The true cause of obesity

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I think it is a mixture of all the OP's examples. I must add though, that most domesticated animals eat processed food and are neutered.

Animals in the wild who have a surplus of food have more offspring - the more food, the larger birthrate. The surplus energy goes into producing and nurturing the offspring. In our society we don't have loads of children in response to surplus of food. In fact we have even less children now.

If we grew/bred all of our food and ate as much as we wanted chances are we wouldn't be overweight. The processing of foods increases its calories but reduces its volume. Bypassing the labour involved in growing/hunting for food also increases the calories in the food.

There is also other theories about water and predation.

Processing food reduces its water content, the water content in food may actually play a role in satiety. More water content = less over eating.

It has been known that animals lose weight in response to the threat of predators - not just being chased by predators but sight of predators. According to the theory animals are able to escape quicker when lighter so the body gets rid of surplus energy stores - it finds a balance between needing energy for food deprivation and being light enough to evade predators.

Since we are high up on the food chain the fear of predators is quite low - though perhaps if you walked alone at night a few times a week the pounds might fall off faster (joking)

I think there are a multitude of reasons why people get fat, its a lot more complex than calories in-calories out, although it does boil down to this in simplified terms. This is why you can always find slim people who are sedantary and fat people who are very active, its a lot more complicated.

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

Yup! I have given up those things as well (for the most part, I do have my weak moments). It is amazing how much better I feel and less 'addicted' to food. (meaning the extreme hunger that needed to be immediately addressed). Do you have any good recipes?

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

Yup! I have given up those things as well (for the most part, I do have my weak moments). It is amazing how much better I feel and less 'addicted' to food. (meaning the extreme hunger that needed to be immediately addressed). Do you have any good recipes?

Tons! I get a lot of my recipes from the atkins website. I don't follow atkins, but they have some great recipes. One of my favorites lately has been egg "muffins" that you make with eggs, veggies, and cheese and bake in a muffin pan. It's great for breakfast on the go without having to reach for a breakfast bar or a bagel.

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

Yup! I have given up those things as well (for the most part, I do have my weak moments). It is amazing how much better I feel and less 'addicted' to food. (meaning the extreme hunger that needed to be immediately addressed). Do you have any good recipes?

None of this means that we can't eat corn.

No one ever said we can't. Maybe that we shouldn't, but not that we can't.

We don't have to chase a hamburger through a forest and tackle it and then break it's neck before we consume it. I also haven't seen a lion order his deer-meat online while watching ESPN.

Drastic energy expenditure differences there.

I just got a mental image of a group of people chasing hamburgers.... and a lion ordering food online.... I need a like button....

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

Yup! I have given up those things as well (for the most part, I do have my weak moments). It is amazing how much better I feel and less 'addicted' to food. (meaning the extreme hunger that needed to be immediately addressed). Do you have any good recipes?

Tons! I get a lot of my recipes from the atkins website. I don't follow atkins, but they have some great recipes. One of my favorites lately has been egg "muffins" that you make with eggs, veggies, and cheese and bake in a muffin pan. It's great for breakfast on the go without having to reach for a breakfast bar or a bagel.

Good Idea... I'll have to try that.. I struggle with breakfast during the week.. I am up and out early and would like something that would be easy!

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

But again, we need those foods to feed Earth's population. Before we started processing food a lot of people went hungry. Processed food isn't evil-- it allows most of the world to eat. It's amoral. It serves a purpose. We're the ones who have to decide how to use the food as a tool.

We fed the poor this cheap food but now the lowest income bracket are still the least healthy. They have the highest instance of obesity and diabetes that shorten their lives...yes they are fed, but at what cost? Some people might think the trade off is worth it.. but in no problem has been fixed.. (at least in my eyes)..

I understand the political motivation in taking the scarcity out of food. But at the same time, (and I may sound a little naive but I do believe and HOPE for this...) if we as a society demand non processed organic food supply I think capable enough society to make that happen.

I could be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure the reference to "feeding the world's population" was referring to feeding *the world's* population, not just that bit of it that has more food than it knows what to do with. We're not talking about poorer people in rich countries, we're talking about poorer people in poor countries, who rely on these kinds of high yield staple crops in order to survive. There is not enough land on earth to sustain everyone on an organic diet - if all farming went organic tomorrow billions of people would start to starve. There is no need, either, to sustain everyone on an organic diet. The fact is that humans are incredibly good at living on a massive variety of different foods, and once they get into the gut and get broken down to their constituent parts it makes less difference than you might think. If you don't want to eat corn, by all means don't eat it. But unless you have an allergy to it, or you eat too much of it, it's not a problem.

