Why are Americans so fat?

[sendero]

Poll question: Why are Americans so fat?

Take this earth-shaking poll, IF YOU DARE!

[democracyindanger]

1. You should have a "combination" choice

So many factors. Diet, sedentary lifestyles, size of portions, etc.

[Biased Liberal Media]

2. I agree but I'd add

also: Genetic predisposition. Not many obese have true health problems that can warrant it, but there are those out there who do have health problems that make it hard to lose weight or help them gain weight.

[Megawatt]

133. I agree - lots of factors

but mostly all the processing that food goes through and sedentary lifestyles.

[goddess40]

3. Because we sit at the computer reading DU and eating cookies.

I eat when I'm bored or when I'm frustrated and I don't know what to do. This election crap has me eating like a pig.

[cliss]

4. #1 Reason for Americans and their flab:

A sedentary lifestyle. Instead of walking, they drive. Instead of walking up the steps, they take the elevator. Rather than take a walk, they will shove in another VHS video tape and watch it instead.

I don't think the diet is as much of a problem as the lifestyle. I go out for walks & jog all the time. Most of the time, I have the place to myself.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

24. I agree. The lack of exercise is a bigger problem than

the diet.

[Amaya]

5. Sedentary lifestyle

Process foods, LARGE portions, and an unhealthy relationship with food.

Eat in moderation and move. Enjoy food, don't obsess about it.

[jpgray]

6. Self control and/or willpower are dead as the dodo here

Yeah, bad food is cheap, but you can still eat small amounts of bad food and stay very thin. And honestly, good food is not that much more expensive.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

14. Good food IS that much more expensive

I don't want to have an argument about grocery bills with you again, but many poor folks are obese because ramen noodles are 5/$1 and broccoli is $3/lb. Processed food makes people fat, and it's nearly impossible to eat healthily on minimum wage. Have you read Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickle and Dimed"? That will give you some perspective on how the poor eat.

[jpgray]

15. You still can't gain weight unless you eat more than you burn

And for that, people have no one to blame but their own selves.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

30. You know that's not true

that has been debunked. People who are insulin-resistant and have slower metabolisms do not burn calories efficiently. Many generations of poor people have inherited this. You repeat the same erroneous assertion ad nauseum. Do you have a problem with poor people or the overweight? Do you not acknowledge metabolism and insulin issues that are in play? Maybe we should just cut food stamps altogether so the poor can't eat. Maybe they'll be thin and lithe then to your specifications. :crazy:

[jpgray]

32. It's a physical impossibility

You can't take in a less or equal amount to what you burn and gain weight. It is impossible. Unless the stomachs of the poor are magical and defy the laws of physics.

"Maybe we should just cut food stamps altogether so the poor can't eat. Maybe they'll be thin and lithe then to your specifications."

THey don't have to meet my expectations, but there is virtually no reason for any otherwise healthy person to be morbidly obese. Lots of excuses, but no real reasons.

[Kathy in Cambridge]

33. What about metabolism and insulin-sensitivity

that plays a huge role in weight gain.

And BTW the theory about burning more calories than you consume is 1960s science. You really should keep up with modern science...

:eyes:

[jpgray]

35. Okay. Show me the "modern science" on eating less or the same you burn

And then gaining weight. I'll wait right here for it. So all obese folks have problems with metabolism and insulin-sensitivity? You know that genetics are not the only factor for either of those problems? They can be exacerbated or mitigated by lifestyle choices, such as lack of exercise (metabolism) and poor food choices (insulin). Poor food choices doesn't mean Ramen, it means gallons of soda and mounds of sugary foods that are NOT cheap and affordable as compared to healthier fare.

[ChairOne]

68. They understood physics perfectly well in the 1960s....

Taking in more calories than one burns leads to weight gain.

Else the entire internet is under a collective delusion, and physics no longer has any meaning.... :

http://www.intense-workout.com/weight.html

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/calories/burning_calories/burn_more_calories.htm

http://www.mayoclinic.com/invoke.cfm?id=HQ01076

Every link I followed from a google search said the same thing. Every single one of them.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=gain+weight+calories+burn+more

[Donkeyboy75]

155. No, you need to understand current science,

and not bend it to suit your needs. Some people have lower metabolisms. True. That means they burn less calories. So, they have to eat less (which is fine, because their body doesn't need as many calories). It still comes down to consuming less than or equal to the amount your body uses in a given day.

[SarahB]

76. Very true for some of us.

I'm at the upper range of a healthy BMI range and have had no choice but learn to be content with that. I eat like a bird. High protein, lots of veggies, only high fiber, whole grains, rarely any sweets (like a few times a year). I'm very active too. I should be underweight with what I eat, but I have to fight for this.

Back before I essentially dropped most carbohydrates out of my life, I couldn't get under 170 (I'm 5' 5") even with a ton of exercise following most mainstream recommendations for weight loss. Some of us have bodies that really want to hold onto to that excess poundage and are really sensitive to much of anything with sugar in it.

[seventythree]

145. EXACTLY!

[Telly Savalas]

29. People get obese on Ramen?

I was under the impression that it was McDonalds (and other fast food joints), chips, soft drinks, etc., that contributed most to obesity.

Healthy home cooked meals are cheaper than Mcdonalds. A bag of baby carrots is cheaper than a bag of fritos, and tap water is cheaper than Pepsi. Although it's curious that the health food/shite food price comparison seems to be much less favorable in the U.S. than Canada. (Or at least in my experience of suburban Kansas City versus Toronto.) Candy bars are cheaper in the US, whereas the veggies are cheaper in Canada. Anyone know why that is?

Having cities designed for cars and not pedestrians doesn't help either. In most places zoning laws require such a pathological segregation of residential and commercial areas, that one is obligated to drive everywhere instead of walking. This encourages a more sedentary lifestyle (in addition to making our living spaces soulless and bland.)

[Kathy in Cambridge]

31. Read Barbara Ehrenreich's "Nickle and Dimed"

Fast food IS cheaper here. I eat healthily because I can afford too. Fresh fruit and veggies are expensive. Even frozen veggies aren't cheap.

Many obese folks have insulin-resistance, wheat sensitivity and metabolism issues that predispose them to weight gain. Sedentary lifestyles make things worse.

Most obese people are poor. When I see the hard-hearted attitudes toward the overweight on DU, it translates into these kinds of attitudes toward the less fortunate. If I want to see that kind of BS, I'd go over and read a RW website.

[Lone_Star_Dem]

40. You make an excellent point.

In my community there is a a high portion of 'poor' people who are over weight.

They eat poor people food, macaroni and cheese, Raman noodles, fatty cuts of meat. It's what they can afford and if you eat like that you gain weight.

Next you have the people who are the fast food eaters. It is cheaper to buy a burger and fries then to cook a healthy meal. At least where I live it is.

Combine these with our general sedentary lifestyle and you get a Nation that has a disproportionate amount of obesity.

[Biased Liberal Media]

72. I live in a community that is predominantly blue-collar

and I see a LOT of obese people out here...something (being originally from California) that I am not used to seeing.

