What do you think is the primary reason for obesity?

MrsSorenson

7. Emotional problems (stress, finances, job loss, divorcee or a bad relationship. etc.)

At least most of the people I know. Including myself !!

XFitMojoMom

#2 & #10

#2 - Portions are outrageous and plate sizes have increased
#10 - sedentary lifestyle home/work environment. Hard labor was far more prevalent 25-50+ years ago - now heavy machinery does it all for us, while we sit in front of computers programming the equipment to do the work.

jwaitman

I am not sure it is any one reason, but probably a host of many. Poor food choices being probably one of the biggest causes. It is so easy with our busy life styles to run through a drive thru for a quick fat filled meal than cooking healthy choices. We have also become a nation of TV zombies. Growing up we didn't watch TV and to this day my parents still don't have cable or satelite. Wish I could say the same. My kids are glued to the TV whenever possible. I just wish I was home more to keep them busier.

ninerbuff

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

All of the above. Also add in genetics.

A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

seardefilip

I just talked with someone about this the other day-
I have been watching the weight of the nation

in my opinion it boils down to a couple of things-

we used to be SO active as children and young people generationally things are different- now- we (including us with young people because as much as it is an epidemic in us who are a little older now- its a crisises that is facing our children more) - there is limited physical activity at school- we are afraid to let kids play outside like we did- and we generically eat CRAP-

Like they said on the documentary- we eat what is sold to us- you see cereal commercials and ice cream, and Just CRAP food- you rarely ever see a commercial about VEGGIES and FRUIT (on an ocassion you will see an orange commercial) but seriously we BUY what is marketed to our taste buds-

WE MUST CHANGE THIS!
I am saying WE as I am talking to ME- I have really been focusing on change but lately it has been much more intense- our lifestyles need to be refocused to what once was- we have to get out of the diet mentality- if we ate the edge of the grocery store, I bet we would see that there would not be as much of a need for DIETING

sorry I just went on a rant

kneazle22

I cant just narrow it down to one thing, genetics do play a part in our size, as do medical conditions. But i have to say one of the problems i have seen is portion size. Now if i want McDonalds I have it, but i have a Small french fry, a hamburger, and a diet soda. This is under 400 calories, as opposed to the quarter pounder with cheese meal even with a diet soda that tops out at a whopping 900 calories. We are always in a hurry and dont slow down to eat. I eat pretty much what I want in smaler portions. There are just so many things that contribute to weight gain its unreal even medications that are supposed to fix us can make us gain weight. I would say that all of the above are true, but certaintly dont apply to every individual. I hit a plateau recently and have discovered since using MFP that the problem was actually UNDER eating, since i began making sure i ate my calories i have dropped 2lbs in one week. A good start!

MessyLittlePanda

Western societies (particularly the English speaking ones) are obsessed with food and weight and appearance. On the one hand, we have fast food on every corner and food is a hobby, not fuel for our bodies, and on the other hand we fetishize perfect bodies, skinny models, Page 3 girls, Playboy bunnies, six pack abs and mega-guns for guys.

It's a bit weird, no?

GaglianiGirl

I grew ip on a family who had no knowledge of what eating healthy meant. My mom is a fabulous cook and an even better baker, but she never said, " no, one slice of cake is enough." I followed in the path laid before me. Now I am an adult, with children and I have made it my goal to change that path, not only for my kids, but for me and hopefully my 500lb brother and mother. I think nutrition should be taught more in schools. when I was in school, it was a subject barely touched. I also think it's a misconception that eating healthier has to cost a bunch more.I think it's really just a combination of many issues.

bigsis26

I think it's just being too lazy to do things right anymore.

vara123

All of these, but primarily a lack of exercise (i.e. a sedentary lifestyle). Diets in different indigenous populations across the world have historically varied wildly in terms of calories in and fat/protein/carb ratio in the diet, matching the the phsyiological demands of the different traditional lifeways of these groups - humans have adapted in this way to lots of different environments around the world successfully. Scarfing 3500 cals a day is fine, if you have to spend all day seal hunting or chasing buffalo off cliffs ;-) It's only when you mix high calorie diets (especially those filled with calorie-dense 'junk' food) and a lack of physical exertion that people really get unnaturally overweight.

rml_16

People are eating too much and not moving enough. Period.

