentage of those who suffer from severe weight problems themselves see their bodies as normal. We are shifting our perspective to one that views as acceptable or normal what is generally accepted by most rational, science-based people as a seriously unhealthy body type or composition. In addition, there has been little change in school curricula regarding proper nutrition and body composition management. Kids still come out of high school knowing next to nothing about food, proper exercise, and how to manage their bodies. With high school being the limit of education for many people, they are stuck with a lifelong ignorance about how to prevent chronic disease and disability. It's true, we DO need to change public perspective and bring real, focused, informed education to schools and community groups. But to say that we are doing enough at the current time in those areas is demonstrably false. Rational, effective nutrition for fat loss and long-term health: http://www.NutritionPerfected.com/np-blog.html
I have no idea how you got anything out of the last sentence. It sounded to me as though they were working to change social norms for the better. Either way, there is not much information in the last sentence of the article.
Thank you, Moonbeam.! What a relief to read a message full of concern and good advise instead of the usual ignorance/arrogance.
Yet another factor destroying the developed societies. I am a physician (ob-gyn) who also tries to help patients to lose weight. No business, no special charge, I just do it "on the side". I figured out the REAL cause of obesity more than a couple of decades ago and that's what I am applying in my own practice. Would it be helpful if I wrote it down, let's say here? No, it wouldn't. People no longer wish to learn, people want to "argue and justify". It is not the cause, but among other things obesity became yet another "discrimination" issue. It is not the cause, but it sure would help, if it didn't, and would have remained what it really is, a health issue and mostly a biological issue. I could write a book, but what would be the point? Another book on the market among hundreds of others? To trigger the wrath of the obese, the "defendant of obese", those who just like to argue about everything? Once I tried to explore and spread something unpopular. It destroyed my local practice and I had to move. A friend of mine said what now, many years later, I consider a very important truth. He said:"you want to save mankind, but mankind doesn't want to be saved". Oh well......
This makes no sense. Can you please fill us in?
Yea I wanna know. Hmmm lets guess. What is the "real" reason for the obesity in America. I vote indifference. Or ignorance.
Wow. Arrogant much?
So, you see your clients for, what? At most, once a month, then once a week, until their time of labor and they pop out the kid? How is that enough time for anyone going to know what is going on in someone's life to make that judgement. It also seems to be quite the generalized statement about your level of frustration rather than your patients' status.
Unfortunately, freewill is a bitch. I see it everyday in my clients, but I try to remember it is ultimately their choice what they do with their lives. But rather then condemn the lot of them, I rather focus my energy as a healing professional on how I can lead them to make good choices for their future, rather than condemn them for the bad ones that they've made. Telling someone about their health issues can be done in a way that encourages them to acheive success, rather then put them down for what they haven't been able to do.
With stats like this, universal health would bankrupt this country for sure... but on the other hand, I guess we wont have to worry about over population in America.
Ok so people are plus size,.. find some resources here... http://store.moreofmetolove.com/ they have a great shopping site for plus size needs.
I read several comments above some of which i agree with, some I dont. I am physician & let me share my experience on this issue so far. you can tell people they are obese, they smoke, they have hypertension, diabetes, what not.....they will agree to all you have to say and yes you to death....however i have observed that they will only make a real change when they themselves want to..... I have seen pts who have triple vessel disease, who still continue to smoke...ive seen people who are 250 + lbs and feel absolutely nothing about their weight, some of these people are lucky enough to find a similar obese partner & they all live in bliss...don't give a rats ass about their weight !!!
what saddens me the most is when women in their 30-40 come to me with wanting to be pregnant, already having 2 kids...still not lost all their weight & now wanting to add more pounds.. and some of them get really pissed off when I ask them wouldn't it help them to lose this wieght before they got pregnant ??? THEY JUST DONT LIKE IT !!!
I kind of agree sometimes, that MAMKIND does not want to be saved !!
Please notice the hateful tone of many of the responses to this article. Overweight Americans are subject to abuse, ostracized, demonized, rejected socially, and discriminated against in schools and in the workplace. This article's premise is that socializing with fat people increases a person's chances of becoming fat themselves. I believe the true situation is that overweight people are much more likely to find acceptance and friendship with other overweight people. We're segregating ourselves based on weight. Hateful people feel comfortable and justified discriminating against overweight people like they used to with being sexist or racist.
No, you are not drawing a parallel. Its not the same. Stop using psychotic metaphors.
