What do you think is the primary reason for obesity?

Prahasaurus

1. Ignorance - ultimately the main issue. People don't understand how bad most foods are for them. They don't realize that their health issues are a result of their food choices.

2. Culture - Americans, especially, no longer eat together. It's everyone for himself/herself. And they rarely use a knife and fork. If you don't need a knife and fork, it's probably not healthy.

3. Increased poverty, again, especially in America. There is a widening gap between rich and poor. Poor people choose cheaper foods. Processed foods, filled with salt, sugar, etc. Also, everyone is working (husband and wife), sometimes multiple jobs, so fewer meals are cooked from scratch. And less time for exercise. Sure, you can make the time, it's just harder. Making things harder means fewer people do it.

--P

TheVimFuego

In a way, I agree. But it also seems like a little bit of a scapegoat to blame the food and not the person's choices.

Oh, we are all accountable, no doubt about that but the dice is loaded if the nutritional advice we are given in not based in science and the central principles are flawed.

Consuming fat increases the risk of heart disease? Not if they are good fats.

Consuming fat makes us fat? Nope.

Consuming cholesterol raises cholesterol in the blood significantly enough to increase the risk of heart disease? Nope.

Creating a weekly calorie deficit of 3500 means we will lose 1lb of body fat? Nope.

What chance do we have, never mind our liking for the occasional burger ...

simplysassi

All of the above. I think media/marketing are huge factors as well. People get sucked into the hype and believe a lot of the junk they eat is healthy.

Shellitz

I think it all stems from lack of proper food education from a young age.

Kids need to learn to eat proper food and need to learn how to cook proper food. ANY kid is going to screw their nose up at a vegetable because it's new and their friends get away with it. Big rule in my house is that everything must be tried at least twice so that I know for sure that you genuinely don't like it. This goes for adults too. I also let my nieces and nephews help me in the kitchen. No knives or anything (unitl they are old enough), but even if they just sit at the bench bashing a spoon aganst a pot while you cook in front of them, it's all beneficial.

Kids like to learn. they'll tell you they don't, but really they do. Take them to the market to show them what the veggies look like before you cook them. The bright colours, different textures and different smells are all very interesting to kids. better yet - grow a couple of veggies at home. You DO NOT need a lot of space, a couple of carrots will grow in a pot. You'll be surprised how much children will get excited about eating something they have watched grow.

Don't make being in the kitchen a chore all the time. Plan fun activities in there too - make panckes together, bake cupcakes, make fun sandwhiches with faces on them. Anyhting that will stop the kitchen being a room that is no fun at all.

It's really sad how many kids think that all food comes out of a box. Because those kids become adults who eat out of boxes.

Prahasaurus

If you're in the US, I would say portion control, everything is HUGE over there! Also, the availability to 'treats' is massive - like in Walmart the huge donut aisle.

And this, too. When I'm visiting the US and eating out with friends, we laugh at the amounts served and call them "American portions." When I'm in the US with my kids, I usually don't even order a meal for myself. I just ask for an extra plate and make three meals out of the two we ordered.

The rise of "Sam's Club" type food warehouses has promoted this, too. Theoretically, you're buying in bulk to save money and use over many days/weeks even months. In reality, most Americans are scarfing everything down immediately...

--P

themathelk

Convenience. Fast food saves us time and is instant gratification, the healthiest stuff they offer isn't convenient for a fast lifestyle. Television takes us to another world right now. And Sandwiches! They are so easy to carry, easy to fill with extra sauce, cheese and calories - then they take no time to eat - so you feel less full and eat more. Bike to work or drive - driving gets us there faster so we can have more time to do our favorite things (like sleeping later before leaving). Exercise isn't convenient and we've lost the pleasure in it. It's not a priority. Processed foods are packed calorie dense but aren't enough to fill our stretched stomaches - but they are super convenient, quick and clean and effortless.

Jkmumma

Fast Food:
Impossibly long drive through line.
Completely empty counter.
Most people won't even GET OUT OF THEIR CARS AND WALK IN.

Restaurants:
A serving of steak is 4 ounces.
In MOST restaurants you can't even get a steak smaller than 8.
12 and 16 are the typical offerings.

Buffets:
Unlimited all you can eat: Nuff said.

Soda:
High fructose corn syrup.
Advertised as REFRESHING, so people grab THIS when thirsty.
The caffeine (and corn syrup) make you thirsty again shortly after
grab another.
between 110 and 170 calories a can...

Education:
From crappy school lunches, to being raised on fast food, on up, Americans really don't have a good concept of what healthy eating is.
While many can say vegetables are good for you, and they should probably watch how much fatty and fried stuff they eat, most have NO concept of portion size, the effect of sodium on weight, or what their food contains.

