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World’s obese population hits 641 million, global study finds

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Replies

  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Recently found this article saying that now, over half of calories consumed in the US are from ultra processed foods, according to self reports. :/

    http://www.techtimes.com/articles/139909/20160310/more-than-half-of-american-calories-come-from-processed-food.htm

    Ultra processed foods don't make people fat. Eating too much food and not moving enough makes people fat.

    @Packerjohn it would be great if that was factual medically speaking.

    I'm a 205 pound male. If I ate 1500 calories of nothing but processed food what do you think would happen to my weight?
  • This content has been removed.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited April 2016
    There was a report on the news last night saying Obesity is now more of a problem than starvation/malnutrition!

    I'm going to guess (1) that the report is typical popular press inflation of facts (I would honestly be interested in seeing the report if you have access to it) and (2) that to the people starving it's not. The obese can lose weight. They make a choice not to. The starving aren't making a conscious choice to not eat. We have food insecurity even in rich countries and famines still hit developing countries with some regularity. I'm far more concerned about that than I am with the obesity "epidemic." This is also why I am very pro-GMO foods.

    Edit: I found a typo, as usual. :-)

    ETA: The second article above made the following statement:

    "The main takeaway? Excess weight has become a far bigger global health problem than weighing too little. While low body weight is still a substantial health risk for parts of Africa and South Asia, being too heavy is a much more common hazard around the globe."

    Okay, I get it. They're assuming that "more common" equals a bigger global health problem. I don't buy that assumption. For the assumption to work the risks and costs need to be equivalent. I suppose one could argue that health costs will be more with the obese (because they can afford to pay for doctors) but that's a pretty **** argument to make.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Recently found this article saying that now, over half of calories consumed in the US are from ultra processed foods, according to self reports. :/

    http://www.techtimes.com/articles/139909/20160310/more-than-half-of-american-calories-come-from-processed-food.htm

    Ultra processed foods don't make people fat. Eating too much food and not moving enough makes people fat.

    @Packerjohn it would be great if that was factual medically speaking.

    Please share your medical facts about how surplus calories vanish into thin air if they're not from processed foods.



    Aslin P. Unveiling the unicorn: a leader's guide to ACO preparation. J Healthc Manag. 2011 Jul-Aug;56(4):245-53.

    Bailey T. The dummies guide to promoting wildlife conservation in the Middle East: telling tales of unicorns and ossifrages to save the hawk and leopard. J Avian Med Surg. 2011 Jun;25(2):136-43.

    Pentecost MJ. Unicorn ahead. J Am Coll Radiol. 2011 Feb;8(2):86.

    Isaacs D. The unicorn. J Paediatr Child Health. 2009 Oct;45(10):618, 623

    Hortin GL. Of immunounreactive urinary albumin and unicorns. Am J Clin Pathol. 2008 Aug;130(2):314-5.

    Graf J. Never play Leapfrog with a unicorn. Crit Care Med. 2007 Oct;35(10):2434-5.

    O'Sullivan M. Unicorns or Tiger Woods: are lie detection experts myths or rarities? A response to on lie detection "wizards" by Bond and Uysal. Law Hum Behav. 2007 Feb;31(1):117-23.

    Frenking G, Krapp A. Unicorns in the world of chemical bonding models. J Comput Chem. 2007 Jan 15;28(1):15-24. Review.

    Sage WM, Kalyan DN. Horses or unicorns: can paying for performance make quality competition routine? J Health Polit Policy Law. 2006 Jun;31(3):531-56.

    Potter P. Unicorn tapestries, horned animals, and Prion disease. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jun;10(6):1181-2

    Askanas V, Engel WK. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythical beasts. Neurology. 2004 Jul 27;63(2):403-4; author reply 404.

    Hagan JC 3rd. Unicorns, obstetricians, neurosurgeons--three things hard to find in Missouri. Mo Med. 2004 Jan-Feb;101(1):4-5.