Sorry Mike,
This is EXACTLY what I've heard from people I work with (in the mental health care industry). Who wants to be around a society that spews hate all the time? It only leads to more isolation and depression, which is a high contributor to addictions in any form (drugs, food , gambling, etc).
Shaming someone doesn't work, or it would have worked on this problem at some point, oh, 20 years ago when one of my friends usd to be insulted for her weight when we were in college. Tackle the problem on a societal level like we've been trying to do with cancer and leave the insults out of it.
like problem drinkers who sit alone, together, in bars? perhaps its all of the abuse the obese are taking, but i would venture, much more likely that it is just social acceptance – we tend to feel more comfortable with those who are like us.
like excessive drinking, whether binge or daily abuse, it really isn't ok. obesity has many tremendously bad long term impacts for our society. that's not hating, that's just facts. but, because this is "america" and vested interests are making billions of dollars as a result (like smoking, alcohol, and now processed junk foods), we believe that through our individual "freedom of choice" it is somehow now an acceptable result for our society as a whole.
well, no freedom without responsibility, i say. and resposibility goes well beyond the individual right to make good decisions, because clearly many of us aren't. also, when will the corporate interests making billions of dollars from our society going to have to pay for the "externalized costs" of their profits on our society? surely their taxes don't begin to cover the true costs of our lack of moderation. we surely understand that society as we know it is just an experiment. it could fail, under the weight (pun intended) of our inability to self govern, right? right?
god bless america, land of the "free" and lack of responsibility!
It comes down to personal responsibility and some form of pride and discipline, people! No amt of gov funding will help people who are basically out of control. I am sick of the cry-baby attitude from fat people. You are the MAJORITY now, not some helpless, abused minority. DO SOMETHING. CHANGE YOUR LIVES.The pervasiveness of obesity is just a symptom of the overall evils in this country: ignorance, lack of control, and laziness. How many fat Chinese people do you see? Watch out, USA!
I was afraid if I serve mostly vegetables for dinner no one will eat it. I was wrong. My kids liked it. Try it.
Yes, my kids love veggies too. It's wonderful. They have always eaten them since they were born.
I cook almost every night of the week. I have a two year old, a husband and full time job. It's a priority for me to do that because it helps me reconnect with my family and it allows me to teach my daughter what a healthy portion looks like, as well as what healthy food is in general.
Additionally when I was in college and law school I would invite my friends over once a month for a big italian style meal and while maybe the food was higher in fat back then the point was to get a taste of homecooking and a big dose of friendship at the same time.
No doubt that food is social. We don't simply eat to no longer be hungry but to connect with each other and enjoy our time together. In some ways I think food is something that brings us together and it's something each of us can connect with on an individual and personal level.
Sooo.... I should get rid of my fat friends because I may become infected with their fatness?
if anything, having overweight friends is a big deterrence for me to never get to their weight
I very much agree that a persons income level affects what they eat and their body size. People need to see that if a person is on welfare, Medicaid, and other government assisted living they have a higher chance of being extremely unhealthy. I have seen people with food stamps buy 3 or 4 subs from the grocery store, bags of chips and soda to drink it down with food stamps. Why? Because they can. Even working, low income and these days middle class families, have a harder time buying healthier meals/snacks because a $1.99 bag of chips is much easier on the wallet then a $ 5.00 bag of oranges or apples. A .70 cent bottle of store brand soda is easier to buy then a $3.00 gallon of milk/juice. When the current price increases are affecting healthy everyday foods more then they are junk food, what are people going to buy? Are they going to buy things like milk, bread, veggies, fruits, etc. All of the prices are out of control, but the one thing a person can always count on is a cheap affordable bag of junk...
Well I guess it's their choice. I would rather excercise and forgo a snack here and there to maintain a slim fit look. I'm healthier this way and feel much better about myself too. But it does take some discipline.
Another great problem is, that with working parents, dinner at 5:00/5:30 sharp is a thing of the past. By the time parents go to the grocery store, get home, and make an actual dinner, it's 7:30/8:00 sometimes later. Then sitting around the house is much more likely, because everyone is full and tired. Kids sit down to work on their homework, people's favorite shows are on. I know experts say that we should not be eating past 6pm to stay healthier, but how are working families supposed to that?
A good point but really, completely avoidable. Cook in advance. Shop in advance. Of course cooking and shopping and having a family meal is difficult if you shop and cook every night. I get off in time to do it. You dont. So adjust. And no, no one else is going to tell you what to do. Figure it out on your own.
