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[StreetsofBeige]

Any trend that is impacting 70% of society is far past the realm of individual responsibility. Yes, people can take charge of their own lives. But this is a global trend that needs to be tackled in the same way as smoking. You don't just tell everyone to quit smoking. You launch new taxes, regulations, age restrictions, and mass education campaigns explicitly demonizing it for decades.

IMO, the best bet is to tax garbage food sky high. It'll get to a point even McDonalds combos will be out of reach as a cheap combo deal.

Education and demonizing will never work for fat people as that gets into body shaming and discrimination. Things like anti smoking, drinking and drugs has consequences like car crash examples and black lungs and methheads. Those are all killers internally and physically. And you can be killed fast and young. For fat people, many people accept it and dont care about buying 3XLLL clothes so there's nothing to convince them otherwise. Dying from heart disease as a fatty can be at an old age, so the fear of low life expectancy is going to be not as vital as smoking or drug users or drunks dying young.

 

[Punished Miku]

IMO, the best bet is to tax garbage food sky high. It'll get to a point even McDonalds combos will be out of reach as a cheap combo deal.

Education and demonizing will never work for fat people as that gets into body shaming and discrimination. Things like anti smoking, drinking and drugs has consequences like car crash examples and black lungs and methheads. Those are all killers internally and physically. For fat people, many people accept it and dont care about buying 3XLLL clothes so there's nothing to convince them otherwise.

Fat shaming is 10x easier than smoking shaming. Smoking looks cool. Fat people mostly look terrible. Can show ominous looking commercials with dark lighting, diabetic people with legs cut off, men dying of heart attacks clutching their chests. The list goes on and on. And most of this advertising targets younger kids and teenagers, and is also integrated into schools like previous anti-smoking campaigns. It's not about changing people that are too far gone, though some of them can change.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Fat shaming is 10x easier than smoking shaming. Smoking looks cool. Fat people mostly look terrible. Can show ominous looking commercials with dark lighting, diabetic people with legs cut off, men dying of heart attacks clutching their chests. The list goes on and on. And most of this advertising targets younger kids and teenagers, and is also integrated into schools like previous anti-smoking campaigns. It's not about changing people that are too far gone, though some of them can change.

I get it. I think it should be done too for holistic healthy living (to go along with other stuff).

But ragging on a smoker is going to be 10x easier than ragging on a fat person.

Right now anyone can try it. If you see a friend or coworker smoking, gently nudge them why they do it and get them to stop. Now do the same thing to a fat person telling them to work out and eat less. One chat will be easier to do than the other.

 

[RoadHazard]

Any trend that is impacting 70% of society is far past the realm of individual responsibility. Yes, people can take charge of their own lives. But this is a global trend that needs to be tackled in the same way as smoking. You don't just tell everyone to quit smoking. You launch new taxes, regulations, age restrictions, and mass education campaigns explicitly demonizing it for decades.

70% of the global population is not overweight/obese, those are American numbers. But yes, it's increasing in most developed countries I think.

 

[Warnen]

Used to be a really fatty when was younger (400-500lbs) lost a bunch but gained some back. Was 190 at lowest but was really sick then, spent most of my time is the 270-325 range. Back down to 250ish now will goal to get to 220(felt the best really for my size).

My fucked up lungs makes it hard but I’ll get there.

 

[Punished Miku]

Right now anyone can try it. If you see a friend or coworker smoking, gently nudge them why they do it and get them to stop. Now do the same thing to a fat person telling them to work out and eat less. One chat will be easier to do than the other.

Well yeah, I agree with that. I'm just saying that this is a part of what has to change. COVID is a great opportunity as well since obesity is directly linked to immediate risk of dying. They're losing ground on upholding fat acceptance and this is the time to advance.

70% of the global population is not overweight/obese, those are American numbers. But yes, it's increasing in most developed countries I think.

Yes, I know. Maybe I didn't make that very clear. But the upward trend is definitely global, as you said.

 

[Kenpachii]

He's just like us.