    Streiner DL. Unicorns do exist: a tutorial on "proving" the null hypothesis. Can J Psychiatry. 2003 Dec;48(11):756-61.

    Amato AA, Griggs RC. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythological beasts. Neurology. 2003 Aug 12;61(3):288-9.

    LeBoit PE. Pictures of a unicorn? Am J Dermatopathol. 2003 Feb;25(1):88-91

    Simon L. Research into the origins and characteristics of unicorns: mental illness as the unicorn. Ethical Hum Sci Serv. 2000 Fall-Winter;2(3):181-92.

    Howe EG. Unicorns, Carravaggio, and fetal surgery. J Clin Ethics. 2001 Winter;12(4):333-45.

    Ariew R. Leibniz on the unicorn and various other curiosities. Early Sci Med. 1998 Nov;3(4):267-88.

    Stahl FW. Unicorns revisited. Genetics. 1992 Dec;132(4):865-7.

    Foster PL. Directed mutation: between unicorns and goats. J Bacteriol. 1992 Mar;174(6):1711-6.

    Morreim EH. The law of nature and the law of the land: of horses, zebras, and unicorns. Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc. 1990 Spring;53(2):2-6.

    [No authors listed] Editorial: Why unicorns? Med J Aust. 1976 May 15;1(20):728-9.
    http://alanaragon.com/unicorns

    I hope you saved this! I see these sources as evidence of unicorns are really among us. Nice work
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    queenliz99 wrote: »
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Recently found this article saying that now, over half of calories consumed in the US are from ultra processed foods, according to self reports. :/

    http://www.techtimes.com/articles/139909/20160310/more-than-half-of-american-calories-come-from-processed-food.htm

    Ultra processed foods don't make people fat. Eating too much food and not moving enough makes people fat.

    @Packerjohn it would be great if that was factual medically speaking.

    Please share your medical facts about how surplus calories vanish into thin air if they're not from processed foods.



    Aslin P. Unveiling the unicorn: a leader's guide to ACO preparation. J Healthc Manag. 2011 Jul-Aug;56(4):245-53.

    Bailey T. The dummies guide to promoting wildlife conservation in the Middle East: telling tales of unicorns and ossifrages to save the hawk and leopard. J Avian Med Surg. 2011 Jun;25(2):136-43.

    Pentecost MJ. Unicorn ahead. J Am Coll Radiol. 2011 Feb;8(2):86.

    Isaacs D. The unicorn. J Paediatr Child Health. 2009 Oct;45(10):618, 623

    Hortin GL. Of immunounreactive urinary albumin and unicorns. Am J Clin Pathol. 2008 Aug;130(2):314-5.

    Graf J. Never play Leapfrog with a unicorn. Crit Care Med. 2007 Oct;35(10):2434-5.

    O'Sullivan M. Unicorns or Tiger Woods: are lie detection experts myths or rarities? A response to on lie detection "wizards" by Bond and Uysal. Law Hum Behav. 2007 Feb;31(1):117-23.

    Frenking G, Krapp A. Unicorns in the world of chemical bonding models. J Comput Chem. 2007 Jan 15;28(1):15-24. Review.

    Sage WM, Kalyan DN. Horses or unicorns: can paying for performance make quality competition routine? J Health Polit Policy Law. 2006 Jun;31(3):531-56.

    Potter P. Unicorn tapestries, horned animals, and Prion disease. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jun;10(6):1181-2

    Askanas V, Engel WK. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythical beasts. Neurology. 2004 Jul 27;63(2):403-4; author reply 404.

    Hagan JC 3rd. Unicorns, obstetricians, neurosurgeons--three things hard to find in Missouri. Mo Med. 2004 Jan-Feb;101(1):4-5.

    Streiner DL. Unicorns do exist: a tutorial on "proving" the null hypothesis. Can J Psychiatry. 2003 Dec;48(11):756-61.

    Amato AA, Griggs RC. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythological beasts. Neurology. 2003 Aug 12;61(3):288-9.

