Why are americans overweight?

[hotbody1inusa]

luk-

You are right about that!I like your theory about eating it once a year, here its 3-4x A DAY!

[1972girl]

Did not read all, but did read some. We I was growing up I was given apples and bananas as a snack and things like soda were a special treat and I had to split the can with someone. Fast food was also something that was a treat and going out to dinner was seen as big deal and it was planned. Most of these things are no longer considered treats but just food and going out to eat is what you do when your hungry. The way we view food is different now and is no longer appreciated for what it is. As far as tax on junk food the only way I would be ok with that is if the extra tax went to the farmers to help keep the farms going and the price of fresh veggies down.

[hotbody1inusa]

ITA- Give the tax $$$ to the farmers too! Keeping and creating american jobs here!

[SasaAndWendy]

It is so easy and cheap to get food that is bad for you. If you consider that you can get a Big Mac for $.99 it's difficult for some people to get proper nutrition within their budget, especially if they don't have the skills to cook from scratch. If you do know how to cook, you can eat very healthy with raw ingredients such as beans and rice but how many people have those skills these days?

We are probably pretty rare in that we go to the market each day. We have a small, independent organic green grocer that is a couple of blocks away. We also have a Safeway and Whole Foods within another couple of blocks. We combine an urban hike with our meal planning. We also don't buy much of anything processed or foods that come from very far away (with the exception of Bosnian and Asian imports). Why do we do that? The quality is so much higher for those types of foods. Our green grocer's tomato comes from a farm 20 miles away and is juicy and delicious. Safeway's tomato comes from some large farm outside of Oregon and tastes mealy and gross. But, Safeway's tomato is often cheaper. We'd rather have higher quality food but less of it. It's sort of like the Wal-marting of America as well - so many people have gotten accustomed to buying poor quality goods at lower prices that it's become a habit in many walks of life, including food choices. We'd rather spend 3x the amount now for a quality good then have to buy the same item 5x at a lower price. Garbage in, garbage out...

[RebeccaG]

I really think "heavily"taxing these things like packaged foods with questionable ingredients is the only way out. It wont affect you guys, because you all eat well.

No, it is not the only way out.

And it will affect almost everyone. Even people who eat 'clean' or 'healthy' eat junk food on occasion. Why should I have to pay more for it in an effort to control other people?

And what qualifies as 'packaged foods with questionable ingredients'? Cereal comes in a package. Some is good, some it not. Who decides which box fails in which category?

And now this is about paying for the healthcare bill?? Good grief.

The obesity problem is a combination of lack of activity AND poor diet.

Taxing 'junk food' is NOT going to solve the problem.

[Shelmo]

I don't believe that low income equals crappy food.. I mean if your planning on going buying fresh fish / meats every day then yeah sure.. but i mean just some packages veg, few tins of fruits, some packaged meat. it aint too expensive.. rather than getting a mega bucket from kfc.. :/

But being overweight or underweight is a lifestyle choice 95% of the time.

Tbf.. Extreme obese cases are down to lazyness.. eating more than you move..

Under eating usually induced by media tyring to achieve the body beautiful..

[SasaAndWendy]

Did not read all, but did read some. We I was growing up I was given apples and bananas as a snack and things like soda were a special treat and I had to split the can with someone. Fast food was also something that was a treat and going out to dinner was seen as big deal and it was planned. Most of these things are no longer considered treats but just food and going out to eat is what you do when your hungry. The way we view food is different now and is no longer appreciated for what it is. As far as tax on junk food the only way I would be ok with that is if the extra tax went to the farmers to help keep the farms going and the price of fresh veggies down.

Same here. Have you heard of the "Slow Food" movement? They have some pretty interesting ideas.

[SasaAndWendy]

I don't believe that low income equals crappy food.. I mean if your planning on going buying fresh fish / meats every day then yeah sure.. but i mean just some packages veg, few tins of fruits, some packaged meat. it aint too expensive.. rather than getting a mega bucket from kfc.. :/

But being overweight or underweight is a lifestyle choice 95% of the time.

Tbf.. Extreme obese cases are down to lazyness.. eating more than you move..

Under eating usually induced by media tyring to achieve the body beautiful..

Low income doesn't have to equal crappy food but many people eschew planning for meals and instead will go for the fast-food path instead. It's easier to do that than to have to plan and budget meals, unfortunately. But that's also down to laziness as you said...

[yeshli2nuts]

Ever actually examine what a supermarket looks like? Chances are I myself have never been in your local supermarket but chances are it has almost the exact layout as this (assuming you live in American suburbia):

I just made it in paint. The dollar signs roughly represent the relative price per calorie. It's sick.

[RebeccaG]

I read it all this morning after you both commented on it elsewhere and may be dumber because of it.

You knew that would happen before you read the thread.

I have no sympathy for you.

[erinlee01]

You knew that would happen before you read the thread.

I have no sympathy for you.

I thought I would be amused. I did not expect to have the intellect sucked right out of me. That was a surprise.

[RebeccaG]

I thought I would be amused. I did not expect to have the intellect sucked right out of me. That was a surprise.

LMAO!