 

[German Hops]

Fat is where it's at.
Fat is flavor.

Our alien overlords are trying to plump us up before the harvest.

 

[Slicker than your average]

It's West Virginia!

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data showing that more than seven in 10 (73.6 percent) United States adults aged 20 or older are either overweight or obese. Although the rates in children and adolescents have decreased, the rates overall have seen a drastic rise in recent decades.

Obesity costs the health care system around $173 billion per year, and the diet and weight loss control industries rake in around $72 billion, according to WalletHub. That website also chronicled the most obese and least obese states in the nation, with West Virginia falling in the former category and Utah in the latter.

The recent CDC reporting also shows that around 72.2 million Americans over the age of 6 were completely inactive in 2021, and lack of physical activity remains a leading cause of obesity.

Yahoo!

That's pretty fuckin' sad, bro. Gonna need to move those jellyrolls!

One of her ass cheeks is bigger than two of my asses put together.

 

[synchronicity]

The "food" industry is absolutely criminal. Sure people are responsible for themselves, but most people are not fully aware how their diet is literally killing them. And for most, they don't even understand that the bulk of options presented as "food" are, in fact, manufactured poisons, no matter how slowly they may kill. People see what (most) everyone else is eating and just assume the "normal" is fine. It's not.

 

[German Hops]

Also, we need to ban HFCS.
It's literal poison.

 

[Aesius]

The media, politicians, and corporations all work hand in hand. The only reason cigarettes became so widely demonized is because doctors managed to convince the world of their dangers before the collusion among those three entities became firmly entrenched. Delay those findings by another couple of decades and cigarette smoking would still be as commonplace as it was in the 1960s.

Corporations keep the media afloat via ad dollars. And food and beverage advertisements are big, big business. The media counts on being able to shill burgers, cereal, candy, and beer. And politicians don't do anything to stop any of it because they're paid off by those corporations/their lobbyists.

Then you also have the fact that pharmaceutical companies literally WANT people to be fat and unhealthy because it means they need prescription medications just to stay alive. Half of all Americans are on some kind of prescription medication and a significant percentage of those are to control symptoms caused by obesity and/or a terrible diet.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The "food" industry is absolutely criminal. Sure people are responsible for themselves, but most people are not fully aware how their diet is literally killing them. And for most, they don't even understand that the bulk of options presented as "food" are, in fact, manufactured poisons, no matter how slowly they may kill. People see what (most) everyone else is eating and just assume the "normal" is fine. It's not.

What makes it worse is the government allows advertisement puffery.

For those of you who dont know the term, you actually know what it is.

The TV ad makes the food look awesome, healthy looking and perfect. But in reality what you get is sloppy shit.

 

[12Goblins]

The key difference is some people blame the system or government while others take responsibility and accept it.

It's really not that simple. If you are born in the US you are pretty much destined to be overweight. When 0% want to be overweight and most people make a conscientious effort to avoid being overweight, but at the end of the day 3 out of 4 people end up being overweight, you have a systemic problem

I think the only way fix is by regulating the amount of sodium and sugar per servings. People have no idea they are consuming TWICE their daily intake of sugar in a single can of Dr pepper. Kids are so accustomed to excessive salt portions since early age they can't even taste anything else. They visit Europe and think the food is 'bland' lol. We set them up for this.

The fat shaming thing is largely irrelevant and it's more about not being toxic/bullying people because they are fat which is not helpful. Shaming has never been a healthy or effective way to change people's behavior. This shitty talking point needs to stop

 

[StreetsofBeige]

The media, politicians, and corporations all work hand in hand. The only reason cigarettes became so widely demonized is because doctors managed to convince the world of their dangers before the collusion among those three entities became firmly entrenched. Delay those findings by another couple of decades and cigarette smoking would still be as commonplace as it was in the 1960s.

Corporations keep the media afloat via ad dollars. And food and beverage advertisements are big, big business. The media counts on being able to shill burgers, cereal, candy, and beer. And politicians don't do anything to stop any of it because they're paid off by those corporations/their lobbyists.

