Why are Americans obese?

cosmictraveler said:
Foods today contain more fatty crap than ever before as well as chemicals and other ingredients that create more fat in humans. Without exercising to remove all this excess fat humans become fatter.
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I hope that you aren't implying that eating fat makes you fat.
 
Absane said:
I hope that you aren't implying that eating fat makes you fat.
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No, not at all. My point was that the chemicals they put into foods makes fat harder top remove because the way the chemicals act upon your metabolism.
 
I have a question which is still related with the topic: why is it that only American got obese? :shrug: Some posters here have said that it's because they (American) can (afford it). But what about this:

global-BMI.gif


Body mass index (BMI) Categories:

* Underweight = <18.5
* Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
* Overweight = 25-29.9
* Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
​

Surely it doesn't mean the Japanese or French can't afford their foods? :shrug:

Edit: sorry, I read the graph wrong. The y axis is not BMI, but percentage of population above 25 years old with BMI above 30 (obese). Still, American has the highest number (30.6%).
 
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Absane said:
1) Caloric intake has remained static if it hasn't increased slightly over that last few hundred years. In the same time frame, physical activity has been slowing gradually.

2) Processed food. High fructose corn syrup has been show in rats to fatten the liver and induce type 2 diabetes when combined with a high fat diet in just 4 weeks. Also, HFCS doesn't signal to the brain that any food has been eaten. So if you down a 300 calorie Coca-Cola... your body just looks at it like it's water.

3) In a few social circles, one is applauded if they are fat.

4) The shift in our diet over the last few thousand years. Our bodies evolved to eat high protein and high fat foods. Meat, nuts, and a few berries along the way. When fruits were in season and they were plentiful.. that's when we would eat them.
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Are these limited to American? Also, I wonder why Mexico comes up as second most obese..
 
phlogistician said:
Shagging, surfing, and snowboarding are all exercise.

Try one of them sometime.
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Shagging? Who are you, Austin Powers?:) But seriously, I've actually tryed that argument with my wife. We should have sex twice a day for the aerobic exercize. Sadly, she didn't buy it. But that is one exercise I engage in as often as possible. Surfing? Pretty tough to do in the middle of a continent with no ocean's for thousands of miles. And snowboarding? Well, in addition to a dearth of oceans, it's quite flat around here. You could stand on a snowboard, but you're not going anywhere.

By the way, the reasons I gave were general. I actually work out 2 or 3 times a week. (well, I have been for the past month or so).
 
inzomnia said:
I have a question which is still related with the topic: why is it that only American got obese? :shrug: Some posters here have said that it's because they (American) can (afford it). But what about this:

global-BMI.gif


Body mass index (BMI) Categories:

* Underweight = <18.5
* Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
* Overweight = 25-29.9
* Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater
​

Surely it doesn't mean the Japanese or French can't afford their foods? :shrug:

Edit: sorry, I read the graph wrong. The y axis is not BMI, but percentage of population above 25 years old with BMI above 30 (obese). Still, American has the highest number (30.6%).
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Looking at your graph, all the fatest countries seem to be English speaking (except for Mexico, but perhaps her proximity to the US is responsible for Mexico being the exception to that rule). Perhaps the diet we all inherited from England (meat and potatoes and not many other vegetables) is responsible.
 
madanthonywayne said:
Looking at your graph, all the fatest countries seem to be English speaking (except for Mexico, but perhaps her proximity to the US is responsible for Mexico being the exception to that rule). Perhaps the diet we all inherited from England (meat and potatoes and not many other vegetables) is responsible.
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Yea, the English speaking countries are on the top 10 (US, UK, Australia, NZ, and Canada)... interesting observation! As for the meat and potatoes, I'm not so sure.. many Europeans drink so much beer, cheese, milk, pasta, and I guess meat, too.. Perhaps it has to do with them (the top 10) as plural or new countries, i.e. has a lot of immigrants and so lots of variety of cuisines? :p
 
EmeraldAxe said:
HBO removed the interview with David Kessler MD/PhD, proprietary rights. This is all I could find.

http://fora.tv/2009/04/27/How_to_End_Overeating_Dr_David_Kessler

He just wrote a book called, The End of Overeating. I haven't read his book, but I'm guessing over the course of an hour (video above) he covers most of the main points.

So, if he's right. Do we need to take action on the food companies similar to what happened in the 90's with nicotine?
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From what I watched it looks like a great video.
Personally, I feel much better when I eliminate sweets and bread from my diet. It takes me about a week or two to stop the cravings.
I don't believe taking action on food companies is needed. I feel a person needs to make decisions on their own about what to eat or what not to eat.
 
EmeraldAxe said:
Extra points for whomever uses evolution in their explanation.
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I want the extra points! The technical revolution (kind of evolution for humans, less physical work) causes Americans to move less and the aviability of cheap and good food (good food doesn't equal healthy!) causes them to be fat.

What did I win?
 
Syzygys said:
I want the extra points! The technical revolution (kind of evolution for humans, less physical work) causes Americans to move less and the aviability of cheap and good food (good food doesn't equal healthy!) causes them to be fat.

What did I win?
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The Japanese don't have technical revolution? :confused: On the basis of the percentage of population above 25 y.o, there are 10 times obese people in USA than that in Japan. I have to agree with Absane and Madant, something with American makes them like to eat meat so much.
 
Syzgyz hit the nail on the head.

As technology develops, we move and work less and less...and food, especially that yummy greasy food we all love, is more and more available.


Fatty, calorie-packed food + next to no exercise = obesity!
 
Heyyy... the Japanese and the Germans aren't obese.. they don't have the technology or luxury to live in comfort like Americans?
 
inzomnia said:
Heyyy... the Japanese and the Germans aren't obese.. they don't have the technology or luxury to live in comfort like Americans?
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Ok, I am going to answer that for myself. The Japanese and Germans are known to be hard working / serious people... while the Americans... hint.. hint.. :D
 
The japanese diet is very different from the U.S. They eat lots of fish and don't snack on junk food every day.
 
inzomnia said:
Heyyy... the Japanese and the Germans aren't obese.. they don't have the technology or luxury to live in comfort like Americans?
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Have you ever eaten at a Chinese all-you-can-eat buffee? You eat yourself to death and 2 hours later you are hungry again. (same with Japanese food)

I don't even want to mention German food, because there is a reason why there are no German restaurant around the world...
 
Because the food served here is shit and finding restaurants that serve healthy food are few and far between. Most don't even begin to realize how horrible the food is they are consuming in most restaurants.

Plus, the serving sizes are ridiculous.
 
Harrisburg, PA just for puking purposes:

DSCN0155.JPG


At one of my fav restaurant, Bucca di Beppo, they don't even have single meals, you have to order a double...
 
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