Why are we bigger than ever?

ilovefastcarstoo

hapoy Friday everyone !
I was curious... Since we are supposedly more overweight than ever in the United States. I was wondering the key reasons why and what we can do to spread the word to help others? Thoughts?

CasperNaegle

quit eating so much!

rob059

We are bigger than ever from excess calories with many people not making adjustments when ingesting excess calories through drinks and snacks.

I've also seen that wrong types of foods are being chosen over better options.
meaning choosing constantly higher calorie options, no food is bad it's the dose what is the problem.

We are also as a race getting lazier so we are not burning off any calories throughout the day and sitting a lot more.

Need2Exerc1se

We eat more and do less than we used to. The lack of activity is a HUGE factor IMO. The easier we make our lives the bigger we get.

ilovefastcarstoo

I also feel like we make food the center of entertainment and many options aren't very healthy. Now that I'm actually counting calories it's insane how much I used to actually eat for one meal. I feel fine after what I eat now. It's like my stomach has shrank and I can be satiated with way less amount of food. It's nice. I was also thinking about how some say it's too expensive to eat healthier but I also see people spend a lot on just one meal because they eat so much.

Need2Exerc1se

ilovefastcarstoo wrote: »

I also feel like we make food the center of entertainment and many options aren't very healthy. Now that I'm actually counting calories it's insane how much I used to actually eat for one meal. I feel fine after what I eat now. It's like my stomach has shrank and I can be satiated with way less amount of food. It's nice. I was also thinking about how some say it's too expensive to eat healthier but I also see people spend a lot on just one meal because they eat so much.

I don't think this is something new though. I grew up in the 60's and 70's when obesity was not common and it was very uncommon in young people. But food was the center of entertainment then too. Almost every gathering or event was centered around food.

But we didn't have 400 cable channels and we didn't have video games. We didn't sit around staring at electronics while we stuffed our faces. We moved more all day long.

I'm not discounting that the type of food has changed. We had plenty of junk food back then but certainly nothing like now.

But I really think the change in activity level is the biggest, but not only, factor.

Lounmoun

Sedentary lifestyles plus eating too many calories for that lifestyle.
I think it was pretty easy to find sites/apps like My Fitness Pal or Sparkpeople where you put in your information and are told exactly how many calories to eat to lose weight. People can look at nutrition labels or nutrition information for most restaurants now. If people want to lose weight the resources and information are easily accessible so I don't think we need to spread the word after years of hearing about the obesity epidemic all over the media. People just have to take personal responsibility at this point.

ninerbuff

Basically just one main issue................people are consuming WAY MORE calories in a day than they need to.
I won't always put it on being sedentary, because there are lots of people who work jobs and do no exercise and are lean/normal. Same with people who play video games. A combination of it can be a reason, but it still just boils down to eating more than you burn.

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

youngmomtaz

Desk jobs, immobile hobbies, automatic everything, too much packaged food, junk food being cheaper than fruit and veg(I am in Canada and the cost of fruit and veggies has pretty much doubled in the last 5years).

I really think many people are tired. Legitimately tired. I hear people say it all the time. We work long hours in artificial light, don't move enough during our workdays and come home to boxed foods. I know I get home and just want a nap or a 4l pail of ice cream, or both. Not everyone realizes how much energy some sunshine and light walking can give you. And that small combination might actually motivate you to do more and be healthier.

SarcasmIsMyLoveLanguage

If only someone could figure out the answer to that question and come up with a solution. It's very complicated IMO. Combination of eating too much, not moving enough, sedentary lifestyles due to advances in technology (thereby making our jobs easier), video games and TV, lack of education about CICO, diet industry praying on the desperation to lose weight, yada yada yada. The list goes on.

kyrannosaurus

I think a big part of it is that fewer people are cooking meals at home. When I cook my own food it tends to be healthier than purchasing the same dish elsewhere. I also naturally eat much less when I cook my own food: partly because I know how long it took to make so I want to make it last longer (making pasta from flour takes a lot of time and so I don't overeat so the batch lasts me more meals before I have to make more!) also prepaid foods are engineered with a sugar/far/salt ratio to make those foods hyper palatable to encourage overeating. When I makes own desserts they are easier to resist extra servings

Yi5hedr3

Too many following high carb, low fat pyramid of 1980.

tulips_and_tea

kyrannosaurus wrote: »

I think a big part of it is that fewer people are cooking meals at home. When I cook my own food it tends to be healthier than purchasing the same dish elsewhere. I also naturally eat much less when I cook my own food: partly because I know how long it took to make so I want to make it last longer (making pasta from flour takes a lot of time and so I don't overeat so the batch lasts me more meals before I have to make more!) also prepaid foods are engineered with a sugar/far/salt ratio to make those foods hyper palatable to encourage overeating. When I makes own desserts they are easier to resist extra servings

This. It starts as home. Kids need to be taught basic nutrition info, how to read food labels, how to cook, and what a balanced diet looks like. So many people grow up not knowing any of this and then deal with the consequences until they can figure it out on their own.

There are a lot of outside sources to blame: more sedentary lifestyles, easier access to food, restaurant and fast food portions being much too large, etc. but it really boils down to education, regardless of whether it is taught by parents or teachers or role models or self-taught.

snowflake954

Portion sizes are huge in the States. Free refills on soft drinks, and "all you can eat" buffets are changes that I notice when I go back to the USA to visit.

feisty_bucket

There are a bunch of articles online about this topic. There are lots of studies. IIRC, the short answer is a lot more snacking and more eating out (of which the meals tend to be bigger).

alida1walsh

It's those little things that can make a "big" difference:

1. Drinking several cans of soda a day: each can contains about 9 tsps of sugar. Sugar is addictive and converts to fat.

2. Choosing white bread and pasta over the whole grain equivalent: Whole grains fill you up for longer. Children who start out in life eating wholemeal bread will complain that white bread tastes too pasty once they finally get to try it.