Then you also have the fact that pharmaceutical companies literally WANT people to be fat and unhealthy because it means they need prescription medications just to stay alive. Half of all Americans are on some kind of prescription medication and a significant percentage of those are to control symptoms caused by obesity and/or a terrible diet.

Pharmacists are shills too.

Pharma companies offer them kickback deals to stock their shelves with their products. A doc will give you a prescription for a certain drug. Often times it's not a brand name, it'll be a scientific name. What you get filled is whatever product on their shelves that satisfies that compound. It could be branded, generic etc.... It might be all the same shit so maybe it doesnt matter. But a pharmacist going for the most profits will stock the product that gets them the most profit, regardless of efficacy of the drug.

 

[synchronicity]

The USDA is put in charge of creating a healthy diet in the 1950s, so they make a bulk of it carbohydrates. Seriously, why are 300 grams of carbs a day considered healthy. In 2010 they update it so it’s not a pyramid, but still 45% of your diet is carbs and sugars? I wish I understood why the scientific community of the 20th century believed Ancel Keys and his ideas when the evidence was just not there.

Because the crops that are heavily subsidized are predominantly carb-laden. The government doesn't care one iota for the population it governs. It cares about money and sustaining power.

There are zero carbs required for the human body to function. A very minimal amount of glucose is necessary (about a teaspoon circulating), but that is generated by the liver via gluconeogenesis.

The human body need certain proteins / amino acids, fatty acids, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, but not a single exogenous carbohydrate. Not one.

 

[Punished Miku]

The fat shaming thing is largely irrelevant and it's more about not being toxic/bullying people because they are fat which is not helpful. Shaming has never been a healthy or effective way to change people's behavior. This shitty talking point needs to stop

I'm open to changing my mind on it, but I'd have to see it work. Shaming mixed with education was a core part of anti-smoking campaigns. I'm not advocating bullying, but more demonization of fatty foods and their effects.

 

[Fbh]

It's still crazy to me how well accepted obesity has become. It should be seen as a very serious health risk and yet it's mostly regarded as a mild inconvenience.
Take your malnourished kid to a doc checkup and you'll hear from social services, take your morbidly obese kid to a checkup and they'll just recommend to feed him a healthier diet

 

[Aesius]

Because the crops that are heavily subsidized are predominantly carb-laden. The government doesn't care one iota for the population it governs. It cares about money and sustaining power.

There are zero carbs required for the human body to function. A very minimal amount of glucose is necessary (about a teaspoon circulating), but that is generated by the liver via gluconeogenesis.

The human body need certain proteins / amino acids, fatty acids, and a variety of vitamins and minerals, but not a single exogenous carbohydrate. Not one.

Eating keto makes me feel amazing. It's by far the easiest method of weight loss I've ever found because it's naturally sustainable. You can eat to satiety at every meal and never really worry about calories because you WILL feel full by default, and you'll stay full between meals. It also completely knocks out mid-day sluggishness, GERD/acid reflux, and most GI issues.

Trying to count calories has always made me obsess over food because I'm always slightly hungry. With keto I just avoid carbs and eat whatever, whenever I'm hungry, and I lose weight.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I dont know how effective it'd be but government clamps down on TV ads with smokes. None that I see in Canada. Booze is limited to people holding it. You cant show people drinking it.

But for food (which the stuff you see on TV promoted is pizza, burgers etc...), fast food and junk food companies are allowed to show people guzzling Coke and chowing down on cheesy pizzas. Go figure.

Maybe if they adjusted the ads so it's like beer ads it'd make junk food less compelling to buy.

 

[synchronicity]

Eating keto makes me feel amazing. It's by far the easiest method of weight loss I've ever found because it's naturally sustainable. You can eat to satiety at every meal and never really worry about calories because you WILL feel full by default, and you'll stay full between meals. It also completely knocks out mid-day sluggishness, GERD/acid reflux, and most GI issues.

