Big Fat America !

Browsing through a health magazine today I was shocked to see the reality of fat America. Well shocked and disgusted frankly and I wandered to myself how people could lose so much respect for themselves and for their children. I mean we all all a bit too much over the festive season and over indulge just a touch but I mean come on what is up with the society. I believe that a country that has been driven by greed and undercover corruption and manipulation of it's people have caused this rise in obesity. It's either that, or that people honestly are just oblivious to health risks and the permanent damage over eating and an unhealthy diet can cause.

Here are a few facts for ya'll to chew on (seeing as though you like chewing so much) bit of a joke , however the following are stats that you should all read and appreciate and if your belly is hanging over our belt , well you might want to think about where you are headed.

1: According to the National Institute of Health, $75-$125 billion is spent on indirect and direct costs due to obesity- related diseases.

Did you read that? And that figure is a rough estimate I have read higher figures than that for the states, with that amount imagine all that you could do, Imagine. You could pour that into Cancer research and development of communities or help those in real need for god sake not just shove another mouthful of chips down your hole!

2: Indications are that an estimated 66 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese and 16.3% of children are obese.

Say what? nearly 70 percent of the people are fat , that is so crazy 66 percent and the figures show that it is rising all the time! And the kids? Jeepers Creepers what's up with that? Think about it.

3: 110 billion is spent on fast food annually , and 25 million is spent on advertising fast food.

Interesting , you'd think things would be reassessed due to the current financial crisis and the crisis on health with more deaths than ever due to obesity. Sad but true ladies and gents. The following link will present ou with the stats of FAT if you will, enjoy.





This is also an interesting however rather sad video too.





This video was truly shocking to me and I wanted you to see it too, as some have said (Meanwhile in Africa)



So guys maybe things need to be looked at and thought about properly before taking that super size burger and having that 2 l coke. I guess the point of this thread is if so much information is available these days about nutrition and about health how pray tell can a society be so fat? This is a serious question I'm asking and I guess I'm wandering if maybe it's due to actually not caring about oneself. I mean one of the most advanced countries in the world dying from over eating and obesity. This isn't to say it's not happening in other parts of the world it clearly is as the Brits are fatties too, but come on wouldn't one like to wake up feeling fresh healthy and able to see his or her toes?

Take care guys and look after you health we have only one life to live , make it worth it. Even our God that created us wanted us to make the most of our lives and I don't care what anyone says abusing your body with food is bad and people who beg for sympathy because they are fat should ask themselves , why? Honestly a well balanced diet and a bit of exercise goes a long way. So this is not a rant it's and observation and a question asking how? Just how has it come to this? Because it's certainly not from lake of information!

But don't be sad Guys and Gals , pizza is now a vegetable in the US , yes you've got, so you can still enjoy your favourite food whilst packing yourself full of vitamins ....Not!

Pizza now considered a vegetable

Everything is good in moderation. That is the key.

I have lost weight by pretty much adopting a Asian diet. Rice, beans and a small portion of Chicken or fish.

I do loves me a Spinach salad from time to time as well as my "World Famous Bison Chili" ( Well, it is in my view anyway... )

I eat everything I used too, just less of it and not as often.

I feel great!

Yup it is horrid considering kid's die everyday because they starve.
It isnt just the US though look at the stats for the UK..
I watched Jamie Oliver in the US trying to teach people about healthy eating and I was shocked when he went on radio to spread his message and the radio jockey laid into him saying "Its our right to eat what we want when we want" although I dislike JO I thought wtf the dude is trying to help your kid's here and you are laying into him...

Click here for more information.

I see you're from Spain - Do the homework on your own population before you start on me...

Adult obesity rates in Spain are higher than the OECD average, but child rates are amongst the highest in the OECD. Two out of 3 men are overweight and 1 in 6 people are obese in Spain. One in 3 children aged 13 to 14 are overweight. The proportion of adults who are overweight is projected by the OECD to rise a further 10% during the next 10 years.

Hmm - it appears that you should concentrate on your own country that is rapidly joining our ranks instead of spouting the same tired "Fat Americans" BS I'm so tired of hearing.