GROSS! OBESE PEOPLE COST THE ECONOMY SOO MUCH WATED MONEY AND THEY ARE TERRIBLE TO LOOK AT. I THREW UP IN MY MOUTH WHEN I HAD TO LOOK AT THIS PICTURE. EWWW
Grow up, Amber.
When you get a bit wiser (hopefully), you'll understand weight is no guarantee of health. I've got a relative who is "officially" 70 pounds overweight, but his cholesterol is 155, and blood pressure at 105/55, because he is active and exercises. With no mental health issues or other things going on that can also cause chronic and long term treatment costs, he probably sees a doctor once or twice a year, which is not bad for someone over 40 years old. Could it cause problems in the future? Maybe. But the generalizations and childish exclamations betray your issues, not a "fat" persons.
Drug addictions (even prescription), smoking addictions and alcohol addictions cause no inflation to the health care costs, right? Come on, if it's not one addiction it is another and if your health is affected by it then so is health care.
SOME people are fat because of a true medical condition. I do sympathize with those people, and do not pass judgment on an individual level because of this fact. There's no way to know by looking at a person.
MOST people are fat because of poor diet and lack of exercise. On a societal scale, you can't blame illness for the sheer numbers of obese people. MOST people would be able to avoid obesity or fix it if they ate healthier food and got some exercise. No secret there.
thanks for the comment, Michelle.
The problem is just too great for it to be only a "lifestyle choice." Too much else is going on a societal level that needs to be addressed before there is going to be any real progress in controling obesity.
No not really cat. Obesity is a condition on an individual level. You have to take personal responsibility for what you eat, and how you exercise. You have to seek out solutions. You want it the other way around where society has to deliver only healthy foods and popularize exercise for change to happen. Goods and services are offered in this country as a result of demand. Society will not change before people change.
I have to disagree Mike, it really is on a societal level. The fact is, major corporations reiterate the idea that weight is completely under one's control and that it all comes down to personal responsibility. That's because they don't want to admit their complicitiy in this epidemic. Fact is, processed foods are addictive, as addictive as cocaine in some cases. And like all addiction issues, some people are harder hit than others. The obese in the US need EDUCATION, RESOURCES & SUPPORT, not condemnation!! Imagine being a drug addict trying to kick the habit and having to face your drug of choice ALL THE TIME! How successful will you be?
Plus, you can be overweight and healthy – we as a society equate thin w/ healthy and therefore feel that we can judge those we deem as "unhealthy". I'm 50lbs overweight, but I lead an active lifestyle, eat well and am in perfect health (170 cholesteral, 110/60 average blood pressure, normal sugar levels), whereas my friend, who's 5'6 & 125lbs has a cholesteral level of over 200. Hmmm, interesting.... Yet I'm the one whose ostrasized and she's celebrated. And for those of you who say, well she's 50 lbs overweight so she must be doing something wrong. Trust me, I'm not. This is my optimal weight (I lost over 100lbs), I got here by trusting and listening to my internal body queues. Oh and btw, BMI is bogus and that has been scientifically proven.
Fat due to a medical condition such as hyper thyroidism is extremely rare. Most obese people do lack the self control and motivation to stay fit. It's a downward spiral too: The heavier you get; the harder it is to exercise; you are actually tired due to pre-diabetic or diabetic conditions as well as a high chance of developing OSA which causes additional weight gain. More joint damage occurs as does more depression leading you to eat poorly drink etc. This all leads to obesity. Then on top of it all, the obese and overweight will always have an excuse as to why they can't exercise.
Okay, so obviously I used to be one of them and no it was not easy to drop the weight and I sure did make excuses! To say I felt very bad as a result of the condition is a gross understatement. Last October I weighed 275 pounds and I am 6 foot 1 inch. Definitely well into the obese bracket there. Finally had enough of it and began swimming and eating a diet of about 1300-1400 calories a day which was all high fiber/protein low carb/sugar/fat. I am now 185 pounds; extremely muscular; and more physically fit than anyone that I know personally. I swim vigorously for an hour before work every morning and also all of my "fun" activities involve something physical such as dance classes, long boarding, martial arts, etc. I do not just plant my butt in front of the TV. If I'm at home, I try to do something active and productive. My "exercise" level each week is about 10-15 hours. If I do get in front of the TV, I grab some free weights and my perfect pushups.
