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[daveo42]

Hey, I did my part. I'm technically classified as overweight now.

The income gap is pretty telling because it helps highlight that our crop subsides are killing the US population. Increased carb and sugar intake because most food items people can afford are chock full of wheat and corn, while fresh fruits and veggies cost significantly more per serving. If you're weighing your options on what to get to feed a family, of course you'll reach for the box of mac & cheese (or two) instead of making a balanced meal made mostly of vegetables.

Our food system is fucked and the economic system is working against us. No wonder people are still getting larger despite the best efforts of Michelle Obama.

 

[TheDeadHeroAlistair]

To be honest, I don't think the fight against obesity is ever going to be substantially effective if we don't tackle the socio-economic factors as well.

Here, I'm going to use myself as an example (although it certainly isn't an end-all, be-all answer and doesn't apply to everyone). For some background info, I'm 24 and currently in a manufacturing job working 50+ hours a week. On top of that, I'm writing a novel, studying to go back to school, and working on refurbishing my home. My job is set up to have four 10-hour shifts a week, plus overtime to accommodate for the company's refusal to expand production to meet its own needs. Couple all of that with meager pay, unpaid 25-minute lunches, and general stress because of heavy-handed and often poor management.

Needless to say, my days are often extremely busy, and I don't have too much time to make a good home-cooked meal. It's much easier to pass through a drive-through somewhere or to purchase frozen meals at the grocery store and allows me to actually complete what I need to day to day.*

Now for a large segment of other people, replace school, writing, and home improvements with children. Possibly about two or three. And the job doesn't necessarily have to be in manufacturing, but chances are the hours worked are fairly many. Also add in both parents working, and you end up with what I said above. Pre-prepped food laden with sugars/sweeteners, salts, preservatives, and fats ends up becoming the norm. Teaching people about the dangers of these foods isn't going to help. Instead, easing their burdening life would be a greater factor.

*Please note, though, that I do cook every day now and have for a while. It's not for weight-related reasons, however, as I am still actually underweight for my height, but rather because I enjoy it and have come to hate the taste of freezer meals and fast food.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Can't stop the obesity train.

Choo-choo.

 

[Bjomesphat]

Well the current trend now is you should embrace your body because apparently being fat is inherent to your person?

 

[-Minsc-]

I've dropped 25 pounds in just three months due to completely giving up on soda and just drinking water or unsweetened green tea (I sometimes have a bit of black coffee with no cream or sugar added).

Oh and going outside for an hour per day walking.

I think the hardest thing to refrain from eating will be ice cream but I never ate much of it anyway.

My beverage of choice is plain tap water (I don't even chill it in the fridge). In the course of a year I can probably count on two hands the glasses of pop I drink. I'm not an overly heavy beer drinker either. That said, I still believe I get too much sugar from other sources. Even though I've always been skinny I can definitely see I can make improvements in lowering my sugar intact. Just because on the outside it would appear I can get away with eating anything doesn't mean I should.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

I think the hardest thing to refrain from eating will be ice cream but I never ate much of it anyway.

I settled for frozen low-fat low-sugar yogurt or sorbet. It's not as good, but it's still a nice treat on occasion with fewer calories overall.

 

[Bel Marduk]

This stuff is delicious.

Almond butter is incredibly delicious but making it cheaper won't solve the obesity problem. If only.

 

[Dennis]

As a European living in America I am shocked, just shocked, that Americans are getting fatter.

 

[danowat]

Well the current trend now is you should embrace your body because apparently being fat is inherent to your person?

It's a tough subject, when does advising people about their weight turn into fat shaming?

I'd say, personally, that the amount of people who are actually fat through no means of their own, and who couldn't turn it around is extremely slim (pun not intended)

 

[TEJ]

My beverage of choice is plain tap water (I don't even chill it in the fridge). In the course of a year I can probably count on two hands the glasses of pop I drink. I'm not an overly heavy beer drinker either. That said, I still believe I get too much sugar from other sources. Even though I've always been skinny I can definitely see I can make improvements in lowering my sugar intact. Just because on the outside it would appear I can get away with eating anything doesn't mean I should.