BTW - I'm 6'1" tall and weigh 160lbs - far from a fat american.

Source

reply to post by freakjive


No, actually I'm from Switzerland and I'm currently living and working in Spain I own a martial arts school and yes I do look after myself, but what I was getting at is that the US for all of it's glory has a weight problem and that needed to be brought to light , don't get offended man but that's just the way it is.

Informative video, especially when they point out in more detail the officials behind it all. If you think its bad here now, just wait. Mcd's, Taco Bell, Kfc, etc are trying to push to allow people on food stamps to get fast food with them. I don't see how all these people say "because its cheaper" How so? 5 bucks for one meal? 5 bucks will get you bread, eggs, cheese. That's like a weeks worth of breakfast. Oh well..


U

Politican`s reply to the problem.

Eat a carrot.

does anyone else remember a few years back, they change the measurement for obesity here in america??
at least part of that rise is the result of that change.
some other contributing factors could be.....
the crap the add to the food, stuff like high fructose corn syrup, according to what I read, well, it not only causes you to get fat, but well....
it isn't digested the same way as sugar is, it puts more strain on the pancreas, and many of the "obese" people are really in just a prediabetic state!!!

and most of us used to go out and actually do some real work!! ya know, physical labor!! but it's seems more and more people are finding themselves behind a desk all day, very little calories burned pushing paper across a desk all day!!! Personally, I am the opposite of obese and my doctor nags on me to gain weight from time to time, but then, my job is more like an eight hour arobic exercise!!!

there's alot of contributing factors involved, so don't just assume that it is us americans, just not caring about ourselves!!! try going into an american grocery store and buying cereal that doesn't contain a bunch of crap that nobody really knows just what the effect on the body is!!! we are being poisoned, and expected to remain in our stall for a good part of the day.....what do you expect?

It's sad -first I have to say that my daughter is 4'10 and 90 pounds(thats being generous-its probably more like 88) she is 16 years old and she gets on the bus with girls that are so much heavier than her that it scares me what if they fall on her? I struggle with my weight which is a healthy weight now but I worked to get this way and keep it that way. I know a lot of people arent willing to do what it takes-one of my friends who is quite large claims she cant afford a healthier diet-its too expensive but she can afford junk-$6.99 for turkey burgers at 160 calories and 9 grams of fat or $6.99 for a 24-pack of mountain dew-she'd rather have the mountain dew.BUT even though I am very careful when Michelle Obama started messing the restraunts my daughter and I went to McDonalds for the first time in 2 years and we ate chicken nuggets french fries and cokes-because I dont need her telling me what to do. Perhaps if they stop these ridiculous standardized tests that cause schools to eliminate recess and PE maybe it would help some of these kids.

That reminds me. I have to start dinner soon. Country fried pork chops, mashed potatoes with extra butter and sausage fat gravy. and for my veggie, greenbeans with four slices of bacon and 4 tablespoons of butter and a teaspoon of salt for flavor!

Originally posted by tigermountain
reply to post by freakjive

 

No, actually I'm from Switzerland and I'm currently living and working in Spain I own a martial arts school and yes I do look after myself, but what I was getting at is that the US for all of it's glory has a weight problem and that needed to be brought to light , don't get offended man but that's just the way it is.

I have to agree with tigermountain-and not only are they too heavy but no one apparently has ever taught them-particularly young women who are overweight -that low rise jeans and cropped tops are not made for them and Im not trying to be mean when I say that. I stopped at a Speedway the other day and this young woman who had to be about 16 and 5 feet tall and 200 pounds in jeans at 2 sizes too small for her and a shirt that her entire belly on display. Im not for forcing anyone to diet and exercise or arguing about personal choice but if you are heavy you need to dress appropriately for your size.

reply to post by tigermountain


First off, I just want to say great thread, and this is most certainly not directed at you, tigermountain, or anyone else who has posted in this thread (that I have seen so far), but at those who are adamant in their belief that all Americans are fat and stupid, without exception. I just want to clear some things up.

