Obese America - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

Wandering the information superhighway, he came upon the last refuge of civilization, PoFo, the only forum on the internet ...

Provision of the two UN HDI indicators other than GNP.
Forum rules: No one line posts please.
User avatar
By jimjam
#14938554
There is a virtual complete lack of discussion of America's obesity epidemic in the halls of government while it causes enormous damage on a personal and national level. America would indeed be greater if she were not so fat.

The prevalence of obesity doubled in adults and tripled in children between the 1970s and 2000. According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control, the epidemic shows no signs of abating. Nearly four out of 10 adults are obese; for children, it’s nearly two out of 10. Most 2-year-olds today will develop obesity by age 35.

In adults, obesity substantially increases the risk for some of the most feared illnesses, like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. At all ages, obesity is associated with social isolation, depression and other major mental health problems.

The economic burden of obesity hits low-income and otherwise disadvantaged populations the hardest, exacerbating income and wealth inequality. With insulin now costing up to $900 a month, a diagnosis of diabetes can mean financial ruin for a low-wage worker.

Obesity doesn’t just hurt individuals’ pocketbooks; it also affects the national budget deficit. The epidemic substantially increases federal entitlement spending for medical costs through Medicare, Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income, while the resulting lower worker productivity reduces tax revenues.

Farm policies have made low-nutritional commodities exceptionally cheap, providing the food industry with enormous incentive to market processed foods comprised mainly of refined grains and added sugars. In contrast, vegetables, whole fruits, legumes, nuts and high-quality proteins are much more expensive and, in “food deserts,” often unavailable. Processed foods are heavily advertised, even in educational materials directed at young children. And as cheap calories have flooded the environment, opportunities to burn off those calories at school, in recreation and through physically active modes of transportation have declined.

A counterweight to the corrosive political influence and manipulative marketing practices of “Big Food” manufacturers is needed. It would be helpful to impose a tax on processed foods, and use the proceeds to subsidize whole foods.

A ban junk food advertising to young children, as recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics and practiced in some European countries, should be initiated. Research shows that children below the age of 8 years are cognitively and psychologically defenseless against the manipulation of advertisements.
User avatar
By Godstud
#14938598
We've all got to educate our children about sugar, and obesity.

I have been on a diet for over 2 months(lost 14 kg/31 lb). Avoiding sugar is not as easy as you might think. There is sugar in almost everything that is processed.

Yogurts are full of sugar(very few are pure, and without it). Milk has it. Every drink you get at the store has a lot of sugar in it, even the ones you might not think are very sweet. The food industry feeds the sweet tooth of Americans, Canadians, Brits, etc. by putting it everywhere. We're getting fatter because it's in everything, and we don't even know it, unless we really start looking.

It's not only about health, but quality of life. Being fat sucks. Finding clothing is harder, you don't have as much energy. You feel self-conscious. There's a lot of reasons.

People still fat shame(and to be honest, I don't blame them). Being fat is a choice, but you have to have money, time, and motivation, if you want to lose weight. Calorie counting is shit, too. It's been proven to be BS.

My motivation is so I can call the guys I drink with, "Fat boys!". Revenge is often the best motivation! :D
#14938608
Avoid Sugar. Avoid processed foods. Drink plenty of water. Repeat after me: fats are your friends. Eat all your meals in an 8 hour time-frame. Burn more than you consume (do physical work or exercise sufficient to equal or exceed your caloric intake). Get adequate sleep.

Its not rocket science people.

We just have a culture built upon demonizing fats instead of sugar which has been a clinical disaster, followed by there being so much prosperity and technology that people literally don't have to do shit anymore and can consume high caloric foods for very little money while sitting on their ever-expanding asses.
#14938612
Suntzu wrote:Fats have more than double the calories of sugar.


Sure, but calories aren't the main issue, they part of it, but not all of it.

The war on fat that started in the 60s and resulted in the sugarization of the U.S. is arguably the primary cause of the obesity epidemic.