I have given up on beer. I have also been reading nutritional labels and going for foods high in fiber and low in sugar, and completely giving up on junk food.

My supermarket recently got weetabix which from what I heard is a very healthy cereal. I'm not completely sure but it is a tasty cereal (better tasting than most of the similar american cereals.)

 

[-Minsc-]

To be honest, I don't think the fight against obesity is ever going to be substantially effective if we don't tackle the socio-economic factors as well.

Here, I'm going to use myself as an example (although it certainly isn't an end-all, be-all answer and doesn't apply to everyone). For some background info, I'm 24 and currently in a manufacturing job working 50+ hours a week. On top of that, I'm writing a novel, studying to go back to school, and working on refurbishing my home. My job is set up to have four 10-hour shifts a week, plus overtime to accommodate for the company's refusal to expand production to meet its own needs. Couple all of that with meager pay, unpaid 25-minute lunches, and general stress because of heavy-handed and often poor management.

Needless to say, my days are often extremely busy, and I don't have too much time to make a good home-cooked meal. It's much easier to pass through a drive-through somewhere or to purchase frozen meals at the grocery store and allows me to actually complete what I need to day to day.*

Now for a large segment of other people, replace school, writing, and home improvements with children. Possibly about two or three. And the job doesn't necessarily have to be in manufacturing, but chances are the hours worked are fairly many. Also add in both parents working, and you end up with what I said above. Pre-prepped food laden with sugars/sweeteners, salts, preservatives, and fats ends up becoming the norm. Teaching people about the dangers of these foods isn't going to help. Instead, easing their burdening life would be a greater factor.

*Please note, though, that I do cook every day now and have for a while. It's not for weight-related reasons, however, as I am still actually underweight for my height, but rather because I enjoy it and have come to hate the taste of freezer meals and fast food.

True. I'd say it's important to follow ones dreams but is also important to put limits on our own dreams as to not stretch ourselves into oblivion.

edit:

I have given up on beer. I have also been reading nutritional labels and going for foods high in fiber and low in sugar, and completely giving up on junk food.

My supermarket recently got weetabix which from what I heard is a very healthy cereal. I'm not completely sure but it is a tasty cereal (better tasting than most of the similar american cereals.)

To me beer is just a beverage. I know it's adverse effects so that's why I drink it with restraint. This said, I can easily see myself giving it up. One never knows, maybe I will.

 

[Fuchsdh]

"All efforts" LOL

They're saying "all efforts" aka "everything we've done", not "we've tried everything". You're not going to find anyone in this country who thinks everything's been tried.

The racial disparities in obesity are pretty amazing (and saddening) though. While I'm sure some of it is a simple matter of correlation to location and income, a 40% gap between our thinnest and fattest people is remarkable.

Almond butter is incredibly delicious but making it cheaper won't solve the obesity problem. If only.

Not to mention consumption of almonds is just aggravating the west's drought conditions as almonds become more and more expensive and so more and more people want to grow it...

Realistically there's no magic bullet, and the best solutions are local ones (bringing supermarkets to underserved areas, increasing the availability of public transit and the walkability of neighborhoods to encourage physical activity, et al.) While the federal government can do a lot (specifically around removing incentives for unhealthy additives in foods) a lot of this is also beyond their scope of affecting things.

 

[djplaeskool]

"All efforts" LOL

Well, then you're getting into needing to change the mindsets of companies and consumers, something that can't be legislated.

I mean...Visa Checkout has essentially provided half-price Taco bell for 3 straight weeks. That should be illegal.
So...deliciously illegal...

 

[Vicetrailia]

They should better focus on how we are getting our calories. Being educated and resisting temptation isn't enough considering how much effort it takes to avoid stuff like sugar.

 

[Diablos]

Poor diet is just one factor... long hours at work, stress, poverty... all contribute. Add raising a family into the mix and you are even deeper into the hole.

What about banning candy/soda/fast food tv ads?

Maybe in the 90's. This thing called the Internet that we use has rendered such tactics useless.