I know a lot of people, my family included, who are on the lower middle class level who cannot afford more organic, less hormone-added foods. We try to make the best decisions possible on what we eat (for example we stick to chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, frozen veggies (not canned), and I usually prepare everything we eat- we don't go out but on average 1-2x a month and it's NOT for fast food...I loathe fast food and refuse to buy it. If we're going to eat out, we're going to a NICE restaurant), but we're on a limited budget. My brother & sister-in-law are a great example of this- their cupboards are stocked with hamburger helper, mac n cheese, generally poor choices food-wise- but my bro-in-law get this stuff on sale along with fatty cuts of ground beef or meat because it's what he can afford. I've told her she could save money by making stuff from scratch- but she doesn't take care of that end (bro-in-law does). And the kicker- they are NOT obese. My nephews are NOT obese either. My husband is a big guy and I'm a big woman. Our daughter is perfect for her age and height.

My point is- money has a LOT to do with it- and those saying you can make better choices on a tighter budget- yeah, if everyone had the time and effort to put into cooking homemade meals, yes...but most don't have the kitchen utensils or cooking pans/pots or time to do so. And yes, money can affect what kind of food you buy. I would prefer to drink organic milk, eat only organic foods, fresh veggies...but with our budget, we cannot.

[Telly Savalas]

50. But fast food isn't cheaper than good food.

I can cook fettucine with a creamy smoked salmon sauce that feeds 4 with ingredients that cost about the same if not less than 4 extra value meals at McDonalds. I could cook a giant pot of chili with a lot of veggies for even less. Buying an apple or an orange is cheaper than buying a candy bar. Even within the context of fast food, a salad or a veggie sub from Subway isn't anymore expensive than a bacon cheeseburger. And to reiterate, the biggest source of empty calories in the diets of Americans, soft drinks, are more expensive than tap water. Whole grain bread may cost twice as much as Wonderbread, but making sandwiches at home with whole grain bread is still a lot cheaper than eating at Burger King. It's not just about the money.

I'm not trying to blame the victim here. (Hell, I could stand to lose a few pounds myself.) I understand that there are complex and powerful social forces that promote obesity in America.

[huellewig]

65. My mom is very obese.

She tries to control her weight through diet. She thinks eating less is the answer and she doesn't need exercise. I eat pizza and fast food all of the time but I get three plus hours of exercise per day and I am skinny as a twig.

[wickerwoman]

73. It's not just price- it's time, energy and access.

Sure, I can cook salmon and ratatouille too but not when I'm working 80 hour weeks and coming home so numb and exhausted I'm lucky if I can I open a bag a fritos before I crash on the sofa. And not when I don't have a car to get to the supermarket to buy the salmon.

Have you ever been to a ghetto supermarket? The quality of produce (when they have any) is appalling. I've found caterpillars and spiders in my broccoli. And many, many people in America can't drink their tap water. It's a blessing that it tastes so bad you can't get it down, because God only know what's in it.

[Telly Savalas]

109. You are simply listing...

some of the complex and powerful social forces to which I refer. When people fixate on a distorted view of the prices of foods, they're overlooking a lot of key factors, including the ones you mention. If our nation was committed to human-scale cities with adequate public transportation instead of catering to the almighty car, there wouldn't be limits on the access to supermarkets. (Furthermore it would result in people getting more exercise via walking.) If we were committed to a European-style 35 hour work week, people would have ample time to cook nourishing and healthy food. Both of these things would go a long ways towards providing an opportunity for people to have a healthy diet. Neither of them actually has to do with the price of food, though.

This isn't just a class problem though. There are millions of Americans who don't have to face the barriers you document, yet still find themselves unhealthily overweight due to a diet of processed foods with oversized servings and recreation centered around sitting on the couch watching the telly. A lot of this is a result of the marketing power of the deep-pocketed shit-food industry. In addition to bombarding our society with advertising, fast food makers are pushing their way into schools. Hell, McDonalds even sponsors Sesame Street now, granting them the right to run a brief ad before the show comes on.

It's a big mess and I don't pretend to have any easy solutions. I'm just arguing that obesity isn't a result of healthy food being more expensive.

[Biased Liberal Media]

71. I have insulin resistance

and have been battling the worst end of my weight since 2001. I've been up and down on the scale, which is completely unhealthy. Despite that I try to follow the Insulin Resistance Diet, have been for a year, not always strict, but I do follow it. I was active til the winter hit us...so I am going to resort to Walk Away The Pounds indoors.

I want to thank you for your ETA: last paragraph...I'm so sick of seeing a nasty attitude towards people because they are obese...like I stated in a post below- I expect more and better from people who call themselves PROGRESSIVES or LIBERALS. I expect tolerance from those who want it. I would expect the nasty behavior from a freeper-type- not a DUer. Unfortunately I have seen it here on DU, and it saddens and enrages me.

No one is asking for pity...we're asking for acceptance. And another thing we're not asking for- assumptions on why some of us ARE fat. So I wish people would STOP with their damn assumptions.

Sorry if I sound hostile..but this is something that is near and dear to my heart...obviously.

[dean_dem]

105. Damn right....

Not to step on any toes here, but what exactly is the point of this thread? To feel better about yourselves because you're not overweight, and can avoid eating McDonald's and crappy food? I would agree with most of the factors here (unhealthy food being cheap, sedentary lifestyles, reliance on the auto, etc.), but this just sounds like a bunch of people talking about "stupid fat Americans."

For the record, I'm not overweight. I ride my bike to work and recreationally, spend a little extra on healthy home-cooked food, and avoid the snacks and cakes people bring to work all the time. And I feel better for it. I also realize that I have been thankfuly blessed with a high metabolism, so its not all diet and behavior. But getting all high and mighty about it and dumping on people who don't necessarily eat right doesn't do any freakin' good, it just makes you look like insenstive jerks.

Sorry if I'm getting a little personal here, but without sounding cliched, fat people have feelings too. There's enough people in this world who go out of their way to be dicks to people different than themselves. We could use a lot less of that on DU.

[Telly Savalas]

110. That's not the point.

Of course a lot of people have weight problems due to medical conditions. What's significant, however, is that the rates of obesity have skyrocketed over the past few decades, so unless it's these medical conditions that are blossoming, something more must be going on, and most people who have studied this trend say it comes from changes in people's eating habits and levels of physical activity. Left unchecked this problem will result in widespread suffering and billions spent treating health problems that arise from this lifestyle. This isn't about pointing fingers, it's about trying to make things better.

Edited to add: Well, alright, some people are being abrasive pricks about it, but there is nothing implicitly hateful in pointing out that as a society, we have a weight problem and something needs to be done to address it.

[dean_dem]

113. Granted....

There's nothing wrong with addressing a serious issue, and while I'm not trying to jump down anyone's throat here, we can address the problems that contribute to obesity without waxing about "fat stupid americans."
Problems like the increasing reliance on the automobile, the revalence of junk food and fast food and Americans overall not getting enough exercise don't just affect people who are overweight: even if you're not 300lbs, and you can burn off a Big Mac or a donut in an hour, eating that crap on top of not exercising enough is still bad for you. I know plenty of people like that who aren't fat but are still probably in terrible health. We should be addressing these issues, but "fat people" have nothing to do with it. Unless of course ((sarcasm alert)) you want to start handing out signs that people can wear explaining how they got fat, saying things like "Glandular" or "Too Many Twinkies." Then we'll all know who we can make fun of and who just can't help it.

