[jetsjoe]

Why do Alabamian's have 101 excuses for being so obese? Being the #1 state for obesity is disgusting. More importantly a health hazard. Apparently frying everything you see is so appealing you don't care if your life is shortened, you teach your kids this sick behavior or you die of heart disease? Guess not.

It is bad parenting to teach your kids this behavior. Turn on any national news program or the Today show, the rest of the country is concerned about obesity and the health risks it imposes to the future generations. I am sickened every time I have to eat a meal at a restaurant and watch obese parents and chubby kids choking down butter with a side of bread like it is there last day on earth. Kids are the future and at this rate in this state, the farthest they will go is the refrigerator.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by jetsjoe

Why do Alabamian's have 101 excuses for being so obese? Being the #1 state for obesity is disgusting. More importantly a health hazard. Apparently frying everything you see is so appealing you don't care if your life is shortened, you teach your kids this sick behavior or you die of heart disease? Guess not.

It is bad parenting to teach your kids this behavior. Turn on any national news program or the Today show, the rest of the country is concerned about obesity and the health risks it imposes to the future generations. I am sickened every time I have to eat a meal at a restaurant and watch obese parents and chubby kids choking down butter with a side of bread like it is there last day on earth. Kids are the future and at this rate in this state, the farthest they will go is the refrigerator.

Actually and according to a 2006 report, Mississippi ranks #1 with over 30% of the population being obese. Alabama is second. Colorado is the leanest state.

1. Mississippi
2. Alabama
3. West Virginia
4. Louisiana
5. Kentucky
6. Tennessee
7. Arkansas
8. Indiana (tie for 8th)
9. South Carolina (tie for 8th)
10.Texas

Yes, I agree that most importantly, it's a health hazard as is:

smoking

not drinking enough water

drinking alcohol and soft drinks ( sugar, sugar, sugar )

eating foods containing sodium nitrate and other carcinogens (processed lunchmeats, hot dogs, and so much more)

aspartame (keep slim on the diet drinks and kill yourself slowly as well)

refined sugar which is lethal

Check the web; you'll be amazed. If you have to have sweet in your coffee or on your cereal, refined sugar is the lesser of the two evils. Aspartame is proven to cause cancer.

hydrogenated oils ~ trans fats (hard to find a cracker without that killer in it)

be a couch potato, even a skinny one

keep buying the kids video games ~ numbs their brains and exercises their fingers

and the list goes on.

The problem with overweight people is that the way they are killing themselves and their children is very evident by sight. The "twiggies" in the world may be doing the same thing by consuming some of the foods or drinks mentioned above, sitting on their duffs, or chain smoking.

I believe we're all guilty of not doing what we should to stay healthy. This is America, and we have a huge problem.

Some people have underlying health problems which cause obesity and, of course, eating butter with a side of bread isn't a health problem, but a choice.
It is especially sad for the children who aren't taught differently and I feel it is bad parenting. When they grow up, hopefully, they'll make the right choice.

[jetsjoe]

It just came out in the Mobile Press Register that Alabama became #1 recently. Go on wkrg.com

[Cattknap]

The #1 cause of obesity in southern states is the southern diet - if you visit the south or live there, you know what I mean....or watch Paul Deen (whom I love) - imagine what your weight would be if you ate foods like she prepares.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by jetsjoe

Apparently frying everything you see is so appealing you don't care if your life is shortened, you teach your kids this sick behavior or you die of heart disease? Guess not.

Well to many people that is correct.
What's another 5-10 years of life if you're not able to eat things you love?
Besides, there's no gaurantee that it will kill you prematurely.

[jetsjoe]

Correct? Well tell that to the thousands of people campaining against obese children, heart disease, high blood pressure, ect.

I guess it's not very important to be able to get around easily, play sports, be active in fitness related activities.

I guess if you lived in the rural south where there's nothing to do but eat (fried food) and you have no ambitions to be healthy- go for it. The rest of us will try not to have to look at you and your gross kids.