    LeBoit PE. Pictures of a unicorn? Am J Dermatopathol. 2003 Feb;25(1):88-91

    Simon L. Research into the origins and characteristics of unicorns: mental illness as the unicorn. Ethical Hum Sci Serv. 2000 Fall-Winter;2(3):181-92.

    Howe EG. Unicorns, Carravaggio, and fetal surgery. J Clin Ethics. 2001 Winter;12(4):333-45.

    Ariew R. Leibniz on the unicorn and various other curiosities. Early Sci Med. 1998 Nov;3(4):267-88.

    Stahl FW. Unicorns revisited. Genetics. 1992 Dec;132(4):865-7.

    Foster PL. Directed mutation: between unicorns and goats. J Bacteriol. 1992 Mar;174(6):1711-6.

    Morreim EH. The law of nature and the law of the land: of horses, zebras, and unicorns. Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc. 1990 Spring;53(2):2-6.

    [No authors listed] Editorial: Why unicorns? Med J Aust. 1976 May 15;1(20):728-9.
    http://alanaragon.com/unicorns

    I hope you saved this! I see these sources as evidence of unicorns are really among us. Nice work

    cnn.com/2016/03/29/living/real-unicorn-remains/

    @queenliz99 here is a current story on the subject.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Nice stats. Makes those in my immediate family glad they entered the healthcare business. Business is Booming!

    ka-Ching!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    There was a report on the news last night saying Obesity is now more of a problem than starvation/malnutrition!

    I'm going to guess (1) that the report is typical popular press inflation of facts (I would honestly be interested in seeing the report if you have access to it) and (2) that to the people starving it's not. The obese can lose weight. They make a choice not to. The starving aren't making a conscious choice to not eat. We have food insecurity even in rich countries and famines still hit developing countries with some regularity. I'm far more concerned about that than I am with the obesity "epidemic." This is also why I am very pro-GMO foods.

    Edit: I found a typo, as usual. :-)

    ETA: The second article above made the following statement:

    "The main takeaway? Excess weight has become a far bigger global health problem than weighing too little. While low body weight is still a substantial health risk for parts of Africa and South Asia, being too heavy is a much more common hazard around the globe."

    Okay, I get it. They're assuming that "more common" equals a bigger global health problem. I don't buy that assumption. For the assumption to work the risks and costs need to be equivalent. I suppose one could argue that health costs will be more with the obese (because they can afford to pay for doctors) but that's a pretty **** argument to make.

    It was just a snippet on the 6oclock news. The doctor they were interviewing just said "Obesity is now more of a problem in the world than starvation/malnutrition". He could have been exaggerating, and he didn't elaborate further, whether he meant in every single country on the planet, or just the westernised countries??
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    There was a report on the news last night saying Obesity is now more of a problem than starvation/malnutrition!

    I'm going to guess (1) that the report is typical popular press inflation of facts (I would honestly be interested in seeing the report if you have access to it) and (2) that to the people starving it's not. The obese can lose weight. They make a choice not to. The starving aren't making a conscious choice to not eat. We have food insecurity even in rich countries and famines still hit developing countries with some regularity. I'm far more concerned about that than I am with the obesity "epidemic." This is also why I am very pro-GMO foods.

    Edit: I found a typo, as usual. :-)

    ETA: The second article above made the following statement:

    "The main takeaway? Excess weight has become a far bigger global health problem than weighing too little. While low body weight is still a substantial health risk for parts of Africa and South Asia, being too heavy is a much more common hazard around the globe."

    Okay, I get it. They're assuming that "more common" equals a bigger global health problem. I don't buy that assumption. For the assumption to work the risks and costs need to be equivalent. I suppose one could argue that health costs will be more with the obese (because they can afford to pay for doctors) but that's a pretty **** argument to make.

    It was just a snippet on the 6oclock news. The doctor they were interviewing just said "Obesity is now more of a problem in the world than starvation/malnutrition". He could have been exaggerating, and he didn't elaborate further, whether he meant in every single country on the planet, or just the westernised countries??