[Biased Liberal Media]

129. Yes we have a weight problem, but there is NO need for

the intolerance I have seen around here...PERIOD. There is NO excuse for that. If people here are so keen on tolerance and civil rights- then they need to extend those to those who are obese.

[Biased Liberal Media]

128. Thank you. I'm sick of the intolerance around here

people need to stop with the goddamn stereotypes.

[Pithlet]

137. Healthy food IS more expensive. You're right.

I don't know why some are so stubborn and refuse to admit this. I guess it is because it doesn't fit into their worldview of "fat are lazy and/or stupid".

Healthy food isn't just more expensive overall, but it takes more time to prepare. Time that poor people tend not have as much of. Working 2-3 walmart and mcjobs doesn't leave much time for cooking from scratch, which is almost always more healthful.

[barb162]

45. ramen high in salt probably. then retain water, etc

[StrongbadTehAwesome]

58. um, yes they do

I'm not as functionally broke as most of the people in Nickel and Dimed (obviously, as I have a computer w/net access), but as I'd been paying my way through a rather expensive college without parent assistance, I've essentially lived on Ramen, canned ravioli, and mac and cheese for the last four years. When you're trying to put food on the table as cheaply as possible, you're going to opt for the 20-cent pack of ramen, the 80-cent can of ravioli, or the $1 box (but serves two people!) of macaroni and cheese over the $2 sleeve of four tomatoes or the $1 head of lettuce which can't really be meals by themselves anyway. I drank tap water instead of soda - it's nearly free - and chips/sugar stuff was out too.

I gained an average of 15 pounds/year eating like this, which took me from 5'7" and 140 lbs. (average) to 5'7" and 200 lbs. (clinically obese - not just overweight, but obese). Yes, I led a rather sedentary life, but taking 18 credit hours while working 30 hrs/week doesn't leave much time for anything else but sleep.

It's only recently (since my husband graduated and got full-time salaried work) that we've been able to afford healthier stuff...and consquently, without any exercise, I dropped 12 pounds in two weeks and have been continuing to lose (though at a slower pace) ever since.

I'd say the biggest problem is not that veggies are SO expensive, it's just that it's hard to consider them a meal all by themselves, and low-fat cheese/lean meat/TVP/tofu/insert-random-protein-source-here ARE expensive.

[gollygee]

98. Ramen noodles are deep fried

they aren't just dried.

[cliss]

41. I've been concerned about this, also.

It seems like the bad food is much cheaper, but the healthy, nutritious stuff costs much more. Unfortunately, poor folks are caught.

I've been working on a cook book for a while now; it's how to cook really delicious meals for next to nothing. The goal is for each meal to cost $2.00 or less.

So far, I've put together about 14 recipes. I got so many requests for the recipes, that I decided to put together a list of them. I'm just re-testing the recipes, along with EXACT costs of everything, like 1 potato = 0.37 cents apiece.

Everything is measured, even the cost of 1 bouillon cube, or 1 carrot, etc. It's really fun. I wanted to be able to prove to people that you can eat really well, and spend next to nothing.

And the goal is NO GARBAGE. Positively no Mac & Cheese, or Shin Ramyun, or Velveeta cheese. Everything should come from the produce aisle, or grains, rice, pasta, etc.

I've posted a few times that we are a family of 4 (2 are hungry teenagers with bottomless stomachs), and our grocery bill is about $165.00 per month. We eat really well.
Of course, we are vegetarians. Non-smokers, non-drinkers.

[Telly Savalas]

111. Word.

This is what I'm arguing. Granted one needs access to the food, time to cook it, and the knowledge of how to do it in order to eat healthily on a low budget, but it can be done.

[Flaxbee]

51. absolutely!

I worked with a woman who was quite overweight, and she had adopted two children from Russia, who came to the US slim and relatively fit, not malnourished. But the woman didn't make a lot of money and she bought a lot of food like macaroni and cheese, ramen noodles, those boxed casseroles, etc., because you could make a meal for 3 from about $5, whereas just buying fresh tomatoes and apples for their lunches cost about twice that. And within several months, both of her children had gained too much weight and were starting to have skin problems (lots of acne, not all attributable to puberty).

Cheap food is fattening and LOADED with sugar and salt. It's hard to work a 40 hour week, commute, help kids with homework or do the dishes after cooking dinner and try to have a little time to relax before the next work day AND still get in enough exercise to burn the calories.

Life is exhausting, especially for single parents who can't afford to buy everything they or their kids might want or need, food-wise. Those on this thread who say it is all the fault of lazy couch potatoes enrage me. Don't be so goddamned sanctimonious, people!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

127. Thank you

good response!

[NewJeffCT]

88. While good food is more expensive...

While good food is more expensive, it's not that hard for me to find broccoli for 99 cents per pound, and that's in Connecticut. Granted, that is when it's on sale, but there are enough places around where I live that it's always on sale at my local Stop & Shop, Big Y, Shaw's or the local place.

I think it's places like McDonald's - it's easier to go to McDonald's and pay $10-15 for a meal and then throw the trash into the garbage when you're done, than it is to buy some broccoli or spinach and a few other healthy foods, cook it up, then clean up afterwards.

[Pithlet]

139. Grocery stores in poor neighborhoods charge more.

They also tend not to have the choice of stores that more affluent areas have.

There's also the matter of time. I can tell you right off that now that I'm much more comfortable finanically in life, I have more time and money to cook and eat right. Finances really can make a HUGE difference.

[amazona]

7. I'm not fat!!! who ya calling fat?

That kind of thing causes eating disorders, ya know! :-)

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[Merlot]

8. There's a really cool infomercial about this subject

I'm not usually one for infomercial, but this one caught my eye. It's two guys talking at a table and he's selling a book, the name escapes me. Anyhow, his theory is that the "diet foods" in the market have ingredients in them which make them addictive, and make you feel hungry after eating them. People started getting fatter as the diet industry started exploding, not the other way around.

Yes, it could be yet another conspiracy theory. But I've been fit all my life. People ask me how I do it. I tell them I don't eat processed foods. Period. No refined sugar. Nothing that comes in a package. Nothing with ingredients I don't recognize. Everything else is open season. I come from a family that had it's share of overweight issues. If it's in my genes, I should be overweight.

And to all the folks who like to ask if I'm anorexic (like it's a compliment), thanks for implying that I have a life-threatening mental health issue ; )

[personman]

10. The book is...

"Natural Cures They Don't Want You to Know About" by Kevin Trudeau.

The book was a bit of an eye opener on how the big drug companies work, but I take everything with a grain of salt in it. It mostly bitches about the government, food and drug companies, and the "natural cures" part mostly directs you to his website where you sign up for $10 a month or whatever. This author has also been associated with Cortislim and some other questionable products.