 

[PillarEN]

It's a tough subject, when does advising people about their weight turn into fat shaming?

I'd say, personally, that the amount of people who are actually fat through no means of their own, and who couldn't turn it around is extremely slim (pun not intended)

Wasn't there a fairly recent research study that pointed out that once someone does get obese (maybe just fat?) their chance of reducing themselves back to a non-overwieght state is rather minuscule? Kind of like kicking a bad habit it seems to be hard once you've gone past a certain point. I'll see if I can find that study.

Think it was this one

 

[entremet]

It's an environmental problem:

--People are stressed and time starved, working mostly sedentary jobs, making it harder to get in exercise.
--Car culture is killing us. Literally. Again, that's more reduced activity.
--Stranger danger and helicopter parenting has decreased activity for families.
--Fast food is easy to obtain and caters to time starved individuals.
--Food deserts are abound in low income neighborhoods, while fast food places do well in those areas.
--Increased wealth gap is also not helping. There's a strong correlation to household income and BMI. The wealthy are less time starved, can afford healthier food, and have access to nicer neighborhoods that are conducive to more outdoor activity. Can afford activities for their children--soocer, gymnastics, etc.


Our grandparents stayed slim without fad diets, gym memberships, and the like because they lived in an environment that was more conducive to having a healthy weight.

Of course, it doesn't mean losing weight is impossible.

It just means Americans need to enforce more willpower, which is a finite resource, than previous generations to remain slim.

-You need to learn how to cook and shop.
-You need a make time for exercise since most of have sedentary jobs.
-You need to exercise willpower daily to avoid office treats and sweets.
-You need to find activities that are fun to do so you can do them for life.

We will continue to have this crisis until we look at the macro issues--urban planning, food subsidies, work life balance, and poverty.

I made a threat where doctors were recommended 1 to 2 hours a exercise daily for overall health, and that suggestion got laughed at. People are stressed and starved for time.

 

[danowat]

Wasn't there a fairly recent research study that pointed out that once someone does get obese (maybe just fat?) their chance of reducing themselves back to a non-overwieght state is rather minuscule? Kind of like kicking a bad habit it seems to be hard once you've gone past a certain point. I'll see if I can find that study.

It's very easy to get stuck in a rut, I always used to say, to put on weight, I literally have to do nothing, but to lose it, it's bloody hard work.

It took a suspected heart attack to turn my life around, then I lost 10 stone (140lb), so it does take a good jolt to make people realise.

 

[NoblesseOblige]

As a European living in America I am shocked, just shocked, that Americans are getting fatter.

We gunnin' for that number 1 slot. Somehow we fell to 18.

 

[JCX]

Our country isn't designed to be in shape. Unless you got good nutrition/exercise habits as a kid and now have a lifestyle that is favorable to being in shape, it's going to be an uphill battle.

 

[Liu Kang Baking A Pie]

Too much of a focus on food here and not enough on cars.

People laughed at the humans in Wall-E and were cautiously making fun of that being our inevitable future when we literally already live like that in our cars. It's bonkers how people do not see this. Kill car culture, and make our healthy foods the cheap foods.

 

[PillarEN]

It's very easy to get stuck in a rut, I always used to say, to put on weight, I literally have to do nothing, but to lose it, it's bloody hard work.

It took a suspected heart attack to turn my life around, then I lost 10 stone (140lb), so it does take a good jolt to make people realise.

Funny. For me it's the opposite. I literally have to do nothing and eat the same way I do and nothing ever changes. For me to gain weight I'd have actually hit the gym on a normal basis.

But congrats on your turnaround. It takes mental toughness to go through with that and that's very admirable.

 

[entremet]

Too much of a focus on food here and not enough on cars.

People laughed at the humans in Wall-E and were cautiously making fun of that being our inevitable future when we literally already live like that in our cars. It's bonkers how people do not see this. Kill car culture, and make our healthy foods the cheap foods.

Yep.

The issues is that urban planning is so slow and expensive. You can control food and exercise right now. But yeah, the car has fucked us dearly.

