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Okay folks, No bashing, please. This is a serious question and not meant to offend anyone.
It seems our society is taking "Super-Size Me" way to seriously. Being overweight and unhealthy seems to be the norm, now.
We hear about how diabetes and blood pressure problems are sky-rocketing, along with many other weight-related medical conditions yet so many folks keep shoveling the food in. Don't folks realize they are killing themselves slowly?
The tremendous amount of money we throw at the doctors and drug companies could be kept in our own pockets if we watched our diet. These people are profiting from your health problems. Many of those health problems could be alleviated if we made adjustments to our food intake. No need to become a crash dieter or vegatarian. either. Just make more thoughtful choices at the grocery and push back from the table before your are stuffed to the gills.
Think about it..........
100 years ago, more people ate healthier because we didn't have hundreds of choices for snacks neatly packaged for us. We didn't have all the pesticides, hormones, additives and preservatives in our food like we do today. We eat loads of foods that are so full of crap then wonder why we are overweight and sickly.
Information about healthy living is at our fingertips yet so many ignore it while reaching for that Twinkie, then wonder why we're so tired all the time.
And then there are those HUGE portions at the restaraunts. OMG!!! What is with these places? I'd much rather they offered smaller portions along with cheaper prices. Folks who want more could order an extra side item.
The U.S. has become the fattest country in the world. We have been considered the land of plenty by many and we abuse it to our own detriment.
What do you think? Will we continue on this decline in our overall health or will folks snap out of it and start to help themselves?
This country does have a lot of overweight people. There are a lot of factors involved. Here are just a few.
1. Family. We have very busy lives and learning good habits start at home. If both parents work sometimes it's easier for them to bring home or order take out or rely on convenience foods. "Most" of those aren't healthy unless you get the salads minus the fatty dressing.
2. Exercise doesn't seem to be as important for today's kids. A lot of scholls don't have gym(phys ed) anymore. Kids are alos more likely to be playing computer games than going out to play. When I was younger you couldn't get the kids to stay inside now they don't want to go outside.
3. Too much junk food around.
4. We also adjust to larger portions. It's sad but true. If restaurants went back to serving normal sizes people would think they were starving or getting ripped off.
5. It takes effort to plan healhty inexpensive meals. It would be easier just to cut back on portions.
6. I am in a poorer area and a lot of people rely on pasta, rice, and potatoes as main staples because it's what can be stretched the most. They grew up on it. It's just the way it is.
7. Southern foods are fattier in general, JMO. Bicuits and gravy, chicken and dumplings, lots of noodles and gravies.
I don't think things can change unless people are taught better. I know, a lot of it "should" be common sense but I don't think it is.
As a teacher in middle schools and high schools in two different states over the last 6 years (and one the "fittest" and one the "fattest") I would say that yes, being overweight (or better stated overfat) and unhealthy is becoming the norm....although it is not as simple as overeatting and underexercising, as has been pointed out. There are a lot of factors. However, when my BF -- who is very fit and 29, about 5'9" -- can fit into a boy's XL pajama onesie thingy from Target for Halloween....don'tcha think that is kind of scary??
My clothes from high school were a size 5. Now I am the same size and I wear a 1 or a zero........go figure.
As a teacher in middle schools and high schools in two different states over the last 6 years (and one the "fittest" and one the "fattest") I would say that yes, being overweight (or better stated overfat) and unhealthy is becoming the norm....although it is not as simple as overeatting and underexercising, as has been pointed out. There are a lot of factors. However, when my BF -- who is very fit and 29, about 5'9" -- can fit into a boy's XL pajama onesie thingy from Target for Halloween....don'tcha think that is kind of scary??
My clothes from high school were a size 5. Now I am the same size and I wear a 1 or a zero........go figure.
I agree the problem is becoming the norm. There is a growing awareness of the problem and some initiatives arising about what to do. One such is a program to teach school children about the need to be aware of how to make good food choices. Through these children, their parents would also learn. As a teacher, you are well aware of the power of education and the need to have parental support to that education. Doctor David Katz has some simple programs available to schools to do just that. Check out his site davidkatzmd.com
An expansion of these and other such ideas in our school systems could go a long way to reverse the trend.
Might want to re-read my original post to see where I referred to folks who were overweight AND had health issues. Pretty plain English.
Your original post states: "Being overweight and unhealthy", equating overweight with a state of poor health.
You also state your purpose was not to offend. Guess you failed there. You ask not to be bashed, yet you insult thousands of people by telling them to "push back from the table" and "snap out of it." It's insensitive, uneducated remarks like that which can prompt people -- depressed people who self-medicate with food instead of other substances such as drugs or alcohol -- to shrug, say FU, and reach for the Twinkies.
I'm not saying all overweight people are depressed; however, there are many reasons why people eat too much. Why people are overweight cannot be remedied simply by "making thoughtful choices at the grocery".