Edit: If you read the amazon.com reviews on this book you'll see what I mean, it's mostly a $30 advertisement.

[Left Is Write]

11. Yes, Kevin Trudeau is pretty much a paid pitchman and not much else.

There is, of course, merit to avoiding packaged "diet foods" in favor of whole foods.

[Merlot]

18. That's what I figured the book would be

But if the infomercial gets a few people thinking about what they're eating, then it's a good thing.

[stanwyck]

74. I watched some of the infomercial

and thought what he said made sense. I haven't read the book. But I agree that there are too many additives in processed food. I've read where chefs are now growing their own gardens in order to provide the freshest, least tampered with produce. When we have simple food in the Caribbean, it always tastes great...because it's so fresh. I grew up with everyone growing their own vegetable garden...probably the best way to eat.

[no_hypocrisy]

9. Generally, the American culture encourages excess in everything,

but especially food consumption.

[LSdemocrat]

12. High Fructose Corn Syrup in soda and snacks

Less filling and more fattening.

[cire4]

67. Bingo!

You hit the nail on the head.

[Patiod]

81. Do know how hard it is to find a snack without HFCS?

I used to enjoy a bottled ice tea or lemonade occassionally, but stick to water since finding out about high fructose corn syrup - I think Snapple is the only company that doesn't use it.

[politicat]

100. Honestea.

They use cane syrup or honey, and barely sweeten the tea - just enough to balance the tannins. (1 tea spoon per serving? something like that.)

Health food stores, though it's available everywhere out here.

http://www.honestea.com

I'm a fan of the Moroccan Mint and the Assam.

I think sugar has a lot to do with obesity since it's a) cheap, b) makes a processed food more palatable, c) has little nutritional value and d) is most available, so it gets used before the other, more difficult sources of energy come into play.

Pcat

[Patiod]

103. Thanks! I'll look for it

One of the benefits of living in the Big City (although cheesesteak places far outnumber healthfood stores!)

[truthseeker1]

13. Actually I think it's because Americans are ignorant about what they eat

and they're too lazy to find out. And many of those who do know, have no discipline to improve their eating habits. Again, lazy.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

16. What's Britain's excuse?

We're the fattest, but it's a problem not just confined to America. The whole Western World is getting fatter.

[sonicx]

21. Fattening food tastes yummy

And it's everywhere and cheap.

[democracyindanger]

23. More British McDonald's and Wendy's

:shrug:

[Dastard Stepchild]

17. Because I eat out too much...

Oh, you weren't naming me in particular ;)
It is the reason I carry an extra 10 pounds tho...

[American Tragedy]

79. I don't see anything wrong with going out to eat

I do almost every day. It's all a matter of selection, just like eating at home.

[Dastard Stepchild]

115. portion size....

I eat more when I eat out than when I eat at home. Not too worried about it, though. :)

[Skittles]

19. they eat too much and they move like slugs

nt

[PartyPooper]

20. You forgot to include there's a fast food joint on nearly every corner

In America. Not to mention all of those mouth-watering advertisments from McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, etc. featured round the clock on TV!

I gain weight just by thinking about it all!

:wow:

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

22. They eat too much bad food and don't get nearly

enough exercise.

[PittPoliSci]

25. other: they're fat because of my rib thread.

i'm not fat though, but i should be based on how i eat. but i exercise excessively.

[PartyPooper]

26. BTW, we desperately *need* a fat American Smiley!

Do you think Skinner and the Admins will give us one?

I wanna know! :D

:bounce:

[mcscajun]

37. I think that's a Great Idea!

:)

[PartyPooper]

38. Thank you!

;-)

[eleonora]

57. LOL!

And how do we make a smiley fat if it's already round?

[dean_dem]

106. Yeah, why don't we get a down-syndrome smiley while we're at it...?

Oh wait, that would be offensive?

[Osamasux]

27. It needs a "some" in there.

There are an awful lot of healthy people out there, too. I must personally know 30 marathon runners by now.

[norml]

28. Hydrogenated Oils

http://www.bantransfats.com/

[Dukkha]

34. here Columbus, Oh is a model of obesity

Columbus has more fast food restaurants per capita than any other city in America. It's also a test market for all these franchises. So no surprise, It's also the sixth fattest city in America. It was a culture shock when I moved here from San Ffrancisco where everyone was so thin and healthy. A coworker from Hungary actually sent home pictures of people here because he couldn't believe how obese everyone here is.

[Lorien]

61. The crap weather has something to do with it too

I grew up in Clintonville, just North of OSU. LOTS of dark, rainy and cold days up there, and the hot summer days are sweltering; mostly people just sit around the house because they don't want to face the weather.

[mcscajun]

36. There are as many reasons for being Fat as there are Fat People

You will never know (unless they are a member of your family or someone you live with) WHY Any particular person is fat, or what struggles they have had (or not had) with their own weight.

Yet people feel free to a) decide why fat people are fat; b) judge what's wrong with them because they are fat; c) verbally abuse them in print and in person; d) remain silent when others do so.

Intelligent, educated fat people know far more about the causes of obesity than the average intelligent, educated skinny person will ever know, believe me. Knowledge is power; but that doesn't mean that because we know what makes us fat, we can always change our lives to be other than what we are.

There are agribusiness corporations pumping out HFCS and food conglomerates putting it (and trans-fats) in our beverages and foods, while the other profit center is the diet industry that a) perpetuates fat prejudice and b) makes a fortune out of creating a need for dieting among those who truly do not need it, while manipulating and exploiting those who desperately want an answer to their real weight problems.

I am So desperately TIRED of seeing otherwise liberal/progressive people leaping on the 'last acceptable prejudice' and drawing conclusions based on outdated science and incomplete information.

[Biased Liberal Media]

69. Well, equally, I'm tired of going through discrimination

just walking down the goddamn street because I'm obese...

Not all obese people are 1, lazy, 2, uneducated, 3, undeserving of ACCEPTANCE. I don't want pity. I want ACCEPTANCE. I want people to be more tolerant. I would expect the same out of those on here who cry for tolerance in other aspects.

I really hate to see such fat bias on a site I have grown to love. Enough is ENOUGH.

[mcscajun]

104. Well said!

It's my new crusade for the year, doncha know? :)

I'm going to be pointing out in every thread I find it.

[Biased Liberal Media]

130. It's something I have been fighting since 2002

and I'm tired to death of this crap...you know?? We need to practice what we preach and extend that same tolerance to those who may have what we would consider "physical flaws"- be it a fat or skinny person...

[soleft]

39. to the point where it becomes unhealthy, mostly because they diet

[Art_from_Ark]

42. Genetics, sedentary lifestyles, fatty food, artificial junk additives

Sedentary lifestyles-- certainly the lack of exercise on the part of the overwhelming majority of adult Americans plays a major role in obesity. How many adult Americans, for example, ride bicycles? Speaking from experience, if an adult even tries to ride a bicycle in some places, he/she is subjected to insults by overweight drivers (as I was on several occasions), or even physically hassled. Then there is the social stigma-- riding a bicycle (or walking) = not being able to afford gasoline-powered transportation.