You should have asked. I could have saved you some brain cells.

[vanillabn]

I thought I would be amused. I did not expect to have the intellect sucked right out of me. That was a surprise.

The amusement only lasts until about page 2.... you should've stopped yourself...

[hotbody1inusa]

yesh- Thats a great sketch, and totally true!

shelmo-ITA too!

[erinlee01]

LMAO!

You should have asked. I could have saved you some brain cells.

Lesson learned.

The amusement only lasts until about page 2.... you should've stopped yourself...

I'm a masochist. Once I started, I had to continue.

[norinicole]

I think what frustrates me the most about the OP is her lack of quoting.

[Linds33]

Funny enough, this morning while getting ready for work I had morning news on the tv in the background and they've announced that in the UK the number of overweight dogs have increased to nearly 50%. So now not only people are making themselves fat but they also make their dogs sick. Sad....
A lot of people associated caring by feeding, so mothers overfeed their kids, pet owners show there love by giving too many treats to their dogs...

Yes this thread has been done to death but I actually wanted to comment on a really good point that Coconuttree made!

It is one thing to stuff your own gullet full of junk food, but it is another to force bad food and a bad lifestyle on a animal that is dependant on you. If you look at the state of health our animals are in it is kind of sad. We have all of these fancy clothes for dogs, veterinary technology, and fancy dog hotels where they can stay when we decide to take a vacation, yet we neglect their basic needs and functions.

A dog needs to be walked at least twice a day for training and exercize purposes. Most people I know hardly ever take their dogs for a walk and feel that letting them go into the backyard is enough exercize. In reality, dogs like to work. They like to do things much like we do and if they aren't able to do what they like to do they get bored and desctructive. If people took it upon themselves to take their dogs for a walk at least twice a day they would probably notice a small amount of weight loss. Plus, if trained properly which isn't hard to do (we trained our 3 dogs ourselves to walk on leashes and listen to us) they will probably be better behaved! As i said as well, dogs like to work! One of our dogs loves to fetch so we made that his job. Each night before we take them for their walk, i will go outside and play fetch with him. It is enjoyable for me, and he gets a real kick out of it.

What si even worse however is the nutritional aspect of pet food. I doubt many people ahve even read the back of their dog food bag to see what they put in it. Most dry dog food found in the stores is full of corn, and grains which dogs really do not need. We have to remember that even though dogs are domesticated, they still have not evolved to the point that they can eat these sorts of foods. Their diet really should be similar to that of a wolf's diet which includes organs and the muscle of other animals. We feed our dogs raw organs from pasture raised cows and raw ground beef from the same cows . We do supplement with a high quality grain free dogs food and have never had problems switching up their diet from day to day. We don't eat the same thing every day so why should they?

I know most people aren't going to start feeding their dogs raw meat and expensive dog food, but even the small changes can make a big difference like taking your dog for a walk. Do it for their own health and happiness. .

As for the original topic on hand, there are many reasons why americans are so "fat". Like many mentioned fast food is much cheaper then "healthy" foods. Now you may say that veggies and fruit aren't expensive, but when you need enough to feed a family of 4 at a low income it is cheaper and more filling to buy 4 $.99 big macs then to buy the fixings for a nice salad.

And yes middle and upper class people do have weight problems as well. Much of this stems from convenience and our culture. We are always on the go and never have time for ourselves to cook and workout. It is easier to go through a drive through after tghe kid's soccer game or to go out for lunch at lunchtime then it is to prepare our own meals. And our priorities are elsewhere with regards to finances. Most of us would rather spend money on fancy cars and other things then on good food. We also eat in excess even if we are eating foods tha tare considered to be healthy (remember, it all boils down to calories in vs. calories out).

Many have become so used to these kinds of foods that to live without them would be unimaginable. I know people who can't even fathom eating brown rice when i myself can't stand white rice. We also lack a sort of creativity for eating good foods and think that healthy = boring.

Much of this stems from a lack of education on foods. And this isn't just an American thing. The UK has also seen such problems in lower income households as well.

But like echo said, especially for lower income households there are options and eating healthy doesn't have to be expensive. I would lvoe to set up an inner city community garden. It would be wonderful for the community and can also help at risk kids by giving them something to work on. It could help feed the community while it helps keep kids out of gangs and gives them a sense of belonging.

As for what i as an individual can do, I can live my life the way i want to, and lead by example. If other genuinley want advice on how to better their health, i am awlays happy to give out my secrects which are pretty simple.

[ZandP]

As an Eastern European myself, I have seen what the culture here does to foreigners. My family and friends who were from my native country were of a healthy weight before moving to the US. They moved much more, most living in a city and walking everywhere. Walking to the bakery, walking to the farmers market, walking to the butcher, etc. Meals were all made at home with the occasional special meal out. Chips, dips, processed packaged foods were not purchased.

Growing up I had dessert every night, but guess what? It was a piece of fruit!
My husband, who is American, also had dessert every night, a piece of cake/pie and ice cream.Needless to say, his entire family was overweight. Anyway, after moving to the US, my family and their friends no longer walked to the store, they jumped in a car. They no longer went to the farmers market for all their produce, they went to the 24hr store. They no longer cooked all their foods at home, fast food was so cheap and convenient. And gone were all the days of cooking everything from scratch, why when its so easy to purchased processed packaged foods?

