Obesity: nature or nurture

[linazelle]

There is an obesity epidemic in this country and all I see are shows telling people to exercise and follow the food pyramid. While these things may work for some, they don't work for everyone.

The sheer fact that obesity is so widespread suggests that a deeper problem beyond individual control is at the root of the epidemic. The epidemic also suggests that this is not an individual issue but a national one and that it should be addressed on a larger scale--beyond a simplistic food pyramid.

[bleedingheart]

1. I tend to think it is combination

I have heard that by nature we want to store up on food when we get it...the "hunter/gatherer" in us does this but then we are less active then we have ever been in human history.

One culprit is the microwave!

I sincerely believe that microwaves allow people to cook meals too easily...while they are convenient I wonder if a lot of people might forgo "heated" extra meals or snacks if they had to do more work....

I recall as a kid that if we had a big meal on Sunday at noon...reheating leftovers was a chore...and you had better be hungry in order to warrant all that dishwashing...now...you can reheat a plate in just a few minutes.

TV and video games are also bad...

[linazelle]

8. I really believe that added sugars in almost all processed foods

are the culprit. There is sugar in foods you'd never imagine. I personally can't stand excessively sweet foods but most restaurants seem to think the sweeter the food the better. I also think that cheaper foods which are most affordable have lots of starches and sugars in them, and, to make matters worse, they are highly refined starches and sugars--which the body cannot fully digest. As a result of the body's inability to digest these refined sugars, the body is not satiated and hunger increases.

[Jack from Charlotte]

19. It's behavioral. When I was in Paris.......

last year I had an apartment near The Louvre. I walked everywhere. 10 miles or more per day, easily. So did everyone else. Almost no one was fat. It very rare to see a fat person..... unless the were an obvious American (Blue jeans and white running shoes)

I come back to Charlotte and needed to go to the store. It's about a 10 minute walk from the house. Think I walked? No way.

Also,..... the cheap deals the fast food joints have are so tempting. 3 double cheeseburgers for $3.

There were ZERO drive in windows that I saw in Paris, BTW.

I think the problem is cheap, fast food.... fast, fat food and lack of excercise.

[Bassic]

28. That's indeed a very big part of it.

[bicentennial_baby]

40. Yes on Paris...exact same thoughts here

I just got back, and was shocked at how Americans looked by comparison. :wow:

and i got more exercise in 3 weeks there than i probably have in a year, seriously.

another thing about france, you always see people out doing physical activities, at all hours of the day.

[soleft]

2. obesity can be a sign of poor health habits

Someone may be genetically inclined to weigh more if they have poor health habits. Just like some people might respond to undue stress by having a heart attack, others by suffering a mental illness.

Some people may follow a completely healthy lifestyle and still carry more weight than others.

Trying to treat the symptom as opposed to the underlying cause usually results in the worsening of the symptom, and that's what is happening in this county.

[linazelle]

3. It can be a sign of poor habits, on a individual level but an epidemic

suggests something else is wrong. Why would nearly half of the population suddenly acquire poor health habits?

[Terran]

9. Possibly it's an epidemic of bad habits?

I mean, people who exercise regularly are generally healthier and less overweight than the majority who lead sedentary lives. Just because you hear a million calls for people to exercise doesn't mean people do it.

[soleft]

11. Exactly. And one of the reasons

is the focus on weight loss and not on being healthy. The media and cultural pressures to lose weight at whatever cost are actually one of the ways we are unhealthy.

Fad diets, extreme makeovers, cycles of deprevation and binging - some of the most unhealthy behavior you can do.

[obxhead]

4. I lost 80 pounds in 11 months, 6 years ago

How did I do it?
1. drink water - no more soda at all. period.
2. Turn off your TV. Go outside.

That is all I did. No programs, no machines.

[bleedingheart]

5. I know a lady that cut out her favorite chocolate milk and she lost

about 20 lbs in a year. She loved it but having two glasses of it a day was just not healthy for her.

She started walking and lost even more weight.

My brother cut out fruit juice and lost a lot of weight.