School Environment:
With all the cutbacks, PE is one of the first things to go.
Kids sit at desks for most of the day, fidgeting and any sort of movement is discouraged
Kids are not encouraged to play hard at recess. Most schools now discourage running during recess because it's dangerous.

Work Environment
Most people work in sedentary jobs. A half hour lunch and one or two 15 minute breaks.
Most work stations are set up to only allow for sitting, and for very long periods of time.
Many corporations ridicule those that have offered the style of work station where desks can be raised to allow working from a stand for part of the time, if an employee chooses, despite proof that it increases performance.
Same said corporations ridicule foreign countries for group workout time on company hours.

TV:
When I was a child, cable was 10 channels and you had to STAND UP TO CHANGE THEM.
My cable box now doesn't even have an "change channel on the cable box" option. I have 6 hundred and something channels.
Disney used to have a mousercize program for kids. When we were kids we were up and dancing and moving with it. I looked for that when my children were younger: There's nothing like it.

Energy in motion tends to stay in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. Energy at rest tends to stay at rest, unless acted upon by an outside force. We work all day at a sit down job.. The mind numbing nature of it exhausts us, we drive through the drive through on the way home, drop on the couch, eat while we watch TV, and don't quite move until bedtime.

Video Games:
Keeps kids out of adults exhausted hair for hours on end.
Keeps adults entertained for hours on end.
Very much like TV, only more interactive.

Neighborhoods:
No longer safe enough to kick kids out the door on a bicycle and call "when the street lights come on" the curfew.

Facebook (and everything like it)
again with the HOURS of entertainment. And for those lucky enough to have a laptop, watch TV while we computer it up.

And yes, with a society of instant gratification, one that thinks of food as both reward and comfort, we eat what we have been taught tastes good. Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cake, Desserts.

Note that Desserts is backwards for stressed.. Just saying.

jadedone

I think the quality of food in our mainstream food system has accelerated the problem. I don't believe peoples eating habits have changed all that much. But the stuff added to our foods has changed immensely.

Are you serious? Americans eat donuts and milkshakes and other high sugary goodies for breakfast, dozens of candy bars as snacks, super high calorific and high carbohydrate meals for dinner, and the portion sizes have increased significantly, and you're telling me 'i don't believe peoples eating habits have changed all that much' is complete BS. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but the way we are eating has changed dramatically. The fact of the matter is, Yes the food industry is also messed up, High fructose corn syrup in nearly everything, GMO foods and such but still, we choose to eat them.

Not quite, I think people have been eating donuts and milkshakes etc for a while. (Hello, look at the food in the 50s. That was when most of the crap was created.) But somehow the definition of donut went from flour, yeast, water, sugar and spices fried in regular oil to something with 37 ingredients fried in trasfat. I don't know if I would actually call that "food."

If it was only the donuts and milkshakes, then the obesity rate would have risen consistently -- following a straight line trajectory -- over the past 50 years. In reality, things jumped up considerably in the last 20 or 30. It is something besides just eating crappy food causing the problem. That crappy food changed considerably over the past 20-30 years.

How much anecdotal evidence have you seen of people moving here from Europe (and I specifically choose Europe here) and instantly gain 15 pounds in 3 months, even though they are eating the stuff they did at home. I remember meeting several Brits and Germans in college who complained of this very fact. And their food choices/meal definitions are a lot like the typical american meal.

I don't trust the mainstream food system, because our government refuses to allow us to have proper labeling so we know exactly what we are eating, and what the additives are.

melindenmark

Im not from the USA but, i think this goes for almost every country: Education: Children are taught at a young age bad eating habits, and as adults that can be a hard habit to change! There are more and more obese children and of course they are growing up to be obese adults. For obesity to stop we have to start the the children, of course there are adults that need help and maybe grew up with good food habits but we are seeing obesity more and more in children and they really need help to try and stop this tread of bad choices and over eating

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo

I thought it might be interesting to see what our site feels might be the root cause(s) to our country becoming 66% overweight or obese.

Is it due to?