Fatty food-- American fast food has got to be some of the most grease-drenched in th ewrold-- But not only that, it is eaten excessively. Even 30 years ago, it seemed as though 90% of my high school class ate their dinners at fast food joints (which they would drive to). And there was always a big whoop-de-doo whenever yet another national chain moved into town.

Artificial foods-- American has got to be the country which has the most artificial gunk in its food. Nearly everything in regular stores, it seems, has artificial junk added. "Grape" soda and "orange" soda, for example, almost never contain any real fruit juice! After years of drinking Japanese grape soda (which actually contains and tastes like real grape juice), in a fit of nostalgia I tried a can of American-style grape soda that was being sold in a local import shop. I had to spit it out, it tasted so artificial! x( Certainly constant ingestion of all these chemicals cannot have a good effect on the body's metabolism! And most American foods contain artificial preservatives, wheras most Japanese processed foods come with a preservative pack that is separate from the actual food.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

48. My observations about Japan

1. People get much more exercise in their daily activities, walking or cycling to the nearest train station instead of driving door to door, and perhaps having to walk the equivalent of several blocks to transfer from one train to another--then reversing the process in the evening. Just in their daily commute, they get a mile or two of walking or cycling. In addition, no one drives to lunch. Children almost always walk to school.

2. Food portions are smaller, and in the traditional way of eating, you get a wide variety of foods at each meal.

3. The culture places great value on eating fresh foods in their proper season.

[Art_from_Ark]

56. To add to what you said

You mentioned in a similar thread a while back that Japanese have their own greasy foods like tempura, but tempura and similar foods are eaten only occasionally.

As for school education, as you said, most children walk to school, at least those who go to their local public school. High school kids usually attend a school that is NOT their neighborhood high school, but they will often walk, or ride a bicycle, between their school and the train station. I've even had several students in my English classes who rode their bicycles several miles both ways to go to and from school. And no high school student drives a car to school.

[NewJeffCT]

91. agreed - more exercise helps, as well as more balance

Asian people eat lots of rice. A Filipino women I knew several years back said when I asked her what a typical Filipino dish was, and she said "rice" and when I asked her what else, she said, "more rice"... in the US, eating rice goes against a lot of those anti-carb diets that are popular now. Yet, while Asian people are getting fatter, they are nowhere near as bad as in the US.

Having gone to China, a typical meal consists of soup and then several dishes, some veggies, some red meat, some fish, and then desert is fruits or a different kind of soup, instead of whatever we eat in America (cookies, ice cream, etc)

Of course, even though the streets in the big cities in China are packed with traffic, there are thousands of bikes weaving in and out of the cars.

[Floogeldy]

43. I can't talk right now. I'M EATING.

[sakabatou]

44. I'm skinny and nobody loves me

Beyond friendship, I mean.

WOuld've voted for the post-title as well as the 2nd one.

[Floogeldy]

46. Somebody loves you

[sakabatou]

49. Thanks

:toast:

[HeyManThatsCool]

47. Because...

gwb has depressed us all so much that we are comfort eating

[loudestchick]

52. It isn't just that hceap food is bad food...there are great swaths of

inner city neighborhoods with no grocery stores...if you can't get it at a "market" speciallizing in alcohol, smokes and hohos you have to catch a bus (if you are w/o a car as many inner city folk are)make connections and wait...hauling the groceries is also an ordeal...it's easier to eat crap.

[Placebo]

53. I'm a fat hideous beast...

but it's probably because I eat bad food (like fast food) and have never exercised in my LIFE.

I like to complain about it though. Without actually doing anything to try and improve the situation. :silly:

[CTLawGuy]

54. because Americans are overworked

they work at sedentary jobs for longer and longer hours and have no time for exercise, and only time for fattening fast food.

The problem is Americans are migrating into jobs that come outside the protections of labor unions and labor laws. There's no min. wage for salaried employees and many of them are "exempt" from overtime. So, unless the labor movement adjusts to the changing labor market, its going to be early 20th century factory life all over again.

[MrSlayer]

55. Because poor people are given shit to eat.

So number 2 is the answer.

[ThorsHammer]

59. High fructose corn syrup

Sweetener found in coke, "fruit" drinks, and many others. It's a very refined form of sugar with little nutritional value. I'm not sure where I saw it, but there's a strong correlation between childhood obesity and the installation of coke machines in schools.

[Lorien]

60. Another factor; lots of cars and not a lot of

public transportation. Anyone who has used the Tube or Metro to get around London or Paris knows that there's quite a bit of walking involved with using such public transportation systems. Also, although their foods are rich, their portions are small. I always lose a pound or two when I spend a few weeks over there.

[Biased Liberal Media]

70. I so agree here

I would take mass transportation if we had a more reliable form where I live....in a heartbeat.

I think that with elevators/escalators people have gotten less active as well.

[Bombtrack]

62. MOST of the above. There's a perfect storm of elements contributing to it

One of them being the lifetime-channel-fan type obession of calling anyone skinny or in shape "anorexic" or implying it.

[American Tragedy]

83. I don't know if that's a contributing factor, but an interesting point

I moved out of the dorms last year, partly because I was plagued with rumors that I had an eating disorder! Several girls on the floor reported it to Housing and they started monitoring me, and it was astoundingly difficult to dissuade the RAs.

It could not possibly be less true. I love food, and I definitely love to eat. I grew up in a household that really valued the familial ritual of preparing meals and eating well. This even manifested itself in the painfully spartan dorm building. I was in the lounge chopping goat cheese and pomegranates almost every morning, and I would be munching on something between classes, in the halls, while I was studying, etc. How could I be anorexic, when I ate constantly, and in full view of everybody?

[Bombtrack]

147. Yeah, it's rediculous

I could go on and on about my encounters with this of girls I knew. I've even been yelled at on DU for some bullshit "who's hot" celebrity discussion. Cause it's like in vouge for some people to say "I like meat on their bones" (meaning slightly fat), and if you say you don't like the majority of people actually do, whether about girls you want to date or bullshit "dream/favorite celebrity" discussion, you're instantly responsible for 20 people dying of anorexia/bullimia.

[mcscajun]

156. Bless you!

I'd forgotten the "Lifetime Channel" connection.

[AntiCoup2K4]

63. Fast food, bleached flour, high fructose corn syrup.

The typical fast food meal consists of a hamburger served on a nutritionless white bun, with high sodium fake cheese, french fries which are starch cooked in grease, and a cup of high fructose corn syrup sweetened beverage anywhere from 22 to 48 oz.

A 12 oz can of Coke contains 39 grams of HFCS, so multiply that by 4 if you "super size" that extra value meal.

The danger with bleached flour and HFCS is that they are such highly refined carbohydrates, that they leave nothing for your body to break down, and pass instantly into the bloodstream, which not only taxes your insulin system - which could lead to diabetes, but also is stored almost instantly in the body's fat cells. There is absolutely no coincidence in the fact that the "obesity epidemic" in this country can trace its beginnings to the late 70's - early 80's when HFCS replaced cane sugar in soft drinks. Many other countries still use real sugar and - oddly enough - don't have the obesity problem. Including countries where pasta or rice is a staple of the daily diet.