[progressivebydesign]

34. Congrats on that! I just cut out one sugary snack a day...

and in just a few weeks, I've lost 3 or 4 pounds. You get into habits and you don't realize it!

[Mr.Green93]

6. It is a sign of National Shame and Self Hatred

The longer the thugs are in charge the worse off National Health will become.

[maxsolomon]

7. yes

pointing out the exceptions, i.e. people with thyroid conditions, physical impairments to exercise, does not invalidate the general rule.

doesn't matter it its nature or nuture. americans simply eat too much of the wrong things, and lead sedentary lives exacerbated by our jobs, long commutes, & poorly planned towns.

in 1880, a 6' man weighed like 165.

[bleedingheart]

15. Did you see the PBS series regarding Montana life in the 1880's

the one fellow on the program lost a lot of weight and was fussing that he was literally being starved to death.

They brought out a Navy doctor who said he was in excellent health. The natural diet and the exercise had significantly reduced his weight...to a healthy level...and he didn't even realize that he was healthy.

[maxsolomon]

17. that's what i was referring to

made me feel like a lazy lab rat.

i remember he was down from 195 (my weight) to under 160.

[ordinaryaveragegirl]

10. Both...

Fast/convenience food is a big culprit, but so is heredity. If you know that you're at risk for something (high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, etc.), IMO you should be responsible for maintaining your health.

[BiggJawn]

14. Gee, when did I learn that I was "at risk" for diabetes?

When I was DIAGNOSED with it!

thanks a buttload.

[maxsolomon]

18. type 1 or 2?

i know people with both. one, a HWP healthy teenage girl when diagnosed. the other, a 35 year old obese man.

guess which one has which?

[BiggJawn]

21. I don't have to guess.

The girl has the type 1 and the guy who's fat like me has the 2.

I'll take a rice cake for my prize, thank you.....

My mom died of undiagnosed diabetes "complications". Dad and I were diagnosed with type 2 shortly after that.
Dad is not obese. He wasn't really that much overweight.
My Bro doesn't have it, and he's no paragon of fitness, either.
Go figger, I guess.....

[maxsolomon]

24. yeah, my buddy was only 35-40 lbs. overweight.

there's something odd going on there.

maybe the high fructose corn syrup.

[wicket]

37. Sorry to hear that BiggJawn

:hug:

[Ilsa]

12. I don't think nature intended for humans to be obese.

Fat layers in times of stress, yes, maybe.

I think there is a fundamental problem in this country in educating people about what is really "food". There is too much "junk" and that includes items off a shelf that claim you can prepare a full meal in five mintes with food items that have been over-processed to the point where they taste bland and fat and salt or sugar are added to improve flavor.

Affordability of fresh produce and organic foods to prevent addition of unnecessary hormones is another issue. Additives into the distribution system, like hormones, affect the end consumer's growth and development as well.

Talents in food preparation for families and in quantities for singles have been under appreciated IMO.

Lots of bad habits to undo to help improve the health of the nation.

[calico1]

13. I think its a combination of both.

Years ago there were no convenience foods. You cooked from scratch. No frozen foods, no boxed mac and cheese, no long list of food additives in anything you ate or drank because it was not processed. Also, years ago the portion sizes were smaller. Much smaller. Add to that that even if you were not trying to exercise you did. No self propelled push mowers (or riding mowers!) so you really had to work to mow the lawn. No leaf blowers, snow blowers, weed wackers, etc. Just taking care of your yard you burned tons of calories. Most jobs were much less automated than today. Even if you worked in an office there was more physical exertion.

Today we have tons of fast food places, processed foods, instant this and that. Everything has tons of chemical preservatives and god knows what else. Tecnology has allowed us to be almost immobile, compared to our parents and grandparents. And portion sizes? They are a LOT bigger than they were for our parents and grandparents. To keep in shape today and eat right requires some effort. And also to cook meals that are fresh and without preservatives. Acitivity is no longer built into our daily lifestyles and the huge portion sizes do not help.

