[OT] Why are so many Americans "overweight"

[gariig]

As someone mentioned super sizing, I think a 14% increase in prize(Super size that combo) was like a 100+% increase in fat and calories...I'll see if my girlfriend remember the quote. I know I have battled my weight all my life, and the only exercise I get outside of the gym is walking to class. Also, it seems American's only put on weight in our midsections, most of my body looks fine (even muscular) except for my stomach....and that seems to be a lot of Americans. Strange phenomenon I think.

I always thought environment also had something to do with it, polluted drinking water, air, food, etc.

Gariig

 

[Wicht]

From From Wallet to Waistline:

Obesity rates in American adults rose by 60% between 1990 and 2000 alone, while childhood obesity rates doubled over the last 20 years.

The only problem with some of these types of statistics (and I don't specifically know about the ones in question) is that during the last ten years the government also changed their standards of obesity, meaning that one day the government considered you fit and the very next you were obese, never mind you might have lost a pound or two. The whole obesity guidelines/criteria are rather arbitrary anyway. What one person considers obese another might find just right.

 

[Hejdun]

And I'm sure a lot of people who are muscular are considered obese. I don't remember exactly, but the standard for obesity is fairly strict. I actually think my dad is considered obese, but it's not like he's extremely overweight.

I must have it lucky, I eat a lot (unhealthy, btw), am lazy, and hardly ever exercize, and I'm a little underweight

 

[Chun-tzu]

Why are so many Americans so overweight?

Too much pie. Not enough orcs guarding them. Take it up with Monte.

 

[The Forsaken One]

Hi everybody, thanks for the replies.

Seems that the food is to blame in multiple ways.... the portion size.. the quality (hormones and nasty stuff) and the rate of eating I experienced that alot of Americans eat like.. all day if you know what I mean. ALot betweenmeal snacks and that adds up.

Also I'm surprised to hear that the cubicle and we can't walk or it's to far to walk or we don't have time to walk anywhere situation is real and this bad if I can believe your words which I have no reason to doubt.

But as asked a few times, I'll tell something about my own eating style and lifestyle and that of my family (about all the same exept for my mum maybe).

I eat 3 meals a day, breakfast, lunch (both just bread and Milk), and a hot meal for dinner (with meat each day, potatos and vegetables each day as well, sometimes some pasta or chinese food like rice).

I snack just in the weekends and we mostly drink just fruitjuice and milk. BUT in the weekends beer and softdrinks play a major role. For some in my family drink alot of softdrinks in the week as well.

I eat fastfood twice a week.

My mum walks 1 mile to work each day and my dad, my brother and me bike each day 7 miles to school/work and 7 miles back. We all exersise or play sports for about 3 hours a week + gymnastics at school and the biking/walking each day.

Almost all people I know sport about 3 hours or more each week and every kid bikes to school, mostly the distance ranging between 2 miles and 7. Most parent though will be using cars, I guess about 65% of them and it's noticable on the roads in the trafic hours these days. It's starting to get crowded over the last 10 years.

Almost noone here is overweight under the age of 25, at least not in a excessive way if you know what I mean. A few pounds more or less, noone cares. I'm talking about being heavily over weight in 10 kilos overweight or more. The waist that starts to bulk.

I guess that even most people around 40 are not that much overweight. Guess about 30% has exessive overweight. (rough guess mind me).

But when I am on vacation in the states (2times now) each time it strikes me when I get home how much slimmer the average person is. And every time I go on vacation I lose weight (exept my last stay in spain the last 2 weeks but that had to do with some high beer usage and alot of fast food I believe).
But when I went to the states I add some pounds. So the food and the fat% and calories do seem to be the main cause imho.

Also the fact that calories/fat/size of the food increases MUCH faster then the costs was nice to read.. points out causes. And I think this is a very important one as well.

(Southern Living rules Even in Holland )

The hunger and boredom remark.. how does it get that far? I know I got plenty to do... even if it would be sitting behind my computer reading strange RANTS and flames all over the place on some board Or playing games.

I know all my friends and fellow students have more then enough ways to spend their time.... If you have spare time and you don't wotrk for that extra buck I should say you'd have plenty of ways to amuse yourself..?
(btw almost everywhere here it's almost a sin to have the TV on during dinner, at least in the "higher classes" of society, the higher educated and even in most of the "worker class". Sorry if I'm getting Medieval here but don't know a other way to put it.)

And several people pointed out that you are rich... well compared the average Dutch guy or average Swedish guy or someone from Swiss or Belgium makes more or as much as the average guy from the states and here everything is cheaper.... what in Holland cost a Gilder before the Euro in the States it cost a Dollar (2.5 times as much) and even though prices went up with the euro life is still cheaper. So the wealth doesn't have anything to do with it, exept for the way how you live your wealthy life and how you use your wealth.

And Europeans aren't under weight, alot are overweight but not exessively but just by a few pounds. Not talking about people that get old (50+) and grow a belly, we almost all do that don't we? Asians possibly left out of that since they seem to have a tendancy to keep slim nomatter what society they live in. Also because they have a INCREDIBLE way to hold onto their ways and culture which keeps to amaze me and earn my respect.)

Kris- Out

 

[BOZ]

well, as an Overweight American (just trying to be politically correct), i can only say one thing.

mmm, yum, food.

 

[Umbran]

Let's throw another bit of data on for consideration.

I have read that, the average American gets less vacation time and works longer hours than his European counterpart (sorry, I don't recall where I read this). If this is true, and he's in a desk-job, he's spending more time at that desk, and has less time to get out and exercise.

As for being more extreme in lifestyles and opinions... I don't think that's true. Our variations in lifestyle and opinions may get more media attention, but that's not the same thing.

And, by the way, for ColonelHardisson: The chemists, biolgists and veterinarians of my acquaintance all agree that the growth-hormone argument is hogwash. The fact that studies are being done only proves that media attention is focused upon the matter. But, usual news media is notoriously bad at reporting science.

 

[Wormwood]

I said it elsewhere - I think a lot of it has to do with the growth hormones used on our food animals.

I'm much more inclined to believe that it's the high carbohydrate count of our diet, but then again I'm kinda biased on that subject.

Anecdotal evidence isn't evidence, but here's mine:
I've managed to go down to 180 from 240 on a moderate fat, low carb diet. I've probably eaten 100 pounds of beef in the past year, much of it the product of rBGH (and a lot rBST dairy products), and I'm still losing weight.

Still, BGH remains an issue worth considering.

 

[The Grumpy Celt]

Re: Why are so many Americans "overweight"

I was just looking at the photo thread and remembering 2 vacations in the States and 90% of europe is skin and bones compared to the average american I've seen

Now cut that out! We are not over weight! It’s just that every single American is big boned. Now stop picking on us or we will take turns sitting on you!

 

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

When my brothers and I first came to this country in 1988, we said to each other, wow, everyone here is fat, even the cats are fat! (Cats in Asia are skinny and actually have to work for a living)

And the first time we saw a 300 pound American get out of a car, we finally understood why Americans bought big cars (and now, sadly, big SUVs).

The food, and lack of support for walking and cycling is not an excuse, though. Even though we live in Silicon Valley, my brothers and I manage to work out 3-5 days a week. (And the cycling here is amazing, and I've cycled in Scotland, France, New Zealand and Canada, so I can say honestly that I've compared it to other countries and found them wanting) So clearly you can get good exercise if you care to work it into your lifestyle.

I do definitely agree: the laziness, cheap gas, and spread-out neighbourhoods definitely contribute to our national state of over-weightedness!