USA's Obesity Epidemic

[JonSR77]

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.

well, what I was suggesting is a lot more nuanced that just people who eat junk food.

There are people who don't eat enough protein...and get cravings from that.
There are people who don't eat enough dark leafy greens and get cravings from mineral deficiencies.

There are people who don't get enough Vitamin D, from being sedentary.

A good number of folks simply don't hydrate enough and get cravings for food, because food actually has a reasonably high water content.

it is a complex problem.

and if you go into poor communities, where fresh vegetables and fruits are very expensive and hard to afford...large percentages of the poor population have nutrient deficient diets.

 

[Nathan]

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.

Metabolic Syndrome is a viscous cycle, "underactive thyroid" is one of the [alleged] causes in the scammy weight-loss pill commercials, but is actually a 'victim', along with increased risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes. These conditions include increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels.
The root cause? Obesity plus a sedentary lifestyle. Sure, genetics can play a part, but by no means tells the whole story.
Edit: I should add that medications can play a part. About suppressed immune systems:
Obesity, like other states of malnutrition, is known to impair the immune function, altering leucocyte counts as well as cell-mediated immune responses. In addition, evidence has arisen that an altered immune function contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22429824/

 

[Jeni]

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!

they are already doing that with some cities offering safe places to shoot up.......
now the paramedics have a centralized place to pick up ODs and offer antidotes........ faster then finding someone is a secluded part of a park or under an overpass...

Telling people it is OK will hurt people in the long run......
but kick the can down the road is the easy road ...... ignore the problem maybe it will go away on its own.

There is no one size fits all .... and no one suggests that.... look at the many many ads for pills / diet meals and programs... and gyms the equipment sold as "just peddle on this while watching TV........"

FDA the ad says " cleared" not approved so that says a lot a drug called "Plenity " the disclaimer clearly says it is just tablets of Cellulose....
sadly most folks want a quick fix and then think they can go back to eating what ever they did before diet...
IT has to be a lifestyle change.......... not eat salads for a while .......
look at restaurant offerings some places the salad offerings (w/o dressing) are 1000 plus calories
that is MOST of a daily intake in one meal.
Portion sizes are a major issue

 

[Remy]

Well count me in.

 

[Remy]

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?

I don't want anyone shamed, degraded or abused over being overweight. That won't help anything. They will only feel worse about themselves and comfort themselves with more food. Vicious cycle.

However, I'm with you on this body positivity thing also. There should be nice clothes for people to buy no matter what their size. But I'm not into the positivity. There is often a very dark side behind obesity. Because I started comforting myself with food at age 8 (I was a normal weight before then) when I started getting bullied in school over a scene my mother came to the school and made, in addition to already being abused in that house, I started to overeat. I was frickin 8. I didn't make that connection for years. I even remember my oldest brother (11+ years) berating me. Yeah thanks Tom, your a POS. I was an abused child and you knew it. My mother also loved it. It helped keep me isolated (very borderline behavior) and it was her fun go to put down. Win-win.

 

[Remy]

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.

I've watched some of these also, but kind of quit. I've wondered why I never got to that state but came to 2 conclusions, I didn't want enablers, I wanted to get away from people and I had to work so I could never get that big.
The enablers of these people are maddening. One episode it was the persons children. Those poor teenagers, they had to provide for this woman.

One woman I remember stated she was raised in an abusive house with an alcoholic father. She said her childhood was a "constant state of panic." This isn't survivable for a child. She said her only comfort was going into the kitchen at night and eating. I believed her.

Another woman was forced to give up her child as a teen mom. I think she ate that pain. She was married and had a child of her own on the show, did lose a significant amount of weight and I hope she maintained it. She seemed so sad and depressed.

 

[Don M.]

If the grocery prices keep climbing, perhaps some of these "heavy eaters" will begin to trim down. It's not only the food some people eat, but their choice of "beverages" also. I see many of the "huge" types loading their carts with beer and Diet Soda. Those are the two Worst things a person can drink if they want to lose weight.

 

[Alligatorob]

The only diet that actually works is the "eat less, move more" diet.

And while I am an advocate of exercise, it really is the "eat less" you have to do.

No exercise can make up for a bad diet. But you can lose weight with little exercise.

 

[Alligatorob]

The Romans... Did they have a problem with obesity?

An interesting question. I did a bit of research and found little on the subject. There is some evidence of obese Romans, mostly the wealthy who could easily afford the food. Little on the general population.

This is the best write up I found, but it is long and a bit hard to read:

Writing the history of fatness and thinness in GraecoRoman Antiquity

 

[Alligatorob]

I wasn't aware of the Roman's fast food industry.

I saw McDonalds in Rome, does that count?

 

[Nathan]

I saw McDonalds in Rome, does that count?

Absolutely!

 

[Jeni]

Saddest thing at the beginning of that show ( my 600 lb life ) they have a statement on the screen that those in that category only have less the 5% long term success even with surgery.
I agree most have significant mental anguish that they resorted to food for comfort or escape ......... addressing those issues would be a major start in helping some face their issues with food.
The hard part is mental awareness even through therapy............. requires people to face their own role and responsibility in their size.....
and we all hear from EVERY angle anymore......... nothing is our own fault.

