Is obesity 'normal' where you live, or 'abnormal'?

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  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    I live in the midwest, near Detroit, so it's very normal. I fully believe that lower income levels and obesity have a strong correlation.

    Yep
  • Carmella9
    Carmella9 Posts: 171 Member
    I'm from the uk (south Wales) and its really uncommon I've only ever seen one person that is so big they need. Wheelchair and that was shocking! On the other hand living with not many obese people means u have a clear understanding of what healthy weight is! Although it could be because I avoid any fast food places?!
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    NYC. Lots of thin people here. On top of that, I sometimes interact with young people in the fashion industry. Even at my lowish normal weight I sometimes feel if not overweight, "large."
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    Obesity is NOT normal in Colorado. It was ranked as the first (or at least one of the first) in healthy-weight people. There is so many activities to do both summer and winter. Of course, we are known for skiing in the winter, but also hiking the "fourteeners" * in the summer.

    NOTE: The "fourteeners" refers to the 53 mountain peaks in CO that are 14,000 feet or more.

    Just makes me stand out more and feel bad about myself.

    Ditto.. I'm not really that overweight either.. and I feel like i stand out.

    that being said.. I don't think people are overly thin here either.. I live in the middle of 3 military bases though.. so that probably weighs into that as well. Most of the soldiers that I am surrounded by look healthy and strong..
  • mhorn2142
    mhorn2142 Posts: 319 Member
    It's definitely normal here. We were voted the fattest city in America a couple of years ago by Men's Health.

    It's not suprising to me. We have a street festival that is second in size to Mardi Gras and you can get virtually anything you want deep fried.

    Sounds almost like Houston. That is where I am from.
  • akilahleemarie
    akilahleemarie Posts: 80 Member
    I live 2 hours north of seattle, wa and lets just say a healthy slender person stands out in the crowd. There are far more healthy men than women...but yeah...a thin woman sticks out around here...talking about age group 21-60...
  • Monica_has_a_goal
    Monica_has_a_goal Posts: 694 Member
    Abnormal .. this is Orange County, Southern California
  • momofthreesons
    momofthreesons Posts: 162 Member
    Normal.. people tell me I'm too skinny LOLOLOL I have just reached a "normal" weight. hahahahaha!
  • alisonsurf
    alisonsurf Posts: 92 Member
    I live outside Cleveland, Ohio in an inner ring suburb with a very mixed demographic. Obesity seems highly correlated with income level in elementary school, but I was astounded when I volunteered at the high school and saw how many girls are overweight! When I went there 25 years ago there were a few huge girls and a couple that could stand to lose a few, but the majority of us were normal to thin (we didn't have busing and no one got a ride back then!). There is still no busing, but the thin girls were the exception, not the rule. Boys did not seem to have such a disparity, however. I saw ~50% of the freshman class in 6 classes of ~30 students so I think that was a large enough sample size to make a fairly accurate assessment. I think it is telling that when you see the kids coming out of school at the end of the day, it is not the fat kids walking home.
  • prexiouslb
    prexiouslb Posts: 9 Member
    i live in Houston, Tx. one of the fattest cities..

    obesity is normal for both adults and children... i think pets too.

    LOL U SAID PETS TOO..haha
  • ajhugz
    ajhugz Posts: 452 Member
    I live in chicago and I wouldn't say its normal here but there are a lot of overweight people here. There's is a family in my highrise thats severely overweight. I've helped the mom up the 4 steps in front of the building and son is always in front smoking a cigarette leaning on the railing annoying the non smokers. Most of my friends have some weight they could lose and some of us are on our journey while others don't care enough.
  • upgetupgetup
    upgetupgetup Posts: 749 Member
    I'd say it's at about 30%
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    Most people here aren't obese, but there are certainly a plurality of overweight people here.
  • gonnabeskinnypretty
    gonnabeskinnypretty Posts: 34
    Here I wouldn't say a lot of people are obese but a lot are overweight.
  • LesleyGillan
    LesleyGillan Posts: 164
    I'm in Western Australia and I'd say that it's about 30% here. But I have noticed recently that there are quite a few overweight kids..... I'm talking kids as young as 4. It's sad to see parents putting the kids health at risk and setting them up for a lifetime of bad choices and unhealthy habits :frown:
  • Poetic_Photography
    Poetic_Photography Posts: 138
    Obesity is pretty common where I live...
  • Kanohane
    Kanohane Posts: 112 Member
    Poorer areas tend to have more unhealthy food available as I've noticed and health food breaks the wallet anyways. But in wealthy areas lots of health stuff is available.. Where I used to live, 90% of people were super obese...I was poor...do you know how hard it was to be poor and a vegetarian!? Only 1 or 2 things available to eat.... in my current area (wealthy) everyone is pencil thin and if you're fat, you stand out we have 3 GNC stores in one area!!...America does not care about health, or else health food would be cheaper :(
  • RetroRob
    RetroRob Posts: 58
    I live in London and obesity is normal, we are the 10th fattest country in the world
  • LilynEdensmom
    LilynEdensmom Posts: 612 Member
    Very common where I live...but the town I live in is pretty poor. I"m in the southwest part of VA
  • leighdiane91
    leighdiane91 Posts: 225 Member
    http://www.forbes.com/pictures/eigl45hfh/1-minneapolis-minn/

