America is doomed
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Majority of Americans are Obese. What we call "over weight" here is actually considered "obese" in other countries.
We keep ourselves happy by classifying obesity in different categories...chunky,overweight,fat,obese.
Obesity rates by country:
http://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/stats/Health/Obesity
Lots of obesity problems, but its by no means the majority. Americans are about 6% more obese than the Brits, for example.0 -
Moral of the thread:
America sucks. Europe is superior in every way.
Yes?
Europe isn't superior---they have alot of problems, some are just different. People in Italy love America, and many dream of coming to visit. However, an interesting discussion with people from other parts of the world is a good thing, and I think we can all learn something from others. Now that we have proof and discussion of added sugar in American bread, besides other foods, we can make choices--like buy a bread machine, look at the labels closely and choose a bread with less sugar added, etc etc. We are (almost) all here to better our health and learn. I can say I have from this thread--thanks OP!
Exactly! I'm European, have been to America twice (for a few months each time) and I loved it, and would like to return. As somebody who can't have sugar, I found eating a bigger challenge than my fellow travellers, but as we cooked at home and only ate out once or twice, it was fine.
Conversely, when I've travelled to Italy and France, breakfast was often a problem for me because, more often than not, it was high in sugar. Eastern Europe and Germany are great because breakfast typically included cheeses and meats. So, no, Europe is not perfect either
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Buffy!
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What gives anyone the right to know how the person who is eating the pizza, burger or what ever is feeling or thinking and be so judgemental. Your not with them by their sides second by second. You have no better idea how their body reacts to food than how to fly to the moon.
Many healthy foods contain toxins which make the unfortunate ill and overweight and more ill and less able to help themselves. Think before you criticise. I had problems before I discovered these toxins. The worst bit is the, better you eat the worse you feel, so why then should one bother. Books are judged by covers and everyone knows you don't give a damn because of the way you look. When you do try to take control you are not helped by those who should know all about the potential for toxicity in foods. Doctors and dietitians usually only see what they want to, and assume what is frequently put into the pained, poisoned bodies which need their help work efficiently.
This toxicity causes medical symptoms which get treated but neglect the underlying problem.0 -
Moral of the thread:
America sucks. Europe is superior in every way.
Yes?
Europe isn't superior---they have alot of problems, some are just different. People in Italy love America, and many dream of coming to visit. However, an interesting discussion with people from other parts of the world is a good thing, and I think we can all learn something from others. Now that we have proof and discussion of added sugar in American bread, besides other foods, we can make choices--like buy a bread machine, look at the labels closely and choose a bread with less sugar added, etc etc. We are (almost) all here to better our health and learn. I can say I have from this thread--thanks OP!
Exactly! I'm European, have been to America twice (for a few months each time) and I loved it, and would like to return. As somebody who can't have sugar, I found eating a bigger challenge than my fellow travellers, but as we cooked at home and only ate out once or twice, it was fine.
Conversely, when I've travelled to Italy and France, breakfast was often a problem for me because, more often than not, it was high in sugar. Eastern Europe and Germany are great because breakfast typically included cheeses and meats. So, no, Europe is not perfect either
And I have no personal need of any type, but breakfast in the US and UK was a struggle... I cannot stand to have a MEAL at breakfast... the smell of the kind of food I associate to lunch and dinner in the morning make me almost sick...
But once I had (at lunch) the classical eggs, bacon, pancakes with syrup... yuuuum!!!!0 -
Thank you everyone. All this talk of sweet bread is making me want Hawaiian King Rolls. I've not had one in over 6 months. Ugh.0
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All the new cheeseburgers that are huge and the bigger pizzas make it hard on Americans....we are pretty much doomed if no one snaps out of it!0
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All the new cheeseburgers that are huge and the bigger pizzas make it hard on Americans....we are pretty much doomed if no one snaps out of it!
Um, what? No. Just no. People can actually choose not to eat as much. Mind blowing I know.0 -
All the new cheeseburgers that are huge and the bigger pizzas make it hard on Americans....we are pretty much doomed if no one snaps out of it!
Um, what? No. Just no. People can actually choose not to eat as much. Mind blowing I know.
People can also choose to exercise. Choose to not smoke. Chose to eat only a single dorito instead of snacking on them while watching a movie...
etc etc etc
Trouble is that realistically...most people can't be counted on to choose wisely. They go for immediate gratification.0 -
There shouldn't be confusion over why so many Americans are overweight when a popular pizza chain advertises on the radio a new "double pepperoni and bacon" pizza. I'm sure most people who eat something like that don't know or care how much fat and calories they are getting. The restaurant would say they are just giving people what they want.
Because everytime I go to a restaurant, I want them to give me what I don't want. /sarcasm
Edit: Also, the only bad part of that pizza for me is the crust. 0 -
What's poutine? I thought Canada had beer, maple syrup, cheese (IDK why), and hockey.
