Why is the US So Fat?

[DeletedUser]

I just remembered part of it: school. When my father was in school kids could run around and play before class, after class, and during lunch. In my school (I don't know if this is true elsewhere) now we maybe go outside for recess, and its mostly based off if the teacher wants to go outside. That ties into the "Exercise" part of the equation.

 

[DeletedUser]

I can agree with that Thomas. It shows that the world is getting lazier than usual.

 

[DeletedUser]

Two words:
Supersize me

Absolutely right. You could exercise 24 hours a day, but if you're taking in more calories than you're burning, the excess will be stored as fat.

Google "portion sizes" and take a look at the images. Our concept of what a "regular" meal looks like has grown with our waistlines.

 

[DeletedUser]

Lack of exercise and poor diet.

You don't need to look any further

 

[DeletedUser]

Wasnt Australia named the worlds most obese country a while back?

According to the last WHO report I saw, the top 10 was mostly Pacific island nations, with Nauru being #1. Kuwait and the US were the only two exceptions, and they were ranked 7 and 8 IIRC.

 

[DeletedUser]

I'm one of those people who doesn't believe the WHO 90% of the time.

They're 9/10 political, 1/10 scientific. :|

Also, we need to look at the definition of "obese." BMI is generally a measure for obesity, but BMI is an inherently flawed system. I, myself, am 6'3", 240 lbs. A great deal of my weight is muscle, but my BMI classifies me as being "Obese." My doctor told me to ignore that, saying, "well, BMI isn't always accurate." If it's not always accurate, how can you simply assume it ever is accurate?

Also, how are peoples' BMI's/weights/heights/etc. being recorded? I feel like such information is impossible to gather with any accuracy. I have friends who haven't been to the doctor in years. In poor countries, it's routine for people to go decades without seeing a physician. So... how is the WHO telling us how many fat people any given country has in it? Take your cross-sections and sample-groups, but that's not "fact," that estimation. Maybe there's an entire town of fat or slender people that slipped under your sampling radar...

Additionally, when I think "obese," I think "FAT," not "a little tubby" or "thick." Once you start measuring anyone who is a little overweight as being "obese" (based on a flawed formula), the entire notion of "the most obese nation" falls apart. Not only that, but has anyone asked themselves what BMI does to women? I rarely hear it being cited in discussions about eating disorders or physical normalizing.

Just wanted to get it all out there.

 

[DeletedUser]

I'm one of those people who doesn't believe the WHO 90% of the time.

They're 9/10 political, 1/10 scientific. :|

Also, we need to look at the definition of "obese." BMI is generally a measure for obesity, but BMI is an inherently flawed system. I, myself, am 6'3", 240 lbs. A great deal of my weight is muscle, but my BMI classifies me as being "Obese." My doctor told me to ignore that, saying, "well, BMI isn't always accurate." If it's not always accurate, how can you simply assume it ever is accurate?

Also, how are peoples' BMI's/weights/heights/etc. being recorded? I feel like such information is impossible to gather with any accuracy. I have friends who haven't been to the doctor in years. In poor countries, it's routine for people to go decades without seeing a physician. So... how is the WHO telling us how many fat people any given country has in it? Take your cross-sections and sample-groups, but that's not "fact," that estimation. Maybe there's an entire town of fat or slender people that slipped under your sampling radar...

Additionally, when I think "obese," I think "FAT," not "a little tubby" or "thick." Once you start measuring anyone who is a little overweight as being "obese" (based on a flawed formula), the entire notion of "the most obese nation" falls apart. Not only that, but has anyone asked themselves what BMI does to women? I rarely hear it being cited in discussions about eating disorders or physical normalizing.

Just wanted to get it all out there.

I think BMI is just a quick generalization. Also how do you classify "obese" or not varies. When I traveled in Asia, I was considered "fat". I am not "fat" by US standard. My BMI is "normal" and not too far from 22, considered "ideal" BMI by WII fit ;p

Male tend to store their excess fat mostly around their gut. Women store their fat more evenly, mostly in breast and thigh and some on the tummy as well.

I suppose if we have A cup, B cup, C cup measurement for breats, we can also have how many weeks or months are you pregnant for beer belly male

Hey, John, what is your cup size, I mean, how many months are you pregnant?