When I was a kid, I'd get dressed in the morning and go outside and there would be all the rest of the neighborhood kids and we'd play tag, hide and seek, climb trees, rollerskate, ride bikes, etc. And we'd be outside until the street lights came on and then go in for dinner. In the winter, we had snowball fights and built snowmen and anything else we could do.

We also had gym class and daily recess at school.

Now parents are scared to death to allow their kids outside to just play, so the kids are stuck inside except when the parents can arrange a playdate or have time to sit outside and watch them. Schools are fazing out gym and recess in favor of more classroom time. Computers, video games, even streaming things like Netflix encourage couch potato lifestyles.

bcattoes

Primary reason: 3. Lack of exercise

JenMull44

I think portion control is the biggest problem. I eat any kind of food, I just eat a small amount.

I agree ! Portion sizes are ridiculous, especially at chain restaurants where it is cheap
to eat.

RealWomenLovePitbulls

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

1,2, 3, 4,5, 7,8, 10, and 13

neverstray

When the power goes out, everyone on my block goes outside and everyone starts chatting. I think TV is a very large contributor with its advertising and it's amazing power for a person to sit on the couch staring at it for hours and stuff food in their mouth the whole time. Without TV, I think the problem wouldn't be such a large issue. That's number one. And, I do feel it drives most of the other things everyone is talking about.

Large portions are also a problem and annoying. It's hard for me to eat out anymore. I was raised that you have to eat everything on your plate. That is ingrained in me. No matter how many times I try to resist it, it is something that I grew up believing. So, I tend to do it. So, I don't like restaurants for that reason. I wish the industry would serve proper portion sizes to people, rather than a meal for 4 on a single plate. But, go look at Yelp sometime. What is the first thing almost everyone comments on...portion size. Everyone wants a large portion. It's a huge factor for Americans.

Next is all the processed food. Just knock it off.

Last, and this is more controversial, due to the way our society advertises, depression, ADD (and all it's variants), bi-polar, and all those kinds of things are becoming more prevalent. This is because of society, not because people actually have problems. Society, mainly the ad industry, is causing this. Women feel less than human because they can't be stick figures. If you can't own the latest toy, you are less than adequate. Look at the messages in advertising. Most of you are desensitized to the messages, but if you stop and really look at a handful of ads, you'll notice that actually they are cruel and saying really bad things about you if you don't get in line with their idea of beauty and success. It is important to be able to afford a $150 bottle of their perfume, and if you can't, you're nobody. This has a really dramatic affect on people over time. Seeing these messages over and over and over does have an effect, even when people say, "that doesn't t impact me". It does. Advertising is almost every companies number 1 expense, just behind R&D. There is a reason for that. It's expensive to mind *kitten* America, but sooooo worth it in the end. But this feeling less because you can't be like the others causes the issues like depression, and then relates into eating as an escape or whatever.

RejoicingL

All those reasons contribute. We live in a society/generation that seeks after our own pleasure first. We want what we want, and we want it now. We live in an age of instant gratification, and short attention span. The message "If it feels good, do it" is very popular right now. Lack of activity, increase in convenience foods.

DieVixen

Lack of personal responsiblity

AimersBee

I say TIED between... portion control and food choices, barely anyone I know/hang out with realize how much they eat, and how high the calories are that is in the food they eat.

RealWomenLovePitbulls

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

1,2, 3, 4,5, 7,8, 10, and 13
I think all of the options are to blame, but my reason for not really choosing #6 is that I think the lack of proper education on nutrition and being healthy only applies to children, adults know what is good for them and what is not and they make their own choices on this matter. #9 I think you can get good foods in any area, maybe not all the variety, but people can make healthier choices out of what is available to them. #11 no one has to eat at fast food, and you can also pick healthier options, that is a personal choice. #12 you can choose to eat only 1/2 of your meal and take the other half home and eat it the next day, just because you are given a large portion, does not mean you have to eat it

JenMull44

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.