One major problem with the perception of exercise and diet is that people perceive it as a temporary event and give up on it far too soon. You need to adopt it as a lifestyle and discipline where you are constantly challenging yourself and asking the question, "I wonder if I can do (blank)". Self confidence is a huge gain to in addition to feeling like you are young again. Nice to have attractive women glancing my way rather than averting their eyes and pretending I didn't exist. I'm taken far more seriously at work now too.
The power to be fit is in yourself. Stop making excuses and get busy enjoying life fully!
Mike,
You might want to brush up on your comprehension skills. I commented on obesity being not only a lifestyle choice; this means it is a combination of lifestyle and outside pressures or issues.
While individual responsibility is key, it isn't the only consideration. This whole health issue, if we are going to comment on it as a societal problem, needs to address all the factors going into it, not exclusively placing the blame on the individual.
If people want to make bad choices about what they shove in their mouth, that's not my business unless they want me to pay for the health care costs associated with their obesity. Medicare will go broke fixing obese people who chose to be fat. Just put down the feedbag of junk food. It really is that simple. There are no known cultures where people who eat natural and traditional food diet that are obese. Or do you want to keep chomping? Peter Klika, Kapaau, Hawaii
Seriously... exactly how much money are you paying to fund fat people. I keep seeing that posted all over the place, but I don't recall getting any notice from the government or my insurance company with a breakdown showing a contribution to "fat people healthcare". Just curious. I never post to boards but after checking out this link and then reading some of the comments I just couldn't help myself. Let me know if there is a webpage with a breakdown of the money the average American taxpayer contributes to fund "fat people when they are old and on Medicare".
to Ummm,
That's because it isn't actually calculated, but more an estimate based on obesity being one of the factors contibuting to the diseases that are a few of the top killers in the US, namely type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high cholesterol. However, I, too, have gone looking for some stats specifically looking at a person's body mass or weight relative to some of the really high-cost diseases, such as type 1 diabetes (which does NOT caused by being overweight), and chronic diseases, such as arthritis, mental illness, drug/alcohol addiction or some forms of cancer. Problem is, most health care provided in this country is fragmented, and tends to focus on specific issues rather than making more complex connections about how whole systems of problems could be contributing to medical costs.
I see many people here are talking about "bad choices of others". I was in UK and France this year and my impression was that there was next to no fat people around me.
You can claim that "someone makes a bad choice" but it looks more like our scisiety makes a bad choice, or health system, or food indurstry, not particular person.
I agree with your observation. I spent some time in England and France a few years back and everyone walked or rode their bike. Paris, especially, is very pedestrian-friendly and easy to get around on foot. But they also have a good health care system, as oposed to the "sick-care" system we have here that lacks a cohesive plan that addresses a person holistically, rather than as individual parts. Plus, I found there was an over all slower pace, even in London and Paris. Overall, a healthier way of looking at life and its priorities.
That's right, America – keep on cramming un-godly amounts of crap down your throats on a daily basis, because, hey!, you have a RIGHT to be 300lbs or more. Soon, we'll all be so bloody fat that we won't even be able to reach for our beloved guns, let alone pull the trigger with our stubby lumps that used to be fingers. Oh, and don't forget to wash down your cardiovascular feast of doom with a "diet" soda.
I'm not ashamed to say that I'm a full figured woman. I run about 200 pounds. Whoever doesn't like it, and can't see me for myself can go to hell for all I care because no one is perfect. I don't consider myself obese because some person who resembles the hangman drawing tells me I am. And guess what I didn't sit and gorge myself. My blood pressure is just about perfect. I walk more than your average skinny person because I don't drive. I could run rings around most of you stuck up skinny people out there. There is a such thing as an overweight gene that I think the Mother carries. Most of the women in my family are overweight. I can assure you they do not eat giant portions of food either. Child birth is also an issue. And some people can exercise until they drop dead and eat all the right foods and they will still be overweight because of slow metabolism.
"Full Figured." I like when that phrase is used in a positive note. Like, "hey. I have a ton of fat on me that really rounds out the edges." But I dont want to sound like I'm insulting you. If you are comfortable with whatever your weight is, thats fine. This is America. Just stop misinforming people about your health. We dont think you are obese because skinny people say so. You are obese because of the definition of the word. Just because you feel no shame in your obesity does not make it healthy. It just means you are ok with it. Genetics does not affect weight like you are representing. There is no "fat gene." Just like there is no "cancer gene." There are genetics that influence your weight in indirect ways. If you are prone to becoming overweight, it is your responsibility to overcome that deficiency. If you choose not to, that's fine. Just dont claim you are healthy as well. Health is not a state of comfort, it is a tangible, measurable thing. You are not healthy.
