Why are some people getting fatter?
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DeguelloTex wrote: »
Why do some seven year olds like math or dinosaurs or the color orange or brussels sprouts and some don't?One reason: many foods are just more calorie dense per serving. Also I started a thread a while a back at why people may possibly like carbs so much and why many may overindulge in them.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10254582/a-possible-reason-why-people-love-carbs-so-much#latest
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
That doesn't explain why my 7yo kids skip dessert while I always wanted more at the same age though.
So you mean that some kids naturally don't like food as much as others?
i would say yes. growing up i was not interested in food, i could sit at the table until my mum was fed up with me.0 -
One reason: many foods are just more calorie dense per serving. Also I started a thread a while a back at why people may possibly like carbs so much and why many may overindulge in them.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10254582/a-possible-reason-why-people-love-carbs-so-much#latest
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
That doesn't explain why my 7yo kids skip dessert while I always wanted more at the same age though.
People are different.
I have two cats. One eats to hunger and is not overweight and is quite active. I could leave food out for him all the time and he'd just eat what was appropriate (I wouldn't do this because we feed them canned food, but my family did this for our cats when we were growing up without them becoming overweight). My other cat will overeat if he can, begs for food, steals the other cat's food, and responds to efforts to have him lose weight by being less active (and he's resistant to efforts to get him to play actively). (Both are adorable, sweet cats.)
Anyway, I think there are likely some natural differences in humans like that. There's really no reason we should have evolved to eat only what we need for the day and not to overeat, as throughout most of human history that wasn't especially a benefit (unlike our ability to adjust metabolism to deal with conditions of scarcity). In fact, if you had inconsistent sources of food, it makes sense to eat because food is available and to be able to also deal with times of little food.
Given current conditions when food is always easily available and normal cultural restrictions that regulated eating times and amounts seem to have died (at least in the US), it seems that a majority of people don't naturally regulate well, but some others might.
This is setting aside how easily emotional issues (food as comfort, food as celebration, food as a way to socialize) play a role in human life and decisions, often without us noticing it.
Anyway, I'm definitely someone who needs to be vigilant and exercise external controls (like portion size, eating only at meals) to control my eating, but I don't really feel that that's a terrible thing or feel jealous of my friend who doesn't much care about food and is happy just eating rice (and is thin). I enjoy food and like enjoying food. And I may have to work harder to not be fat than some people, who knows (I think this is likely true), but other things come easier to me and overall I like being who I am. Differences are kind of cool.0 -
tayloralanj wrote: »Why are people still lined up in the McDonald's Drive Thru? Why do people still smoke cigarettes?
This is about what I'm thinking, because reasons vary from individual to individual as to why they eat too much. There is no one pat answer.
However, the reason I ate too much and got fat is because I used that fork-loaded-with-food-to-mouth-movement too much. For me, saying it was anything else is just an excuse for me not to take 100% responsibility for when I was fat.0 -
tincanonastring wrote: »Are you...are you asking why people are different from each other?
well i think thats it. You see couples with multiple children and each child is completely different even though they are all treated the same. simple as that0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.0 -
lemurcat12 wrote: »One reason: many foods are just more calorie dense per serving. Also I started a thread a while a back at why people may possibly like carbs so much and why many may overindulge in them.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10254582/a-possible-reason-why-people-love-carbs-so-much#latest
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
That doesn't explain why my 7yo kids skip dessert while I always wanted more at the same age though.
People are different.
I have two cats. One eats to hunger and is not overweight and is quite active. I could leave food out for him all the time and he'd just eat what was appropriate (I wouldn't do this because we feed them canned food, but my family did this for our cats when we were growing up without them becoming overweight). My other cat will overeat if he can, begs for food, steals the other cat's food, and responds to efforts to have him lose weight by being less active (and he's resistant to efforts to get him to play actively). (Both are adorable, sweet cats.)
Anyway, I think there are likely some natural differences in humans like that. There's really no reason we should have evolved to eat only what we need for the day and not to overeat, as throughout most of human history that wasn't especially a benefit (unlike our ability to adjust metabolism to deal with conditions of scarcity). In fact, if you had inconsistent sources of food, it makes sense to eat because food is available and to be able to also deal with times of little food.
