USA's Obesity Epidemic

Where I live, the first thing one notices is that there are a lot of obese people. I was glad to fit in, at first, because I weighed 180 lbs. My weight is normal now, and has been for years. I feel sad for the obese folks because I know they cannot enjoy being in that state. Part of it is the ready availability of cheap fast food, and part is the way people still cook (old-fashioned, high fat, high sugar meals -- which I admit are delicious).

OTOH, maybe living here makes them more comfortable, like it did me. I'm lucky I don't like fast food, and that I've gotten used to eating a healthy diet. Not that I wouldn't take you up on a DQ ice-cream cone in a split second!
 

Capt Lightning said:
you have to make yourself obese
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Certainly some truth to this, you have to eat a lot to get obese...

I think the primary cause is the availability of food easy and at a low cost. Humans evolved to cope with food shortages, food surpluses were rare. When food was available it was in our best interest to eat a lot of it, the more calorie laden the better. This instinct no longer serves us well. As with most genetic traits some of us have more of the desire to overeat than others.

Not a cure in my analysis. Having spent much of my life obese and searching for a cure I have come to the conclusion there is not one, except to limit eating, to less, a lot less in my case, than you want.
 
As I’ve read, with advancing age I’m quite satisfied with eating less. When I was younger I ate more, but had to bop from sunrise to sunset, and so burned it off. Restaurants tend to push oversized portions on diners, and I’ll often get take-out as a result, and eat off the meal twice.
 
re obesity.

lot of contributing causes.

one is terrible diet.

And that has a very specific pathway. That being, folks eat a lot of calories, but don't get close to proper nutrition. That actually stimulates a kind of "starvation" response in the body. And they are really, really powerful driven to fulfill those cravings. And then they eat a bag of chips...which has nearly no nutrition...and the cycle just continues and continues and continues...

People who are obese from this kind of condition, will tend to quickly lose a good deal of weight, by simply getting a good nutrition protein shake daily and a daily salad.

Then, another serious contributing cause to obesity is trauma. Many of these folks are actual former victims of childhood physical and / or sexual abuse. And plenty of domestic violence victims.

And what these folks need is not dietary advice...they need professional counseling. And good luck getting enough of that, when therapists charge $300 - $500 an hour. And maybe insurance only covers 3 sessions...when these folks need weekly sessions for up to five years...
 
Luckily, we only visit the doctor or hospital 2 or 3 times a year....mostly for routine checkups, etc. However, when there, the vast majority of patients seem to be substantially overweight....that should tell us something.

Then, every time we go to the stores....especially the local Walmart....I could take some pictures that would fit nicely into the web-site called "The People of Walmart".
 
Having been a regular viewer of 'My 600lb life'....it seems that most of those taking part were people who were unable to cope with life, and found comfort in food. They were dependant on others to take care of them. They had found a way to retreat from life, although it was only possible because others were willing to attend to their needs.
 
Nathan said:
The very profit driven fast food industry was /is at the forefront of the obesity epidemic. They have the human palate
& psyche mapped out, for maximizing profit. Fast food is entrenched in our culture, the government only pays lip-service to remedying this health damaging industry.
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The Romans had 'fast food' outlets. Did they have a problem with obesity? There is more to it than the easy availability of unhealthy food.
 
In the video, they talk about the stigma associated with obesity and how it should be okay to be extremely overweight. I'm not sure that's a good thing, although it's definitely easier than solving the problem. Maybe we can do the same thing with the opioid epidemic. It's okay to be addicted! It's not your fault! There, problem solved! 🤣
 
I very, very rarely eat fast food. Unfortunately, my love of fatty meats and laying in bed watching Netflix 20/24 hours took its toll. Hopefully, with better weather, some of this extra weight will disappear. My friend, who lives on fast food almost exclusively, gained a very large amount of weight during the pandemic.
 
I would agree for the most part, re fast food, but medications, suppressed immune systems can also play a part, also an underactive thyroid. I do know a lady who struggles with her weight, it is not easy. As someone mentioned here trauma can play a huge part but IMO any negative major life event can set a person off, whether it be food, drink or drugs.
 
There are probably 50 different factors, for example:

Many more people used to smoke. Nicotine is an appetite suppressant. So tobacco kept you thin while it was killing you.

"Eating out" has become the norm while restaurant portions have grown tremendously. Meals consumed outside the house are much more calorie-dense.