Poutine is the most fattening type of french fry dish in the world Fries, cheese curds, all covered in rich gravy hot enough to melt the cheese curds BTW...we also have pizza in Canada, and all the other fattening foods available south of the 49th. Same problems with obesity too. The solution...portion control driven by won't power 0 -
If I want to eat something really indulgent, I can workout a little harder and do it. Health is relative to function. Even if I eat the whole pizza, one pizza isn't going to un-do my function in one day. Also consider:
No one is obligated to be healthy.
No one is obligated to be skinny.
No one cares if you don't approve.
It's not just "America," we're not even the worst per capita, we just have more "obese" people because we're a huge country.
Obesity rates have been pretty leveled out with the American population for a while now, and in the years where the rates seem to have drastically risen were due to changes in how obesity is diagnosed, particularly in children obesity rates.
Being fat isn't the worst thing you can be. There are plenty of hard-working fat people who enjoy life being able to eat whatever they want and who don't enjoy exercising. That's okay.
Correlation is not causation, and not everyone who is fat will experience diseases that show correlation with higher weights. And even if they are diabetic and unhealthy, they are still human beings worthy of treatment for managing illnesses and aren't obligated to ever get healthy or lose weight if they don't want to put in the work to do that.
No one else's habits or diet or anything are really any of your business if they didn't ask you for commentary on their life choices. If you wouldn't approve of people judging you for your sexuality, your race, your nationality, your hair color, or any other trivializing comments to pick apart your identity, then you shouldn't be doing this to other people and their diets/weights.
Although I believe many of these sentiments, obesity has a huge societal cost. The costs are in lost wages, Medicaid, subsidized surgeries, replacing equipment (train seats, hospital gurneys, MRIs).
"One estimate puts the annual cost of obesity at $147 billion, representing almost 10 percent of all medical expenses, the report said. But the Society of Actuaries -- which adds in lost productivity, employees on full disability and absenteeism -- puts the costs closer to $300 billion a year. " http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2012/03/21/us-underestimates-long-term-costs-of-obesity-experts-say
'Childhood obesity costs $19,000 per child,' researchers say, Duke Global Health Institute and Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School in Singapore, publish their results in the journal Pediatrics. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275109.php
Saying that "being obese isn't the worst thing you could be" is a fallacy of relative privation. Just because there are worse things, doesn't mean that it isn't a very bad thing for our society and others with an obesity problem.
Restaurants are under no moral obligation to stop selling high-calorie foods. My view is that the customer should be fully informed about the calorie density of all foods at a restaurant, right next to the price. Additionally, I believe that there should be additional taxation on people based on body fat percentage, since the societal costs are so high. Or, perhaps, just an additional tax on parents with obese children, since the recent data published about the costs of overweight children. Additionally, we need a new number that somehow combines BMI with BF% and age that accurately represents the groups that the BMI currently fails to represent, such as the elderly and athletes.0 -
That sounds delicious. Does it come on thin crust? With extra cheese? I'll take a large, thanks. 0
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I think part of our problem is the "clean your plate" syndrome we grow up with. It gets hammered in our heads as kids that we must clean our plates. We get in that habit and instead of listening to our bodies and stopping when we are full, we continue to eat because there is still food on our plate. You know - a kid in a 3rd world country will starve if we dare waste that half of serving of pizza.0
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What's poutine? I thought Canada had beer, maple syrup, cheese (IDK why), and hockey.
Poutine is the most fattening type of french fry dish in the world Fries, cheese curds, all covered in rich gravy hot enough to melt the cheese curds BTW...we also have pizza in Canada, and all the other fattening foods available south of the 49th. Same problems with obesity too. The solution...portion control driven by won't power
Nom nom poutine
In eastern Canada we have something called "A fix"...it's poutine with ground beef on it...or turkey or taco flavoured ground meat...pulled pork etc...keep the cheese and the gravy...maybe even add in some cooked peas...or onions and mushrooms...steak tips..you name it...we put it on our poutine.0 -
Actually this post has made me feel sick....0
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meh. natural selection.
It isn't natural selection when many poor people are obese because they can't afford healthy food. It's extermination. And if allowed to continue, America should be doomed.
This is a myth: -
a) healthy food is not more expensive
b) if people are so poor then surely they can only afford small amounts of unhealthy food anyway. You wouldnt put on weight....
Yeah, right. Healthy food isn't more expensive. Sure. And that is why I can't afford meat anymore and have more money when I overeat because the foods I buy when I overeat are so much cheaper.
This is of course rubbish and ignorant of the truth. And if you, as you admit, are overeating, then you are spending more than you should on food. So how is this cheaper?
Low carb with a heaping helping of vegetables on the side is healthier than mac and cheese, peanut butter and jelly, and cookies. And on low carb I don't have as much of an issue with cravings and overeating. But I can't afford meat anymore, so I have to buy foods I will overeat on.