I'm afraid that I'm going to have to correct you again Mike. Its been proven that there are genes that will cause people to hold on to their fat moreso than others, kind of like a "fat gene". At one time, this was an evolutionary bonus b/c those people had a better chance to survive during times of famine, whereas people who were not prone to that ("naturally thin" people) usually didn't make it.
And I know you'd say that no matter what, I'm unhealthy b/c I'm not thin, but my doctor would disagree with you. I have semi-annual check-ups and the response is always, "whatever you're doing, keep it up – your stats are perfect". But according to you, that must be wrong.
Another thing to consider is your body's optimal weight, which may not necessarily be what you think. People believe that they can control their weight, but the fact is your body wants to be a certain size (your optimal weight for health) and that is different for everyone. You can't control your height, unless you go thru extremely painful and dangerous procedures to have your bones elongated or something. What makes you think your weight is different? You can starve yourself all you want, your body will find a way to get the weight it wants back on, or else your health will forfeit. Read "Health at Every Size" by Dr. Linda Bacon – it shows what a crock the diet industry is.
I completely agree with you Stipey. Im not obese but im not skinny. Im 18 and i am completely comfortable with my body. We are comfortable how we are and when society tells us that it isnt right for us to be the size we are, its hurtful. I agree that it isnt healthy to be obese, but it is also not healthy to be super skinny, but its a persons choice. Let people live and worry about yourself. Yea, i dont eat the healthiest food all the time, but i sure as hell dont sit on my ass and not do shit. I am active and walk several miles a day and try to watch what i eat. Me bein big does NOT effect your life. Get over the fact that not everybody is the same. Treat us with the same respect that we give you 'fit' people, or leave us alone. We do not need your negativity in our lives.
Why do so many people seem to think that our government is responsible for making us healthy, or for MAKING us take steps to become more healthy? Where has personal responsibility gone?
TWO THUMBS DOWN: Perri said – "If the govt would not allow junk foods such as chips, dips, sodas, candy, gum, snack foods, etc. to be purchased with food stamps then the obesity problem would not be such a huge problem."
TWO THUMBS UP: Joe – "You know talk to food makers, get smaller plate for god sake EXERCISE, even if you don't feel like it is doing something getting your heart pumping for at least 30 minutes will help you greatly."
And THIS: EK – "It comes down to personal responsibility and some form of pride and discipline, people! No amt of gov funding will help people who are basically out of control. I am sick of the cry-baby attitude from fat people. You are the MAJORITY now, not some helpless, abused minority. DO SOMETHING. CHANGE YOUR LIVES."
The big problem is that they are not taking personal responsibility. The govt. is wailing about obese people and the drain they are on medical facilities, esp. Medicare and Medicaid. Yet, the govt. is enabling obesity by allowing junk foods to be purchased with food stamps.
And another thing I'm so sick to death of Europeans and beyond acting like there are no fat people where they live. I heard more stories from England about children gorging themselves and parents having to hide and lock food up. More stories than I've heard from America. I went to England I've seen plenty of overweight people. Also how come no one is giving the beer drinkers a lecture. There are men and women with beer bellies all over the world. I bet some of you posting this are big and fat yourself. Hypocrite's come in every kind.
Of course there are: people are people, regardless of where they are. When you look closer at the overall conditions people who are overweight live with (emotional, geographical, psychological, physical), it IS the same, whether they are in the US or in England. It just isn't in the numbers that it is in the US, and with the poor, fragmented health care system we have, the financial cost is much, much higher than it is in Europe. I find it discouraging, from the comments posted, that many people would want overweight people to simply die rather than offer options on a societal level to help individuals turn it around.
I did notice significantly fewer obese people when I went to Germany a few years ago. I didn't realize it until I did see a fat person, then I realized it was the first fat person I had seen in a week!
I don't buy the whole junk food is cheaper argument. I really don't. When you think about it in a rational manner, the 1.99 (where are you buying your chips- the ones I see are usually 3.79 or more) bag of chips will last you how long? And the 5$ (again, the ones I usually see are 3$) bags of apples will last you how long? How much more likely are you and your kids to gorge yourselves on the bag of chips? They will last you guys an afternoon while a bag of apples (assume there's 10 in there) will last you 10 days. THIS is the problem. People are so concerned with immediate gratification that they cannot thing clearly. You say spending 1$ on a burrito is better than 3$ on a bag of frozen vegetables, but that burrito is ONE meal (or one part of a meal), while the bag of frozen veggies could be 2-3 sides for your family or 2 meals for a single person. THIS ISN'T ROCKET SCIENCE.
