America's Growing Problem

[Mr.Cat]

This is heavy. The United States is considered one of the most obese and overweight nations in the world. The most recent statistic from surveying the American population shows minimally 60% is overweight and minimally 30% is obese.

This is a problem facing most of the western and industrialized world, with perhaps some exceptions. The World Health Organization contributes this to increased sedentary activity and increased food intake of poor nutritional value, namely junk food... but some have also pointed to the chemicals we put into our foods and others to the increasing trends of fast food.

Many nations have spearheaded efforts to reduce obesity and increase fitness, however these efforts seem to have only slowed the increase of obesity in the United States as of 2011... But American concern for obesity seems to be a sensitive issue for many.

Some nations such as Japan have spearheaded revolutionary and daring attempts to reduce obesity, a nation not known for it's problems with an overweight (24%) or obese(3%) population. Such as a new law as of 2008 that imposes a tax on citizens who are overweight. The 2008 law has met heavy resistance in Japan, such as by Japanese medical associations, who argue that it may encourage people to engage in unhealthy diet and exercise practices to maintain weight/measurements, and more particularly Japan is one of the least obese or overweight nations in the world.

So... With some predictions that we may see obesity rise to 50% of the population... what can we do to curtail America's growing problems... that cost billions of dollars annually from complications.

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[MIKolbe]

I would like to see a report of the net effect of obesity, much like what was done for cigarette smoking. I do not have the data right here, but I remember reading that the average smoker actually is a NET savings for the US taxpayer.

Everything costs money... I am more interested in the net effect.

Good questions, though.....

[BigJon16]

You cant force anybody to do anything. When it comes to weight loss, you have to give someone the determination to do it, and be willing to lend out a helping hand. I think one thing that would help, was if there were gyms designed specifically for those who are obese or over weight. And if said gyms were equipped with weight loss "experts" and trainers that can help a person stay "accountable" and motivated. And mind you, the price for this service would have to stay reasonable.

Perhaps if this was some sort of government funded program?



On the other hand, I do not think it would be possible for the government to "eliminate" junk food, or even attempt to limit it.

As for taxing those who are overweight? Sounds just a tad bit too oppressive or judgemental. "Who are you to say how I should be living? Its my life."- I think this would be the response to that. And there would probably be some hippie protestor group that would complain that its an "invasion of rights" or something to that affect. For once though, they would actually have a point...

[Vincent Vega]

[quote name='BigJon16' timestamp='1316551884' post='2307738']And if said gyms were equipped with weight loss "experts" and trainers that can help a person stay "accountable" and motivated. And mind you, the price for this service would have to stay reasonable.

Perhaps if this was some sort of government funded program?
[/quote]
This is about 6.3 kilostalins too big government for my taste.

[sixpence]

has anyone seen Food Inc. ? I think it explains a part of the problem very well... over-processed junk food is cheaper and more accessible than more nutritious things

[sixpence]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' timestamp='1316552115' post='2307740']
This is about 6.3 kilostalins too big government for my taste.
[/quote]
that movie partially blames the US govt for subsidizing corn to an extreme... making corn-filled junk food super cheap

[BigJon16]

[quote name='USAirwaysIHS' timestamp='1316552115' post='2307740']
This is about 6.3 kilostalins too big government for my taste.
[/quote]
Hahahahahahahahaha

[MithLuin]

I agree that it's a problem, and think that poor diet + inactivity is of course a major contributing factor.

If we all got off the *bleep*ing internet and spent less time sitting in front of TVs and computer games, we might have a chance of doing something about it!

It's also uncomfortably embarrassing to have a 'too much food' problem when other parts of the world have a 'starving children' problem. I'm moving to Ethiopia in a few months, and I expect to get lots of comments about my weight. Not just because I'm a foreigner (which makes it more okay to talk about me than someone who lives there), but because people with flesh on their bones are quite a bit more rare there, and someone like me does stand out as being...built differently.

I don't know how to fix the problem, but I suppose raising public awareness and providing healthy outlets and good nutrition information is always good. WIC isn't like food stamps; it's only good for particular food items, which are of course the sort of thing you're 'supposed' to feed your kid, like juice and milk. For families that could use a little extra help with the groceries, this is an incentive to be a bit healthier in their choices. We've had 'cheap food' in the US for a long time, but as the gas prices continue to rise, that can't continue. People are going to have to devote a larger chunk of their paycheck to feeding their families, and that's going to be a tough adjustment. Not everyone is gonna cut out the junk food; some people will cut out the fresh produce. It's not one single thing we can fix.