 

[Dennis]

"Despite all efforts"

*put in basically no effort at all*

 

[danowat]

Funny. For me it's the opposite. I literally have to do nothing and eat the same way I do and nothing ever changes. For me to gain weight I'd have actually hit the gym on a normal basis.

Hate people like you!!! /jk

 

[Hari Seldon]

The population is getting older, which explains all of this.

Boom give me my PhD.

 

[Snaku]

I can pick up practically anything off the shelf at the grocery store and bet you $100 it's saturated with HFCS, knowing with certainty that I'll be $100 richer.

 

[-Minsc-]

It's an environmental problem:

--People are stressed and time starved, working mostly sedentary jobs, making it harder to get in exercise.
--Car culture is killing us. Literally. Again, that's more reduced activity.
--Stranger danger and helicopter parenting has decreased activity for families.
--Fast food is easy to obtain and caters to time starved individuals.
--Food deserts are abound in low income neighborhoods, while fast food places do well in those areas.
--Increased wealth gap is also not helping. There's a strong correlation to household income and BMI. The wealthy are less time starved, can afford healthier food, and have access to better nicer neighborhoods that are conducive to more outdoor activity.


Our grandparents stayed slim without fad diets, gym memberships, and the like because they lived in an environment that was more conducive to having a healthy weight.

Of course, it doesn't mean losing weight is impossible.

It just means Americans need to enforce more willpower, which is a finite resource, than previous generation to remain slim.

-You need to learn how to cook and shop.
-You need a make time for exercise since most of have sedentary jobs.
-You need to exercise willpower daily to avoid office treats and sweets.
-You need to find activities that are fun to do so you can do them for life.

We will continue to have this crisis until we look at the macro issues--urban planning, food subsidies, work life balance, and poverty.

Definitely in the past the majority were required to preform manual labour and be on their feet to survive. Though I'm not sure the spirit of today's manual labour jobs is what people need. Having worked in construction I've noticed the tendency for it to be "go, go, go and push yourself until your dead". Obviously it's important to put the pedal to the medal at times but the majority of times it's better to work at a steady and even pace. This pace can only be learned as you get more experienced.

Anyways, back to work I go.

Edit:

Hate people like you!!! /jk

Ahh yes, I be one of those people you hate. One thing I keep in mind I can still have heat attacks and strokes so that means I'm not off the hook.

 

[rykomatsu]

Walk more, eat less.

Organic almond butter is not the solution to obesity, jesus.

This just makes a person skinny fat - just because someone is not obese or overweight in and of itself doesn't mean they're healthy.

 

[Vicetrailia]

"The obesity problem has little to do with sedentary lifestyles."

 

[Dr.Guru of Peru]

Its both, you can walk all you want, if you eat like crap it wont do a damn thing. Almond Butter is just an example of how much more expensive eating heathy can be.

My wife and I, who are healthy 30 year olds thanks to going to the gym and so far having bodies that will let us eat whatever we want in reason, started trying to eat out less, eat more raw and home made foods. The Results? a DOUBLING of our monthly food expenditures. With dining out and simple grocery shopping we were spending around $600/month, switch to trying to eat more home made foods resulted in our average expenditures hitting $1100 a month, and thats shopping at Walmart and Kroger (We dont dare try going to Market Street or Central Market).

There is some f'd up logic in our health world where our government has "tried everything" yet the price of eating healthy is still way more than eating junk. Money is the first tool the government should have turned to, its what it interferes with in all other instances! Its what it uses to do everything, yet in this one case the government doesn't even do a thing.

Doesn't that prove my point? You guys ate out but still stayed fit because you were active and ate "in reason".

Most people don't need "healthy foods". They need to eat less. They need to move more - bike to work instead of taking the car. Eat out for every meal sure, but watch your portion size and make sure not all of it is loaded in grease and sugar.

This is a social problem that has to do with modern American lifestyle. Food prices is such a small portion of the problem that we really shouldn't be wasting time focusing on it.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Using BMI as the metric, right?

US is actually full of swole people, nary a fat person in sight.