Trying to count calories has always made me obsess over food because I'm always slightly hungry. With keto I just avoid carbs and eat whatever, whenever I'm hungry, and I lose weight.

Same for me. I switched to full carnivore several months back, and that has been even better. (for me) I eat one meal a day and usually the same thing most every day. I eat up to a pound of ground beef with bacon and 4-6 eggs - usually in ghee/butter. I also usually have a can of sardines and sometimes some pork skins. I also eat liver every 3 or 4 days due to the incredible nutritional profile, and I've actually grown to like it . (I know many hate it.) The only non-carnivore things I include are hot sauce (simple cayenne/vinegar - no crap fillers), some cold-pressed coconut oil and apple cider vinegar.

For any considering this diet, I would recommend that you have some patience with your body - ESPECIALLY if you are coming from a high carb diet. It takes a bit of acclimation for your body to switch to producing ketones and burning fat for fuel instead of sugar. But your body will thank you in the end. So many people are walking around with insulin resistance but no diabetes diagnosis, but the effects are ultimately the same, and you're a ticking time bomb whether you are aware or not.

 

[Punished Miku]

I dont know how effective it'd be but government clamps down on TV ads with smokes. None that I see in Canada. Booze is limited to people holding it. You cant show people drinking it.

But for food (which the stuff you see on TV promoted is pizza, burgers etc...), fast food and junk food companies are allowed to show people guzzling Coke and chowing down on cheesy pizzas. Go figure.

Maybe if they adjusted the ads so it's like beer ads it'd make junk food less compelling to buy.

I don't have cable and the only time I see that stuff is at the gym. It's crazy when you step away from it and then see it. Every commercial break it's nothing but pizzas and junk food over and over made to look as appealing as possible.

 

[Aesius]

I dont know how effective it'd be but government clamps down on TV ads with smokes. None that I see in Canada. Booze is limited to people holding it. You cant show people drinking it.

But for food (which the stuff you see on TV promoted is pizza, burgers etc...), fast food and junk food companies are allowed to show people guzzling Coke and chowing down on cheesy pizzas. Go figure.

Maybe if they adjusted the ads so it's like beer ads it'd make junk food less compelling to buy.

It's crazy how marketing affects people's lives. I mean, the entire concept of going to a sports bar and ordering a big ass cheeseburger, fries, and drinking 6-7 beers while watching football or whatever was essentially created by advertisers. And it's a totally normalized thing, but it's extremely unhealthy. People consume a day's worth of calories or more in a single sitting multiple times per week and think nothing of it.

 

[SafeOrAlone]

This sells to overweight people, I’m sure. Who doesn’t want to read about how they actually don’t have a problem, as opposed to what they’ve been told for so long.

 

[Guiding Moonlight]

Mexico’s deadly Coca-Cola addiction

Semi relevant. Soda is very much a problem in the US as well.

 

[ThatStupidLion]

not just the input but the output.....way way way less active people these days.

jobs are sedentary. media, tvs, phones, internet, gaming, all keep you glued to the couch/bed. protective parenting ie. restricting free range kids playing outside running around the neighborhood. organized sports are getting more prohibitively expensive.

people are god damn lazy, gluttonous, and CONTENT these days.

 

[GymWolf]

Lizzo said it's okay to be fat now so...

Fun fact, lezzo is the italian word we use when fat people stinks.

I don't believe in god but it is nice when the universe provide these spot on coincidence.

 

[Ownage]

Also, view the death metal version. Simply amazing.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

not just the input but the output.....way way way less active people these days.

jobs are sedentary. media, tvs, phones, internet, gaming, all keep you glued to the couch/bed. protective parenting ie. restricting free range kids playing outside running around the neighborhood. organized sports are getting more prohibitively expensive.

people are god damn lazy, gluttonous, and CONTENT these days.