Certainly other factors are involved, given the prevalence of the automobile in this country, compared to others, but these chemical changes to food, done in the name of corporate profit cannot be ignored.

[WMliberal]

64. not enough exercise.

We can eat, sure. Without exercise, that energy becomes FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT.

And now for the wise-ass remark: Because it goes great with our arrogant, jingoistic, religious dogma obsessed, kool-aid drinkin attutude.

[SKKY]

66. We're not active enough...

...And our portions are WAY, WAY out of whack. Does anyone really need 2, not 1 but 2, 1/4 pound slices of Hamburger in 1 sitting? I mean, really.

[vixengrl]

75. Here's a hint--*true story*--

my parents live six miles away. I drove home from their house, making a three block detour out of my way. In the process, I passed five Dunkin Donuts franchise places. I don't know if I can count the 7/11's and Wawa's convenience stores, and fast food joints on my route for sure, but it's more than ten. And I think it's a part of our "no time to eat" culture for people to stand in line in the morning for a greasy breakfast sandwich and jumbo mochajava with extra cream type thing, and maybe be *forced* into grabbing a bag of burgers on the way home from work. So I can see how people easily pack in way more calories than they are aware of.

[Patiod]

New: DRIVE-THRU Dunkin Donuts/Baskin Robbins

in my neighborhood. Their Sausage Egg Cheese Croissant Sandwich
is 650 calories, 69% from fat

And those coffee drinks they sell are are LOADED with calories:

Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Coolatta, 16 oz - with whole milk, 280 calories, 4 fat grams

Dunkin' Donuts Mango Fruit Coolatta, 16 oz - 350 calories, 0 fat grams

Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Cream Coolatta, 16 oz - 410 calories, 22 fat grams

all those coffee drinks pack in the calories:

Starbucks caffe mocha with whipped cream
- with nonfat-milk - 260 calories and 12 grams of fat
- with whole-milk - 340 calories and 21 grams of fat.

Starbucks Frappuccino, 9.5 oz - 190 calories, 3 fat grams

At least Wawa offers some (overpriced) healthy options like salads and carrot/celery packages, fruit, etc.

[Bill Lumbergh]

77. Because most eat too much

Too much food + too little exercise = too much weight

Meals at restaurants are 3 or 4 servings. Wash it down with a big 32 oz soda at the convenience store, oops that's 350 calories right there.

Go on home and have some pizza and some more soda at 140 calories per can.

Then go to bed right after eating. That's a no-no.

[Crankie Avalon]

78. I think that's it...

...all these "all-you-can-eat" buffets, giant-sized bags of potato chips, "Big Gulp" sugar sodas, 9 pound hamburgers that are free if you eat them all in one sitting...disgusting.

Our society has become built around over-consumption and convenience. Driving gas guzzling SUVs everywhere, running up credit card debt to buy nothing more important than virtually useless appliances/conveniences, gross overeating and watching sports on television instead of exercising...it's all differnt manifestations of the same thing.

[Bill Lumbergh]

84. There's nothing wrong with driving an SUV

I'll also add that I'm sick and tired of being lectued about the environment by celebrities who fly around in private planes. Which one uses more gas? A 707 or an Explorer?

Jebus.

[American Tragedy]

85. Agreed.

My mom got an SUV years ago for transporting equipment and daily carpooling. Granted, it only gets about 24 mpg, but that can't be much worse than a typical truck or van. Why are SUVs in particular singled out?

...For that matter, what does the type of vehicle have to do with obesity?

[Bill Lumbergh]

89. I don't know

I think some on here believe that everyone who drives an SUV is a fat Republican.

[Crankie Avalon]

90. Delete--replied to wrong message

[Crankie Avalon]

94. You're too much inside your own small world...

...just because YOU "don't know anyone who eats everything they get from a restaurant," you seem to think that must be the case for society at large. Just because your mother does "transporting equipment and daily carpooling", you seem to think ALL SUVs are used this way.

There's a larger world outside your view. For example, about 1 in every 3 cars parked on the streets of Manhattan (MANHATTAN! Where a car is actually more trouble than it's worth and isn't even necessary most of the time) are SUVs. Why on earth would so many people who live in a hyper-urban lifestyle need something like an SUV? They don't need them. They just have them. That's only one example, but already it's much more than an anecdote about a parent.

The choice of car was about a larger point about how too many Americans seem to be bred for overconsumption of EVERYTHING, food included.

[American Tragedy]

95. Fair enough.

[Crankie Avalon]

97. Nice chatting with you.

:thumbsup:

[Crankie Avalon]

86. There's plenty wrong with it...

...if you're an American with a brain and a conscience.

SUV users put more money that eventually gets back into the pockets of Islamic terrorists than people who drive normal cars do. They make us EVEN MORE dependent on a source of fuel from a part of the world that we need to be weaning ourselves off of. But dependency and addiction are things with which too many Americans are confortable.

Who cares about celebrities? Why bring them up?

[Bill Lumbergh]

87. Because those are the people that

go to Earth Day and leave the ground looking like someone just shit all over it.

Some of them have criticized Americans before for their choice of cars, while a lot of them use private planes.

I'm just pointing out the hypocrisy.

And I don't need to justify buying an SUV, any more than you need to justify buying a computer.

American use a lot of energy. SUVs account for a tiny perentage of the pollution and gasoline used.

And it seems that you have no faith in the American car industry and in American business in general.

I am well-aware that the world's supply of oil is dwindling, and other technologies will appear once we have exhausted the supply. Technologies like fuel cells.

We're not going to have a crisis.

[Crankie Avalon]

96. You have a problem with celebrities that I don't have...

...so I'm not going to deal with it, anymore, apart from wishing you the best with it and hoping you don't let it get to you too much.

If you feel defensive about owning an SUV...well maybe there's a good reason for it that no amount of self-deception can hide? Only you know for yourself. I don't own a computer. I use one at work and occassionally come on here with it if the day permits. I think I've already hit the morning quota for time spent fooling around and will be using the computer for real work, shortly. Anyway, I don't see how the amount of energy used by a personal computer can compare to the amount used up by an SUV, but I'm not an engineer or scientist.

Americans DO use a lot of energy. They need to learn how to use less. They also need to eat less. Nothing lasts for ever, including this "bill me later" consumerist society we are borrowing ever greater amounts of money to finance and that our descendents will be owing the debt for.

Other countries are ahead of us in creating alternate technologies. We have become lazy, and even something as small as your post, "I am well-aware that the world's supply of oil is dwindling, and other technologies will appear once we have exhausted the supply" is evidence of that laziness and complacency.

You don't wait until the supply is already exhausted to begin planning. If you are going to continue leading the world, you need to start planning decades in advance. That time is now. But we are not the ones doing it. If we keep doing nothing, sometime before the end of this century we will cease to be the leading nation of the world. The Chinese and a unified Europe will both leave us behind.