[Siena]

16. Yes we do have an epidemic.

Our sedentary lifestyle and our need to super size everything has created a huge problem. Sure there are health issues that cause some people to be overweight. But that is not who we're addressing here since these people were still overweight a long time ago too. When I was growing up, I was playing on the block with other kids. Nowadays, they're playing their video games and socializing on IM. And from what I've noticed, this is no longer a strictly American problem. I couldn't believe it when I saw fat kids in Italy and Portugal. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised with a McDonald's on every block!

[Dora]

20. Culture

It's our fat-inducing culture, IMHO, so I guess that would qualify as "nurture."

People don't do jack for themselves anymore. We don't raise our food. We don't cook our food. Hell, we're even paying more money for food that's "easier" to eat: look at all the snacks and candies being packaged for eating while driving. Even Campbell's Soup has jumped onto that bandwagon. And while all this prepared food seems like a timesaver, it's my firm belief that it's poison, all of it.

As a nation, we need to cut out the sodas and diet drinks and fruit-flavored beverages. Tea, coffee, milk, fruit and vegetable juices are all good things in moderation. Water is what our body needs the most. We need to cut out everything from our diet that contains high fructose corn syrup, and while we're at it, we should give up all artificial sweeteners. If nature didn't make it, why should we ingest it?

We all need to start cooking our own dinner at night. Bring a sandwich to work for our lunch. Get into the habit of eating fruit twice a day, and eat two vegetables with our dinner. Get up fifteen minutes earlier so that we can eat a bowl of cereal before we leave the house. Stop eating at chain restaurants, stay away from cafeterias and buffets. Limit our restaurant meals to once a month. Explore ethnic restaurants: the Olive Garden does NOT count. It used to be that eating out was for special occasions, now it seems like we only cook on special occasions.

We must change our minds.

[emulatorloo]

22. "Food Pyramid" is part of the problem - too damn many grains

and not enough vegetables and proteins

[mondo joe]

30. Life without pasta isn't worth living.

And it's not too many grains - it's the American too much of everything (except exercise). Combine that with the accessible processed crap food and you end up with an obese population.

[emulatorloo]

35. all about balance IMHO - eat your damn pasta, but not 3 meals a day

EOM

[SidDithers]

38. 5 small meals a day is better, anyway. nt

Sid

[emulatorloo]

45. yep, keeps your metabolism up EOM

[progressivebydesign]

33. Most people it's not the pasta... it's the junk food and fast food n/t

[bnr65432]

23. mcdonalds

fast food is a major part of the problem
also processed foods with extra sugar and fat
and some people dont try hard enough to loose weight
like people who order double cheeseburger supersize fries and a diet coke

[undergroundpanther]

25. Our world

Has become very polluted,our cultures are very sick,and frankly stress child abuse/neglect,smoking car exhasut all of it are factors in contributing to obesity.I think too many people focus on food consumption/diets bercause they are simplistic,would rather blame the victim than chage the way we all live, and like to feel morally superior,by associating fat with sin of gluttony.Fatness reinforces a sick component in humanity hierarchy.Every wannabe top needs a bottom and fat people are the designated bottom by the haughty'experts' that say nothing new and have not solved the problem.Hierarchy and inequality and sociopathic/narcissitic/authoritarian personalities that ruin our world make our culture crazy,who do not care and all the other obedient unquestioning people that to not MAKE them care is the real problem with humanity.

[txaslftist]

26. I can't speak for others...

...but for me, I'm mildly overweight because I take in more calories than I burn. Pure behavior.

[SmokingJacket]

27. If it was *only* nature, it wouldn't be increasing.

Some people are genetically more disposed towards gaining weight than others, for sure.

But this latest obesity epidemic is about what we eat and how much we move.

If we all quit eating convenience and junk food, and all spent an hour a day in vigorous exercise... we'd reverse the trend, no question. Some people would still be heavy, but most people would not be.

(Personally, I think the corn syrup is a major culprit -- it's a lot of calories that our bodies can't deal with. I think the recent surge in fatness, especially in children, since the 80's can be blamed on it.)

