Obesity in America Thoughts?

[j_dp456]

Just ran across an interesting article in TIME magazine about Obesity in America. And really got me thinking as I sat at my computer and watched TV, have we (Americans) neglected proper diet, portion control and exercise?

 

[Handbag Lady]

Of course we have.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Well, we are in a depression and eating healthy is NOT cheap. I think that is a HUGE issue that no one is really talking about.

I bought the book, The Clean Diet from the Dr. on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and he was also on The View and Barbara Walter asked him how much would this cost a regular person and he said oh its really not that expensive....

Well let me tell you, its VERY expensive I could not keep up with it and now that I have been unemployed its even worse.

Gym memberships are very expensive and yes I know you can just walk and it will cost you nothing but why can't I join a gym and get a personal trainer etc.

I don't feel we are lazy, some of us yes probably but I am not and I try to be active but it is very difficult. Life gets in the way sometimes and you can't get to the gym or walk a few miles or eat the right thing.

It's much much more than just being lazy.

 

[rie'smom]

Eat more fruit and vegetables, less junk and exercise needs to become a mantra. Maybe make that a requirement for schools to get federal funding. If we think the health crisis is bad now just wait 20 years. We were at the beach today and I saw way more chubby and fat teens than I saw fit ones.

 

[Christine]

Our habits in America have changed drastically. If you are older than your 30s, you can probably think back to some changes.

I was actually pondering this over the weekend while I was shopping at the mall.

It used to be that when you went out somewhere, like grocery shopping, clothes shopping, etc. You didn't eat unless you just happened to stop somewhere for lunch (which was a treat or an "event"). Now, peole are eating and drinking constantly while doing their errands. For instance, at the mall, at least half of the people had a Starbucks, some people were walking around eating ice cream, pretzels, sodas, or what have you. Going to the mall now is akin to going to the beach and walking around on the boardwalk or something. I imagine people who do this, do it everytime they go. Think of all the added calories. And this is just ONE of the many areas where we have incorporated food into other activities.

 

[C.Ann]

Yes - we have.. Even as an very underweight person, I'm sure that I don't get as much physical exercise as I should..

However, I think you left one very important factor out of your list of reasons for obesity in this country.. There are many, many medications currently being prescribed for various health issues that carry the unpleasant side effect of significant weight gain (50 lbs. or more) that is not caused by an increase in appetite or lack of exercise.. For people who have weight issues to begin with (moderately overweight), these medications are often what push them over into the classification of "obese"..

 

[Feralpeg]

And yet, with reports like this, the restuarants are ever increasing the size of the portions served. It's crazy. No one needs to eat such huge portions. It is to the point that DD and I split meals almost everywhere we go. It isn't to save money. It's because we can't possibly eat so much food if we order individually.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Eat more fruit and vegetables, less junk and exercise needs to become a mantra. Maybe make that a requirement for schools to get federal funding. If we think the health crisis is bad now just wait 20 years. We were at the beach today and I saw way more chubby and fat teens than I saw fit ones.

I don't drink soda, haven't for the past few years because it is bad for you. I drink water and make my own unsweeted Iced Tea. Fruit and Vegetables are a staple with myself and family.

I understand that junk food and excercise needs to be promoted more, but when I was younger (I am 31 now) I wasn't indoors after school. I was outside riding my bike, playing manhunt, tag, red rover, those silly games but I was outside at the playground and going home sometimes a little dirty and sweaty. Kids today can't do that and its a shame. Those are some wonderful memories that I have.

Today....children are glued to their computers and video games or the parents are too freaked out to let their kids walk home from school or walk to school. That is a bigger problem.

Now I am 5'11 and was always told that I was overweight, when I look back at old videos I was NOT fat, no where near it and I am shocked that I looked as good as I did. Now kids have to be super duper skinny and I think that is wrong. What is chubby? Several of my little sister's friends say they are fat or chubby and they are SOOOOO far from it. That is what scares me because I know many of them do not eat and they go to the gym and work out. Its quite sad.

 

[Christine]

And yet, with reports like this, the restuarants are ever increasing the size of the portions served. It's crazy. No one needs to eat such huge portions. It is to the point that DD and I split meals almost everywhere we go. It isn't to save money. It's because we can't possibly eat so much food if we order individually.

And if they aren't increasing portion size, they are manufacturing food that is so laden with fats, sodium, and sugars that the food is REALLY calorie dense. The chicken nugget you might make it home is NOTHING like the one you are going get at a place like Chili's. I read a book called "The End of Overeating" and it was really an eye opener as to what the food industry has done to prepackaged and restaurant food to make it almost addictive.