    Thank you. The news probably took it from the second article the OP posted (totally guessing here, but makes sense).
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    Maybe I'm blind, but no one has linked the original Lancet article that the OP's news reports are referring to in this thread. It's open access, so you can read the whole thing rather than just the abstract:

    thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)30054-X/abstract
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    Packerjohn wrote: »
    Recently found this article saying that now, over half of calories consumed in the US are from ultra processed foods, according to self reports. :/

    http://www.techtimes.com/articles/139909/20160310/more-than-half-of-american-calories-come-from-processed-food.htm

    Ultra processed foods don't make people fat. Eating too much food and not moving enough makes people fat.

    @Packerjohn it would be great if that was factual medically speaking.

    Please share your medical facts about how surplus calories vanish into thin air if they're not from processed foods.



    Aslin P. Unveiling the unicorn: a leader's guide to ACO preparation. J Healthc Manag. 2011 Jul-Aug;56(4):245-53.

    Bailey T. The dummies guide to promoting wildlife conservation in the Middle East: telling tales of unicorns and ossifrages to save the hawk and leopard. J Avian Med Surg. 2011 Jun;25(2):136-43.

    Pentecost MJ. Unicorn ahead. J Am Coll Radiol. 2011 Feb;8(2):86.

    Isaacs D. The unicorn. J Paediatr Child Health. 2009 Oct;45(10):618, 623

    Hortin GL. Of immunounreactive urinary albumin and unicorns. Am J Clin Pathol. 2008 Aug;130(2):314-5.

    Graf J. Never play Leapfrog with a unicorn. Crit Care Med. 2007 Oct;35(10):2434-5.

    O'Sullivan M. Unicorns or Tiger Woods: are lie detection experts myths or rarities? A response to on lie detection "wizards" by Bond and Uysal. Law Hum Behav. 2007 Feb;31(1):117-23.

    Frenking G, Krapp A. Unicorns in the world of chemical bonding models. J Comput Chem. 2007 Jan 15;28(1):15-24. Review.

    Sage WM, Kalyan DN. Horses or unicorns: can paying for performance make quality competition routine? J Health Polit Policy Law. 2006 Jun;31(3):531-56.

    Potter P. Unicorn tapestries, horned animals, and Prion disease. Emerg Infect Dis. 2004 Jun;10(6):1181-2

    Askanas V, Engel WK. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythical beasts. Neurology. 2004 Jul 27;63(2):403-4; author reply 404.

    Hagan JC 3rd. Unicorns, obstetricians, neurosurgeons--three things hard to find in Missouri. Mo Med. 2004 Jan-Feb;101(1):4-5.

    Streiner DL. Unicorns do exist: a tutorial on "proving" the null hypothesis. Can J Psychiatry. 2003 Dec;48(11):756-61.

    Amato AA, Griggs RC. Unicorns, dragons, polymyositis, and other mythological beasts. Neurology. 2003 Aug 12;61(3):288-9.

    LeBoit PE. Pictures of a unicorn? Am J Dermatopathol. 2003 Feb;25(1):88-91

    Simon L. Research into the origins and characteristics of unicorns: mental illness as the unicorn. Ethical Hum Sci Serv. 2000 Fall-Winter;2(3):181-92.

    Howe EG. Unicorns, Carravaggio, and fetal surgery. J Clin Ethics. 2001 Winter;12(4):333-45.

    Ariew R. Leibniz on the unicorn and various other curiosities. Early Sci Med. 1998 Nov;3(4):267-88.

    Stahl FW. Unicorns revisited. Genetics. 1992 Dec;132(4):865-7.

    Foster PL. Directed mutation: between unicorns and goats. J Bacteriol. 1992 Mar;174(6):1711-6.

    Morreim EH. The law of nature and the law of the land: of horses, zebras, and unicorns. Pharos Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Med Soc. 1990 Spring;53(2):2-6.

