Aren't you a little tired of the "Obesity Epidemic"?

What gets me about the obesity epidemic is that all these thin people that have never been fat and have never lost weight are trying to give advice to fat people about losing weight.

How the hell are they supposed to know?

I hope we all know that part of the reason that "Everyone is overweight" is that they changed the standards of the BMI -- I think around 2000 --- so that all these people who were considered average were now overweight. Part of the reason I don't like all this talk is that it doesn't take into consideration the "why" rather than the "how."

So absolutely not true...and a really weak excuse.....

:indifferent:

Nope, I feel exactly the opposite. While I do not believe people should be belittled and discriminated against, I believe the obesity epidemic needs to be even more talked about, confronted, and dealt with.

We are out of control in the US, with many other formerly thin nations creeping up as they adopt our horrendous standards of eating AND dieting. The average person in this country couldn't even fit one leg into the pants of the average American from 40 years ago.

The government's scam nutritional recommendations, coupled with the insane processed, high carb, zero-nutrition foods we eat in massive quantities, have crippled this nation. And now, because we're so large collectively, a culture of enabling and excuses have arisen. Cloth sizing was deregulated about 30 years ago, so many of us don't even know for sure what size we're really wearing, leaving room to delude people in believing they're the same size as they use to be, or their parents were. We've made eating AND losing weight this HUGE emotional ordeal, and when things become overly emotional, they can become overly complicated. Gone is the "just do it" mentality, replaced with the "how do you feel?" approach. There are corporations making billions of dollars off enticing you into obesity, and billions more "helping" you get out of it. It's all a trap.

We are killing ourselves at a record pace. So much of the accepted logic about food and nutrition and exercise is ALL wrong. This epidemic is getting worse by the day, and the repercussions are stunning and tragic.

I hope we get to the point of treating obesity with the exact same seriousness as we do HIV/AIDS and cancer.

. :flowerforyou:

I remember the days when not everyone got a trophy. You had to actually win something to get one. This was during the time before the dreaded obesity epidemic broke out. Sure, there were obese people and there were overweight people, but not in the ratio that you see today. Then they started handing out trophies to everyone...



Trophies lead to entitlement .... entitlement leads to everything that someone else says which is perceived negatively is bullying.... body shaming is bullying. So now instead of taking statistical data that says you are more likely to die due to health reasons as a result of being overweight or obese is completely thrown out the window because its mean.



I agree with the posters on this thread regarding the excuses people choose to accept as a reason for being out of range. "They changed the BMI scale." "The food industry puts too much chemicals and preservatives in our foods." "Healthy food costs too much"

Well theres plenty of people on MFP who have overcome those excuses. People eat ice cream, pizza, taco bell, five guys burgers you name it; even drinking alcohol and still wind up losing weight. I guess they are all special little snowflakes.

I can only assume that the excuses are generated by people because they cant accept the possibility that the reason they look and feel the way that they do is because of themselves. So its obviously someone else's fault....Now wheres my trophy?

We are killing ourselves at a record pace. So much of the accepted logic about food and nutrition and exercise is ALL wrong. This epidemic is getting worse by the day, and the repercussions are stunning and tragic.

I hope we get to the point of treating obesity with the exact same seriousness as we do HIV/AIDS and cancer.

JEEBUS. Could you be any more alamarist? Don't you think perhaps...just perhaps, you're a little off the deep end here?

I mean, for f sake.....HIV? AIDS???? CANCER?!?!?!?! Let me guess, you think the GOVERNMENT should do something about it, right? Michelle Obama's face on our televisions, watching what we do....what we eat? Pray tell, what is your solution to the obesity issue in the United States?

We're so GD worried about what everybody else does in this country. Perhaps THAT'S the problem. Perhaps obesity isn't the issue. Perhaps obesity is a personal issue, and everybody who is so concerned with other people's problems should just shut the hell up.

Stop worrying about everybody else. Start worrying about the NSA reading your every MFP post. We'd all be better off if you did.

We are killing ourselves at a record pace. So much of the accepted logic about food and nutrition and exercise is ALL wrong. This epidemic is getting worse by the day, and the repercussions are stunning and tragic.

I hope we get to the point of treating obesity with the exact same seriousness as we do HIV/AIDS and cancer.

JEEBUS. Could you be any more alamarist? Don't you think perhaps...just perhaps, you're a little off the deep end here?

I mean, for f sake.....HIV? AIDS???? CANCER?!?!?!?! Let me guess, you think the GOVERNMENT should do something about it, right? Michelle Obama's face on our televisions, watching what we do....what we eat? Pray tell, what is your solution to the obesity issue in the United States?

We're so GD worried about what everybody else does in this country. Perhaps THAT'S the problem. Perhaps obesity isn't the issue. Perhaps obesity is a personal issue, and everybody who is so concerned with other people's problems should just shut the hell up.

Stop worrying about everybody else. Start worrying about the NSA reading your every MFP post. We'd all be better off if you did.

Thank you for proving my point perfectly. Exhibit A of the kind of enabling, self-destructive, delusional attitude that is helping to maintain the obesity epidemic in the United States.

"Don't you dare tell me I have a problem! Leave me and my Krispy Kreme friends alone and worry about yourself! What are you, a communist?!".

The problem with just "worrying about yourself" is that we are suffering a national crisis. Our fat is grossly affecting our healthcare expenditures, which is ALL our problems. When a nation becomes this fat, this unhealthy, and this out of shape it takes a toll on ALL our pockets.

