What do you think of the obesity epidemic in the U.S.?

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pengwynn26

Insane.

jmmcs

I live in an area with about a 27% obesity rate. In the fancier neighborhoods, most people aren't fat, in the poorer areas tons of people are fat. There is a ridiculous amount of fast food places and restaurants here. Within walking distance from my house, there is a McDonald's, a Wendy's, a KFC, two Burger Kings, a Subway, a Pizza Hut and another local pizza place.

I went to an organic grocery store once(too expensive to ever return to) and it was very crowded. It felt strange being the only obese person at the store. At Meijer or Walmart(I really hate Walmart), people give me strange looks because my basket is full of fresh produce.

I don't see the future ever getting better in terms of obesity rates. It's easy to brainwash people into buying useless junk food, but nearly impossible to brainwash them into buying broccoli. If there was a way of changing the mindset of 50% of the country, we could solve many problems other than high obesity rates

JUDDDing

You know there are people with thyroid problems that can't help being fat? ...

So majority of Obese people have thyroid problems? Come on now, lets get real here.

lol I never said all obese people have thyroid problems, but there are some that do and cannot do anything about it.

Which thyroid problems result in weight gain that you can do nothing about?

My son had thyroid cancer last year. They removed his thyroid completely and irradiated any residual. Now he takes a little pill every morning.

No massive weight gain.

I read this (uncontrollable weight gain due to "thyroid problems") a lot here on MFP and I don't understand it.

dixiewhiskey

You know there are people with thyroid problems that can't help being fat? ...

So majority of Obese people have thyroid problems? Come on now, lets get real here.

lol I never said all obese people have thyroid problems, but there are some that do and cannot do anything about it.

Which thyroid problems result in weight gain that you can do nothing about?

My son had thyroid cancer last year. They removed his thyroid completely and irradiated any residual. Now he takes a little pill every morning.

No massive weight gain.

I read this (uncontrollable weight gain due to "thyroid problems") a lot here on MFP and I don't understand it.

I have the fat gene, just so you know.

Yeah, really... sorry to hear about previous poster's son's health problems.. I can totally understand why that would boggle your mind

dixiewhiskey

It's not a good thing, but it's swept under the rug like everything else.

People hav to take action themselves to better themselves they can't expect someone else to do it for them.

Imagine what it would be like if high density foods became illegal to sell...

I agree.

That would never happen though.. the United States would be in an uproar about how that is "unAmerican" and how it's "communist" :grumble:

I don't know much about Bloomberg but I applaud his effort in trying to get a ban on soda in large amounts (over 16oz). Too bad most people in the US won't/don't support a noble and bold move.

kmcosgrove115

Exactly why I switched to whole food, plant based 2 months ago - no meat, no dairy and no oil. My son (10 yrs) asked if he could eat as we did -they liked some things but I could not switch them fully (ages 10 and 6) to full WFPB - he had a Rips Big Bowl today and whole wheat pasta with the 365 organic pasta sauce - lots of fruit, homemade ice cream with frozen bananas - cannot believe he is eating as we are - I worry so much with the food they eat b/c oil is in everything among other things - my daughter is more adventurous with fruit and vegges so we are getting there

charismanoodles

I'm not sure about America but in Australia there is barely any nutritional information given in schools. Except the food pyramid as a kid, which isn't that great but that's another kettle of fish.

When I started gaining weight it was due to an end in exercise but still eating the same. I literally had no idea the food was bad for me, until I started researching on the internet. Was it partially my parents fault? Maybe but they didn't know these things either.

Education plays a big part.

Hbazzell

I just had the same xperience. I live in a rural area now but I went to the city to the mall and it was so hard to find healthy weight people. It really scared me too.

besaro

government subsidies to corn, soy and wheat are out of control. fruit and vegetables get about 2% of our subsidies. I think this plays a huge role in it. large corporations getting huge subsidies from our government, small, sustainable farms get very little. harumph.

Judyquilter

I am reading the same book, it is an eye opener. You think in terms of the problems being mostly for adults, but it breaks your heart when you realize that so many children are also obese. What, as a society, have we done to ourselves?

dixiewhiskey

government subsidies to corn, soy and wheat are out of control. fruit and vegetables get about 2% of our subsidies. I think this plays a huge role in it. large corporations getting huge subsidies from our government, small, sustainable farms get very little. harumph.