    Minneapolis/St. Paul was ranked #1 healthiest city in 2012..... so I am definitely the odd woman out. Minnesota is a VERY outdoorsy state in general.
  • marywanoKC
    marywanoKC Posts: 176
    I think that there's an even mix here. In my office ('burbs tending towards a more affluent demographic, but bordering the middle income neighborhoods) many of the patients that we see are overweight, but then you also have the "trophy wives" who balance it out. They might not be the most "fit", but they're definitely skinny (anti-depressants, lots of stress, etc). It really depends on the area of the city. When I'm around my house (midtown, very bohemian, walk everywhere if you can, hippie stores, smoke shops, diners and coffee shops) there's a lot "slimmer" body type. Not to say that you don't see any overweight people, but it's less likely.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    it's normal. sad, but normal. people see me and say omg you're soooo skinny.
    mmmm, no. you're just really fat.
    was that too mean?
  • Cheri_Moves
    Cheri_Moves Posts: 625 Member
    I had to check the stats myself and I am actually pretty shocked that 70% of america is either overweight or obese.

    As for me and where I live, overweight its not quite as accepted as the norm. Where I am FROM on the other hand, being overweight and obese is the majority and way of life. No attention to health or fitness, no health food stores, no place to run or cycle outdoors. Its sad. :frown:

    I also checked the reports, and Portland OR (close to me) ranks 7th healthiest in the country. Thats good to know!
  • tanyaslosingit
    tanyaslosingit Posts: 178 Member
    I live in Southern Oregon and while you would think that with all the organic food and outdoor activities that are available that obesity would be the least of the public health issues around here. Unfortunately, it is also a relatively "less affluent" area and overweight/obese people are common. That said, when I see the heavy children, it takes me aback :-(

    Interestingly (or maybe not,) when I moved to this area several years ago, I collapsed into a major black hole of a depression and my weight issues soon followed. I don't have any statistics available that drive a correlation between mental health issues and weight gain. Anecdotally, however, it seems there are quite a few people that I have met that moved into the area, suffered some sort of mental episode (i.e. depression) and then had to deal with significant weight gains.

    There's a postcard available at the local convenience stores which shows a local woman on the beach: She must weigh at least 300 lbs. It's funny and sad all the same time :-/
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    Abnormal. I live in South Florida, and everyone is beautiful. Its a great thing and keeps me motivated for sure!
  • amandapye78
    amandapye78 Posts: 820 Member
    I actually live in the least obese state in the Nation. Obesity is not nearly as common here as it was in Texas. Here an obese person or child would stand out
  • HotrodsGirl0107
    HotrodsGirl0107 Posts: 243 Member
    It is definately normal in Alabama. From kids to adults the south seems to be the fattest part of the USA...not really something to be proud of...
  • wntrbreez
    wntrbreez Posts: 32 Member
    Obesity is the norm here in Kentucky. I'm not a small guy (yet) but I'm probably average or smaller than the typical 40 year old guy around here.
  • 366to266
    366to266 Posts: 473 Member
    I live in Hastings, Sussex, England.

    It's a town in which many are poor and live on carbage.

    Many, many obese including kids.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
    Where I live, in Bermuda, I would have to say that obesity is the norm. Stats suggest that obesity is at 67%.

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