Junk food has never been, and never will be cheaper. Ever. People try to justify the REAL advantage junk food has. Its EASIER!
Actually, prices do depend largely where you live, and how well you can access in season, or inexpensive food. I live in New England, and from November to May, the only "local" produce we might have comes from greenhouses up here that operate year round (REALLY expensive to heat, so food is expensive), or whatever is imported in, which is everything else. 1 pound blueberries or strawberries? $3.99 to $6.99, depending on quality. Frozen veggies? Yeah, $1 for half a pound to $3.50 for a pound of something exotic. But fresh fruit? Apples are cheapest, because we have a local crop here that can last for a while into the winter, but by March, a 3 pound bag costs $5.00 (I paid $9.95 for 1/2 a peck, or one small bag, from a local orchard last week, and it's the going rate around here).
Monkey – If you don't believe junk food is cheaper then you're kidding yourself. Take it from someone who has lived off junk food and is RIGHT NOW eating all healthy food. I made the switch and had to increase my grocery budget 100 dollars a month and I live in Mississippi where we grow a lot of this stuff locally. I'm blessed to be able to do that but many if not most are not. It is MUCH more expensive. And your bag of apples comparison is a nice try but if you are really eating healthy and getting your fruits and veggies in then a bag of 10 will only last you 3 to 5 days if you don't have any other fruits to snack on. I've never eaten a bag of chips in an afternoon. I can stretch one out for 5 days easy.
Per calorie junk food has to be insanely cheaper. That bag of chips for 3.79 has 1100-2000 calories? Compared to what 500 or less from the organic broccoli that would run 5 bucks.
Everyone – and I do mean everyone – is going to, one day in the future, die. The morons posting on this board, who lack empathy or understanding, will eventually die. Those who are somehow claiming that fat people cost them money (WHAT???) will eventually die. Those that value looks above all things (and I guarantee that some of the "thin" people posting are probably not the most attractive people in the world), will eventually die. It may be cancer, or a heart attack, or a horrible car accident. I think the most disgusting aspect of "American" culture has nothing to do with the way people look – it is an attitude. One where the weak of society – those that lurk in crappy jobs or are stuck in loveless relationships or are too afraid to go and change their lives, now use the internet as some kind of safe haven to post all the thoughts and ideas they are afraid to openly express in public as they are too scared they might be punched in the face. A bigger chunk of my taxpayer money goes to fund those morons that text and drive (causing accidents), fail to respect others (damaging property, bullying, etc), or overspend for a lifestyle they cannot afford.
In a post-post industrial society like the US, where public transportation is a joke, the building of suburbs have created city plans where no one can walk to the store without risking getting hit by a car, and to be "successful" one has to work themselves stupid (usually sitting, in front of a computer) – there should be no surprise as to why there is an obesity problem. Further, though there is definitely a link between obesity and lower incomes, overeating in these populations might not have anything to do with the person being ignorant. Americans are addicted to pills, depressed, whining about every possible stereotype or "unfair" situation and some of you out there are wondering WHY some people are fat? Maybe it is a simply a defense mechanism for some.
I do think something has to be done (and should be done) as overweight people are to a degree inhibited by their poor lifestyle. I think that people are making attempts to correct this. Sooner or later there will be fewer excuses to not get help (as it will be affordable and everywhere). But making others neurotic about being fat probably is not a good solution.
And then, once obesity is solved, Americans can start working on eliminating the ignorant. I find them WAY more disgusting and gross (and expendable) than most overweight people I know. Not to mention, I am forced to contribute way too much money funding their stupidity.
I like you!
Right on!!
When 80 percent of the grocery store is processed junk food that is much much cheaper than the other 20 percent of the store and quite honestly tastes much better because it is formulated by scientists TO taste better then what exactly do you expect. You don't really see many discounts on produce. They always mark down the macaroni and cheese though. And the government is all rhetoric concerning this problem. They offer no incentives for food retailers to push healthier products and there is no regulation even though the food we eat is literally a slow working poison.