The fact of the matter is that obesity is one of out country's primary health concerns. Many of us do not eat healthy foods by any means, this is very true, but that does not mean that all Americans are fat, and it certainly does not mean that all fat Americans are fat because they are ignorant about the major health risks associated with eating such unhealthy food. Most of us are well aware of the health risks of a high salt/fat/cheese diet.

Fast food is one of the most convenient and cheap means of feeding oneself, so that is what the less wealthy of us go for, and even those of us just trying to save some cash. It's also everywhere we go, there's almost no one-mile stretch of road in my area (Sacramento area) that doesn't have at least one fast food joint alongside it.

As for myself, I don't exercise nearly as much as I should, and I have a moderately healthy diet. I'm 150 pounds, 6'0", perfectly healthy. Plenty of people I know exercise almost religiously, are on a very strict diet, and still manage to gain weight. There is evidence that genetics play a major role in determining weight.

Genetic studies have shown that the particular set of weight-regulating genes that a person has is by far the most important factor in determining how much that person will weigh. The heritability of obesity—a measure of how much obesity is due to genes versus other factors—is about the same as the heritability of height. It's even greater than that for many conditions that people accept as having a genetic basis, including heart disease, breast cancer, and schizophrenia. As nutrition has improved over the past 200 years, Americans have gotten much taller on average, but it is still the genes that determine who is tall or short today. The same is true for weight. Although our high-calorie, sedentary lifestyle contributes to the approximately 10-pound average weight gain of Americans compared to the recent past, some people are more severely affected by this lifestyle than others. That's because they have inherited genes that increase their predisposition for accumulating body fat. Our modern lifestyle is thus a necessary, but not a sufficient, condition for the high prevalence of obesity in our population.

Link

reply to post by Drewshbag


thanks for the honest reply.It's problematic especially for the less wealthy folk, in the vid i posted they go on to explain why etc.. Again it's ultimately down the big corporations and blind education on the problem.

Top care.

Originally posted by tigermountain
f, but what I was getting at is that the US for all of it's glory has a weight problem and that needed to be brought to light

Yes, you're exactly right. Nobody knew that America has a weight problem. You're really doing us a great service by bringing this unknown issue to light.

FFS man - Americans are beat to death regarding obesity on this very board. This is simply another...let's bash America thread. Go you!

Get over yourself.

reply to post by Drewshbag


However to link you posted, I just can't agree it's genetic..you see in Europe our portions are way smaller than the states and honestly if one really just ate healthy food they would lose weight. If someone obese were to go onto a raw vegan diet or healthy vegan diet and did excersise they would lose weight that is the honest truth. Don't over eat, don't get fat..end of problem.

reply to post by freakjive


May seem like I'm bashing , but really I'm not it is a predominantly American site and I wanted answers to why it's so bad in a place that is so informed. Chillax bro..it's a website..., ya?

reply to post by freakjive


Im an American and I dont feel like he's bashing us-we DO have a problem with weight in this country-I live in the Ohio Valley and there are a LOT of heavy people here. BUT I dont agree with Michelle Obama'and the fat police telling resteraunts what they can and cannot serve. Forcing someone to diet is useless-it doesnt work. And I do believe to an extent there is a genetic predisposition towards obesity- just like there is towards alcoholism -a person have to develop it but they can-Ive inherited a predisposition to high blood pressure and diabetes but because Im at a healthy weight and I exercise at least 4 times a week sometimes more I havent developed those conditions.

Originally posted by aprilc1
reply to post by freakjive

 

Im an American and I dont feel like he's bashing us-we DO have a problem with weight in this country-

Think what you want. The fact is, the thread is pointless. We have so many threads on this subject. Why not just add to one of the many others?

The OP lives in Spain. I posted above that Spain is quickly joining our ranks with proof of such. Instead of worrying about a country that's halfway across the world and not one that he's from (Switzerland), worry about the area that AFFECTS YOU!

Examples of "Fat America" threads (if only the OP had done a search)

www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...
www.abovetopsecret.com...

But don't let me stop you guys...

Standard Measurements View Metric Measurements

Your Height: 5'9"
Your Weight: 180
Your BMI: 26.6

BMI Categories:

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