Back in the 80s and even 90s, we'd play street hockey all the time. Sometimes, we'd get like 8-10 of us all playing on someone's street or at a school (hoping not to break any windows). Someone starts getting a game together chatting at recess or lunch and everyone meets at Dave's house after school asap and bring your stick. A couple kids played organized hockey so they always had nets to bring, and there's always be one kid or his big brother with goalie gear which made it way better. Some kids didnt even play hockey and you let him join and he just borrows someone's spare stick.

I dont think I have ever seen any groups of kids playing in 20 years. Not once have I needed to slow down in a neighbourhood as they get out of the way. At most I've seen a loner shooting by himself on his driveway.

Kids just arent as active due to what you said.

 

[GymWolf]

Dont forget the "My metabolism is slow" excuse.

One my old coworkers was a fat ass. She's look like she eats soup and salad everyday and was at least 200 lbs. Something doesn't make sense.

She left the company and one my coworkers cleaned out her office. Her desk had candy bar wrappers in it and occasionally I'd see her buying 3 chocolate bars at a time at the cafe vending machine. Who the hell buys 3 at once? I knew the real deal about her, but for most people they saw someone who ate healthy in the cafe and claimed metabolism issues. BS.

There's only so many chocolate bars you can eat at the office. So it means she must had pigged out at home too.

The irony of the slow metabolism excuse is that usually, people who develop slow metabolism are people who actually try their best to lose weight and end up with cardio overtrain and eating like 500 calories a day so the body try his best to not burn calories and considerably slow the metabolism because you are basically starving yourself while stressing your body.

 

[Ownage]

The irony of the slow metabolism excuse is that usually, people who develop slow metabolism are people who actually try their best to lose weight and end up with cardio overtrain and eating like 500 calories a day so the body try his best to not burn calories and considerably slow the metabolism because you are basically starving yourself while stressing your body.

Hashimoto's is real. I've had it on the more aggressive side for 25 years and work my ass off to keep the pounds off. It's tough because despite all my best efforts some people still ask why I'm "unhealthy." Fuck 'em, easy ghost targets. The best thing I've found is to count calories, gym 3x a week with 2/3 cardio 1/3 weights, no booze, keep stress down, and 8h sleep.

 

[synchronicity]

It's crazy how marketing affects people's lives. I mean, the entire concept of going to a sports bar and ordering a big ass cheeseburger, fries, and drinking 6-7 beers while watching football or whatever was essentially created by advertisers. And it's a totally normalized thing, but it's extremely unhealthy. People consume a day's worth of calories or more in a single sitting multiple times per week and think nothing of it.

It really is amazing how apt the "monkey-see, monkey-do" expression can be. We all tend to look to others to inform our own behaviors and attitudes. No matter how independent we may be, there's that tribal essence within our DNA, and we seek to belong to the flow of the group, to move with a sense of togetherness. And while that has served us well, it's not always the case. When those larger-scale movements are destructive, it can be hard for many to detect the problems. It's like the metaphor of the fish being unaware of the water. It can be hard to notice pervasive elements in your world, even if they're harmful. And I think we see those blind spots as evidenced in the diet-induced general illness of the population at large.

 

[GymWolf]

Hashimoto's is real. I've had it on the more aggressive side for 25 years and work my ass off to keep the pounds off. It's tough because despite all my best efforts some people still ask why I'm "unhealthy." Fuck 'em, easy ghost targets. The best thing I've found is to count calories, gym 3x a week with 2/3 cardio 1/3 weights, no booze, keep stress down, and 8h sleep.

I'm guessing hashimoto is slow metabolism as a disease...

Never said that slow metabolism can't exist, just the fact that a big cause of slow metabolism in healthy people is overtraining\starving as opposed to fat asses who declare slow metabolism but they just eat like hippos.

I was obese when i was young so i know all the shitty excuses in the book.

 

[RoadHazard]

It's crazy how marketing affects people's lives. I mean, the entire concept of going to a sports bar and ordering a big ass cheeseburger, fries, and drinking 6-7 beers while watching football or whatever was essentially created by advertisers. And it's a totally normalized thing, but it's extremely unhealthy. People consume a day's worth of calories or more in a single sitting multiple times per week and think nothing of it.