There isn't much we can do about it unfortunately. We can model good eating habits to our children. We can petition the government for a sugar tax on soda (similar to tobacco and alcohol) but you may need the support of a celebrity chef. The U.K. has just introduced a tax on sugar in soda after Jamie Oliver pushed for it. See his "Sugar Rush" documentary.

ilovefastcarstoo

I get pretty disappointed with how food stamps allows such fattening and in nutritious foods such as soda and snacks. How lunches at schools can be so high in calories etc. Like you said, there needs to be more information and education. If we are this overweight now, what will happen 10-20 years from now?

James12315

There's a few things that spring to my mind:
1. With technology becoming more advanced and used for entertainment, many young people and adults are using this as their source of entertainment rather than physical activity
2. To add to the above, those who become addicted to watching tv and using computers etc can sometimes isolate themselves and may use food to supress loneliness or boredom
3. Cheap, sweet food is cheap, can become addictive (did for me)
4. Pressures in life can derail people into eating excessive amounts

There are many other reasons why but generally I think there is more emphasis is needed to be put on the importance of proper nutrition (teach it in school and advice leaflets/booklets etc for adults) and encourage young people to do physical activity to lower the number of obesity in future. I must say though the proper nutritious foods can be quite expensive though so it definetly does not help the situation.

logicalloss

Everything keeps getting bigger. Try buying a single can at a gas station. It's all 20 oz bottles now. Now I noticed that Reese Cups had the BIG CUP in a single pack, now its BIG CUPS, and I'm sure the smaller cups will vanish Why? because they can charge twice as much.

Jruzer

What do you mean "we", kemosabe?

Jruzer

http://www.theonion.com/article/woman-a-leading-authority-on-what-shouldnt-be-in-p-35922

NaturalNancy

Huge portions, less active, "busy/hurried" lifestyle encouraged, too much sodium, corn syrup and fast food!

arussell134

ITA with what others have said about eating too much and not moving enough.

I would also add: we're kidding ourselves more and more about the causes for our weight gain. I see so much these days about "health conditions," "genetics" or other reasons outside our control. If we can convince ourselves that we're the victims and we have no control, then why try to change? This is dangerous thinking. Couple this with the growing health at any size movement and you're going to find that obesity rates only increase from here on out.

snowflake930

Evolution of the human species. Readily available food and less movement.

Leyshinka

Affluence

markrgeary1

Cheap calories that are not satisfying, you can eat more, faster.

lemurcat12

ilovefastcarstoo wrote: »

I was wondering the key reasons why and what we can do to spread the word to help others?

(1) We eat too much for how active we are.

(2) I think most people know about the obesity problem, so we don't need to spread the word. I personally am not willing to tell others not to eat so much or to be more active. If people are overweight, I suspect they know it.

Afura

Jruzer wrote: »

http://www.theonion.com/article/woman-a-leading-authority-on-what-shouldnt-be-in-p-35922

Oh man, someone's going to think that's real.

snowflake954

Another thing we never had when I was a kid, is cup holders in cars. People are now constantly eating, but especially drinking, while driving. Since so many people spend hours a day in their cars, these calories add up. I know, I know, I'm ancient history, but I notice all this when I return home to the States for visits, since I've lived in Europe for 30 yrs, and we drive very little there.

lemurcat12

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

ilovefastcarstoo wrote: »

I also feel like we make food the center of entertainment and many options aren't very healthy. Now that I'm actually counting calories it's insane how much I used to actually eat for one meal. I feel fine after what I eat now. It's like my stomach has shrank and I can be satiated with way less amount of food. It's nice. I was also thinking about how some say it's too expensive to eat healthier but I also see people spend a lot on just one meal because they eat so much.

I don't think this is something new though. I grew up in the 60's and 70's when obesity was not common and it was very uncommon in young people. But food was the center of entertainment then too. Almost every gathering or event was centered around food.

But we didn't have 400 cable channels and we didn't have video games. We didn't sit around staring at electronics while we stuffed our faces. We moved more all day long.

I'm not discounting that the type of food has changed. We had plenty of junk food back then but certainly nothing like now.

But I really think the change in activity level is the biggest, but not only, factor.

I think it's a big factor too. When I was a kid we were outside running around all day (even when I lived in a very cold area--we built snow forts and had an elaborate game where we were fighting the Russians, LOL, and also went sledding and skating and cross-country skiing, among other things). As I mentioned on the other thread, I live in a health-conscious area and despite the change rarely see an overweight child in my neighborhood. I do see parents outside riding bikes with their kids or supervising sporting events like soccer games, and I know my friends with kids are always taking little ones to group play (active play) or older ones to sports stuff. I just think that many places you need parents to be more involved to get kids as active -- it's not as easy as it used to be to just say "go outside and play."

I also think there's a cultural shift. Food was the center of many social activities when I was growing up too ('70s and '80s), but going out to eat/bringing home food was much more rare (it was available, just less relied on), and we were expected to eat nutritious meals (including vegetables) and weren't encouraged to eat things between meals (you'd spoil your dinner). We rarely had pop -- it was a special treat and came in those little half cans. Koolaid was more common, I guess, but I recall drinking it after playing outside for hours in the summer.

bezza666

Teach the kids from an early age. Stop eating processed food.