[progressivebydesign]

32. I also think growth hormones in dairy and meats are a culprit.

I mean.. if we're eating things that were fed stuff to make THEM Fatter.. then ergo would it affect us, as well??

[SmokingJacket]

36. Good point... nt

[nini]

29. Both... some are more prone to weight gain than others

It's part genetics, part self control.


Even in my own family growing up... 2 siblings couldn't gain weight if they tried, whereas the rest of us could quite easily. We all ate the same stuff and had the same activity levels.. it's just the way their bodies worked. I'm still jealous of them :D

[progressivebydesign]

31. Both. absolutely both.

Have you seen entire families who are obese? the mom, dad, and kids? If you see a mom and kids who are obese you might think okay.. it's nature, but a person unrelated to the mother (the dad) is also obese.

It's lifestyle mostly, then it's the way your body functions. We all have a genetic disposition to acculumate fat in certain parts of our bodies when we do accumulate fat.

I grew up in the 60's and 70's. I can remember one or two obese kids in my lifetime. They stuck out because they were rare. Seeing kids now that have big guts hanging out of tshirts.. well that was rare, as well. You don't have to be a pediatrician to realize that kids used to play outside ALL THE TIME and run and ride bikes. Kids now spend a ton of time watching TV, playing video games, or doing computer stuff. Inactivity is a major culprit, as well as junk foods... and convenience foods. My stepdaughter worked at McDonalds and she would tell me how every afternoon for hours parents would drive up (not even freakin' walk into the place) and grab food for the kids in the car.

[geek tragedy]

39. Nurture--we weren't this fat 50 years ago. Simple way to lose weight:

No sugar, no flour, no seconds.

And get more exercise--real exercise, not a leisurely 15 minute walk.

[bicentennial_baby]

41. Nurture, or Environmental really

my recent trip to France opened my eyes on this...processed foods, nutritionally absent foods, absolute lack of physical activity, and on and on...

[October]

42. Food is everywhere!

Personally, I think bread/grains are a big part of the problem. We eat anything if it's on bread! Anything fried -- quick on a stick to go!

I've commented to my husband how food is everywhere. When we were growing up, they didn't have a "food mart" at the corner gas station. They didn't have food aisles in pharmacies. They didn't sell goodies at museums, etc., etc.

We can grab a snack (usually bad food) almost anywhere now, and it seems we do just that. We're eating so much more than ever before.

It's gross. When we're not eating, the commercial TV channels advertise food/snacks. It's on billboards, etc., 24/7.

[Warren DeMontague]

43. The diet most Americans eat is guaranteed to make human beings fat.

If not kill them outright.

Many, many people in this country plop stuff into their mouths and have NO IDEA what they're actually eating. High Fructose Corn Syrup, Trans Fats, all kinds of shit. In many places, it's almost impossible to eat healthy even if you have the desire to. Go to one of these chain restaurants, like a TGIFs or a Chili's, and order a "salad". What will you get? three pieces of iceberg lettuce covered with some kind of grated orange chesse goop.

Look at what most people in this country seem to eat most of the time, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out why many people are overweight.

Now, I'm pretty libertarian on the personal choices of adults; if you WANT to be overweight, or eat donuts all day, hey, that's your choice. But I think millions of people are caught in this cycle in this country where they eat the shitty food the corporations push off on them, then they watch the tv shows the corporations push off on them, then they feel guilty about how they look, then they buy the diet books, products, and diet foods the corporations push off on them, then they get hungry, then they eat the shitty food again.. etc. etc. As our good friend Dennis Dimbleby Bagley would say, it's "a vicious, but quite wonderful, cycle"

Here's what worked for me, and when I decided I needed to change my habits, I dropped about 40 pounds in a year or so: Cut out overly processed or fried foods as much as possible. Cut out excessive fats. Cut back on animal fats as much as possible (I only eat fish and the occasional free range poultry).. eat locally grown, organic produce wherever possible. Eat lower on the food chain. Try to exercise without making yourself crazy about it.

[LSK]

44. high fructose corn syrup

:tinfoilhat: