Does your region affect your attitude toward weight/health?

senecarr wrote: »

lemurcat12 wrote: »

senecarr wrote: »

In general, large cities are likely to have thinner populations as the reliance on walking increases. My work's main office is in New York and one person who's transferred to this office noted the week before he left, when he got his Fitbit, he'd easily hit 10,000 steps heading into the work, and 15K+ was more his usual steps.

Yeah, that's my experience even in Chicago. I assumed I was sedentary since I have a desk job, but after getting a fitbit I realized I always hit at least 10,000 just from commuting plus errands, and it's quite easy to add in more walking. Also the cost of driving (even if you have a car, which I do) is much higher due to parking. When I was in Kansas City one of the people I was meeting with was telling me how everyone got upset when parking was raised to something like $5/day for parking downtown, and that their firm paid for it. Here it's nearly $40 (cheaper by the month, but still insane), so that's a huge reason to take public transportation, and I imagine it's even more in NYC.

One sad thing is that most buildings won't let you use the stairs, though -- if I could walk up to my 30-something floor office, that would be a great workout to start the day!

Think there would be money in developing something that puts a treadmill inside a mini-van so that driving commute is still a walking commute?

Ever see The Flintstones?

Just my .02, based on a profession I was in for about 12 years.

I've worked in some capacity within military food stores in this area for that 12 years or so. Even within a small geographic area, we have 5 or 6 different commissaries, as we have a lot of local bases. Some of these stores are only a few miles apart, and at least 4 are within 20 miles of my house.

The buying habits of the customer vary greatly store to store. What sells like hotcakes in one we can't hardly give away in the next. And often these customers have a choice of which stores to go to, as they are all fairly close. Market is driven by customer demand, and even within the small percentage of people that can shop within commissaries, the demand store to store is amazing.

There are trends that seem logical, and others that make no sense at all. Some of the brokerages I have worked for put huge money into trying to nail down the market better, and most fail at anything beyond the obvious.



Being that all active duty military people have to stay reasonably fit, I'd say that even within a very minor chunk of a demographic that influences well beyond regional location are driving forces. Based on what people buy, you would think that some stores supported only young, healthy, weight conscious people, and the others only supported the retirees that don't have to conform to health or weight standards.

Need2Exerc1se wrote: »

karmelpopcorn wrote: »

I live in a state ranked 35th in the nation for good health - which is definitely in the bottom half of these United States, and in a county with poor health patterns as well (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer, teen pregnancy, STDs, etc. etc.).

So if half of all Americans are overweight or obese, I guarantee that it is higher in my city/county. Obesity is the norm.

I am in good health but overweight at 43 years old – 5'6", I am 176 pounds.

I find that it's difficult to find support among peers, even my partner, because in this community - measured against the norm, I look like I'm doing pretty well.

I know I'm not.

My eating habits which include a love of all vegetables (except bok choy), tofu, sushi, and a commitment to sustainable eating just don't resonate with many either.

Sometimes this helps me make excuses for myself when I am feeling discouraged. How does your community/culture affect your weight?

Wow, I have no idea where my state ranks for good health but your post sounds very familiar. Right down to the height and weight, which are where I was when I joined this site (though I'd already lost some before then and I'm older).

And yeah, when most people around you are larger and everyone keeps telling you that you don't need to lose, look great, call you a health nut, etc. it does make it harder to stay focused. At least it does for me.

Here are the rankings and some other information, if interested.

http://www.americashealthrankings.org/reports/annual

Ditto the poster below. I grew up in an affluent town in which there was no fast food...by local ordinance it was kept out. Restaurants offered healthy and well made cuisine, for which people were willing to pay. We had several high-end grocery stores in town. On the whole, the population was fairly fit...perhaps related to upper-middle class economic conditions. I grew up in a household where my mom heavily promoted vegetables and healthy fare - she did not buy desserts, chips, snack foods, soda, etc. at all. We never had that stuff, because she grew up never having that stuff, and she grew up rural poor. She made us walk to school when no one else was walking. I was still overweight my whole life.

I moved to a small rural town of 2,500. First thing I noticed is that people were bigger. That shock factor helped spur me to lose weight. Every leisure activity seems to involve food...other than going out fast food, or pizza hut type places, or the movies, we don't have many entertainment options. We're in a cold part of the country...outdoor activities cease from Oct. to May. It's dangerous to walk or bike most of the roads...no sidewalks, 55 mph speed limits on straight country roads, narrow shoulders next to deep drainage ditches. In winter the high school is opened for people to walk the halls for exercise before teachers and kids start arriving...we're talking a window between 6-7am. But what was most shocking to me is that many people i've met here have never tried new foods beyond what they grew up eating, and have never eaten a single meal that doesn't reflect the standard american midwestern diet. I bring all sorts of dishes to church potlucks, and folks don't recognize all the ingredients if I use a variety of produce. I always bring most of my dish back home. So, we have a decent variety available to us, but the culture is really "stick with what you know you like and is cheap." But then, I grew up learning to love trying to new recipes, and consciously avoiding food monotony.