    [No authors listed] Editorial: Why unicorns? Med J Aust. 1976 May 15;1(20):728-9.
    http://alanaragon.com/unicorns

    New goal: talk about unicorns in my dissertation. That actually helps smooth out a few pages.
  • BroScience83
    BroScience83 Posts: 1,689 Member
    technically i am obese so......
  • troutlilly
    troutlilly Posts: 44 Member
    I'm not sure it's the overabundance of food that's the problem. It's the fact people haven't adjusted their eating habits to meet their lifestyles.

    If a person's lifestyle has a TDEE of 1,900 calories, then they have a desk job sitting and they sat in the car to get there but eat 2,500 calories a day, of course they're going to gain weight. The second problem is people don't want to feel deprived. After all, if their coworker whose metabolism is through the roof can eat the catered lunch swimming in oils and sauces like it's nobody's business, why can't they?
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.
  • troutlilly
    troutlilly Posts: 44 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    Do you think this possibly precipitates a famine?
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    They rotate with soybeans here--the big industrial farms particularly. Central Illinois is a big patch of alternating corn and soybeans. They don't do that in Iowa?
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    lemurcat12 wrote: »
    They rotate with soybeans here--the big industrial farms particularly. Central Illinois is a big patch of alternating corn and soybeans. They don't do that in Iowa?

    Some do, but many don't. They might start again very soon because of corn prices (there is such a huge surplus, so no big surprise). For the last decade or 2, some farmers have been planting corn every year because it pays so well.
  • Dvdgzz
    Dvdgzz Posts: 437 Member
    technically i am obese so......

    A very, very small percentage of people carry enough LBM to be considered obese at a healthy fat percentage. These are stats on the average person, not gym rats.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    I'm not sure what you mean by "very few" but here is the overview.

    source: http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/1896841/err194.pdf

    • In 2014, 86.0 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the year. The remaining 14.0 percent (17.4 million households) were food insecure. Food-insecure house- holds (those with low and very low food security) had dif culty at some time during the year providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. The changes from 2013 (14.3 percent) and 2012 (14.5 percent) to 2014 were not statistically signi cant; however, the cumulative decline from 14.9 percent in 2011 was statistically signicant.

    • In 2014, 5.6 percent of U.S. households (6.9 million households) had very low food security, unchanged from 5.6 percent in 2013. In this more severe range of food insecurity, the food intake of some household members was reduced and normal eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year due to limited resources.

    • Children were food insecure at times during the year in 9.4 percent of U.S. households with children (3.7 million households), essentially unchanged from 9.9 percent in 2013. These households were unable at times during the year to provide adequate, nutritious food for their children.

    • While children are usually shielded from the disrupted eating patterns and reduced food intake that char- acterize very low food security, both children and adults experienced instances of very low food security in 1.1 percent of households with children (422,000 households) in 2014. The changes from both 2013 and 2012 were not statistically signi cant.

    • For households with incomes near or below the Federal poverty line, households with children headed by single women or single men, women living alone, and Black- and Hispanic-headed households, the rates of food insecurity were substantially higher than the national average. In addition, the food insecurity rate was highest in rural areas, moderate in large cities, and lowest in suburban and exurban areas around large cities.

    • The prevalence of food insecurity varied considerably from State to State. Estimated prevalence of food insecurity in 2012-14 ranged from 8.4 percent in North Dakota to 22.0 percent in Mississippi; estimated prevalence rates of very low food security ranged from 2.9 percent in North Dakota to 8.1 percent in Arkansas. (Data for 3 years were combined to provide more reliable State-level statistics.)

    • The typical (median) food-secure household spent 26 percent more for food than the typical food-insecure household of the same size and composition, including food purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) bene ts (formerly the Food Stamp Program).

    • Sixty-one percent of food-insecure households in the survey reported that in the previous month, they had participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition assistance programs (SNAP; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and National School Lunch Program).
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited April 2016
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.
  • This content has been removed.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    shell1005 wrote: »
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    Yes and no. It's often the working poor or those who have accumulated a lot of debt who fall through the cracks even with programs like that. It's better than nothing though and much better system than it was when I was a kid growing up.