ETA: we're seeing a population explosion because more people in poor countries are seeing their children survive into adulthood rather than dying from hunger or preventable diseases. Yeah, those populations are healthier than they were before. A lot healthier. The fact that people in rich countries eat too much and make themselves sick does not detract from that achievement.

Here's my take on it:

Before the agro-industrial revolution, cows were fed primarily grass, with some grains as necessary (in winter, hay shortage, etc.)

Now, cows are fed primarily corn. Beef is considerably fattier now than it was prior to this shift in diet. Cattle aren't evolved to eat corn, they're evolved to eat grass. Eating a diet they have not evolved to eat has increased their body fat.

If we eat what we evolved to eat, we won't be fat.

I agree completely, humans weren't originally were not designed to eat corn either, early in human history we didn't eat it either ... Our society eats so much corn its unbelievable. Look at the labels and do some research.. food makers have changed the name of corn products. It is in most processed foods...

Yes! It's insane. And I'm not even just talking corn.. Sugar, flour, etc.. none of it was prevalent in the "human" diet until we all started becoming overweight. That's not to say I don't eat any of those things ever, but ideally we really shouldn't.

But again, we need those foods to feed Earth's population. Before we started processing food a lot of people went hungry. Processed food isn't evil-- it allows most of the world to eat. It's amoral. It serves a purpose. We're the ones who have to decide how to use the food as a tool.

We fed the poor this cheap food but now the lowest income bracket are still the least healthy. They have the highest instance of obesity and diabetes that shorten their lives...yes they are fed, but at what cost? Some people might think the trade off is worth it.. but in no problem has been fixed.. (at least in my eyes)..

I understand the political motivation in taking the scarcity out of food. But at the same time, (and I may sound a little naive but I do believe and HOPE for this...) if we as a society demand non processed organic food supply I think capable enough society to make that happen.

I could be wrong about this, but I'm pretty sure the reference to "feeding the world's population" was referring to feeding *the world's* population, not just that bit of it that has more food than it knows what to do with. We're not talking about poorer people in rich countries, we're talking about poorer people in poor countries, who rely on these kinds of high yield staple crops in order to survive. There is not enough land on earth to sustain everyone on an organic diet - if all farming went organic tomorrow billions of people would start to starve. There is no need, either, to sustain everyone on an organic diet. The fact is that humans are incredibly good at living on a massive variety of different foods, and once they get into the gut and get broken down to their constituent parts it makes less difference than you might think. If you don't want to eat corn, by all means don't eat it. But unless you have an allergy to it, or you eat too much of it, it's not a problem.

ETA: we're seeing a population explosion because more people in poor countries are seeing their children survive into adulthood rather than dying from hunger or preventable diseases. Yeah, those populations are healthier than they were before. A lot healthier. The fact that people in rich countries eat too much and make themselves sick does not detract from that achievement.

Yes this is what I meant, thanks

Ive said my piece and I think we have all gotten a little off topic... I'm done. haha

People in these countries generally starve when something goes wrong for them: droughts, floods, disease, war. Tackling that is a complicated issue. Populations increase because people have a lot of children, which also occurs for a variety of reasons: need for a large family to work the land, lack of access to contraception, cultural norms and the need to have a lot of kids in the hope that some will survive to take care of you in your old age. Again, it's a complicated issue. It's nothing like as simple as "they got too much food and the population exploded" which is what it sounds like you're saying.

No, I agree with you. I am just saying that the ills of the poorest aren't fixed with processed grains alone. I think in the end we are both saying that the problems are more complicated then food being the save all.

Bringing cats and dogs into it is a bit sketchy because increasingly domesticated animals *are* overweight. I think they don't overeat as commonly as humans do because they are less likely to have emotional ties to food. Still, when the food is readily accessible all day in a dish, and when they don't get the exercise they do in the wild (I'd imaging animals in packs who can run and play whenever it suits them burn far more calories than pets taken on regularly scheduled walks at a moderate pace while leashed for the primary purpose of emptying their bladders) they do get fat. The modern Western lifestyle of convenient access to food and minimal necessary exertion would make any creature fat.

The other reasons dogs and cats might not get quite as fat as humans are that their food is still restricted in some way by their owners, and that they are carnivores. They don't have the range of sugary foods tempting them that we humans do. Saying that I have read that 60% of dogs and 40% of cats in the UK are overweight or obese, which is roughly the same levels as seen in humans, so perhaps those distinctions aren't valid.

Well if you ask my Anatomy teacher he would tell you the over consumption of High Frutos Corn Syrup. High Frutos corn syrup is a man made sweetener that your body doesn't recognize as a sugar so it can't break it down then stores it as fat. So if you want to lose the pounds cut down on the HFCS .:flowerforyou: