Ngchen

Here's a new article (located at https://www.time.com/time/health/arti...909406,00.html) on the growing waistlines in the south. Speaking of the heat, IMHO cycling is relatively heat-friendly when compared to other activities since the speed and associated breeze tends to have a cooling effect. Heat is not as oppressive as cold, when it comes to exercise. So are temperatures just an excuse to be lazy, or is there really more to it? (Minnesota is much healthier, in spite of it being a very cold place in winter.)

Perhaps combatting the bulge down here (and resultant health-care costs) would provide added ammunition for moving away from a car-centric transportation system. Being fattest and/or unhealthiest is a dubious distinction that I'm sure no one wants, and it might be possible to shame some of the worst offending states into action. On the bright side, at least in my area, change is clearly coming slowly but surely.

randya

fried food

apacherider

It's an African American issue, not an aggregate population issue. The author leaves out vital statistics in regards to race. Usually that would not be an issue but in the whole overweight/diabetes/high blood pressure statistics it is a major factor.

Colorado is so low not because everyone goes mountain climbing and skiing on the weekends. They lack the African-American, Hispanic and/or Native American populations that skew numbers so much.

DX Rider

Inexpensive unhealthy fried food, aka "fast food" and high poverty are two of the major reasons I've heard cited.

The fattest states in this country also happen to have large populations of extremely poor people and no shortage of chain restuarants. When you're scrapping to feed that family of four, nutrition takes a back seat.

It's hard to spend money on a bike for excercise when you can barely afford to eat.

Who's up for Waffle House? Because there's practically one on every corner in some parts of the south.

I also think the traditional menus of certain regions tend to be unhealthy as well. Chicken Fried Steak is like a heart attack waiting to happen.

FWIW. A recent survey found that Colorado is on average the healthiest state in the US.

meanwhile

It's cliche, but humid heat can be utterly oppressive. I did courier work at 30C in Sydney, but I could barely ***walk*** at mid-day in New Orleans in summer.

But still, it's mostly diet. Plus Americans have some of the world's worst working hours and east supportive social infrastructure - it's harder for them to find time to exercise than, say, Swedes.

FLBandit

Here in FL you do have to be careful in the heat. It can and does kill. I think it's also one reason for lower bike usage for errands and such. Who wants to ride to the Mall, and be soaking wet when you get there. I ride to work sometimes, but only because I can shower and change when I get there. That's not possible in many places.

randya

Got racial bias? There are plenty of fat whites in the south, and there are plenty of native americans and hispanics in Colorado.

alhedges

You really, really, really should be right before you accuse someone of racism, IMO.

And of course you completely wrong - the health issues that African-Americans have due to obesity (esp. among AA women) have been a matter of concern for health professionals for at least 10 years. This is a well-documented health issue, not the knee-jerk reaction of a racist.

Here's a link:https://www.statehealthfacts.org/comp...p?ind=91&cat=2

randya

notice that I made no reference to blacks at all in my post, so don't get your panties all twisted up.

if you want to see real racism on BF, check this out

so no one cares about fat white southerners? they don't exist? plus it's laughable to say that Colorado doesn't have a significant hispanic population, just because you don't see any in your gated community, doesn't mean they don't exist.

-=(8)=-

Its the same way in other extremes too......
I lived in Rutland VT and they have the same problem.
A very unhealthy community. Here in FL the infrastructure
is extremely ped hostile and with the heat and the sprawlburbia
stuff, people are slaves to their AC condos and cars. The same
in VT......extreme cold and lots of miles in between stores, job,
home etc and you have the same situation in a non-southern
climate.

randya

is this ebonics?

mandovoodoo

Why are yankees so rude?

Why are left coasters so vain and shallow?

I see gobs of fit southerners down here. There's only a few heavies in the neighborhood. Actually, only one I can think of. When I go to the city, there are fat folks all over.

Statistics are so much fun. Watch that broad brush.

GodsBassist

People in the South are fat because they eat more calories than they use. Over a long period of time it builds up on the body as a calorie reserve, everybody knows that.

travelmama

Why must race come about? Fat is fat no matter what race people are. It is all gross and unhealthy.

ItsJustMe

Where do you get that opinion from? I quite like cycling at any time, but given the choice I'd probably rather be cycling at 0*F than 108*F. I'll cycle every day regardless of the temp, but I don't think that statement is really true.

AlmostTrick

Yes, diet is a big factor, but no time to exercise? Do you have any idea how many hours of TV Americans watch every day? Little desire to exercise I'd say.

And race is also a factor. Certain races have proven to be more likely to be genetically inclined to gain weight when eating the typical American diet. There's nothing racist about that if it's true.

randya

what I'd really like to know is how this is either advocacy or safety

jediphobic

I only know a few people who actually watch TV. Far more of my friends are simply so busy with school and jobs and everything else, that all they want to do is relax at the end of the day. Me? I think cycling is relaxing. So a little of both I suppose, little free time, and no desire to use that time to exercise.

cudak888 

Are them skinee racists in this here thread wearing one of thar helmet thingies?

-Kurt

StephenH

"Speaking of the heat, IMHO cycling is relatively heat-friendly when compared to other activities since the speed and associated breeze tends to have a cooling effect. Heat is not as oppressive as cold, when it comes to exercise."

We lived in Colorado for a while, and all in all, I found it much more pleasant to get exercise up there than in the Dallas area. I wasn't bicycling all year, but hiking and snowshoeing.

I-Like-To-Bike

I have noticed that freedom from icy patches or black ice or slippery snow on the roads, especially on dark roads, makes warm weather cycling far more pleasant and enjoyable. Freedom from multiple layers of clothing and more daylight are additional bonuses.

nelson249

The same situation exists in Newfoundland where you could probably count the number of blacks and hispanics on one hand. A combination of poverty, a traditional fatty diet and inactivity due to crappy weather goes a long way to explain obesity on a large scale.

Ngchen

Well, the idea is to see if people have ideas on how to get southerners cycling, so as to reduce their weight.

mikeybikes

Have you ever been to Colorado? That's laughable. Colorado has huge Hispanic populations.

In Denver alone, hispanics make up 34% of the population. Then look at farming communities like Greeley, and tell me we don't have a sizable Hispanic population.

Race isn't the only factor here.

DX Rider

Stop trying to cloud the issue by citing facts. This is the internet damn it.

Rational logic will get you nowhere in this discussion.