Aren't you a little tired of the "Obesity Epidemic"?
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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?
Because they for the most part are the ones living healthy lifestyles who would therefore know how to teach others about living healthy lifestyles.0 -
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.....
Uh, , , it absolutely is true according to Wikipedia & CNN:
In 1998, the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention brought U.S. definitions into line with World Health Organization guidelines, lowering the normal/overweight cut-off from BMI 27.8 to BMI 25. This had the effect of redefining approximately 29 million Americans, previously healthy to overweight.
RESEARCH, it's an amazing thing!0 -
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.....
I agree. It is just ridiculous how society has accepted the tremendous increase in the size of the average american over the past 40 years. The exorbitant rise in health costs has been the biggest consequence. No, we have NOT raised the standards of a 'healthy' weight. Just the opposite is true. They have been lowered so much that this generation will be the first one to not live longer than their parents. So sad. And so many excuses to continue slowly killing ourselves.
Time to wake up and smell the coffee.. without the donuts.0 -
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?
And you know for a fact that these "thin" people have never been fat and lost weight?0 -
:flowerforyou: :flowerforyou::indifferent:
. :flowerforyou: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.0 -
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 know plenty of people who have been overweight or even obese who have made positive changes and lost weight--and maintained that loss long term. That said, I'm not sure how your statement is relevant to anything other than proving that some obese people use every excuse in the book to justify their obesity. They might be fooling themselves, but they aren't fooling anyone else.0 -
How fat/thin other people are doesn't affect me. I went for a walk today and saw all shapes and sizes and no negative thoughts entered my mind. I like internalise and reflect how to get to the next step in my own development. I don't want to control other people's lives.0
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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.0 -
I live in the UK, Scotland to be precise, where we now have similar issues to the US in terms of being people being overweight and the health related illnesses The cost to the NHS for Diabetes related drugs alone is astonishing. I am particularly shocked by the increasing numbers of morbidly obese adults and even obese children and common place in every classroom.
I am not tired of the 'obesity epidemic' because I believe there is an epidemic. We all live in a lazy and selfish society where allot of people expect everything to be handed to them on a plate and want results tomorrow. We spend most of our days sitting behind a computer or in a car and lots of children BTW do the same. Access to unhealthy 'fast' foods are everywhere. Did they have vending machines selling chocolate and sugary drinks in your school when you were growing up? Nope, me neither.
I am personally tired of hearing excuses for being unfit or over weigh -life owes you nothing. I gained the weight by stuffing my face whilst pregnant and I am sure as hell gonna shift it every last pound through hard work and determination.0 -
And FYI - "Killing ourselves at record pace" would ignore the increasing lifespans of the average American. It seems like everybody looks at the Depression as some sort of skinny-person's utopia (ummm, people were eating dandelions to survive....).
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus12.pdf#0180 -
Yes, I am so tired of seeing fat people everywhere and it makes me sad to think that overweight is the norm nowadays.
I don't like the general attitude that you would only have to watch your diet when you get into the overweight category- I am sure most of you who are losing weight would like to stay at a healthy weight once you get there, and continue to watch your sugar/ saturated fat intake.. surely?0 -
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.
Pray tell, what is your solution to the obesity issue in the United States?
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
)
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.0 -
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?0 -
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?
this!0 -
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?
I blame the food industry -- specifically the restaurant industry -- for changing "acceptable" portion sizes. It used to be that a "regular" serving of pop was 8 oz. Now, the "normal" expectation is 20 ozs. The regular dinner plate used to be 6" in circumference, now it is 9". A fancy restaurant used to give you reasonable portions -- 4 oz, 5 oz steak options, a small side of potatoes and a cup of veggies. Now the expectation is to have copious amounts of all. And they have food challenges to eat 64 oz steaks!
The Cheesecake Factory, Bucco Di Beppo's -- all serve ENORMOUS sized platters. I don't go to those restaurants because of that. What an overkill of food. But it's because the country demands "more more more" value for their money.
I went to lunch yesterday at a buffet restaurant with good ole fashioned Amish cooking. While the food was in abundance, I ate small portions of the following: roasted turkey breast, pot roast, green beans, mashed potatoes and cottage cheese. I had ONE dinner roll, not 4. AND, this was the main meal of the day for me. Plus I burned most of that off exercising last night.
Portion control is out of hand in this country, and the food industry is to blame for that. When they stop serving such large portions, people will stop eating them.0 -
I'm not an American either but here we are accepting USA way of life at record speed. People have stopped cooking their own food and instead gooble fast food and drink soda at unbelievable rate and quantity. 2/3 of people are overweight and what is even more concerning is that obesity among children and teenagers is growing rapidly. Mothers think they are bad parents if they don't stuff their children's mouth with food at any opportunity even in theatre and concert halls. If I walk down the mall shelves I am certain there must be some strategy to kill us all with crappy food because very few healthy and unprocessed products are seen around.
Someone posted obesity is not a concern of thin people. I beg to differ, IT IS! Only my father and me have appropriate weight all other are either overweight or obese. Really obese! From my early childhood I listend to remarks why I don't eat more, why is my plate not ful and threats I will not grow to adult because there is not enough food in my belly. I've lived with countless magic fads, miracle soups, pills, diets, fastings, diseases, even stomach surgeries. I had to change countless jeans zippers because they popped and patch torn clothes. I am looking at people taking anticholesterol pill and insulin injections; I have to be careful with food, as their reduced stomach can't hold everything or else it wil pop and they die. I'm listening to stories they have to buy clothes in catalog because they didn't have their size. I have to swallow remarks how stupid I am because I run on Sunday evening.
That was a long whining but necessary. Obesity is concern of every one of us, yes, even us the thin ones.0 -
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.0 -
Except for the ones living off cigarettes and diet coke. Thin does NOT always equal healthy. Look at all cause mortality, better for the overweight cohort than the 'normal'. Normal was the same as first category obese. What does this tell us?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?
Because they for the most part are the ones living healthy lifestyles who would therefore know how to teach others about living healthy lifestyles.
The problem with using BMI as a rough calc is that it is not being used as a rough calc for a population, it is increasingly being used on an individual level. Kids get sent home from school with an 'overweight' note, when their doctors say they are fine. That is the start of something. Parents who don't know any better might put perfectly healthy kids on a diet with disastrous results. What happens when your work says you need to weigh 'x' or you have to pay extra. Can you get a doctor's note excusing you? I highly doubt it.Do you really think that there are medical doctors out there who cannot tell the difference between muscular people and fat people? If you legitimately have this concern - you should find a better doctor.
When these BMI measures are being applied to individuals, without doctor input, that's problematic.0 -
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.
BRAVA!!!!!!! BRAVA!!!!!!!!0
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