 

[j_dp456]

And if they aren't increasing portion size, they are manufacturing food that is so laden with fats, sodium, and sugars that the food is REALLY calorie dense. The chicken nugget you might make it home is NOTHING like the one you are going get at a place like Chili's. I read a book called "The End of Overeating" and it was really an eye opener as to what the food industry has done to prepackaged and restaurant food to make it almost addictive.

Has anyone seen FOOD Inc. ? Its from the author of Fast Food Nation Eric Schlosser and it sounds really good.

 

[Angelhalo]

Well, we are in a depression and eating healthy is NOT cheap. I think that is a HUGE issue that no one is really talking about.

I bought the book, The Clean Diet from the Dr. on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and he was also on The View and Barbara Walter asked him how much would this cost a regular person and he said oh its really not that expensive....

Well let me tell you, its VERY expensive I could not keep up with it and now that I have been unemployed its even worse.

Gym memberships are very expensive and yes I know you can just walk and it will cost you nothing but why can't I join a gym and get a personal trainer etc.

I don't feel we are lazy, some of us yes probably but I am not and I try to be active but it is very difficult. Life gets in the way sometimes and you can't get to the gym or walk a few miles or eat the right thing.

It's much much more than just being lazy.

I agree with all of this. I think time is a HUGE factor and I find it a very interesting culprit in American obesity specifically. In MANY other countries most companies start employees off with far more vacation time than we have here in the US. Americans work so many hours that sometimes we just don't have the time for the proper diet and activity. Hence why you see people eating so much junk in their cars. We're always on the go. We have been researching other countries recently as Hubby wants to live abroad, and it is truly amazing how in so many other places in the world people work to live, as opposed to Americans who live to work. Most of the places we have looked at seem to have a much better work/life balance and lower obesity rates.

I'm not saying that applies to everyone in this country or others, but it is definitely an interesting factor.

 

[clgwli]

Well, we are in a depression and eating healthy is NOT cheap. I think that is a HUGE issue that no one is really talking about.

I bought the book, The Clean Diet from the Dr. on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and he was also on The View and Barbara Walter asked him how much would this cost a regular person and he said oh its really not that expensive....

Well let me tell you, its VERY expensive I could not keep up with it and now that I have been unemployed its even worse.

Gym memberships are very expensive and yes I know you can just walk and it will cost you nothing but why can't I join a gym and get a personal trainer etc.

I don't feel we are lazy, some of us yes probably but I am not and I try to be active but it is very difficult. Life gets in the way sometimes and you can't get to the gym or walk a few miles or eat the right thing.

It's much much more than just being lazy.

I think you are are looking for an excuse. Eating frozen or canned vegetables and fruits is not that expensive. Fresh produce is but the rest is not. I think people try to tell themselves that.

I think we are lazy. In fact I know we are. Just look at the 'helper' meals that are loaded with sodiums and extra stuff we do not need.

Our portion sizes are out of control. I doubt the 'average' person here would know what a correct portion of chicken or meat would look like or how much is one serving of some starches.

I think we are not careful of what we eat and I think we are lazy. There are tons of dual income families and no one wants to do from scratch foods. We are happier in general with frozen pizzas, tv dinners and boxed junk.

We are a budget family with only one income here. I can tell you it is far more expensive to buy junk food than it is to buy healthy frozen or canned items.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

Well, we are in a depression and eating healthy is NOT cheap. I think that is a HUGE issue that no one is really talking about.

I bought the book, The Clean Diet from the Dr. on VH1's Celebrity Fit Club and he was also on The View and Barbara Walter asked him how much would this cost a regular person and he said oh its really not that expensive....

Well let me tell you, its VERY expensive I could not keep up with it and now that I have been unemployed its even worse.

Gym memberships are very expensive and yes I know you can just walk and it will cost you nothing but why can't I join a gym and get a personal trainer etc.

I don't feel we are lazy, some of us yes probably but I am not and I try to be active but it is very difficult. Life gets in the way sometimes and you can't get to the gym or walk a few miles or eat the right thing.

It's much much more than just being lazy.

Very true. The healthy food is much more expensive than sugars and chemicals.

As for exercise, yes, you can walk for free. But, it depends on where you live. Where I'm at, there are no sidewalks and no park really nearby. And some areas, it's like taking your life in your hands to walk the sidewalks in your neighborhood. Some areas are quite dangerous.
I get around that by having a manual treadmill in my house. It was only about $150 and I can use it when ever I want for as long as I keep it.