#Americanexceptionalism

 

[Pagusas]

Doesn't that prove my point? You guys ate out but still stayed fit because you were active and ate "in reason".

Most people don't need "healthy foods". They need to eat less. They need to move more - bike to work instead of taking the car. Eat out for every meal sure, but watch your portion size and make sure not all of it is loaded in grease and sugar.

This is a social problem that has to do with modern American lifestyle. Food prices is such a small portion of the problem that we really shouldn't be wasting time focusing on it.

Ate within reason and exercised! It takes both, otherwise I was basically skinny fat for most of my early 20's. When we moved to Texas last year we stopped exercising for a while and gained 15lbs (some of which I wanted to gain, but not in the way of fat). Started exersizing again and we both lost that weight (though I gained some back in muscel to be at the weight I am now and happy about it).

But yes, eating within reason will keep the lbs off, but I dont want people to think thats all, you really need to go to the gym or at least exersize some as just eating right wont be enough as you get older.

 

[Sulik2]

"The obesity problem has little to do with sedentary lifestyles."

Thats a fantastic article.

Pegasus nailed how to fix the issue on the first page as well:

All efforts you say?

So we've tried subsidizing healthier foods so they dont cost an insane amount compared to junk?

We've tried removing the subsidies on corn syrup and the likes?

We've made tax credit incentives for not being a drag on the healthcare system?

We've stop trying to tell people its ok to be severely overweight and actually change the message to "You have a problem, lets treat it as an insurable medical issue and fix your health problem"

Or do they mean "we've tried everything that doesnt actually require us to do anything".

 

[Bel Marduk]

US is actually full of swole people, nary a fat person in sight.

#Americanexceptionalism

"b-b-but BMI is not always accurate" is the new "I'm not fat, I'm big boned."

 

[NoblesseOblige]

Do you think obesity would drop if we required people to be under a certain weight in order to buy guns?

 

[danowat]

"The obesity problem has little to do with sedentary lifestyles."

I half agree with it, when training for longer endurance events, like a 12 hour time trial, I do put weight on, but I am doing something like 14 hours training a week, and that makes you eat alot.

But exercise is (IMO) a component in a healthy lifestyle.

I also think there is an issue with the calorie, I don't think this catch all term of energy is good enough, and I am sure that not all calories are equal, and the expenditure of calories isn't as simple as many people would like to think it is.

 

[Paracelsus]

All efforts you say?

How tall are you? I'm 175, but I'm also 6ft, I intentionally gianed weight to get to this because when I was 155 I was wayyy to skiny, glad those dark ugly days are behind me.

A mere 5'6'' so 170cm, that meant I was way beyond my ideal weight, if not borderline obese. Right now I'm pretty much fit and I still have some leftover flab on the abdomen.

 

[PumpkinSpice]

Its both, you can walk all you want, if you eat like crap it wont do a damn thing. Almond Butter is just an example of how much more expensive eating heathy can be.

My wife and I, who are healthy 30 year olds thanks to going to the gym and so far having bodies that will let us eat whatever we want in reason, started trying to eat out less, eat more raw and home made foods. The Results? a DOUBLING of our monthly food expenditures. With dining out and simple grocery shopping we were spending around $600/month, switch to trying to eat more home made foods resulted in our average expenditures hitting $1100 a month, and thats shopping at Walmart and Kroger (We dont dare try going to Market Street or Central Market).

There is some f'd up logic in our health world where our government has "tried everything" yet the price of eating healthy is still way more than eating junk. Money is the first tool the government should have turned to, its what it interferes with in all other instances! Its what it uses to do everything, yet in this one case the government doesn't even do a thing.

My wife and I get a big box of fresh veggies delivered from a farmer for $45 a week (met at a farmer's market). This plus around $50 of groceries each week is all we need, and we could really trim that down if we wanted to and still eat very heathy.

If you look in the right places it's not that hard to eat healthy on the cheap.

 

[Pilgrimzero]

Cheap food is bad for you. A lot of people can only afford cheap food.

I personally looked into buying "better stuff" and it blows my food money budget out of the water. Assuming I don't want to just eat salads for every meal.