Check out the debates between the British Doctor John Yudkin and the American Ancel Keys on the fat v. sugar debate.

Thats where this all started.
User avatar
By Godstud
#14938617
Suntzu wrote:Fats have more than double the calories of sugar.
Yes, but your body doesn't use it as easily as sugars and carbs. I'm on a high fat, extremely low carb/sugar diet. My body burns fat because it doesn't have carbs/sugars. Calories don't mean shit. Your body processes calories from those sources, differently.

Milk has fat but also has a great deal of sugar(lactose) in it(12g per 250 ml). Skim milk has added sugar. They'll tell you not to sweat it, but the dairy industry pays big bucks for people to think it's good for you. Note: in SE Asia, people hardly drink milk, and they are healthier and obesity is less of an issue.

Diet is 3/4. Fitness is 1/4.
By SSDR
#14969916
All of those fat people who are fat, it is their fault. No one can force you to eat so much (unless if you are relying on some control freak who wants you to get fat and who is abusive). Not only that, but it's MORE EXPENSIVE to get fat because you have to buy MORE food. The more you eat, the more weight you gain. Many foods nowadays are concentrated with so much contemporary chemicals that it's easy to gain weight, plus some of those chemicals that they add are addictive so that you can keep buying more so that they can make more money.

It's super easy to handle obesity. Eat less, move more, drink more water, and run/jog/walk. Best of all, AVOID becoming obese.

Health care providers cannot force you to lose weight. The state cannot do so either. And neither can anyone else but YOU!
User avatar
By Godstud
#14969997
@SSDR It's not that simple. Many foods with poor nutrition, that contribute to the obesity problem, are high in shitty calories. Also, food producers use a lot of technology to hook people on these foods, making them high in sugar, fat and salt content, because that's what humans find tasty.

More nutritious foods tend to be more expensive.
User avatar
By Ter
#14970000
Godstud wrote:More nutritious foods tend to be more expensive.


QFT

Also, few people cook from scratch these days.
It is easier just to go to a fast food place and stuff your self there.

so there is time, effort and money involved to eat healthy.
User avatar
By Godstud
#14970032
All extremely fattening to 1/2 the population.
User avatar
By One Degree
#14970036
In a wealthy society, you either count calories or you will eventually get fat. Eating is entertainment in wealthy society.
User avatar
By One Degree
#14970043
Zionist Nationalist wrote:It have nothing to do with being rich or not
there are poor countries fatter than the US
its a cultural/genetic thing there are plenty of rich countries that have low obesity rates

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_c ... mass_index


Cultural would simply be eating habits. Genetics are a different issue. Samoans should not be judged by the same standards of obesity as others for example. This does not change the fact that the number of calories we each consume is overwhelmingly the main factor for all of us.

Edit: @Zionist Nationalist Wealthy countries have surplus food that is consumed for entertainment. This does not eliminate some ‘poor’ countries also having surplus food. There is still a connection between wealth and surplus food.
By SSDR
#14970187
@Godstud, People have access to more nutrition now than ever before. 200 years ago, when people were skinnier, people not only ate less, but ate less nutritious food and was more dirty due to less cleaning resources. People 200 years ago ate one meal, did not snacked, and usually ate bread, soup, fish, or potatoes. Fruits and vegetables were considered a luxury for the wealthy back then.

Nowadays, bread and soup are super cheap, cleaner, and more nutritious. And potatoes are also cheap. Some fruits nowadays such as apples, bananas, or prunes are really cheap. And green vegetables are not expensive. Not only that, but there are vitamins, multivitamins, supplements in powder or gummi forms, and milk. Milk has lots of nutrients, especially calcium and potassium. And food is REALLY cheap in the United States. So nutrition now is not a problem at all. It is the food choice coordination and economic coordination that many Americans make big mistakes on.