    Ahh ok, so you have to fit a certain criteria to qualify for this, it's not for every single kid?
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    See the stats I posted above.

    • Sixty-one percent of food-insecure households in the survey reported that in the previous month, they had participated in one or more of the three largest Federal food and nutrition assistance programs (SNAP; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC); and National School Lunch Program).

    One has to sign up for the free lunch program so if a kid's parents are homeless, drug addicts, generally incompetent or just stupid, then the kid is SOL. There are still plenty of kids in the U.S. who are SOL for these reasons.
  • This content has been removed.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    Dvdgzz wrote: »
    technically i am obese so......

    A very, very small percentage of people carry enough LBM to be considered obese at a healthy fat percentage. These are stats on the average person, not gym rats.

    Yep, talking D1 or NFL linebacker range.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hey day would be classed as obese by bmi standards..
  • ClosetBayesian
    ClosetBayesian Posts: 836 Member
    shell1005 wrote: »
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    Yes and no. It's often the working poor or those who have accumulated a lot of debt who fall through the cracks even with programs like that. It's better than nothing though and much better system than it was when I was a kid growing up.

    Ahh ok, so you have to fit a certain criteria to qualify for this, it's not for every single kid?

    Varies. State law here in Oklahoma provides free breakfast to every child in elementary school. They come to school in the morning, they all have breakfast. It's possible to get reduced price lunches by income need.
  • mangrothian
    mangrothian Posts: 1,351 Member
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    Christine, in Australia it varies from school to school rather than a state funded program. Where I grew up a mostly low to lower middle class area, both my primary and highschool had breakfast programs, and so did a few other in the area. I don't know if it's as common now though.

    Come to think of it, so did my university. It might have been vegemite on toast or weetbix, but it was better than nothing.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited April 2016
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    Christine, in Australia it varies from school to school rather than a state funded program. Where I grew up a mostly low to lower middle class area, both my primary and highschool had breakfast programs, and so did a few other in the area. I don't know if it's as common now though.

    Come to think of it, so did my university. It might have been vegemite on toast or weetbix, but it was better than nothing.

    Wow I had no idea. Never had anything like it when I was in school, or when my kids were there.
    It could be different in the poorer suburbs, I haven't looked into it.

  • irenehb
    irenehb Posts: 236 Member
    edited April 2016
    Another thought on all of this: I know very few people who come from families who have been wealthy for more than one generation who are obese, or even very overweight. I have a sneaking suspicion that this is one problem that will slowly fix itself even if that takes a couple of generations. What this "problem" really tells me is that fewer people at risk of starving, and that's a good thing.

    In America, I argue that there are very few who do not have access to food. The issue is having access to "quality" food. High calorie pre-packaged foods with fewer micronutrients is cheap. Those with limited funds will obviously buy what is cheapest. Of course, any food with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is ultimately subsidized through the USDA. I'm pretty sure my state is the largest producer of corn (if not #1, we are really close); and I know all the big farmers around me get big money for corn. That's why they don't rotate crops anymore like the last generation did.

    Don't they do free breakfasts/lunches in schools in America for kids that don't have access to food or decent food?
    I think that's a wonderful idea, we don't have anything like it in Australia.

    Christine, in Australia it varies from school to school rather than a state funded program. Where I grew up a mostly low to lower middle class area, both my primary and highschool had breakfast programs, and so did a few other in the area. I don't know if it's as common now though.

    Come to think of it, so did my university. It might have been vegemite on toast or weetbix, but it was better than nothing.

    Wow I had no idea. Never had anything like it when I was in school, or when my kids were there.
    It could be different in the poorer suburbs, I haven't looked into it.

    Australian Red Cross currently has a Good Start Breakfast club which operates in over 200 schools nation wide.

    Foodbank in conjunction with the Victorian state government provide breakfast to 500 schools in the state.

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