FOOD INC. is also another eye opener and an interesting documentary on eating habits in the U S.

cavegrl140

Sugar consumption.

Our calorie consumption has gone up steadily in the last 3-4 decades and we've seen a direct correlation in weight gain.

I'm a huge huge fan of Dr. Robert Lustig. The man speaks the truth.

Lolli1986

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

yep.

It's only been the past two or so generations that have needed to think about food choices in terms of 'will this make me fat'? We're also the first generations with SUCH incredibly sedentary lifestyles.

i would hazard a guess at the more extreme levels of obesity being learned behaviour from parents who didn't know how to handle all the suddenly available delicious foods. that and mental drives of one sort or another - usually drives that would have been amazing survival mechanisms in pre-agricultural times.

hpsnickers1

too many carbs and way too many refined carbs (which means we have to eat every couple of hours).
too much fructose (which is a poison and very toxic in high amounts)
processed foods designed to make us want to keep eating. (Food Scientists???? That's just scary).
Lack of protein/fat in the diet (protein is satiating and fat is filling; the entire digestion process takes 5-6 hours. Something is wrong if you are hungry every two hours).
Replaced two macronutrients used for more than just energy (maintenance and repair) with a macronutrient that is nothing but energy. (There are essential amino acids and essential fatty acids but there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate).
Too sedentary for the amount of carbs in the SAD (the more active you are the more carbs your body can handle - but a lifetime of sugar burning will still cause problems later in life. The SAD is a "high-sugar equivalent" diet.)
All this leading to metabolic problems (and an adaption to burning sugar as the main fuel. This elevates basal insulin levels which in turn makes it harder to access fat from storage - to use as energy) and metabolic syndrome.

It's a combination of a bunch of factors. But I can say this: it isn't what the media and the "nutritional experts" say it is.

Kara_xxx

I think for me there are two questions... 1) why do we become fat and 2) why do we not do anything about it.

In terms of why we get fat in the first place, asides from the obvious eating too much and not moving enough, -- I believe sugar is a big culprit. People are so hooked and often don't even know it. The body just keeps gagging for the next "quick fix" -- instant need for gratification. I want it and I want it now.

In terms of why we don't do anything about it... I think we make too many excuses, the biggest ones being time and money. Good wholefoods and getting fit doesn't have to be expensive and it doesn't have to take a lot of time. It just takes a bit of planning and a bit of effort.

I see it all the time. A colleague in my office insists she doesn't have the time or money to get fit.... However she has money for hair extentions, fake nails, facials etc and also seems to have plenty of time to be watching all those TV programmes she talks about all day. It's about making choices.

I think folk with geniune conditions such as PCOS or thyroid problems are the minority. Most of us have no one else to blame but ourselves.

phillieschic

Because we eat too much and don't move enough.

ironanimal

Gluttony and laziness.

bigdawg62

SUGAR AND HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.

Lleldiranne

I think it is a combination of too many conveniences, portion control, and the idea that we have to "get our money's worth" (which is some of portion control).
Really, I remember when McD's introduced the "Extra Value Meals." I thought, wow, that's a lot of food (Big Mac, reg fries, reg drink). Then they "supersized" it (large fries and drink). Then they brought in the double quarterpound cheeseburger - really, 1/2 lb of meat on one sandwich! Now, the "reg" or "medium" fries of my high school years are called "small." We keep getting bigger and bigger. And because it's a "deal" we buy it and eat it all. Not just fast food, either -- we do it with all sorts of foods!

KaidaKantri

There are so many reason's for it. More jobs are becoming desk jobs, a lot of the food we tend to eat is processed which helps gain weight, we become lazy, we get addicted to the sugars in food (Especially the unhealthy foods) and therefore have more cravings to eat it. Ice cream, milk shakes, cake, chocolate, cheesecake, they are all super yummy so we are going to fill ourselves up with them, especially because we tend to become addicted to things like that.

rml_16

SUGAR AND HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP.

That stuff has been around a lot longer than the obesity problem.