Given current conditions when food is always easily available and normal cultural restrictions that regulated eating times and amounts seem to have died (at least in the US), it seems that a majority of people don't naturally regulate well, but some others might.
This is setting aside how easily emotional issues (food as comfort, food as celebration, food as a way to socialize) play a role in human life and decisions, often without us noticing it.
Anyway, I'm definitely someone who needs to be vigilant and exercise external controls (like portion size, eating only at meals) to control my eating, but I don't really feel that that's a terrible thing or feel jealous of my friend who doesn't much care about food and is happy just eating rice (and is thin). I enjoy food and like enjoying food. And I may have to work harder to not be fat than some people, who knows (I think this is likely true), but other things come easier to me and overall I like being who I am. Differences are kind of cool.
Clearly you did not teach your cats proper nutrition.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
I was not talking about control. I was talking about teaching.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
i would disagree. if there is an issue its likely to be at home not school. Some schools will ban snacks and only encourage healthy foods if you bring in a packed lunch.
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Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?0 -
ah, we don't have any of that sort of thing in our schools. Well not as a norm. If you do well you get a sticker or a commendation for doing well.
Though there maybe some thing like that when you are in senior school (11-16) but that would only be for special days in the school and they would be prizes for doing certain things.
I would be less than impressed if I found out my daughters school were giving sweets as rewards because it's not something I would do at home.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Why and when do you think this phenomenon started? Children generations ago had sugary treats as rewards just as often, yet overweight children were extremely rare.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.0 -
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.0 -
DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?0 -
I think there are as many sets of reasons as there are fat people. People are different, have different obstacles, struggles, desires, etc.
Kids are fatter because they eat more processed stuff and don't run around as much. Moms are working now, so the kids don't go home, have a snack and out to run around and play. There is always some adult around telling the kids to not be too wild. They're less active, but they're eating food that is more calorie-laden than they once did. So, they get fat.0 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »DeguelloTex wrote: »
Three-fourths of a cupcake a week, even if all 27 have birthdays during the school year!DeguelloTex wrote: »Need2Exerc1se wrote: »I've always assumed children become fat because their parents don't teach them proper nutrition and eating habits.
like most assumptions this one is bad.
Kids are not possessions. They have free will and lives apart from their parents so after about age 5 a parent is SOL on controlling intake.
Under 5, I can buy all about the home feeding environment but once school starts mom and dad aren't all there is to say.
Not sure where you live but in the UK a 5 year is still very much under the control of their parents for their intake. You either select a pre-set school meal or send your child to school with a pack lunch. It's not like they can go off site at lunch time and buy sweets in a local shop.
They may, manage to "swap" something they don't like for something they do like with another child but not many kids are going to give up their sweets and the lunch staff will be watching out for what the children are doing.
Here in America there's candy and rewards all the time. Finished your math, have a lollipop. Great soccer game, here's a doughnut. Etc. you can't outrun the amount of food on offer. If you are the type like Lemur's cat and my second kid, with no internal regulator. You are screwed! Kids don't have the emotional intelligence to say no when they should. You can't teach that and to be so judgmental of parents (not you, generic you) is fairly one sided view. IMO.
Who's giving those kids the lollipops and donuts, then?
And, therefore, rewarding children for doing their math and playing soccer. Food should never be used as a reward.
Teachers, coaches, other parents. It's why some schools have banned birthday treats at school. 27 kids in a class is 27 times a year you get cupcakes!
Yes, we've gone crazy with celebrating and rewarding ourselves and our kids with food.
I disagree that it was this way years ago. Treats were truly rare in my childhood, in America, in the South even! I had almost no opportunity to eat without my parents knowing about it. That's not true for my kids now.
It's easier to blame society.
I actually prefer to blame my mother. It's really all her fault, isn't it?
If you were overweight as a child and are still a very young adult then much of the blame probably lies with the adult who raised you. But that is only true for very young adults. At some point you must take responsibility for yourself, even if a parent/guardian did give you a poor start.0
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