Kids don't go out and play, they sit around texting and playing video games.

I've seen commentary to the effect that high fructose corn syrup as a cheap sweetener is a major contributor.

Just seems that people used to be more active. They didn't sit around and binge-watch Netflix. Or chat on SF. Or gamble online. They worked in the yard, did projects around the house. Maybe walked over to see the neighbors.

Food expenditures as a share of income have dropped a lot over the last 50 years. Food is cheap and readily available.



Well, I can't think of any more, so maybe 50 is an exaggeration.
 
Capt Lightning said:
The term "Epidemic" is usually associated with a contagious illness, but now seems to be applied to any widespread condition or event. Obesity is (generally) a self inflicted condition. Unlike Covid, you can't catch it from contact with an obese person, you have to make yourself obese.
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That may not necessarily be true (in every case). I have a grand niece who is quite obese. She hardly eats! My sister, who she has lived with periodically, has gotten on her about that. When one doesn't eat properly, one's metabolism doesn't work correctly. You need a good metabolism to help burn off fat. Since I'm not around her that much, I might supposed that maybe she doesn't eat much, but eats the wrong things. :unsure: There are scientific discussions about how much genetics might play a part in obesity. @Alligatorob
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/are-you-fated-be-fat
 
For months the playgrounds were closed at the beginning of covid. Months & months. No playing, no mixing with other kids. No going to school! Zoom school. For years! Parents may not have been home & kids, for their own safety, had to stay inside. So kids have enough to deal without criticism of texting & online games. This has had a terrible effect on a child's weight. I'm only repeating what kids say about this.
 
I weighed myself 2 days ago and was shocked I gained 12 lbs. in 3 months and I'm a guy that walks outside 5 days/week. I don't want to get diabetes so I changed my diet. No more processed foods, cut down on yogurt (too much sugar) and plenty of fruit and vegetables. I'll see how it works. When traveling through parts of the US, I was shocked how big and fat some folks are. I am rather surprised but in the apartment building where I live (55 Plus) there are very few obese people.

I agree with those that say Covid was responsible for much of the current obese problems. Imagine being told to stay home all the time. They must be kidding! Maybe you will not get Covid but you just might die from a heart attack or a stroke.

It common sense: Obesity is caused by eating too much and not getting enough exercise in order to burn off those calories.
 
WheatenLover said:
Where I live, the first thing one notices is that there are a lot of obese people. I was glad to fit in, at first, because I weighed 180 lbs. My weight is normal now, and has been for years. I feel sad for the obese folks because I know they cannot enjoy being in that state. Part of it is the ready availability of cheap fast food, and part is the way people still cook (old-fashioned, high fat, high sugar meals -- which I admit are delicious).

OTOH, maybe living here makes them more comfortable, like it did me. I'm lucky I don't like fast food, and that I've gotten used to eating a healthy diet. Not that I wouldn't take you up on a DQ ice-cream cone in a split second!
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exactly .... Obesity may not be contagious.......... but when in the company of many many around you are same size
or worse yet much bigger
people rationalize of "i am ok .......look at so and so they are way bigger...."

Packerjohn said:
I agree with those that say Covid was responsible for much of the current obese problems. Imagine being told to stay home all the time. They must be kidding! Maybe you will not get Covid but you just might die from a heart attack or a stroke.
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Depends on how you look at it ..... some out of boredom or being anxious may have gained weight .........
Others who had more time at home maybe their commute time if they found themselves working at home ... found time to start a exercise routine... to cook at home instead of eating take out etc........
i know of a few who lost dramatic amounts of weight during Covid...... but it has become an easily accepted excuse
 
I'm seeing a growing "body positivity" movement, aimed mostly at women, and more obese women acting as models in TV commercials.

I don't know whether this is good or bad. People should never get down on themselves. But I can't think of any positives to being obese. We wouldn't have a "smoking positivity" movement, would we?
 
Lavinia said:
Having been a regular viewer of 'My 600lb life'....it seems that most of those taking part were people who were unable to cope with life, and found comfort in food. They were dependant on others to take care of them. They had found a way to retreat from life, although it was only possible because others were willing to attend to their needs.
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folks that heavy are an extremely, extremely small percentage of the population.

The obesity problem is really folks in the, oh...say 200 - 350 lb range.

Folks beyond that are really usually dealing with some kind of very extreme problem. Some have a similar level of mental health problem as full blown agoraphobics...
 

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