1. Poor food choices
2. Portion control
3. Lack of exercise
4. Lack of sleep
5. Physical problems (thyroid, hormonal imbalances, diseases, chronic illnesses, genetics)
6. Mental issues (lack of an equal quality of education)
7. Emotional problems (stress, finances, job loss, divorcee or a bad relationship. etc.)
8. Lack of self-control or will-power
9. Lack of availability to get quality foods in some areas
10. Sedentary lifestyles now common place in the work and home environments
11. Fast food restaurants
12. Regular restaurants who in many cases serve portion sizes twice what one should eat
13. TV/Cell phones/Internet/Gaming
14. Something else

The bolded ones

littlelily613

I think most people are overweight due to poor food choices and portion control. Yes some people have physical or mental conditions that lead to weight gain, but for the most part it is something that CAN be combatted for those who try. I have a hormonal imbalance...or two? (PCOS and insulin resistance) that cause weight gain. I can't really blame my weight on those hormonal conditions though. Yes, I gain weight faster than most, but if I made better food choices and kept my portions in check, I would not be in the state I am in today. I still have a part in losing this weight, and it is possible when I try. I can't just give up because it is a bit more difficult for me than for many others. I think all the processed, salty, sugary foods are addictive as well, leading to people's challenges in poor food choices and portion control (although all people still have to take some responsibility for making those choices in the first place, IMO). These foods are calorie dense and poor in nutrition leaving the body starving even though it is stuffed. I've read before that people are never satisfied no matter how much they eat until they feed themselves nutritionally because deficiencies always cause a "want" for more, even if people can't tell that they are actually craving protein, vitamin c, iron, etc. I don't know how true that is, but it makes sense, IMO.

MashaSK

health problems first I always thought people get fat when they are lazy Then I had hormone change myself and got weight without changing my diet and exercise routine. Now I understand how hard it is for many people to get in shape for physical, emotional reasons and would never let anyone make fun over fat person.

MoreBean13

Lack of education about nutrition, fitness and health.

jadedone

Just an FYI on how obesity has been trending in the US:


Isn't it odd that obesity suddenly exploded in 1980, after a fairly consistent rate of change? Did people start eating more overnight and just started gaining weight?

**this isn't the best source, but I have seen similar graphs in other places, so it is trustworthy enough. http://tomatotalk.earthfare.com/2010/01/06/just-how-bad-is-obesity-in-america/

byrnet18

It is called "disease of affluence", and America has it bad!

Meditate for 20 minutes, twice a day. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day, eat plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, spend more time in nature, less indoors, stop worrying about things you can't control.

Ditch your TV...

Yes! This exactly.

Preacher224

While there are valid health issues behind some obesity, I would have to say the number one reason for obesity is lack of self control. Which includes eating too much, the wrong things and being sedentary. This is where it starts and after some time living like this, people have a hard time breaking out of these habits. The sad thing is, parents are raising their children to be obese. Which can cause a lifelong problem and no matter how much they hear to the contrary they may never be able to recover.

MoreBean13

Anyone who is interested in this topic should watch HBO's "The Weight of the Nation" series. I think it's available online people w/o HBO. Its really thought provoking.

volume77

What this guy said

In a way, I agree. But it also seems like a little bit of a scapegoat to blame the food and not the person's choices.

Oh, we are all accountable, no doubt about that but the dice is loaded if the nutritional advice we are given in not based in science and the central principles are flawed.

Consuming fat increases the risk of heart disease? Not if they are good fats.

Consuming fat makes us fat? Nope.

Consuming cholesterol raises cholesterol in the blood significantly enough to increase the risk of heart disease? Nope.

Creating a weekly calorie deficit of 3500 means we will lose 1lb of body fat? Nope.

What chance do we have, never mind our liking for the occasional burger ...

Vailara

Food tastes good. Technology has provided us an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. Cheap, delicious food is in abundant supply.

Possibly that has something to do with it - food that tastes nicer is more available. I was thinking about when I was a child growing up, we often had to eat food that really wasn't that nice and so there was no temptation to overeat it! Now nice food just seems to be a lot more available, and I ONLY eat nice food. Even my local corner shop has food that would have been considered exotic when I was a child. Back when I was a kid, the local shop was well over a mile away and everything had to be carried back by hand. (Not so many people had cars then). It was another couple of miles to the nearest supermarket, and that was tiny - I don't remember ANY big supermarkets like the ones we have now.

It's interesting, because it's always assumed we eat more processed food now, but back in the old days, I remember that we did eat more tinned food. Like many people then, we didn't have a freezer, so a lot of food was tinned or dried. A lot of people ate mostly tinned veg rather than fresh, for instance. There were ready meals back then, but again, they just weren't as appetising as the ones you can get now.

I wonder if I went back to living like that, would I actually lose weight? I don't know. I do know that I wouldn't be tempted to overeat on the foods I had as a child, or even what I ate as an adult after leaving home (I didn't have much money, so it was cheap food, things like tinned sardines which I don't think anybody would want to overeat!). I must have been overeating for the last few years, and I have got fat on healthy, delicious, homecooked food.

HelenDootson

Advertising!