Agreed!

servilia

Exactly why I switched to whole food, plant based 2 months ago - no meat, no dairy and no oil. My son (10 yrs) asked if he could eat as we did -they liked some things but I could not switch them fully (ages 10 and 6) to full WFPB - he had a Rips Big Bowl today and whole wheat pasta with the 365 organic pasta sauce - lots of fruit, homemade ice cream with frozen bananas - cannot believe he is eating as we are - I worry so much with the food they eat b/c oil is in everything among other things - my daughter is more adventurous with fruit and vegges so we are getting there

Are your kids getting sufficient protein?

zillah73

Exactly why I switched to whole food, plant based 2 months ago - no meat, no dairy and no oil. My son (10 yrs) asked if he could eat as we did -they liked some things but I could not switch them fully (ages 10 and 6) to full WFPB - he had a Rips Big Bowl today and whole wheat pasta with the 365 organic pasta sauce - lots of fruit, homemade ice cream with frozen bananas - cannot believe he is eating as we are - I worry so much with the food they eat b/c oil is in everything among other things - my daughter is more adventurous with fruit and vegges so we are getting there

Are your kids getting sufficient protein?

sdalton06

I didn't read all the comments so I'm replying to the topic in general. I think obesity is pathetic. Unless someone has a medical condition that makes them prone to weight gain, there's absolutely no reason for anyone to be morbidly obese. I used to be 320 lbs, and I still get pissed off at myself for ever getting that large. Thankfully, I had enough muscle along with my fat to not look shockingly huge, but still that is/was no excuse.

And it's getting worse because everyone thinks it's ok to be thick!! It might be ok if you're thick in a muscular way, but not because you booze too much and eat horribly. It just baffles me. Society is partially to blame, I suppose. There's more of an obsession with being thin than there is to being fit. Hopefully that will change soon.

quirkytizzy

I didn't read all the comments so I'm replying to the topic in general. I think obesity is pathetic. Unless someone has a medical condition that makes them prone to weight gain, there's absolutely no reason for anyone to be morbidly obese. I used to be 320 lbs, and I still get pissed off at myself for ever getting that large. Thankfully, I had enough muscle along with my fat to not look shockingly huge, but still that is/was no excuse.

And it's getting worse because everyone thinks it's ok to be thick!! It might be ok if you're thick in a muscular way, but not because you booze too much and eat horribly. It just baffles me. Society is partially to blame, I suppose. There's more of an obsession with being thin than there is to being fit. Hopefully that will change soon.

Yeah. Sure. I'll bet you looked great - not like all of us other fat, pathetic people.
:grumble:

PikaKnight

I didn't read all the comments so I'm replying to the topic in general. I think obesity is pathetic. Unless someone has a medical condition that makes them prone to weight gain, there's absolutely no reason for anyone to be morbidly obese. I used to be 320 lbs, and I still get pissed off at myself for ever getting that large. Thankfully, I had enough muscle along with my fat to not look shockingly huge, but still that is/was no excuse.

And it's getting worse because everyone thinks it's ok to be thick!! It might be ok if you're thick in a muscular way, but not because you booze too much and eat horribly. It just baffles me. Society is partially to blame, I suppose. There's more of an obsession with being thin than there is to being fit. Hopefully that will change soon.

Yeah. Sure. I'll bet you looked great - not like all of us other fat, pathetic people.
:grumble:

:grumble:

magerum

I didn't read all the comments so I'm replying to the topic in general. I think obesity is pathetic. Unless someone has a medical condition that makes them prone to weight gain, there's absolutely no reason for anyone to be morbidly obese. I used to be 320 lbs, and I still get pissed off at myself for ever getting that large. Thankfully, I had enough muscle along with my fat to not look shockingly huge, but still that is/was no excuse.

And it's getting worse because everyone thinks it's ok to be thick!! It might be ok if you're thick in a muscular way, but not because you booze too much and eat horribly. It just baffles me. Society is partially to blame, I suppose. There's more of an obsession with being thin than there is to being fit. Hopefully that will change soon.

PikaKnight

Exactly why I switched to whole food, plant based 2 months ago - no meat, no dairy and no oil. My son (10 yrs) asked if he could eat as we did -they liked some things but I could not switch them fully (ages 10 and 6) to full WFPB - he had a Rips Big Bowl today and whole wheat pasta with the 365 organic pasta sauce - lots of fruit, homemade ice cream with frozen bananas - cannot believe he is eating as we are - I worry so much with the food they eat b/c oil is in everything among other things - my daughter is more adventurous with fruit and vegges so we are getting there

Are your kids getting sufficient protein?

Errrr...are you insinuating protein makes people fat? You do know our bodies do need protein right? And asking if the kids are getting enough protein is a valid question.

Warchortle

Obesity is actually inflated because of how BMI is set... because health isn't measured by things like blood pressure.. bigger people who are active fall into the overweight/obese categories when they may be perfectly healthy.