Our obesity is also radically shifting how the youngest amongst us sees the human body, and what they classify as "normal", thus potentially setting up tens of millions of human beings to drive headlong into a future of unhealthiness, self esteem issues, and a lifelong battle with weight that they didn't even have a chance to fight. As someone who grew up fat and has battled weight issues in my own adult life why the hell would I wish that special brand of hell on the hearts and minds of the coming generation? Perhaps being fat isn't a detriment to you, but it is to most, and it's a horrible legacy to leave to the next generation.

We are so fat that the United States military is scrambling to figure out exactly how we are going to have an adequately, optimally staffed fighting force because so many of our potential soldiers are too fat and too out of shape to pass the basic fitness tests.

But nope, you're right, it's not my problem. It's not your problem. I'm just being "alarmist". We should all just bury our head in the sand, have another doughnut, and pretend that big food isn't killing us, big MED isn't keeping us just sick enough to need more drugs, and our spoiled, entitled attitude isn't driving us to utter destruction.

Now, if you don't mind, can you pass me that super-duper sized chocolate milkshake? I'm thirsty.

Thank you for proving my point perfectly. Exhibit A of the kind of enabling, self-destructive, delusional attitude that is helping to maintain the obesity epidemic in the United States.

"Don't you dare tell me I have a problem! Leave me and my Krispy Kreme friends alone and worry about yourself! What are you, a communist?!".

The problem with just "worrying about yourself" is that we are suffering a national crisis. Our fat is grossly affecting our healthcare expenditures, which is ALL our problems. When a nation becomes this fat, this unhealthy, and this out of shape it takes a toll on ALL our pockets.

Our obesity is also radically shifting how the youngest amongst us sees the human body, and what they classify as "normal", thus potentially setting up tens of millions of human beings to drive headlong into a future of unhealthiness, self esteem issues, and a lifelong battle with weight that they didn't even have a chance to fight. As someone who grew up fat and has battled weight issues in my own adult life why the hell would I wish that special brand of hell on the hearts and minds of the coming generation? Perhaps being fat isn't a detriment to you, but it is to most, and it's a horrible legacy to leave to the next generation.

We are so fat that the United States military is scrambling to figure out exactly how we are going to have an adequately, optimally staffed fighting force because so many of our potential soldiers are too fat and too out of shape to pass the basic fitness tests.

But nope, you're right, it's not my problem. It's not your problem. I'm just being "alarmist". We should all just bury our head in the sand, have another doughnut, and pretend that big food isn't killing us, big MED isn't keeping us just sick enough to need more drugs, and our spoiled, entitled attitude isn't driving us to utter destruction.

Now, if you don't mind, can you pass me that super-duper sized chocolate milkshake? I'm thirsty.

WOW. You should think about a career in politics! Now I see you're not just being an alarmist, you're being delusional as well.

I'll point out that in your multi-paragraph rant (FYI - it ISN'T your problem....) not once did you give a solution. You rambled on about (of all things) the military, big MED, the legacy left to the next generation, and took a not-so-subtle jab at me suggesting that I might rather have a milkshake and be entitled than be in shape.

Let me point out that just because you have 100 lbs to lose and feel awful bad about it, doesn't mean the rest of the world should.

If you wouldn't mind providing your oh-so-perfect solution to this "epidemic", as well as how you being morbidly obese has affected me adversely, I would appreciate it. Because while I didn't care what you did before, now I'm absolutely shaking with anticipation to find out what you're going to put in your body next.

READ MY SOLUTION, a few threads up, in response to YOUR thread. I think I summed it up perfectly, to be honest. Here it is again, as a reminder.

I have SEVERAL suggestions.

PARENTS. Parents should be teaching their children from the very beginning how to eat properly. They should be providing them with healthy food choices, OR severely restricting the poor food choices. Parents should cook more at home instead of running out to pick up fast food 3-5 times a week. PARENTS should be setting better examples for their children and living those examples every day.

PEDIATRICIANS. Pediatricians should be more honest in their evaluations/assessments of those kids, and should be more vocal in the importance of telling Mrs. Smith that her "chubby little kid" WON'T outgrow his chubbiness and will just get worse unless drastic changes are made. Pediatricians should not be so concerned about offending mom and/or dad, and instead just be honest with them: "If you continue to feed your kid processed crap and not enforce regular activity, they will continue to get fat and come down with diabetes early on in life".

THE FOOD INDUSTRY. The food industry needs to change how it distributes food to the US population. Low income families in low income areas don't have equal access to stores with healthier food options. Also, proper labeling and better education would help. A "serving size" of 14 potato chips -- SERIOUSLY? What consumer is going to conscientiously count out that many chips every time they open a bag? (Unless you're on MFP being extremely disciplined smile )

SCHOOLS and THE STATE DEPT OF ED. Teachers need to work with parents to educate their children on healthy food choices. Education begins in the home and should continue throughout early education. Physical Fitness should be mandatory in all schools, every day, every where. There are only 14 states in this entire country that mandate regular, daily PE classes. This is SHAMEFUL.

That's the solution to fighting the obesity epidemic. Starting with the children.

Thanks, I read your post. Which is why I didn't reply to YOU, and instead replied to the OTHER poster.

Apparently obesity isn't the only epidemic in the US.....

Yes, I agree with you there. Arrogance and haughtiness is running rampant right here in this very thread.