We can develop a similar system for thighs.

 

[DeletedUser]

Using BMI to call a person fat and BMI to call a nation fat is an entirely different thing. A person with a higher than average BMI isn't necessarily fat, but a nation with a higher than average BMI is.

 

[DeletedUser]

Can I just say (?):

If I lived close enough to an ocean, I could eat sushi and fish every day. Dammit, I would be so cut...

Sigh. $6 for an Eel-avacado hand-roll? Thanks, Ohio.

Jason

 

[DeletedUser]

Oh, and the wii fit dose not calculate the BMI right. I was normal, because I really have little fat, more muscle, but I weigh very little. when done with the real calculation way, I was underweight.

Least I can out run and out last anyone who dares me cept the cross country people.

Anyway, I lived in america for almost all my life, and I noticed these things since I was 8. Its a bit strange that here in Germany, I find way less obese people than in the states. That leads me to believe that just a little bit, is just ethnicity. It probably has an affect on ones metabolism.

 

[DeletedUser8950]

Two words:
Supersize me

Why is the US So Fat? 01-09-2009 10:23 AM hater
I have wii fit. It's fun, but has no health benefits what so ever. And yeah, the bmi is messed up.
Alot of it is how many fast-food restraunts there are. Where I live is one of the "skinniest" places in England. Also, it is one of the largest places in England that doesn't have a mcdonalds/kfc etc. nearby. The more these companies/franchises expand, the more "restraunts" they set up. And more availability means more people will eat there, which goes without saying. The U.S is a big country, thus there is alot of fast-food restraunts. To me it's not really that complicated why the U.S is so "obese." But to be fair, I think people exagerate how fat they are. But then again, I'm a hater, so ignore me

 

[DeletedUser]

I say the real reason so many americans are fat is that there are few places in the big cities to exercise in peace, some people are dead shy and alot of people hate eachother with no reason. Negibors don't even say hi to eachother without worrying, and so why would people want to run around in shorts and tees with complete strangers looking?

 

[DeletedUser]

I can agree with that Thomas. It shows that the world is getting lazier than usual.

Actually, I'd say that that part about schools is teachers being too lazy and too afraid of somebody getting hurt to let us play much (in short, they're being Democrats). Also, my mother has a teacher so I have a better perspective of the education system.

Also, I just remembered something else. There was an obese woman on Dr. Phil with her obese child (this is REAL obesity, the several hundred pound type). She was on there because her six year old was about 200 pounds. She said that she feeds him unhealthy snacks as a reward for being good (as opposed to healthy snacks or punishment when being bad), but didn't think it was wrong. Eventually Dr. Phil confronted her about it, and a nutritionist on there offered to give her a special diet for her child, but she refused because "she wasn't doing anything wrong".

 

[DeletedUser]

Market Forces.

Everything you look at, eat, drink, drive, listen to or use during your day was designed, manufacuturered and marketed by a company that does not have your best interests at heart.

The companies that manufacture the food you eat are spending billions making the food you eat cheaper to produce and inflating the selling price with fancy packaging and marketing strategies. They are spending next to no money on making the food nutritious and tasty.

The four basic food groups to a food manufacturer are flour, sugar, salt and fat because they are tasty and cheap. None of them are required in great quantities in your diet yet there are massive budgets spent on getting you to eat them. Potatoe chips, KFC, McDonalds, Chocolate, Pizza Hut all spend their money getting you to eat these four foods.

Why do so many people drink "energy" drinks? Surely, if being over-weight is a problem, you need less energy intake, not more.

Why do people take so many dietry supplements? Surely less nutrition is required, not more.

Eat fresh fruit and veges and a bit of meat. Go for a walk now and then. It isn't complicated, but then food manufacturers don't want you to know that.

 

[DeletedUser]

Diet Coke isn't marketed as an energy drink, but people treat it like one. They think that because it has 0 calories (supposedly) that they can drink as much of it as they want. And Gatorade/Powerade only causes energy crashes and increases sugar intake.

