Which came first- obesity or super-sized? Obesogenicity

FitandFab33

How have you seen American shift to an obesogenic (causing/contributing to obesity) society?

What are some things that you've seen change that either contribute to obesity or resulted from the increase in obesity in America?

The term "Americanization/Westernization" now includes an understood obesogenic element- thoughts? Yes, I'm fishing for ideas/opinions. I want to see what people think- chicken or the egg kind of thing...

QueenInge

Obesity due to a more sedentary lifestyle. Modern technologies allow people to get more done without as much effort which leads to bigger waistlines. I think super sizing comes as a advertising lure to satisy an already obese population. Super sizing also appeals people's sense of econony (getting more for a good price). Convenience foods lack nutritional value but helps people prepare meals on the go while they are earning a living, which leads to more obesity in the long run.

FitandFab33

What about antibiotics, birth control, hormone manipulation, food science (and technology)... has anyone heard of the "fat virus" (which is a REAL thing btw)... think any of those have any contribution?

ndj1979

I am going to go with "mass production of foods" once companies learned to mass produce foods and then provide these foods to the masses would seem to when the obesity epidemic exploded. Go to the grocery store ALL the processed, unhealthy foods, are the cheapest, and anything that is "healthy" is expensive.

The plus side to mass production is that we can now feed the masses, and poor people can afford to eat reasonably well...the downside is that they are all buying the unhealthy processed foods and they the obesity epidemic was born and has now exploded.

I will also say that American cultural thinking of bigger and more are better mind set has led to this as well. Tied in to this is the go go culture and stop at McDonalds, Wendys etc and while you are there make sure you supersize it for 25 cents more.

FitandFab33

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/24/magazine/the-extraordinary-science-of-junk-food.html?_r=0

How's this for mass production... scary stuff going on in the processing.

ldrosophila

Obesity has been around for many years. Taft was the USA fattest president and he was around long before super size was every invented.

However, better access to cheap caloric rich food and decrease in overall activity levels has caused a surge in the number of individuals with obesity. Obesity is on the rise throughout the world even in third world countries. Finally for the first time in human history we have enough food. I bet in 50years you will see the poor in Africa, if they corrupt governments losen the control of food, as obese as American poor.

Shoot during Tafts time it wasnt uncommon to find cans riddled with botulisum, animal feces, typhoid, and dysentary in water. So our food sources are better now too much cleaner.

gooseberrypink

What about antibiotics, birth control, hormone manipulation, food science (and technology)... has anyone heard of the "fat virus" (which is a REAL thing btw)... think any of those have any contribution?

No.

People like to eat. It used to be that food was expensive, and scarce. The percentage of American income spent on food has gone down every decade. That has allowed us to eat like we want. If food had always been this plentiful and inexpensive, obesity would have been a timeless problem. There is only one solution that remains the same no matter what... stop eating so much!

amberlykay1014

Those food-challenge shows on TV aren't helping.. lol. I forget the name of the one I'm thinking of, but you could seriously watch the guy get fatter and fatter every season.

And people celebrate him and the eating-challenge mentality! I thought the food always looked amazing, but watching him stuff himself was disgusting.