Lounmoun wrote: »

I live in a small town of less than 5,000 people. I feel that no one really wants to do anything here and that is reflected in the local community. People drive away to go to work, stores or entertainment so there are longer commute times. The town doesn't have sidewalks in a lot of places. The park is usually empty. There aren't interesting places to hike or bike, etc. There are not active programs locally for kids outside of school sports. There isn't a gym in town or sports for adults. Food stores and restaurants are very limited. Portion sizes at restaurants are very large. A lot of the population is older. I see a variety of body types but there are a lot more overweight than very fit.
Some people I know are more active than others. Most gatherings involve food and a sedentary activity.
I was overweight when we moved here though and I attribute it to a sedentary lifestyle and eating too much for that activity level. I don't think the community made me fat but it doesn't really make it hard to get that way and stay that way.

I do think that the region/culture/subculture that I was raised in and live in have an impact on my health and weight. My family is from the South and obesity is the norm. I am overweight,but not obese. I see this as something that I am fighting to change, but my family and community tell me that I don't need to lose weight and that I'm just fine. I recognize that this is just because their perception of normal is skewed.
The area that I live in now is more active and focuses on physical activity. I sense that my attitude and stance on health has changed positively in this environment. I just hope that all environments could encourage its citizens to care more about their health and lifestyle.

I'm in Toronto, we have tones of fitness facilities (some are even 24/7) and lots food options. sooo, yes, your environment may impact your fitness.

I think poverty is often oversimplified in terms of just not having any money, but I think often factors such as education/knowledge, poverty of ambition/lack of motivation to change or achieve and a sense of general hopelessness can be bigger factors than actual pure financial issues. Knowing what some of the mums we worked with pulled in in benefits they weren't that poor. The money could be lasting longer if they were making different choices. But for someone who literally has no joy in life, fake nails and a sunbed session can be more important than fruit and veg.

lemurcat12 wrote: »

My guess is that might be difference between African-Americans and whites (especially women).

For the record, I'm a white woman in the midwest and haven't been surveyed, but I lied about my weight on my drivers license for years.

Heh. I told them the truth when I renewed mine in 2009 & weighed 225. The clerk put 165 on my license because "Honey, they ain't no way you weigh that much." I had just left my annual physical and my doctor gave me grief about that 225. I know there was a way. I weigh 163 currently so I don't sweat the lie on my license; I didn't tell it. I hope in 2019 when it's in person renewal time again, they lie about me again.

I am from Australia, specifically the little island to the south Tasmania. The region I live in has around 20,000 pop. and the economic climate has become increasingly depressed over the past 10-20 years particularly the last 5.

Of course this has had a negative flow on to the population who have stayed (many have left the State to find work and better opportunities for the children) and over that time particularly in my area the rising girth rates alongside with this economic downturn has been quite astounding.

I can really relate to the poster speaking about the issues in Wales. Even though where I live has incredible access to some of the best and most diverse produce, meats and dairy in the World and farmers markets are in every little town and very affordable, the consumer base is one that reflects a clientele who are weight and health conscious and could easily afford the more expensive supermarkets.

Alongside this the rise and use of seemingly cheaper convenience foods has exploded as has the frequency people eat take aways.

Sadly we are now having more and more to implement breakfast programmes for school kids and there is certainly a generational lack of knowledge around cooking even the most basic fare and a definite lack of understanding basic nutrition and yes I have witnessed parental anger over schools trying to 'help' this is seen as interference too troublesome to implement.

The ever expanding waist lines, rise in diabetes, children who are very overweight and developing Type 2 are becoming a major medical problem of resources here and it's heart breaking to see. Hospital beds are now being replaced with wider ones as a general rule, let alone specific bariatric ones, Dr.s surgeries are having to supply over sized chairs to accommodate their patients and more women are struggling with gestational diabetes than ever before.

It's a pretty grim future.

MakePeasNotWar wrote: »

ScaredCurly92 wrote: »

I love this question! I live in NYC, and since it's such a diverse city, I've seen every shape and size imaginable. But with that said, there is definitely a HUGE culture around diet and fitness, particularly in the more wealthy areas, like the part of Queens where I'm from, and of course Manhattan. Brooklyn is getting this way in certain spots as well. There's a lot of focus on going to the gym (I swear there's a gym on every corner), wearing cute workout capris and sports bras, and generally trying to get and stay as "hot" as possible. Most of the people around me who have complained about their weight or feeling "fat" have never been over 125 lbs. in their life. There's also lots of people following different diet programs and being highly restrictive with their food. Hardly a day goes by when I don't see a coworker or friend bragging about the new eating plan they're on.