[Bill Lumbergh]

112. Who cares if we're the leading nation?

nt

The Europeans will always outdo us in feel-good programs.

[Crankie Avalon]

114. Inventing the technology to replace oil isn't a "feel-good program"...

...whichever nation gets there first will have a tremendous advantage in the future. Even today, if we already had it, OPEC countries wouldn't be able to wreak nearly as much havoc on our economy as they are now able to do.

"Who cares if we're the leading nation?" Most Americans would probably want America to retain its position, at least through the lifetimes of their own children. But maybe you're one person who is different from most Americans? Anyway, an America that is no longer the world's leading nation can eventually be subject to getting pushed around by whichever nation is...sort of like what we've done to others in the past, unfortunately.

[Bill Lumbergh]

121. Switzerland does not get pushed around,

and it is not as strong as we are. Switzerland is neutral.

The U.S. has not been a neutral nation for almost 100 years.

[Crankie Avalon]

122. C'mon...the U.S. isn't in Switzerland's unique position...

...once the U.S. falls off its perch, it won't be able to fall back on a history of neutrality and being a useful banker to the world's decision-makers. Instead, we will be the largest deadbeat debtor in history with a colonial past and a lot to answer for.

[Bill Lumbergh]

123. Even bullies have to get their comeuppance sometime

9/11, anyone?

[American Tragedy]

80. I don't know anybody who eats everything they get at a restaurant

That's what the doggie bags are for. You get breakfast and lunch for the next day. :)

[Theres-a]

93. I'm a waitress and you'd be SURPRISED!

p.s. I'm fat.

[elehhhhna]

82. Don't forget we work more hours than any other civilised society

which leaves less time for recreation, etc.

Plus all the ex-smokers--replaced with food.

I think the fattening of America also explains why SUV's are so popular--easier to get in & out of without busting your knees, and roomier inside for the chunky parents & children.

[Squatch]

92. In your suburbs/city how many bike paths or sidewalks

do you see?

Would you walk or ride a bike to work?

Would you walk or ride your bike to work if sidewalks/bikepaths make it possible/safer?

I, for one, will not ride my bike to work (although I want to badly) because there is no safe place to do so. I am sure that a number of pwople are in the same boat.

[dback]

132. Here in Silicon Valley, everything is miles apart

My partner and I finally broke down and got a second car a couple years ago after 8 years of carpooling, using public transportation, etc. (He does carpool into work a couple days a week with his boss.)

When I lived in Eugene OR during my college years, I walked or biked everywhere. When I lived in San Francisco, I also walked or bused everywhere, and what with all the hills I had calves like baseballs in a year or so.

Then, however, I moved to the South Bay (Santa Clara and San Jose) to be with my partner. I left the house one day for "a walk," and I went for MILES with nothing but houses--no stores, nothing. And the bus along my (4 lane) road ran exactly once an hour. We do have lighrail, but it doesn't serve the whole valley (though I can use it to get downtown). It takes me 2+ hours to get to my current job when I use a combo of lightrail and Caltrain; it takes 25 minutes to drive.

And when I was a substitute teacher, you live and die by your car, or you probably don't work--when you're getting a call at 6:00 to work at 7:30, it's a serious longshot as to whether you can catch a bus or lightrail and get where you're going in time.

So I've tried to intergrate exercise via morning walks to the local high school and around their track, or in the summer I do a morning swim. I've also started using exercise DVD's in the mornings. And I'm trying to eat a lot of little things all day (today's menu from 8:00 till 3:45 as I type this: cereal, OJ, 4 bottles of water, grapes, carrots, 1 string mozzerella cheese, and 1 mini beef summer sausage 1.75 oz). But I definitely can't walk to work, and the South Bay is not as walk-friendly as San Francisco, largely due to the sprawl.

So I figure, it's my job to try to cut my portion sizes down, drink more water, and up the morning exercise if I ever want to wear those 36" cords I got a few years back. (34" is a serious longshot, unless I buy a gym membership and go every day for 2+ hours.)

[Guaranteed]

99. High fructose corn syrup. nt

[mtnsnake]

101. "I may be fat, but you're ugly....only I can lose the weight!"

Saw that as a bumper sticker once :)

[DinahMoeHum]

107. Here's another: "In My Next Life, I'll Be Thin - Pass The Cookies"

:evilgrin:

[politicat]

102. HVAC.

Once we learned to control our climate, though central heat, air conditioning and evaporative coolers, we stopped just coping with the weather.

My great-grandparents' house is not air-conditioned. It's 110 years old, in N. Central Indiana, so summers are hot and humid, winters are cold and icy, spring is mud and autumn is unpredictable.

Every day, my great-grandfather had to get up and go milk the cows, feed the chickens and convince the sheep and pigs to behave. It didn't matter what the weather was. Summers, if Gran wanted canned goods for the winter, she had to put 'em up, no matter if the kitchen was 95. They just learned to deal with it, and while they had a Midwestern palate when it came to what went on the table (carbs, carbs and more carbs, with a bit of fat thrown in) they were pretty slim and healthy until they started slowing down in their 70s.

Fast-forward to current times. My sisters spend all of their time in climate controlled environments - air conditioned houses and cars, workplaces, stores and schools. They almost never interact with the real weather, save going from house to car. Both are severely obese (though the fact that they took the advice to "eat for two" while they were pregnant didn't help this much.... :eyes: ) When it's hot in the summers in Kentucky and N. Carolina, they don't go for walks. When it's cold in the winter, they don't go for walks. Joining an air-conditioned gym or going to the Post fitness center (they're both military wives) is too much work, when they have to consider child care, the fact that they'd have to be in the center with all their hubbies' buddies and such, and finding the time to do so (one's in her undergrad studies with an infant, the other is in a post-grad program with a toddler and works) ... The obstacles, both real and imagined, are massive. (This is why I'm also very much in favor of segregated gyms; it's hard enough for women to get in shape as it is; when men are making rude comments about them it just becomes impossible.)

I'm overweight, but not obese, due mostly to the fact that I walk as much as possible (one of the reasons we're planning on moving in Feb is to move to a town that is more pedestrian friendly) and like weather, hot or cold, wet or dry. I don't try to hide from it, though I do adjust what we eat to match the weather. (Summers are for Vietnamese cold noodle bowls, those strange gelatin salads and aspics that my Gran made, and the grill; winters for soups and breads and casseroles.) Given my genes, I could be obese quickly if I didn't make damn sure that I was careful.

But I think HVAC really does play a role. Phoenix metro is pretty obese because no one ever goes out in the heat, and no one really wants to sweat.

Pcat

[u4ic]

108. Frontline did a great show

about this very subject...and of course, as many have suggested, it is a very complex issue. Overabundance of food, types of food (fast, processed), our frenetic pace, car culture, advertising/unrealistic role models, exercising less, poverty, layout of cities/suburbs, and lack of community/family connection all come into play, as do our bodies preference to hang on to extra calories and fat, to ensure survival for the next famine (which never comes).