Enablers make up a big part of a person going from simply overweight .............to being so large they are prisoners in their home or even sometimes bedridden.
Enablers often bringing them large amounts of food to the bed........ in those cases i would consider it not as love to be an enabler .....
but a case of assisted suicide
It is a very depressing show IMO.

 

[dseag2]

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?

No, we had that in the 60's.

 

[win231]

No, we had that in the 60's.

Yes, with the help of well-paid doctors

 

[Alligatorob]

I agree most have significant mental anguish that they resorted to food for comfort or escape ......... addressing those issues would be a major start in helping some face their issues with food.

I am not sure how true this is. I speak with expertise based only on my own experience, but I have spent many years thinking about it.

It is a bit of the chicken and egg thing, but in my case I believe any emotional problems I had when overweight were the result of being overweight, not the cause of it. And now that I am 200 pounds down my stress comes from trying to struggle to figure out how to keep the weight off and not eat all I want. Don't expect that will ever end.

My mother told me that after I was born the doctor told her to feed me whatever or whenever I wanted. Then at the first follow up exam the doctor was surprised at how fat I had gotten and put me on a diet. I was just a couple of months old. Been a battle ever since. Fortunately it has not greatly impacted my health, just lucky I guess.

Hard for me to imagine that at the age of a few days to weeks I was overeating for emotional reasons...

 

[Alligatorob]

There are scientific discussions about how much genetics might play a part in obesity.
https://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/are-you-fated-be-fat

Thanks Diva, that is a very good read!

 

[oldaunt]

I have read that once you grow fat cells, they never go away, they just shrink, so an overweight child is likely to have weight problems as an adult.

 

[Lara]

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.

You have to consider the source...reality TV Shows thrive on drama.
While all of that is true of some people, it mostly boils down to...

1. willpower
2. portion sizes
3. how often you eat
4. when you eat (at least 3hrs before you sleep)
....in that order of importance.

You can exercise till the cows come home (no pun intended) but if you aren't mindful about those 4 things then you'll gain weight.
Try eating a big breakfast, a late light lunch, then skipping dinner 3 nights and then weigh yourself in the morning.
`

 

[RobinWren]

An issue with one who is overweight, at some point they may not be able to walk or find it difficult. At that point the only option is care where it will take two or more aides to take care of that person who will now need a lift to get in and out of bed. Aides depending on the department that they work in , it can be a dangerous job. Weight is not balanced like in construction, one could get hurt very badly, and given the state of health care especially in this country bariatric patients are also at risk for care. The pandemic has not only given us covid but mental health issues of which this is one.

 

[Packerjohn]

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?

Your right! There is nothing positive about being obese. Society is working hard to be "obese friendly" but any doctor will tell you that often being obese leads to high blood pressure which leads to strokes or heart attacks. Don't forget that obese leads to diabetes. Then you carry around all that weight which is hard on your joints and body. Nope, I sure can't think of any advantages.......... unless, of course, you are into sumo wrestling.

 

[Jeni]

An issue with one who is overweight, at some point they may not be able to walk or find it difficult. At that point the only option is care where it will take two or more aides to take care of that person who will now need a lift to get in and out of bed. Aides depending on the department that they work in , it can be a dangerous job. Weight is not balanced like in construction, one could get hurt very badly, and given the state of health care especially in this country bariatric patients are also at risk for care. The pandemic has not only given us covid but mental health issues of which this is one.

In the US caring for and being hurt in process of lifting or if an obese patient falls on someone is one of the LEADING causes for injury/ disability for those in the medical field.....
I have a neighbor whose career was ended by a obese patient who liked to play like she was so fragile and pretended to faint often

 

[Jeni]

I am not sure how true this is. I speak with expertise based only on my own experience, but I have spent many years thinking about it.

It is a bit of the chicken and egg thing, but in my case I believe any emotional problems I had when overweight were the result of being overweight, not the cause of it. And now that I am 200 pounds down my stress comes from trying to struggle to figure out how to keep the weight off and not eat all I want. Don't expect that will ever end.

My mother told me that after I was born the doctor told her to feed me whatever or whenever I wanted. Then at the first follow up exam the doctor was surprised at how fat I had gotten and put me on a diet. I was just a couple of months old. Been a battle ever since. Fortunately it has not greatly impacted my health, just lucky I guess.

Hard for me to imagine that at the age of a few days to weeks I was overeating for emotional reasons...

it can be both but i was going by what i had seen on tv shows....even talk shows discussing the situation.
often is said many use food as comfort ........
then other problems are created by their size ... being picked on as kids maybe or looked at when out and so very large not to mentin all the stress cause by the added weight.
some who are not losing weight on the diet on that 600lb show are provided a therapist and those shown often get over at least one mental hurdle holding them back.

Often listed is abuse............. but i find it sad some build a prison for themselves with Fat........... and their abusers go scott free ... only person punished in that scenerio is the overweight person.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

The problem isn't fast food, or restaurant portions, the government, having a 'weak' character, etc. It's taking in too many calories. It's our biology. We are designed to be food efficient. Taking in too many calories is quite easy to do, and difficult to undo. Obesity is an unhealthy state. It is not a moral, nor character flaw. We have to come up with a better way to motivate people to lose weight. Most "diet" organizations are rather cultish, and seem "nerdy". We've all met the health nut, who tells you about all the foods he won't eat, and that you do. Plus, you can't just give up eating. Hunger is a major human motivator, after thirst.
That's my two cents.