 

[Geoff_M]

...have we (Americans) neglected proper diet, portion control and exercise?

Yes, yes, and yes.

 

[mjkacmom]

Of course we have. I blame a lot on portion size - people just didn't eat as much 50 years ago. I'm guessing about 1/2 of our population wouldn't have been able to buy clothes off the rack 50 years ago - everything would be too small. We also walk a lot less (and I'm guilty of this, too). We are in such a rush, we don't have time to take 15 minutes to walk to our destination - we just hop in our vehicles.

 

[OhMari]

Our local h.s. gets AFS students every year. They interview them before they leave, and they always say, "food porportions" at resturants and meals at home are larger than what they are used to eating. Many say, we eat meat at every meal too.

 

[disney1990]

Very true. The healthy food is much more expensive than sugars and chemicals.

As for exercise, yes, you can walk for free. But, it depends on where you live. Where I'm at, there are no sidewalks and no park really nearby. And some areas, it's like taking your life in your hands to walk the sidewalks in your neighborhood. Some areas are quite dangerous.
I get around that by having a manual treadmill in my house. It was only about $150 and I can use it when ever I want for as long as I keep it.

Yes, fresh fruits and vegetables can be expensive. But canned and frozen fruits and vegetables are a good alternative. If you can't walk around your neighborhood, you can exercise in front of your television. There are too many exercise programs to count. But a DVD and use it as your exercise program. And yes, portion control is out of control. I never, ever eat the portion that is served in a sit down restaurant. I only eat half and save the remainder for another meal.

 

[rie'smom]

Now I am 5'11 and was always told that I was overweight, when I look back at old videos I was NOT fat, no where near it and I am shocked that I looked as good as I did. Now kids have to be super duper skinny and I think that is wrong. What is chubby? Several of my little sister's friends say they are fat or chubby and they are SOOOOO far from it. That is what scares me because I know many of them do not eat and they go to the gym and work out. Its quite sad.

I see just the opposite. When I was a teen in the 70s, we were skinny-probably too thin. The kids that I see today that I call chubby are about 20 lbs overweight. They have guts that hang over their bikinis or they have muffin tops that hang over their jeans and shorts.

 

[cteddiesgirl]

And yet, with reports like this, the restuarants are ever increasing the size of the portions served. It's crazy. No one needs to eat such huge portions. It is to the point that DD and I split meals almost everywhere we go. It isn't to save money. It's because we can't possibly eat so much food if we order individually.

Yep. I've gotten to the point where when ever I eat dinner out somewhere (which is rare), I order something that will do well as a left over. I've been known to turn one dinner into 3 meals.

I understand that junk food and excercise needs to be promoted more, but when I was younger (I am 31 now) I wasn't indoors after school. I was outside riding my bike, playing manhunt, tag, red rover, those silly games but I was outside at the playground and going home sometimes a little dirty and sweaty. Kids today can't do that and its a shame. Those are some wonderful memories that I have.

Today....children are glued to their computers and video games or the parents are too freaked out to let their kids walk home from school or walk to school. That is a bigger problem.

Very true. Part of it too is that parents don't limit their children's time with these sedentary activities.

I think you are are looking for an excuse. Eating frozen or canned vegetables and fruits is not that expensive. Fresh produce is but the rest is not. I think people try to tell themselves that.

I think we are lazy. In fact I know we are. Just look at the 'helper' meals that are loaded with sodiums and extra stuff we do not need.

Our portion sizes are out of control. I doubt the 'average' person here would know what a correct portion of chicken or meat would look like or how much is one serving of some starches.

I think we are not careful of what we eat and I think we are lazy. There are tons of dual income families and no one wants to do from scratch foods. We are happier in general with frozen pizzas, tv dinners and boxed junk.

We are a budget family with only one income here. I can tell you it is far more expensive to buy junk food than it is to buy healthy frozen or canned items.

Find me some frozen or canned fruits and vegetables that have no added chemicals, sodium and sugars. Most have something added to them. Which is part of our heath problems.

Dual income families don't have time to fix food from scratch. Frozen and convienence foods were created after women started working outside of the home. Today, most families can't make it on only one income.

 

[Shutterbug]

I agree about the portion sizes being huge, that combined with hearing Mom in the back of your head, "make sure you eat everything on your plate" doesnt help.

I was just at a Mexican place last night and instead of ordering one of their regular combo dinners, I just ordered two items off the ala carte portion.
It was cheaper and when I was done I wasnt all stuffed.

At other places when my food arrives I already tell them I am gonna need a take home box