We're all going to die of something. So, I'm not going to get too bent out of shape if it's stroke rather than cancer (though of course no one wants to lose their husband when he turns 50). But I think that being obese makes it difficult to do a lot of things in life, and addressing the weight issue improves a lot of other aspects of life.

[faithcecelia]

Many morbidly obese people claim they literally can't control their eating, that they know they are killing themselves but cannot stop. Others are in serious denial about how much they are eating, blaming low metabolism or inability to exercise (even though the vast majority actually have far higher metabolisms than slim people as it takes an awful lot of food to keep them that size, let alone gaining). I personally feel that there needs to be a point when those with these addictions, illusions, whatever have their diets taken out of control and are given calorie controlled diets, nutritional education and counselling/psychiactric treatment as appropriate for their own situation. If they will not accept it, then it should be legally forced (over here called sectioning, not sure in the US). If this sounds extreme, bear in mind that this is already what happens with those with other eating disorders such as anorexia. Sadly we still generally have a screwed idea that overweight=healthy and a fear of using the word 'fat' in situations where it is the right word. We also seem to think that food should be used as comfort and reward rather than fuel.

[Winchester]

Is this "overweight" according to BMI? According to BMI calculations, anyone who is not a girlie-man is "overweight". If you lift or train or just naturally have higher muscle mass, you will be categorized as "overweight". Until they come up with a realistic calculator, these numbers are unreliable, although I think there are tons of fat-assed people falling into those categories, there are also a croutons ton of thin, out of shape foreigners who could not fight off an enraged hummingbird without calling out the bobbies, or whatever silly-assed names they have for cops in their inferior countries.

[Mr.Cat]

I somehow doubt that 60% of Americans are overweight because of their buff physique, and from the studies this is generally not the case.

The general fitness of Americans is rather low, some Americans would struggle getting away from an enraged humming bird nonetheless fight it off.

But I suspect these exceptions are not being included in the surveys...

Edited September 20, 2011 by Mr.Cat

[Socrates]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1316553005' post='2307750']
I personally feel that there needs to be a point when those with these addictions, illusions, whatever have their diets taken out of control and are given calorie controlled diets, nutritional education and counselling/psychiactric treatment as appropriate for their own situation. If they will not accept it, then it should be legally forced (over here called sectioning, not sure in the US).
[/quote]
So, exactly how fat does one need to be before Big Brother must step in with his ever-benevolent legal force?

[faithcecelia]

[quote name='Socrates' timestamp='1316558006' post='2307780']
So, exactly how fat does one need to be before Big Brother must step in with his ever-benevolent legal force?
[/quote]
I am not a medical expert, but I would expect them to use similar guidelines as they do for anorexia, to establish if the patient's life is in serious danger (so morbidly obese would be a start) or is their attitude towards their diet and weight suggestive of them needing phychiactric or psychological help if it is ever to change.

[MithLuin]

As she pointed out, she was discussing the mental disorder aspect of eating problems, similar to someone with anorexia/bulimia. When hosptialized for one of those conditions, they treat you for the problem...which means you lose control over what you can eat, to some extent. When a morbidly obese person is hospitalized, they also are put on a calorie-controlled diet. So, 'at what point...?' seems to be...hospitilization.

I realize that in the US, we'll let someone get pretty sick before we forcibly intervene (if that person is an adult), but this doesn't mean that such a program isn't needed by some people to turn their lives around.

I see no reason not to make it voluntary...like rehab. People who don't want to be in rehab typically have trouble succeeding with making a life change...though, really, beating drugs is tough enough that even people who truly and sincerely want to be there and want to be clean fail and wind up right back where they started. Telling people they need to try harder doesn't address the underlying issues. If you've ever watched any of the reality shows about weight loss (Biggest Loser, Extreme Makeover Weightloss Edition, etc), you'll realize that there is a transformation in personality as the weight comes off. When morbidly obese, they tend to feel extremely badly about themselves (the same self-loathing you see with anorexia), depressed, not dealing with grief, allowing spouses to cheat on them, etc. After progress is made, it's like watching a person wake up and come out of a shell. If you've known anyone who had gastric bypass surgery, you may have seen a similar transformation in their lives as they stuck to the plan.

I see no reason not to have gov't incentives or gov't sponsored programs...but I also see no reason to go round people up and force them to change their lifestyles. Start with education and awareness. Start with changing attitudes about what foods are 'okay' to feed your kids. Find a way to get people unplugged (good luck with *that* one!) Changes can be made in society if enough people get on board with them.

Taking the non-diet soda out of the soda machines in schools (leaving behind only diet soda and energy drinks, not juice or milk) is probably *not* the best way to approach this. So, there are lots of less-than-helpful things being done.

[Jesus_lol]

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