You can also watch the program online:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/diet/

[Biased Liberal Media]

131. I saw that one a couple of years ago

and was very impressed with it.

[Bertha Venation]

116. mine's the only vote for "because food is so cheap in america?"

Wow.

[redqueen]

117. Because cheap food = unhealthy food AND the sedentary lifestyle

[scarlet_owl]

118. In my case, I'm fat because A-I smoke too much pot and B-

I use food to fill emotional voids. Fat folks are fat for different reasons.

[cookies7]

119. Because I can

I eat because food just tastes so darn good!! haha. I love sweets.

[Nikia]

120. I wish that I could be slightly overweight again

I haven't figured out why they don't give obese people who want to lose weight medicine that will cause digestive disorders that aren't physically damaging and would go away after they finished taking the medicine.
I would say though it is because American culture is a driving culture, not a walking or biking culture. I have also heard that children don't walk to school or play outside anymore. Mild regular physical activity can go along way.
There is the fast food thing. Fast food is relatively cheap, especially since you can get it fast without much effort. The salads are somewhat low calorie if you don't put a full packet of delicious dressing on it. I'd like to see pitas with cooked veggies and low fat chicken, fish, or beef or other healthy wholesome food widely available at drive through windows.
People who are convinced to diet are really making their situation worse. You should never go on a diet to lose weight that you are unable to maintain unless you are just speeding up weight that you would lose already, such as if you were pregnant, injured and less active for a while, or some other circumstance where you rapidly gained weight in the recent past but will no longer be under those circumstances. Those people are messing with their metabolisms. AS soon as they stop their diet, they will rapidly gain the weight back because they have lowered their metabolism. Although it is true that people don't gain weight if they burn more than they eat, some people burn more calories by just existing than others.
Some processed food ingredients are suspected of messing with metabolism or really have more calories than they appear. We buy processed foods because they are relatively cheap and easy to make (if not fully made).

[Biased Liberal Media]

126. There is a slough of reasons why not all obese people get

meds to lose weight- for some it's more than just a food problem or digestive problem- some have developed hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, or gland issues that have helped them to gain or keep the weight on...you can't just fix everything with a pill.

[JohnLocke]

124. Because most people in the U.S. live in suburbs rather than cities.

We get around by car a lot, rather than walking or riding a bicycle.

[Vinca]

125. Has anyone tried hoodia gordonii?

I'm slowly losing weight by daily exercise and cutting "crap" foods completely out of my diet. No cookies, no cake, no chips, no fast food, no ice cream . . . you get the drift. It's okay because I'm filling the void with fruit and veggies, but I'm almost always hungry. There was a piece on "60 Minutes" about a cactus plant the Kalahari bushmen eat to feel full. It's called hoodia gordonii. Naturally, this has turned into the latest schlock fad and every diet huckster on the planet is now pushing hoodia capsules. I was wondering if anyone here has ever tried the stuff and if it's for real?

[mtnester]

134. Because they are too busy driving Jeeps with 670 hp and two Hemi engines

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2395132

[Biased Liberal Media]

135. Yet another stereotype

Why??

[mtnester]

136. Uh, I forgot to include the /sarcasm off text string

I really did not think I needed to include it, apparently I should have

[Biased Liberal Media]

138. My apologies...after some of the responses on this thread

there are people out there who feel defensive and I am one of them.

I don't even know WHY this was brought up...honestly.

[mtnester]

140. My day is still good

hope yours is too :)

[Biased Liberal Media]

142. Yes, it is

this is just a thorn in my side.

:) Thank you.

[Catchawave]

141. Because Americans don't move their fat arses.......

...watch the news people, seen any obese victims of those "other" countries.

[Biased Liberal Media]

143. You bring up a good point...

but do you know of the other reasons why people are obese?? Medically or emotionally??

Don't just assume a person is fat because they "don't move their fat arses". That's not always the truth.

[put out]

144. I have been fat, and I have been thin. Threadkilla.

I can only restate what so many have said. There are as many reasons for a person's overweight or underweight as there are people.

We eat unhealthy foods. They are convenient; fast food in particular, plus (if you have a taste for it, and I do) it is delicious. Fat tastes good, dammit. You can get some healthy fat into your diet, but that means healthy oils, such as in olive and some grain oils, some oils from fish (but you need to research that the fish oil doesn't come from fish laden with mercury) nuts (no sex threads), a judicious amount of butter rather than who-knows-what-margarine, avacados....

Natural cooking is the way to go. However, (I have more to say as always); it takes a lot of time and planning. I don't care about the 30 minute cook in my local paper (yes we all shop one time a week and have five meal plans that make the best use of the products you recommend and spend Saturday or Sunday pre-preparing them and then we store our products and then make a good meal out of them for the next five or six days. On the seventh day, you may order pizza.) Good idea, leave me alone. Yes, that doesn't include the planning and the shopping and all that stuff. Don't get me started on availability.

Well, you have done it now. Just try to shop for good produce and fresh organic meat in stores available to folks living in a part of town that offers no public transit and you see what you can get. Arby's. The grocery stores are an unhealthy disgrace if you can even find one within walking distance. Then, you can go buy it and somehow get it home and...(try to get two day's worth of food home in your arms and you might get the picture).


Somehow be magically transported to the place where great fruits and vegetables and all good things are available at the Farmer's Market are just sold to you and they include the price of the taxi.

Shit, I'm disgusted. It is not very easy nor feasible to eat healthy when you are pressed for time, for transportation, for money, or for some goldang access to healthy and fresh food. Pressed by demands of your work, your family, and the need to feed people.

That is all.

[IronLionZion]

150. I loathe the car culture in America

you need a car just to live. If you don't have one, you're screwed.

That's why I want to live in a walkable community if I can.

[seventythree]

146. why do so many people have thyroid problems?

Synthroid is the number one most prescribed medication after birth control pills -- wonder if it's the same for Europe? As some may know, you can actually chart your risk for thyroid cancer on a web site if you were a milk drinking child in the Midwest during the testing in the West. Could it be that our failing thyroids are linked to that? What about the hormones in our milk? Growth hormones? And what about the hormone impacting chemicals in the air from pollution? Yes, obesity is caused by many things, but those who exercise and eat right and still struggle belie the canards, IMO,of too much fast food.

[IronLionZion]

148. It's the fucking food

nobody else eats so much processed garbage

[seventythree]

152. Why do native Hawaiians tend to be heavy

-- all that "processed" poi?

[IronLionZion]

153. "native" Hawaiians come in all shapes

But nobody has a fatter population than America. That's a fact.

[OldLeftieLawyer]

149. Why Americans are fat

http://tinyurl.com/4yvfm

[Paul Hood]

151. I noticed TV was in three of the responses to the poll.

I think TV is a major factor in obesity. Almost every commercial break you are being pitched food, and not usually the most healthful food. And what better time to snack than when you're zoning out in front of the TV. I am not blaming TV or saying they shouldn't advertise fast food. I just think if people didn't watch TV a lot fewer people would be obese.

[IronLionZion]

154. Everybody watches TV

That's basically universal. But not everyone eats as much processed food or is as sedentary as your average American.