 

[Konka]

As a European living in America I am shocked, just shocked, that Americans are getting fatter.

Are you equally as shocked that Europeans are getting fatter?

Already 62% of adults in England are either overweight (37%) or obese (25%), according to the most recent data, which goes back to 2012.

In England, 13% of four- to five-year-olds are overweight and another 10% are obese; so almost a quarter are fat. The figures are even worse for pupils in their last year of primary school. Among 10 and 11-year-olds, 14% are overweight and 19% are obese; that’s one in three children of that age whose weight is unhealthy.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/23/sugar-britains-obesity-crisis-key-questions-answered

 

[djplaeskool]

All efforts you say?

So we've tried subsidizing healthier foods so they dont cost an insane amount compared to junk?

We've tried removing the subsidies on corn syrup and the likes?

We've made tax credit incentives for not being a drag on the healthcare system?

Wouldn't all of these require Congressional action?
Best of luck with that. Not saying there shouldn't be a concerted effort, but all these governmental departments can do until there's legislative movement is put the data out there , raise awareness, and make recommendations.

 

[Krauser Kat]

Its both, you can walk all you want, if you eat like crap it wont do a damn thing. Almond Butter is just an example of how much more expensive eating heathy can be.

My wife and I, who are healthy 30 year olds thanks to going to the gym and so far having bodies that will let us eat whatever we want in reason, started trying to eat out less, eat more raw and home made foods. The Results? a DOUBLING of our monthly food expenditures. With dining out and simple grocery shopping we were spending around $600/month, switch to trying to eat more home made foods resulted in our average expenditures hitting $1100 a month, and thats shopping at Walmart and Kroger (We dont dare try going to Market Street or Central Market).

How the fuck does that happen. i only spend 300-350 on groceries a month to eat a healthy vegan diet for me and my girlfriend which was 90% veggies and most of that organic.

 

[Sapiens]

Sugar is in everything. Cut sugar intake, cut the beetus.

 

[Misha]

Easiest mindset to lose weight IMO: leftovers are okay and even a good thing so you don't have to prepare lunch the next day.

Though I can't say I understand having a can of soda everyday like some people do

 

[BladeoftheImmortal]

Thats a fantastic article.

Pegasus nailed how to fix the issue on the first page as well:

We are still on the first page, bruh!

 

[RDreamer]

How the fuck does that happen. i only spend 300-350 on groceries a month to eat a healthy vegan diet for me and my girlfriend which was 90% veggies and most of that organic.

Yeah, $1100 is kind of crazy. I've got a household of four adults all sharing a food budget and we eat healthy and (mostly) vegan-ish (shared meals are usually vegan, sometimes others aren't). I think our combined spending is like $500-$600 a month. Even counting some extra things we each might get outside that budget, that still wouldn't get us anywhere near $1100, and we're four people.

 

[Miles Quaritch]

Its both, you can walk all you want, if you eat like crap it wont do a damn thing. Almond Butter is just an example of how much more expensive eating heathy can be.

My wife and I, who are healthy 30 year olds thanks to going to the gym and so far having bodies that will let us eat whatever we want in reason, started trying to eat out less, eat more raw and home made foods. The Results? a DOUBLING of our monthly food expenditures. With dining out and simple grocery shopping we were spending around $600/month, switch to trying to eat more home made foods resulted in our average expenditures hitting $1100 a month, and thats shopping at Walmart and Kroger (We dont dare try going to Market Street or Central Market).

There is some f'd up logic in our health world where our government has "tried everything" yet the price of eating healthy is still way more than eating junk. Money is the first tool the government should have turned to, its what it interferes with in all other instances! Its what it uses to do everything, yet in this one case the government doesn't even do a thing.

Are you buying organic or something? $1100 for two people is insane.

 

[danowat]

Are you buying organic or something? $1100 for two people is insane.

That's what, £200 a week?, holy shit batman, cut down on the gold plated carrots!

We do about £50 a week for a couple, and we "eat clean"

 

[IISANDERII]

"All efforts"? Nah, a lot of effort is going toward culling the population too.