I do enjoy doing that maybe once every two weeks or so... But in-between I don't eat a lot of junk food, basically never drink soda, etc.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

What do you expect when "don't fat shame" is the message along with the bombardment of fast/unhealthy food advertising?

Tell me who said such stupidity or in which country did that message come out?

 

[Ownage]

I'm guessing hashimoto is slow metabolism as a disease...

Never said that slow metabolism can't exist, just the fact that a big cause of slow metabolism in healthy people is overtraining\starvong as opposed to fat asses who declare fat metabolism but they just eat like hippos.

I was obese when i was young so i know all the shitty excuses in the book.

Hashimoto's means a dead thyroid gland, or under active due to genetic issues. Meds supplement the issue. I should've been dead 25 years ago. Thank goodness for modern medicine.

I'm trim as much as I'll be. I'm built like a rugby player. I still pull plenty of desirable talent, but there's the occasional gal who asks why I'm "unhealthy." I tell them about the genetic condition, and laugh at their embarrassment. Yea, I'm bitter about having it and wish I didn't, but I'm also a cold bastard and have no problem playing psych mind games to fuck with people who come at me.

 

[Elder Legend]

Magazines promoting plus size model doesn't help...

So sexy. When is her next farting expo?

 

[German Hops]

So sexy. When is her next farting expo?

An expo promoting greenhouse gasses?

 

[GHG]

Tell me who said such stupidity or in which country did that message come out?

You can literally Google "don't fat shame" and sift through the results yourself. It's especially prevelant in Western societies.

 

[jshackles]

Back in the 80s and even 90s, we'd play street hockey all the time. Sometimes, we'd get like 8-10 of us all playing on someone's street or at a school (hoping not to break any windows). Someone starts getting a game together chatting at recess or lunch and everyone meets at Dave's house after school asap and bring your stick. A couple kids played organized hockey so they always had nets to bring, and there's always be one kid or his big brother with goalie gear which made it way better. Some kids didnt even play hockey and you let him join and he just borrows someone's spare stick.

I dont think I have ever seen any groups of kids playing in 20 years. Not once have I needed to slow down in a neighbourhood as they get out of the way. At most I've seen a loner shooting by himself on his driveway.

Kids just arent as active due to what you said.

Probably just depends on where you live / where you're visiting? In my neighborhood there are packs of what me and my wife call "feral children". They're always outside playing in the street - whether it be coloring the roads with sidewalk chalk, or chasing each other up and down the road playing tag. It's a pretty small neighborhood (maybe 100 houses?), and there are 20-30 kids that are outside so often I could probably pick a few of them out of a lineup. It's one of the things that attracted us to the neighborhood in the first place, because the area we lived before this was so sketchy (with homeless and drug users / deals going down all the time) that kids didn't feel safe enough to be outside.

It's hard to say if this is just a thing in my little corner of the world though. Also, for every kid we see outside there could be two or more inside being inactive.

 

[Heimdall_Xtreme]

You can literally Google "don't fat shame" and sift through the results yourself. It's especially prevelant in Western societies.

Honestly, what a silly phrase the one who said that.

It is not because of the appearance, but because of the physiological and metabolic changes of the body.

 

[12Goblins]

I'm open to changing my mind on it, but I'd have to see it work. Shaming mixed with education was a core part of anti-smoking campaigns. I'm not advocating bullying, but more demonization of fatty foods and their effects.

I think smoking is different than excessive eating. Shaming smokers is really shaming someone for thinking they're cool for doing it. Nobody thinks excessive eating is cool, and it's why people usually do it in hiding, and why smokers like to do it in social settings. If people start to think that eating an entire pint of ben and jerrys in one sitting is cool, then shaming and social stigma would be appropriate.