And since you're absolutely dying to know why I disagree with you on most of your arguments, here's my history: I've struggled with weight all of my life (yet always able to run at least a mile, low blood pressure, no health problems), yo-yoed for years until I adopted healthy habits of diet and exercise which I keep to this day. I lost 140 pounds and have maintained a healthy weight for five years.
Last edited by Ohiogirl81; 11-04-2008 at 06:22 AM..
And since you're absolutely dying to know why I disagree with you on most of your arguments, here's my history: I've struggled with weight all of my life (yet always able to run at least a mile, low blood pressure, no health problems), yo-yoed for years until I adopted healthy habits of diet and exercise which I keep to this day. I lost 140 pounds and have maintained a healthy weight for five years.
Personal experiences do not make the standard. Individual stories does not make anyone unique. The majority of people who are overweight and unhelathy are that way due to the lack of motivation and discipline. It is quite frankly as simple as that.
Personal experiences do not make the standard. Individual stories does not make anyone unique.
Of course not everyone is alike, but the OP was badgering me about "personal soapboxes," so there you go.
My own personal journey has taught me not to judge people for what they eat or why they eat it, until I've learned more about their experiences. It is quite frankly as simple as that.
Your original post states: "Being overweight and unhealthy", equating overweight with a state of poor health.
You also state your purpose was not to offend. Guess you failed there. You ask not to be bashed, yet you insult thousands of people by telling them to "push back from the table" and "snap out of it." It's insensitive, uneducated remarks like that which can prompt people -- depressed people who self-medicate with food instead of other substances such as drugs or alcohol -- to shrug, say FU, and reach for the Twinkies.
I'm not saying all overweight people are depressed; however, there are many reasons why people eat too much. Why people are overweight cannot be remedied simply by "making thoughtful choices at the grocery".
And since you're absolutely dying to know why I disagree with you on most of your arguments, here's my history: I've struggled with weight all of my life (yet always able to run at least a mile, low blood pressure, no health problems), yo-yoed for years until I adopted healthy habits of diet and exercise which I keep to this day. I lost 140 pounds and have maintained a healthy weight for five years.
If you are insulted by my post, perhaps you should attempt to re-read it without your own insecurities taking such a large role in your reaction to it. My intent was not to insult anyone and I think you have taken the original post to heart. It appears you are reading through a haze of defensiveness and seeing this as an attack on obese people everywhere. Not so.
Feel free to disagree with me but it will not change my own opinion. As previously stated, I am fully aware of the different reasons why some are overweight but I do not buy into the "self medicate with food" mentality. It's just an excuse used by those with no self-control. Lots of people are depressed but don't park in front of the buffet to "medicate" themselves.
Other countries do not have the level of obesity that the US has. Statistics have proven it. You'd be hard pressed to find the plethora of buffets that we have here. We are the land of plenty and it shows in the size of many of our citizens. These same folks are more than likely suffering from at least one weight-related health issue. Once again, Ohiogirl, I am talking about folks who don't seem to get to relationship between their diet and health problems or just don't do anything about it. Since you were able to recognize your own weight issue and do something about it, I applaud your efforts.
BTW, I didn't ask about WHY you disagreed with me. You have your opinion and I have mine. We're both entitled to them.
Of course not everyone is alike, but the OP was badgering me about "personal soapboxes," so there you go.
My own personal journey has taught me not to judge people for what they eat or why they eat it, until I've learned more about their experiences. It is quite frankly as simple as that.
"Badgering" huh? LOL!
It seems that you keep coming back to this discussion and vigorously defending your own strong opinions, yet I'm not offended by your comments. From my perspective, it appears you are on a soapbox since it appears that your are attacking my own opinions.
Frankly, I'm enjoying the lively discussion on the subject and like hearing everyones opinions. Even yours.
I agree that all the information we need about healthy eating is available (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, low fat, low animal product consumption).
Most people know how they SHOULD eat, and we can eat that way economically. Might take a little longer for food prep, but worth it, of course, in the pay off in improved wellness.
But think about this.
You're watching TV. How many commercials do you see for fast food restaurants (burger, taco, pizza) or sugary soft drinks, packaged high fat, high sugar, high salt snack foods versus how many commercials do you see for say, broccoli or spinach??
In Sweden (I think it was there), the government wanted its people to eat more vegetables and fruits so they did a campaign to encourage their consumption.
They created a male/female couple made up of fruits and vegetables shown in a passionate embrace with text/voice over that said, "Five times a day." The campaign not only caught everyone's attention but fruit and vegetable consumption increased something like 33% after the campaign had run for a while.
My point? Knowledge and information are important, but influence counts for much, too. Advertising works--and works well. And it works both ways...for better food choices or poorer food choices.
Until the broccoli and spinach councils have as much advertising clout as the fast food/snack industry do, we're asking a lot of our population to make wiser food choices...not to mention our government caring about their citizen's health and helping to get the message out about healthy eating (not likely to happen with the lobbyists' infuence)...
Yes, we have free will, but all of us are influenced by advertising, whether we think we are or not.
I've found myself buying a particular chocolate candy the day after seeing a commercial touting it on TV...
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