[ColdCanadian]

Originally Posted by jetsjoe

Correct? Well tell that to the thousands of people campaining against obese children, heart disease, high blood pressure, ect.

I guess it's not very important to be able to get around easily, play sports, be active in fitness related activities.

I guess if you lived in the rural south where there's nothing to do but eat (fried food) and you have no ambitions to be healthy- go for it. The rest of us will try not to have to look at you and your gross kids.

As far as adults go, I still feel they have a right to overeat or be sedentary if they choose.

True, either can be unhealthy, but even if you don't agree, there's no such thing as "Second-Hand Fat," so you're not at risk jetsjoe.

But children should be discouraged from doing the same. It could screw up their physical development. Also fat kids have a harder time losing weight later in life. Overweight children I guessing are usually not that way by their own choice. Sometimes it's genes and sometimes poor parenting, but I'm sure even in the rural south healthy food choices do exist, even if they can't be bought, they can be prepared at home.

I'm a little confused by your use of the word "you." Did you mean "me" or did you mean "everyone?"

If I had kids, they'd probably be slim, healthy and light-medium tanned from hours of playing outdoors almost daily. Myself, I currently spend 10 plus hours a week lifting weights, among other forms of physical activity.

BTW, I'm not against the idea of offering healthy snack choices and encouraging people to be more active. I actually love that idea. I'm just against banning all forms of "unhealthy foods" if that's also part of their agenda. That said, I do not lament the banning of transfats. You can't even taste the differece, so I think that was a good move.

[KewGee]

Originally Posted by jetsjoe

Correct? Well tell that to the thousands of people campaining against obese children, heart disease, high blood pressure, ect.

I guess it's not very important to be able to get around easily, play sports, be active in fitness related activities.

I guess if you lived in the rural south where there's nothing to do but eat (fried food) and you have no ambitions to be healthy- go for it. The rest of us will try not to have to look at you and your gross kids.

I must defend the rural South here as even though I was raised in CA, my children were raised in rural Texas. There is plenty to do in the rural south to keep healthy, but unfortunately, times have changed and children don't go outside like they used to when my kids were growing up. Actually, there's much more to do in the rural south than the city south. Think about it.

I never allowed my children to have video games (I believe Nintendo was the first to come about back then or at least what I remember since we didn't own one. No. Maybe it was something to do with PacMan). They also were not allowed to have televisions in their bedrooms. We didn't own a VCR until they were much older, but they were not allowed to rent movies. We used it to watch old home videos that I converted from Super 8 to VHS. Wow! Wasn't I considered ever so mean! It surely didn't hurt them one bit, and they're much better for it today.

The rural south is very big on organized sports even today, but there are many children and parents who would rather vegetate. As I stated in my first post, it's all about choice.

Have you ever watched a parent nowadays with a video game or at an arcade playing what empty games you'll find in them? Even within the neighborhood Wal-Mart, the adults are contorting their faces while they furiously move their hands on some silly game. It's a pathetic sight for sure, so what can we even expect from the children of these ignoramuses? Hopefully, they'll see the light one day when they're old enough to realize the importance of good health and good books.

Their parents allow them to sit in front of the computer or television, play video games, talk constantly on their cell phones, play DVDs all day, and the list goes on. Good grief. They talk more about movies and rap songs than life as that's all they know. This world has changed and the kids are the ones who are suffering the most.

[Cattknap]

I recently heard on the news that healthy issues related to obesity are the #1 cause of health problems in the U.S. today. Thus, we see all kinds of attempts by the government to legislate what we and our children put into mouths (trans-fats, no sweet snacks at schools, etc.). You can claim that eating to the point of obesity is a personal choice (which it is), but in the long run the negative effects of obesity exact (at the very least) a financial toll on all of us, not just the obese.

[jetsjoe]

It dosen't matter what the reasons are, the facts are the facts!

Alabama, Mississippi and Lousiana are the most obese states. Most poverty stricken, worse school systems. Gee.. so much to be proud of. Stop screaming about college football and worry about the statistics at hand.