And I'm relatively lucky, or I couldn't even contemplate trying to meet all my nutritional needs. I bought a tomato the other day in the grocery store. It cost four dollars. Admittedly, it was a big tomato, but some people have only four or five dollars a day to use for food, and they can't just eat a tomato.
FOUR dollars??? That €2.88 :noway: A regular tomato here is ~ €0.20
Out of curiosity, how much is a Big Mac?
Calorie for calorie, a big mac is a lot cheaper!
Senseless comparison. Why should the world's food prices be determined by calorie content?
Because you have to have a certain amount of calories on a regular basis to function. If you have enough money for a Big Mac Value Meal or enough for a healthy meal that doesn't have enough calories to get through your day, you're going to go with the Big Mac Value Meal.
Another problem is what happens when the foods a person eat cause excess hunger and cravings and there is a little money left over to feed those cravings. I have five dollars. I buy a Big Mac. I have a dollar left. I buy a box of snack cakes and eat those, too. I'm over my calories. If I buy and eat a salad, I'm starving.
Actually, that is the biggest short-term problem. The biggest long-term problem is the health effects of eating cheap food every day for lack of money to buy healthier food. Obesity is only part of that. And while a multivitamin can help, it isn't enough. Just try getting your daily recommended potassium on $5 a day and enough calories with that as well.0 -
If I want to eat something really indulgent, I can workout a little harder and do it. Health is relative to function. Even if I eat the whole pizza, one pizza isn't going to un-do my function in one day. Also consider:
No one is obligated to be healthy.
No one is obligated to be skinny.
No one cares if you don't approve.
Wrong. Loads of people care about itIt's not just "America," we're not even the worst per capita, we just have more "obese" people because we're a huge country.
Obesity rates have been pretty leveled out with the American population for a while now, and in the years where the rates seem to have drastically risen were due to changes in how obesity is diagnosed, particularly in children obesity rates.
Also wrong. You are right up there. 1 in 3 overweight or obese. I dont understand the point anyway?Being fat isn't the worst thing you can be. There are plenty of hard-working fat people who enjoy life being able to eat whatever they want and who don't enjoy exercising. That's okay.
Up to the point where they take taxpayers money for obesity related treatment when they know the score. And on a more important note, up to the point that their indulgent lifestyles emotionally affect others. Do you think that people like to see their friends and relatives suffer?Correlation is not causation.
Really? So why are the majority of type 2 diabetes sufferers morbidly obese?
Irrelevant. Sexuality, race and nationality are not optional and determined by lifestyle choices.No one else's habits or diet or anything are really any of your business if they didn't ask you for commentary on their life choices. If you wouldn't approve of people judging you for your sexuality, your race, your nationality, your hair color, or any other trivializing comments to pick apart your identity, then you shouldn't be doing this to other people and their diets/weights.0 -
If only people here learned to do more non-exercise activities, I think obesity and overweight rates will be lower
You see, not many people chop their veggies, wash their dishes with hands, wash their clothes in a more laborous manner , walk, climb stairs....
In developed countries in Asia where they eat chock-ful of pastries and rice, overweight and obesity rates are lower. Why? Because they have lots of non-exercise activities. Public transportation, walking around.
Here in America, people could not even put the cart back where it should be even if it is next to their car!
So blame the sugar, blame the wheat, blame the carbs for obesity0 -
Because you have to have a certain amount of calories on a regular basis to function. If you have enough money for a Big Mac Value Meal or enough for a healthy meal that doesn't have enough calories to get through your day, you're going to go with the Big Mac Value Meal.
So does that mean that every establishment that sells a burger has to look at the nutritional info and charge by calorie? Utter nonsense. How about instead of buying a Big Mac every day, you spend £/$25 on a weeks shopping and make it last, get your calorie intake without being gluttonous?Another problem is what happens when the foods a person eat cause excess hunger and cravings and there is a little money left over to feed those cravings. I have five dollars. I buy a Big Mac. I have a dollar left. I buy a box of snack cakes and eat those, too. I'm over my calories. If I buy and eat a salad, I'm starving.
That's your problem. This is called breaking habits. Plus you are being simplistic to suit your argument. You can get a lot more than you suggest for the price of a Big Mac and not everybody is starving because they havent had something the size of a Big Mac. You are overeating, which is why people get overweight.
What an earth has a multi vitamin got to do with it? If you are obese, then you are eating too much. McDonalds or not. End of. Too much.Actually, that is the biggest short-term problem. The biggest long-term problem is the health effects of eating cheap food every day for lack of money to buy healthier food. Obesity is only part of that. And while a multivitamin can help, it isn't enough. Just try getting your daily recommended potassium on $5 a day and enough calories with that as well.
How about eating a smaller McDonalds meal? No. Didnt think that would have crossed your mind....0
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