 

[DeletedUser]

Actually, I'd say that that part about schools is teachers being too lazy and too afraid of somebody getting hurt to let us play much (in short, they're being Democrats). Also, my mother has a teacher so I have a better perspective of the education system.

Let's get some things straight:
1) Your mother being a teacher doesn't make you an expert on the education system, it only offers you a glimpsse from of her perception of said system.
2) How the hell do you even dare to label all democrats as lazy?
Next you manage to partly blame the democrats for the obesity problem!
Well done!

Also, I just remembered something else. There was an obese woman on Dr. Phil with her obese child (this is REAL obesity, the several hundred pound type). She was on there because her six year old was about 200 pounds. She said that she feeds him unhealthy snacks as a reward for being good (as opposed to healthy snacks or punishment when being bad), but didn't think it was wrong. Eventually Dr. Phil confronted her about it, and a nutritionist on there offered to give her a special diet for her child, but she refused because "she wasn't doing anything wrong".

Dr. Phil is part of the entertainment industry.
It's supposed to be shocking, and considering his proffesion they are supposed to be more then a little messd up as well.
I guess your point was to examplify the bad habits of democrats

Diet Coke isn't marketed as an energy drink, but people treat it like one. They think that because it has 0 calories (supposedly) that they can drink as much of it as they want. And Gatorade/Powerade only causes energy crashes and increases sugar intake.

That would be an example of people not really knowing what they put into their system.

Other then that, besides your outrageous generalizations and claims, what is your point?

 

[DeletedUser]

1. I have a better perspective because I know what's going on in the school, and can make a better opinion using that information.
2a. I didn't mean to label Democrats lazy, I was thinking of the Government Worker. Trash collectors and other people with jobs like that are more grateful for what they have, but people around a teacher's level are constantly complaining for either increase paychecks or having to do less work to get said paycheck.
2b. Teachers do worry constantly about lawsuits and similar things. Most Teachers are Democratic.
3. I have no idea what political party the woman supports, and don't really care. I was just trying to bring some more ways people become unhealthy into this.
4. I was adding onto Wild Jase Hiccup's post, in specific the part about energy drinks. I remembered that people do the same thing with Diet Coke.

 

[DeletedUser]

The USA has the (probably correct) reputation for being the country with the highest percentage of obese citizens. Some of this is because of fattening foods, and being lethargic. The worst state for this is Mississippi, the least is New Jersey.

Why do you think there's so many obese in the United States?

USA is not the fattiest nation, last year we lost that title to the Aussies. Damn shame too. But we can share world records, so they can keep it.

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geu8Rma...ns-world-heavyweight-title-20080619-2tfo.html

 

[DeletedUser]

1. I have a better perspective because I know what's going on in the school, and can make a better opinion using that information.

You know what is going on in one school.
Thus far you have said nothing that makes your opinion any more worthwhile reading than anyone elses.

2a. I didn't mean to label Democrats lazy, I was thinking of the Government Worker. Trash collectors and other people with jobs like that are more grateful for what they have, but people around a teacher's level are constantly complaining for either increase paychecks or having to do less work to get said paycheck.

Yet that was exactly what you said. If you didn't mean it, I suggest you re-read your posts prior to posting.
Nothing wrong with wanting more pay.

2b. Teachers do worry constantly about lawsuits and similar things. Most Teachers are Democratic.

First off, where do you get that info from?
How do you know "most teachers are democratic"?
Since they worry about lawsuits, and are democrats, they are wimps.
ANother fallacy. Their worrying about lawsuits might be related to the ridicules practice of lawsuits in the USA.

3. I have no idea what political party the woman supports, and don't really care. I was just trying to bring some more ways people become unhealthy into this.

I do not belive we need any more ways to get even more unhealthy.
Quite the opposite. Your example was just one of total ignorance towards nutrition.

 

[DeletedUser]

Diet Coke isn't marketed as an energy drink, but people treat it like one. They think that because it has 0 calories (supposedly) that they can drink as much of it as they want. And Gatorade/Powerade only causes energy crashes and increases sugar intake.

Studies are showing that "fake" sugar is actually worse for you than organic sugars, simply because our bodies don't know how to properly metabolize them!! Mass is mass... just because something isn't caloric, it doesn't mean that our bodies get to ignore them...