Well – some of us don't eat it. I think the only 'processed' foods I ever buy are the occasional box of crackers, and some diet Cokes. I just cannot fathom why people would want most of that garbage that occupies all the center aisles at the grocery store. Produce, dairy (real, not the petroleum product stuff) and bread from a local bakery are almost all I ever purchase, despite all the SALE SALE SALE!!! SAVE SAVE SAVE!!! screaming at me from my mailbox twice a week. Once in a rare while I might buy some meat but never hot dogs, canned stew, yadda yadda. They say the best rule of shopping is that if the ingredient list is not comprised of things your grandmother would have recognized as food, don't buy it. That's not my mantra but it ends up being true. I think it's made me healthier. I hope so. If not, at least it sure tastes better!
This is why I just cannot understand why so many people were railing against the government for requiring chain restaurants to post prominently (or include prominently on their menus) the nutritional content of their menu items. This is NOT a 'government takeover' of the restaurant industry and it is not Big Brother forcing you to stop eating that cholesterol-pattie – it's just making the information available so that those who want to know can find out – it just might save some lives. IMHO we'd go a long way toward reducing the blimp factor if people would just use manual can-openers, wire whisks instead of electric mixers (for most things), hand-knead their bread dough, chop up their own cabbage instead of buying it pre-shredded, use a manual pencil sharpener, and so on. Even these little daily 'convenience' items rob us of some significant accumulated exercise / caloric output, that over the years adds up to a lot of extra pounds. And just think, we'd reduce our collective carbon footprint at the same time.
Right on Charlotte, I have no problem with it. It will at least make people think about what they are taking in and perhaps direct them to healthier options on the menu. Yes! Surpisingly enough fast food restaurants do have healthy options. I actually lost 40 pounds eating McDonald's for lunch everyday. How'd I do it. I drank water and DIDN'T ORDER THE ANGUS BURGER WITH FRIES! I got a salad everyday and enjoyed it just as much.
Chris,
Nice idea, but did you know that many McDonald's adds MSG as a preservative to their salads? That's because the bulk of them are made 4 to 8 hours before they are sold, and they need to look fresh for customers. Plus it's standard in the industry to wash the veggies in a bleach solution to "sanatize it" (this from a friend I have who's worked in fast food and in supermarkets preparing the salad bar). I say this because I my body has a very adverse reaction to MSG (headaches, rashes if there's too much) so I have to avoid it.
Many people haven't heard of this before. It's not everywhere, but it's there.
Alex Ardenti
Substituting High Fructose Corn Syrup found in practically ALL packaged foods would actually be a step in the right direction.
Alex Ardenti
I don't get all of the hate towards fat poeple. If poeple wish to ignore all the health risks and become obese its their choice. The only thing that can be amusing is when poeple view it as anything other than a "choice". A few years ago I studied abroad in Austria and in 8 months living there I saw less obese poeple than I did in the lobby of the airport when I stepped off the plane back in New York. It was really startling. So unless these "fat genes" only exist in America its all a myth.
I have to agree with you. When you go to other parts of the world, you hardly ever see obese people. Yet in america, everyone has a "medical condition" that causes their obesity.
I have been a personal trainer for over 20 yrs and I have helped plenty of people lose incredible amounts of weight, and they pay me quite a bit to help them. I wish that I could help everyone but there is really no way that I can, however, I can offer up some free advice and that is, until everyone, including physicians, start focusing on losing body fat versus losing weight then no one will truly be successful. Every time a person just loses weight they are losing what they need to keep and that is muscle. So many women are afraid that if they lift weights too much or too heavy that they will all immediately turn into what professional bodybuilders look like and this is just not so. In my opinion, all women should be lifting weights so that ultimately they can help their bodies lose fat. To lose fat you must keep your metabolism working. You have to make sure that your body does not store fat. A great way to do this is to start eating from the time you get up in the morning and continue to eat smaller meals more throughout the day until you go to bed at night. Those meals should consist of a balance of carbohydrates, protein and keep the fat intake low (around 6 grams max per meal) unless it is a healthy fat such as olive oil or alvocados for example. By eating this way you are never hungry and combined with lifing weights and doing cardio your body starts to shed fat. The process is slow but worth the wait. Another problem is that people want it fast. This is the wrong way of thinking. Is this work? Yes it is! But, if a person just starts to think that they are worth it and they do a little planning then it can be done and it gets easier over time. The key is to be consistent, dilligent, and disiplined. Oh! and the good thing that I have to tell you is that every two weeks after doing this you should have something with more calories and more fat, even some sugar and sodium, basically a junk day, this will prevent the body from the plateau. This way you can have some times where you get to eat some of those things that you;ve been wanting, like chocolate cake, and keep your sanity. Make sure that after that one day you get right back on track again. I promise you if you take this advice and really start a program for yourself you will get results, but be patient. Good Luck! You only have one body and one life so why not be healthy and feel great, it is really worth it!
