My Observation Today About What Americans Weigh

fmdog44 said:
Also we weren't submitted to constant bombardments of sponsors telling us we need to eat the crap 3-5 times a day. And ask why do the McDonalds & Burger Kings have indoor play grounds for kiddies and a clown mascot? (Start them young approach)
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Actually, a place where a kid can burn off those calories isn't a bad idea. Too bad they don't require you eat first, then play.
 

It seems that we’re all more comfortable when we can find someone or something to blame for our own behavior.

It also seems that more and more we gravitate towards expensive and complicated solutions to everyday problems.

IMO If we stop using food as a reward or attaching emotional significance to it, make better choices, eat less, and move more we will be more than halfway to solving this problem.

Easy to say, but hard to do, like so many things in life.
 
I worked part-time at a McDonald's for nearly a year in 1971. Most adults ordered what is now the equivalent of a child's Happy Meal. A regular hamburger (about 3.7 oz, 250 cal, ) or cheeseburger (300 cal), regular-sized order of fries (2.4 oz, 200 cal) and a small drink (12 oz, 140 cal) - no refills. So approx 590 calories. Mind you, this was an adult meal, not a snack.

Growing teenaged boys and young men ordered Big Macs. Large fries (the kind not in the bag but in the red box) were sold far less often than the little bag of fries and were often split between two or more people. Those are now sold as "medium" fries.

These days people typically order Quarter Pounders w/cheese (7.3 oz, 520 cal) or Quarter Pounder w/Cheese Deluxe (9.2 oz, 630 cal)), Large Fries (5.9 oz, 490 cal) and medium or large sodas (21 or 30 oz, 240 or more cal) plus free refills. Approx 1250 calories.

Going into a McD's or other fast food places at about 3:00 pm - when schools have just gotten out - is a quick lesson on why the obesity crisis exists. Droves of adults, parents, children and teens, buying and wolfing down full meals of burgers, fries and sodas as between meal snacks.

When I worked at McD's, business between mealtimes was almost non-existent. We didn't even open until around 11:00 for early lunches - breakfasts and Egg McMuffins were still in the future - and we closed by about 8 pm.

That's just one small snapshot of why the obesity crisis has become so severe over the past 50 years.
 
Young people may get away without the weight gain. It seems to catch up with them later. My SIL is extremely busy and grabs fast food whenever he can. It sure shows now.

It’s shocking the number of people who order fast food using pickup services like Uber Eats. They’re also paying more because of delivery and tips.
 
Murrmurr said:
Fast food has been around for a long time. Arguably first was White Castle in 1921, then chains such as McDonald's, est. in1940, and KFC, est. in 1952, caught fire, and boom. But we didn't start seeing an obesity problem until the 80s, and by the 90s it was epidemic. I believe this has to do, at least in part, with cheaper cooking oils and food additives. The FDA funded some studies, so you'd think they would have stepped in strongly by the late 90s. But fast food is a bazillion-dollar industry, so that hasn't happened yet. I wonder if it will, eventually.
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Something definitely happened. I've also heard it blamed on high-fructose corn syrup.

For some reason my wife and I decided to go "out to breakfast" yesterday (Sunday) which is something we never do. At the place we wound up (first two places had hour waits for a table) I would say about half the people were morbidly obese. Kind of a turnoff as you wait for your massively oversized order of pancakes to arrive.

We won't do that again anytime soon.
 
Generally I think seniors do better in their weights, maybe because we were taught to cook. It’s a small sample in our subdivision. Right now there’s only one person who is very overweight and she’s dealing with diabetes and many other things. There are two women that are extremely underweight and that’s also a major issue. Most of us are just ordinary. There are octogenarians who walk every day.
 
StarSong said:
I worked part-time at a McDonald's for nearly a year in 1971. Most adults ordered what is now the equivalent of a child's Happy Meal. A regular hamburger (about 3.7 oz, 250 cal, ) or cheeseburger (300 cal), regular-sized order of fries (2.4 oz, 200 cal) and a small drink (12 oz, 140 cal) - no refills. So approx 590 calories. Mind you, this was an adult meal, not a snack.

Growing teenaged boys and young men ordered Big Macs. Large fries (the kind not in the bag but in the red box) were sold far less often than the little bag of fries and were often split between two or more people. Those are now sold as "medium" fries.

These days people typically order Quarter Pounders w/cheese (7.3 oz, 520 cal) or Quarter Pounder w/Cheese Deluxe (9.2 oz, 630 cal)), Large Fries (5.9 oz, 490 cal) and medium or large sodas (21 or 30 oz, 240 or more cal) plus free refills. Approx 1250 calories.

Going into a McD's or other fast food places at about 3:00 pm - when schools have just gotten out - is a quick lesson on why the obesity crisis exists. Droves of adults, parents, children and teens, buying and wolfing down full meals of burgers, fries and sodas as between meal snacks.

When I worked at McD's, business between mealtimes was almost non-existent. We didn't even open until around 11:00 for early lunches - breakfasts and Egg McMuffins were still in the future - and we closed by about 8 pm.

That's just one small snapshot of why the obesity crisis has become so severe over the past 50 years.
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Good point!