So now many of them look the same as those overweight Americans, and it has nothing to do with socioeconomic status, they are mainly well off, it is just a culture of convenience.

As for taxing, I will not say if I am for or against, however I do believe that the obesity rate and all the health conditions that stem from it do drive up the cost of healthcare and that should be addressed. Why should I pay more for my health insurance when I am a nonsmoker and live a healthy lifestyle, if others are driving it up? Charge the high risk people, whether its thru tax, or elevated insurance, etc.

Lastly, its an interesting topic, and one that has been discussed many time before and will be discussed many times again. And as this is a forum, its somewhat bullying and rude to be so insulting of others, and I find several of these posts uncalled for.

[Ashley_CZ]

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink!

You can educate the public about obesity issues, unheathy food choices, and poor quality nutrition until you are blue in the face. What you can't do is force the public on what to do with the education that was dispersed to them.

[Miranda]

I think what frustrates me the most about the OP is her lack of quoting.

i was kind of frustrated to see the OP in the green for a while after i negged her elsewhere but i saw that was taken care of while i was out eating junk

[vabyss]

Weak minds, no self control, no self love, seeking instant gratification over long term fulfillment, pathetic parents that should have been sterilized for the good of humanity...the list goes on and on.

Natural selection doesn't exist anymore. This is the outcome. When society becomes so advanced in medicine and comforts that the weakest members of the species are able to thrive...you get these abysmal obesity numbers.

I'm not suggesting we need to reinstate natural selection or anything barbaric of the sort. Only pointing out that society has become so comfortable that "only the strong survive" is no longer true. Laziness is condoned and rewarded.

It's considered rude to point out a fat person is fat...even though we're watching them slowly commit suicide right in front of us. But it's perfectly acceptable to condemn a smoker. Explain that nonsense.

[hotbody1inusa]

Vabyss-

Pretty tough! But some great points!


Z&P- Great points, and well said too! Thanks.

[SasaAndWendy]

As an Eastern European myself, I have seen what the culture here does to foreigners. My family and friends who were from my native country were of a healthy weight before moving to the US. They moved much more, most living in a city and walking everywhere. Walking to the bakery, walking to the farmers market, walking to the butcher, etc. Meals were all made at home with the occasional special meal out. Chips, dips, processed packaged foods were not purchased.

Z&P, my husband is from Central/Eastern Europe and has said similar. Whereabouts are you from?

[MichelleAntonia]

No, it is not the only way out.

And it will affect almost everyone. Even people who eat 'clean' or 'healthy' eat junk food on occasion. Why should I have to pay more for it in an effort to control other people?

And what qualifies as 'packaged foods with questionable ingredients'? Cereal comes in a package. Some is good, some it not. Who decides which box fails in which category?

And now this is about paying for the healthcare bill?? Good grief.

The obesity problem is a combination of lack of activity AND poor diet.

Taxing 'junk food' is NOT going to solve the problem.

Good post. My thoughts exactly.

[cgonzalez577]

Am I the only person seeing the ridiculous about of communist/facist/marxist bullsh*t that's being spouted by the OP in this thread??? As much as the obesity epidemic in this country scares me what scares me more is the ignorance of our youth. College campuses nationwide are full of these kids spouting off these ideals that aren't founded in anything. These trends are sweeping the nation and the 20 something jump on board and fight blindly claiming that everyone else are sheep when they in actuality are the sheep. Taxation? Bigger government?...not the answers. The ideals she wants to enact take our nation one step closer to gun control, forced abortions for population control and being sorted by whether or not we agree with the government. This country is as great as it is (fat or not) because we chose to fight, break away and pursue free trade and capitalism. I have the right to clean my gun while eating a pizza if I want to and nobody is gonna take that away from me.

Ps. I am on a VERY fixed income but I eat healthy and hit my macros everyday because I choose to do so. Nobody forced me. I made a decision to live a certain lifestyle and I make it work. If that means I shop at 3 grocery stores and stock up on sales so be it.

[Miranda]

Am I the only person seeing the ridiculous about of communist/facist/marxist bullsh*t that's being spouted by the OP in this thread??? As much as the obesity epidemic in this country scares me what scares me more is the ignorance of our youth.

. . . says you who puts communism, fascism and marxism on the same line?

oh and gun control and forced abortions make a beautiful pair, too.

[Jeremyn87]

^oooh snap

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink!

I think if someone was strong enough to tilt the horse's head back, hold its mouth open, pour in a bunch of water and manage to not get killed, it should be possible to make a horse drink
(not srs, Ronnie Coleman can do it no prob)

[cgonzalez577]

. . . says you who puts communism, fascism and marxism on the same line?

oh and gun control and forced abortions make a beautiful pair, too.

HAHA so maybe my post was a tiny bit extreme.....I'm just frustrated at the OP...especially since she is notorious for filling the boards with junk and causing arguments!!