I'm interested: how does one day "off" the meal plan prevent the body from the plateau? I've lost about 45 pounds in the past year, but I've been stuck on a plateau for the past two months, with no increases in caloric intake, or changes to my meal plan, and consistant exercise. What' goes on metabolically to make this work?
Nothing. I dont think Tori meant it like that. Its just a cheat day so you can have junk food every now and then and not get sick of healthy eating. If you are on a plateau odds are you have reached a point where your body requires fewer calories. I'd cut back even more. If you feel like youre not getting enough nutrition to keep healthy, remember that at least half of the population eats about twice what they should.
Also remember that eating healthy will by definition will put you on a plateau. Dieting is about restriction. Maybe youre at a healthy weight and dont need to lose any more weight. Consider that possibility.
Fat people are fat because they're lazy, and have no self control when it comes to food. They DISGUST me. I'd rather not look at them. In this world looks are everything. Thank God Im a size 2 and one of the beautiful people! My life has been made to be much easier because of my looks! Peace out people!
I find it interesting you are interpreting objectification as success. Don't worry, you'll hit the "cuteness but stupid glass ceiling" soon enough.
Looks fade, and a tiny brain and tinier heart is forever.
Cat, glad you're interested! It sounds like because you have been keeping your caloric intake consistent that your body has caught on to what you are doing and has adjusted to that. You now have to confuse it a little bit by raising your calories and fat intake. This will give your metabolism a boost and jump start it back to burning more calories.
Mike, this mentality of eating less is why most people have too much body fat. Unfortunately, because everyone has been told for such a long time now that they should eat less, this is why the general public thinks this way. The information that I am giving is out there already but for some reason some people, such as yourself, seem to think that this is another diet and it is not. This way of eating is all about learning to live a healthy lifestyle. It is anti-diet, that is why trainers' such as myself advise our clients to eat this way because they are still reducing their caloric intake of a 3500 calorie deficit each week, which in turn causes them to lose body fat as long as they combine this way of eating with lifting weights and doing cardio. The defict comes in taking the calories out in fat and burning up the rest, however you are not deprived, on the other hand, you eat all day long and still lose. This is a healthy way to eat because your body can only take in a certain amount of nutrition at one time, by eating this way you are giving your body many opportunities during the day to get more nutrition. What happens is that then you have more energy and more strength and you want to expend that energy and therefore you want to workout. If you do this you will feel great!
Nobody needs to do a big study to find out why many people are obese. Just ask a few mothers who have to feed a family on a small income. Pasta and potatoes are a lot cheaper than fresh fruits and vegetables and stretch further. Simple as that.
But if the children are gaining weight (and are overweight), she is probably not serving proper portion sizes, using healthy low-fat sauces instead of butter, etc. How much pasta and boiled potato does it take to make a growing child keep gaining weight? Quite a bit, I'd say.
what happened to manditory phys. ed class. when i went to school in the 60's phys ed was a manditory hour of the day. why do we wonder why our kids arent getting enough physical activity when we took it away. why did we allow soda pop in the schools, and french fries? All the great minds, and we cant see what right in front of our faces. just do the right thing
Why is refusing to allow junk foods to be purchased with food stamps elitist? If soft drinks, chips, candy, other junk foods were banned from food stamp usage, it would help stem the tide of the obese. News is constantly mentioning the obese problem but the govt is partly to blame for not limiting the choices of food stamp purchases. Only healthful foods should be allowed to be purchased with the stamps. This would be one way of forcing people to make better food choices. Of course, non food stamp users could still make poor choices, but at least the govt. is not subsidizing them.
I think that articles like this still gloss over what daily life is like for a person with obesity and why its such an important issue. It's one thing to say that you have an increased chance of diabetes because you are obese. It's another thing to say that you need both knees replaced because osteoarthritis completely ate away at the cartilage and you can barely walk from the parking lot because of excruciating pain, or that you needed a limb amputated because of repeated infections caused by diabetes.
It's easy to sit here and say that "something" needs to be done. It's also easy to say that nutritional choices start at home, but everyone ends up paying for it with either higher taxes or increased insurance premiums if there are an increasing number of people who need thousands of dollars in health care because they have diabetes, heart disease, and back and knee problems.