 

[SlimySnake]

Probably just depends on where you live / where you're visiting? In my neighborhood there are packs of what me and my wife call "feral children". They're always outside playing in the street - whether it be coloring the roads with sidewalk chalk, or chasing each other up and down the road playing tag. It's a pretty small neighborhood (maybe 100 houses?), and there are 20-30 kids that are outside so often I could probably pick a few of them out of a lineup. It's one of the things that attracted us to the neighborhood in the first place, because the area we lived before this was so sketchy (with homeless and drug users / deals going down all the time) that kids didn't feel safe enough to be outside.

It's hard to say if this is just a thing in my little corner of the world though. Also, for every kid we see outside there could be two or more inside being inactive.

nothing like that in my neighborhood. though very few kids here in general. i tell my son to go out and just stay outside because thats what i did when i was 7-8. i knew every kid in my neighborhood and we rode bikes together. i rarely see kids do that and when they do its mostly brothers.

my son gets bored fast because there is no one outside playing even in summer. once he turns 10 i might let him go to other streets in the neighborhood to see his school friends. i had an older brother so i got to tag along with him. i think the fact that people are having fewer kids in general has also forced parents to be more protective. when i was growing up, everyone had 3-4 siblings. i myself had 2. now even i only have 2 kids and most people only have 1 so no tagging along with your older brother until they get older themselves.

 

[jshackles]

nothing like that in my neighborhood. though very few kids here in general. i tell my son to go out and just stay outside because thats what i did when i was 7-8. i knew every kid in my neighborhood and we rode bikes together. i rarely see kids do that and when they do its mostly brothers.

my son gets bored fast because there is no one outside playing even in summer. once he turns 10 i might let him go to other streets in the neighborhood to see his school friends. i had an older brother so i got to tag along with him. i think the fact that people are having fewer kids in general has also forced parents to be more protective. when i was growing up, everyone had 3-4 siblings. i myself had 2. now even i only have 2 kids and most people only have 1 so no tagging along with your older brother until they get older themselves.

That's a good point - and like I said my situation could be localized since I live in a pretty small town. I myself am one of 6 children, and have two of my own. My two kids are both in their 20s now and neither of them are anywhere close to being financially able to support kids. So you're right, this'll probably be a sad trend going forward.

 

[DeepEnigma]

In my neighborhood there are packs of what me and my wife call "feral children".

 

[Maiden Voyage]

Probably just depends on where you live / where you're visiting? In my neighborhood there are packs of what me and my wife call "feral children". They're always outside playing in the street - whether it be coloring the roads with sidewalk chalk, or chasing each other up and down the road playing tag. It's a pretty small neighborhood (maybe 100 houses?), and there are 20-30 kids that are outside so often I could probably pick a few of them out of a lineup. It's one of the things that attracted us to the neighborhood in the first place, because the area we lived before this was so sketchy (with homeless and drug users / deals going down all the time) that kids didn't feel safe enough to be outside.

It's hard to say if this is just a thing in my little corner of the world though. Also, for every kid we see outside there could be two or more inside being inactive.

That exists where I’m at too. It makes me happy to see, especially with technology consuming everyone’s lives.

 

[Saber]

Tell me who said such stupidity or in which country did that message come out?

Theres a little country know as Brazil where they created a word called "Fatphobia", which for them is equivalent to homophobia but for overweight people.
And you can receive a fine if you say bad things to a person and that person is fat.

 

[ForAcademicPurposes]

Why did they put a picture of a clearly normal weight european hand watching european football drinking european beer and eating chips in an article about obesity in the US?

I understand it is some stock photo that has been used for thousand different other articles (about completely different things like sport betting from the UK etc.), but still funny.

 

[Mossybrew]

I’m not going to deny we have a severe health issue in this country with being overweight but it seems like they are still leaning heavily on the BMI for this.

It completely ignores bone density and muscle. It’s a flawed metric that doesn’t apply to our society or time. I got down to 175lbs to be just below “overweight” BMI at 6’ tall and everyone that knew me thought I was dying.

Yeah my son had a routine doctor visit not too long ago and they said he was in the "obese" range, but you'd never look at this kid and think he's fat, he's just a big guy built solid.

 

[sendit]