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There is no doubt in my mind eating habits are brought on by parents.
I agree with you wholeheartedly. I was part of the "clean plate club". I was not "excused" from the table until my plate was finished. And I did NOT get to serve myself prior to the age of 15.
However, weight problems aren't always brought on by parents. When people see someone who is overweight, they tend to think he eats too much. A lot of overweight people have fine diets, they're just not genetically blessed like others who can eat whatever they want and not gain weight (myself included!).
Once again. Total agreement. Many people who have never stuggled with a weight problem laugh at those who do. They say "Why doesn't the fat pig just put down the fork?" I have friends who can, and do, drink a six pack plus of beer a night, and can eat the fat off a cow and never gain a pound. I am more active than them and eat healthier, and struggle. They have the metabolism of a racehorse, yet have no care in the world of their blessing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jtur88
That is a copout that legitimately applies only to a very tiny number of obese people. Unless you can explain why 40% of Americans and only 5% of people in a lot of other countries seem to have this mysterious genetic composition. And a century ago, only 5% of Americans had it.
It is the way food is processed in this country. Money trumps ethics in this country. The method in which our food, particularly meat, is developed in the USA is grossly different than in other regions of the world. This is why obesity was not a factor 30 years ago like it is now. The other factor is the age of technology. We as a population are pathetically inactive compared to those in many other regions. The combination of the two factors is grossly debilitating.
I'm willing to bet that you are one of those "blessed" individuals that has never struggled with their weight, jtur. Congratulations! You are quite envied. I'm not saying that there are no lazy fat asses. They do exist. What I am saying is that the obesity level in our country needs to be examined in a different light. At the rate we are going, the obese will outnumber the "beautiful" people in a very short time.
The poor suffer the most. When you go to the store, the healthy items are often double the price of their generic, high fat/carb counterparts. There was a time when my wife and I ate 80% organic food. Nowadays, our budget cannot handle that lifestyle. Much of the "standard food" in other countries is the "high end" food here in the U.S.
It is the way food is processed in this country. Money trumps ethics in this country. The method in which our food, particularly meat, is developed in the USA is grossly different than in other regions of the world. This is why obesity was not a factor 30 years ago like it is now. The other factor is the age of technology. We as a population are pathetically inactive compared to those in many other regions. The combination of the two factors is grossly debilitating.
You alluded to the two major things that one can control in order to maintain their health. Eating proper proportions and physical activity.
If you eat too much of even a healthy food, unless you burn it off, you will gain weight. A long time ago I started eating long-grained brown rice and duram wheat pasta... a lot of it... because it was healthier than the normal rice and pasta I was eating. I still gained weight because of the high amount of carbohydrates I was ingesting.
I still eat the rice and pasta, but a far less amount of it. With exercise I am much less of a fat ass than I was in January.
These are things that can be controlled even in the world of industrial food and sedentary living.
I think that maybe the fact that we're always giving our kids junk food to shut them up, even temporarily, might have a lot to do with it..I've seen a lot of kids who when they don't like what's for supper that night they just won't eat it, because they know that they'll get something else instead.Parents have to realize that their child won't starve if they go to bed hungry because they wouldn't eat supper....Also, I find food is used as a reward for good behavior for a lot of children, another setup for future obesity. There's too many treats and sweet foods that aren't good for us., yet we use them as some kind of integral part of our gatherings and social interactions. hope this makes sense.
Those of us in our 50s and 60s were raised by parents who grew up during the Great Depression. Leaving food on your plate was a waste (bad memories of the 30s, starving children in India). During the first military draft in 1940 something like 1/3 of the draftees were suffering from malnutrition.
But once again, as an adult no one is shoveling food down down your throat.
Those veterans will remember this: "Take What You Want But Eat What You Take."
I don't think it's a waste. All ends up in the same place eventually.
Habits are changed all of the time. Old habits are discarded and new ones picked up.
If your 40 years old and blaming your parents for your lifestyle choices, well you need to grow up. As adults we are responsible for ourselves... if we choose to be.
Except if you are raised for 18 years ignoring your body cues that you are full, it's not so easy to "fix" it. I don't even know if it is fixable. So yes, even at 40 years old, someone's internal measure of fullness accuracy is the parents' fault.
well what about the other side of the coin ? where the mother has an obession of being overweight ? I heard a little girl in Mcdonalds telling her dad , "well mom does not allow me to eat fast food or this kind of food . I mean could the girl have just not enjoyed the wknd with her dad without having memories of her mother getting upset at what she ate . That poor child I see her being rail thin or overweight as an adult because of her mother .
A few parenting (pre) classes were given by a local peditricain and his first topic (which he hit-on all through the course) was the eating habits of parents. Often food is given to a baby first to quiet them. This, he said, teaches them food = comfort and as they grow and learn to cope with life and food is their salvation. (Wrong!)
My mother-in-law started to do this to one of my kids. after about a month of "give'm a bottle!" I nearly gave her the boot! Eating in my home for bordom doesn't cut it either, "bored? go ride a bike are play outside".
I know I don't have the best eating habits and I could stand to loose a few pounds.
My parents weren't too bad about making us eat but we were NEVER allowed to do anything other than eat at dinner time. "Not hungry?? then watch the rest of the family eat!" Its kind of funny to think about it now but it wasn't time to laugh when I was a kid!
well what about the other side of the coin ? where the mother has an obession of being overweight ? I heard a little girl in Mcdonalds telling her dad , "well mom does not allow me to eat fast food or this kind of food . I mean could the girl have just not enjoyed the wknd with her dad without having memories of her mother getting upset at what she ate . That poor child I see her being rail thin or overweight as an adult because of her mother .
Wellllll
I commend parents for teaching their children healthy eating choices. I don't really see anything wrong with a child stating their mother doesn't allow her to eat fast food.
How do you know the girl's mother was obsessed about weight vs. teaching the child about healthy eating?
The "finish your plate" would be not a problem when the plate has the right size. But over the decades the size changed and now in most places food is served on a plates that could easily hold a whole turkey.
The concept of cheap food and big portions is appealing to many people.
The serving portions need to change, then the quality of food we eat.
Yes, we tend to continue to eat the same food we ate at home, however there are people that completely changed their food habits, some for better, some for worse.
Generally, people have no problem spending hours in the malls, and then hurry to a fast food place complaining that they do not have time to cook at home...
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