It may sound ideal to live in an area where there's so much access to health and fitness stuff, but it's really overrated. Because companies know they can make money off people trying to get in on this way of living, there's a LOT of misinformation and a lot of people, mostly young women, trying WAY too hard and being far too extreme, which results in them never maintaining any of the strides they made, or even taking the whole process seriously. It's very easy to get caught up in disordered eating patterns or overdoing it at the gym, because that's seen as preferable to slowing down and changing things in stages. The motivation is so superficial most of the time, and because these people are already thin, the stakes are not that high for them. I'm curious if the west coast, particularly parts of California, deal with a similar issue.

I recently moved from Canada to Los Angeles. I live in the gay village, just east of Beverly Hills. It's like fitness bizarro-world here. The men are almost universally jacked, and the women tend to be tiny and fat free aside from their breasts and lips. I used to think I had a pretty good body, but now I'm a little self conscious wearing shorts in public.

On the plus side, there are literally 6 gyms within a two block radius of my apartment and if I don't want to walk to any of the dozens of juice bars in my neighbourhood, there's one that delivers, lol.

hahahah! This is LA to a tee. I have lived here waaaay too long but that is definitely the norm. There is ALWAYS a new fitness trend or hot health food. My neighbor is a partner at one of the "hot" juiceries. I am a normal fit active mid-30 year old, yet here in comparison to some of the women here, I feel somewhat inadequate. Its like you can never be perfect enough. I am on a perpetual quest to lose 5-10 pounds. I have friends who are under 30 who get botox. It is "preventative." At the same time, I do trend healthy and I appreciate always being able to get a nice kale salad pretty much anywhere.

I know this is LA specific because when I head back home to DC and go to my mom's pilates class I am one of the fittest people there, get tons of attention and compliments. (That being said, one of my neighbors in LA DID say she thought DC was the most UNattractive city she had ever visited...)

Ha! I just moved from Mo to CO for that reason. A majority of people were miserable, inactive and frowned upon healthy people lol.

ManiacalLaugh wrote: »

About a year or so ago, I moved from CO (one of the fittest states) to MO (one of the fatter states). The difference in attitude is amazing. Culture is definitely a defining point. I was single in Colorado, and all of the men I spoke to online wanted someone who was into camping, long hikes, rock climbing, skiing, sky diving (no kidding)... They wanted active.

Since I've been in MO, I've been attached, but from hearing the way my single friends talk, they want someone who likes good food, good movies... definitely more sedentary activities. Also, bigger women with larger behinds definitely seem more in vogue here.

The place where I work is also a huge indicator of the cultural change. In my CO office, it was an exception to be overweight. I was usually the fattest person there. In MO, the average person seems to be 100 lbs overweight at least (the horrible part is, we have a public security force who shares our office and they're often the heaviest of us all. Many of them require seat belt extenders... for seat belts that already rated up to 300 lbs). I have 30 lbs to go before end-goal and I'm one of the skinniest in my office.

I will say though that food is seen as a community event in MO. Although I try not to partake too often, the sense of closeness you get when you share a plate of food in MO with someone is pretty cool.

Interesting thread.
I share @rabbitjb 's experience and therefore also @CurlyCockney 's who I guess UK based.

CollieFit wrote: »

I think poverty is often oversimplified in terms of just not having any money, but I think often factors such as education/knowledge, poverty of ambition/lack of motivation to change or achieve and a sense of general hopelessness can be bigger factors than actual pure financial issues. Knowing what some of the mums we worked with pulled in in benefits they weren't that poor. The money could be lasting longer if they were making different choices. But for someone who literally has no joy in life, fake nails and a sunbed session can be more important than fruit and veg.

Right - the concept of "food poverty". Lack of money, access to education, access to transport and access to fresh produce all tie in together.

On this subject generally I have lived in London pretty much all my life. Due to some interesting town planning decisions on the 60s and 70s council housing was plonked right in the middle of areas where the established residents were generally wealthier. Over time this meant that you have areas of great wealth right next to areas with greater amounts of poverty (although this is getting less common as London gets more and more gentrified.)

It's amazing. In the space of 10 minutes you can cycle from one area where there are rows and rows of fried chicken shops, overweight people in cheap sportswear who are not exercising to another where there are rows and rows of health food shops, slender women in Sweaty Betty workout gear who definitely are exercising regularly sipping wheatgrass smoothies...

@msf74 I can relate to this. Although I don't live in London I see similar in some areas of Manchester and the southern outskirts.

As a middle-class-skinflint I can also relate to the idea that the cheapest foods are often the most difficult to use to form a healthy diet (not impossible but very, very difficult). My own experiments of pushing the family food budget down to a minimum usually meant highly processed foods from the frozen goods aisles. I've backed off that now, taking a stance that, if you have the money, driving down the cost of your groceries to the absolute minimum is a false economy (when considering the health implications). But, I sympathise with people who do not have the disposable income to allow them to make any other choice.