This was the McDonalds menu in the late 60s before they supersized everything including the customers.

08cc0eb13593b47b454da25bb4b130a8--fastfood--s.jpg

I still walk to the local McDonalds for an inexpensive McDouble every now and then, the walk is my penance.
 
Not related to fast food joints but something I have noticed in standard diners/restaurants in the US when I've dined out there, the portion sizes are huge in comparison to what I see in Canada at similar places. Not sure if that's still the case or not as I haven't been to the States for years.
 
MrPants said:
Not related to fast food joints but something I have noticed in standard diners/restaurants in the US when I've dined out there, the portion sizes are huge in comparison to what I see in Canada at similar places. Not sure if that's still the case or not as I haven't been to the States for years.
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Yes, I noticed that yesterday. I have a hearty appetite but could only eat about half what was brought me. Lots of waste as well as overfeeding.
 
JimBob1952 said:
Something definitely happened. I've also heard it blamed on high-fructose corn syrup.

For some reason my wife and I decided to go "out to breakfast" yesterday (Sunday) which is something we never do. At the place we wound up (first two places had hour waits for a table) I would say about half the people were morbidly obese. Kind of a turnoff as you wait for your massively oversized order of pancakes to arrive.

We won't do that again anytime soon.
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Oh yeah, portion sizes are definitely abundant in the US. A buddy and former co-worker of mine lives in England and visits me every 2 or 3 years, and when he does I take him to a really good steak house or barbecue place. He's always blown away by the massive amounts of food we're brought. But he said that where he comes from, it isn't customary to take your left-overs home. He liked having his left-over steak with some fried eggs for next day's breakie.
 
Murrmurr said:
Oh yeah, portion sizes are definitely abundant in the US. A buddy and former co-worker of mine lives in England and visits me every 2 or 3 years, and when he does I take him to a really good steak house or barbecue place. He's always blown away by the massive amounts of food we're brought. But he said that where he comes from, it isn't customary to take your left-overs home. He liked having his left-over steak with some fried eggs for next day's breakie.
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Yum, steak 'n eggs! Throw in some hash-browns; heaven :love:
 
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MrPants said:
Not related to fast food joints but something I have noticed in standard diners/restaurants in the US when I've dined out there, the portion sizes are huge in comparison to what I see in Canada at similar places. Not sure if that's still the case or not as I haven't been to the States for years.
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Absolutely. We ate at a place called Cavo, which is a Mediterranean style of healthy fast food. I ordered a Harissa Avocado bowl and could only eat half of it. I got two more servings out of it at home. We could have shared it. Ridiculous portions in meals at US restaurants.
 
dseag2 said:
Nothing wrong with it, but we could have paid half the price for half the portion. ;)
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The cost of the food itself only makes up a small piece of a restaurant's prices. Overhead, labor and waste cost them a fortune.

If the restaurant gave half-sized portions most would still charge at least 3/4 for it, not half.

Does anyone else remember how irritating it was back when the nouvelle cuisine fad hit finer restaurants back in the 70s and 80s? Three bite entrees with "daring sauces." Meals cost a fortune and the bonus was you went home hungry.

I'd rather split an appetizer and entree or take home leftovers.
 
StarSong said:
The cost of the food itself only makes up a small piece of a restaurant's prices. Overhead, labor and waste cost them a fortune.

If the restaurant gave half-sized portions most would still charge at least 3/4 for it, not half.

Does anyone else remember how irritating it was back when the nouvelle cuisine fad hit finer restaurants back in the 70s and 80s? Three bite entrees with "daring sauces." Meals cost a fortune and the bonus was you went home hungry.

I'd rather split an appetizer and entree or take home leftovers.
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We won big time in Atlantic city so decided to spend some & went to eat at an expensive restaurant. The menu featured nouvelle cuisine not knowing what that was we didn't want to appear dumb so we ordered steak medallions.

Out comes two tiny circular thin slices of steak, three asparagus strips lined up perfectly & a teaspoon of mashed potatoes. I started laughing. One of the waiters came over to ask if I was OK. I said yes I'm OK I was laughing because any of my 3 sons could easily eat 20 portions of what was served.
 
Knight said:
We won big time in Atlantic city so decided to spend some & went to eat at an expensive restaurant. The menu featured nouvelle cuisine not knowing what that was we didn't want to appear dumb so we ordered steak medallions.

Out comes two tiny circular thin slices of steak, three asparagus strips lined up perfectly & a teaspoon of mashed potatoes. I started laughing. One of the waiters came over to ask if I was OK. I said yes I'm OK I was laughing because any of my 3 sons could easily eat 20 portions of what was served.
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Exactly. I was single and actively dating when the trend hit. Ugh. I'm not an especially big eater, but those Lilliputian-sized meals left me starving.

More often than not I made myself a PB & J sandwiches after coming home from a date. Betting the guys hit fast food places after saying goodnight to me.
 
Just an observation….anybody else noting the trend of the food industry to inject the meats with sometimes sugars or salts or both? Just try to purchase a turkey that has not been injected in any major grocery store in arizona. Also chicken, pork and some fish. Bring your cheaters and read the labels. It sure makes it hard to eat healthy…
 

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