Americans live in super big houses, they CHOOSE to buy them which is why companies continue to make them. Many Americans own more than one car, which especially adds with monthly insurance. Many Americans drive big pick up trucks such as the Ford F150 or SUV's such as the Chevrolet Suburban. And that wastes a lot of gas, is more expensive because it's bigger, and has higher insurance rates. Americans are also bad with money. Americans love to get in credit card debt. They love to travel to expensive places such as Rome, Milan, Berlin, Paris, NYC, Los Angeles, or Amsterdam. Americans have cable AND internet usually for many households. Americans also waste money on expensive weddings, useless holidays buying gifts, and Americans also like to fund Zionist organizations such as Hollywood. That is why those Zionist celebrities are rich. When you live like this (or if you don't by American standards then you're "struggling") then yeah you can't afford nutritious food that is "expensive."

I would also like to mention that fast food is expensive. 3 USD on fries? You can buy a bag of pre prepped frozen fries that has more fries in a bag for HALF of a price, and use an air fryer which can last a very long time, and is more healthy than oiled McTrash fries. And who spends 4 USD on a frappuchino? You can make one yourself, just buy a food blender or whatever the shit you call it, and get milk (1.60-1.90 USD per gallon), chocolate syrup (1 USD at a dollar store), ice which is FREE if you have a freezer, coffee (very cheap in the States), and caramel which is also cheap. And mix it together. That's a lot easier and CHEAPER than to buy a cup for 4 USD!!! and is probably healthier.
By SSDR
#14970190
@Zionist Nationalist, I do agree. Like some countries in the Balkans (more poor than the States) yet the people there eat a lot and are huge!!! And the same for some Arabic nations, they tend to love to gather and eat.

But yes, Americans do have an obsessed food culture. Americans love to dine out a lot (I heard that many Americans on average dine out at least twice a week which is so crazy), Americans love to buy expensive food, they love fast food, and they eat almost anything. They eat Chinese, Italian, Mexican, Arabic, Japanese, Indian, German, and Greek foods! And since many Americans love to party and gather for fat weddings, they eat a lot in them.
By SSDR
#14970191
@Ter, Well, if one works 10 hours a day, uses two hours of transportation, and sleeps for six to eight hours, then there is like four to six hours left. That's plenty of time to make food from scratch. And what food do you have to make from scratch that is so complicated and expensive? Do people like to eat like wealthy kings every day?
User avatar
By MistyTiger
#14970195
If you know where to buy food, it's not that expensive relatively speaking. You can buy in bulk from walmart.com, Amazon.com, Costco, or any other company that sells bulk food. You can buy a large pack of adzuki beans, 16lb bag from Walmart for $27. The bag can last you for at least a month, depending on how often you eat them per day. If you know how to boil water and you have a stove or hot pot, just add water and let the beans sit for an hour or so. There are even some instant pots that some ladies at work have been raving about. They just dump in some zucchini noodles (shredded zucchini), green beans and whatever sauce they want and just leave it to simmer for half an hour. It's easy according to them. You don't have to slave away in front of the stove if you want to eat healthier or spend less.

It costs more to pay for gasoline, maintenance, registration on those gas guzzlers that many Americans are so fond of. And of course, the majority of Americans would rather chase the latest tech trends like the latest iPhone or the newest LED Smart TV or just the latest buying trends in general.

So really it's a matter of mis-allocating funds so that they have very little money left for food, and very little energy to do much.
User avatar
By Godstud
#14970201
Time is a bigger commodity these days, than many others, @SSDR. Do you factor that in? Do you factor in that a person might only have $8, so getting a cheap meal that's not that nutritious, is a better option than buying a bag of rice for the same amount? No. I doubt you have considered those things.

The availability of shit food, and poor education(the food pyramid things was terrible) has led to the obesity epidemic.

You do not NEED Dairy products! Lactose is a sugar, just like glucose and fructose.

Pushed for the Dairy industry...
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
  • 8

"Ukraine’s real losses should be counted i[…]

I would bet you have very strong feelings about DE[…]

@Rugoz A compromise with Putin is impossibl[…]

@KurtFF8 Litwin wages a psyops war here but we […]