Advocacy & Safety - CNN article: "CDC: Obesity fastest-growing health threat"

Interesting article:

CDC: Obesity fastest-growing health threat (http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/diet.fitness/06/05/obesity.reut/index.html)

I don't want to single out overweight people and criticize them, but on the other hand, I can't seem to go anywhere these days without noticing this horrifying trend.

The people I have known over the last decade have all grown more overweight, except a handful. Some have simply grown so large I am grieved.

I don't count it a character flaw. We live in a society that makes
obesity easier and easier to fall into and physical fitness harder and harder to maintain.

We spend 6 - 8 hours in a bed. We eat breakfast, lunch and dinner sitting down, often eating the most unhealthy foods. We commute 30 - 60 minutes sitting (with elevated blood pressure.)
Many of us sit at our desks most of the workday. We sit on the couch and watch t.v.

Where do we get any exercise?

Obesity is the number one cause of preventable death and the second biggest factor behind all causes of cancer. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/452709

Pete, you and I live in the second most obese state in the US, Mississippi is number one. We are also second in new type II diabetes and hypertension, both highly attributable to obesity.
You're right, we live in a toxic environment where exercise is not seen as a priority.
Whatever happened to the wise and true adage "sound body = sound mind" principle that made the Spartans and Greeks such a great society. The roads here are not amenable to walking or biking to work so people are unable to incoorporate excercise into their life rather than finding time outside their numerous daily obligations. I don't know what the answer is.

Originally posted by cbhungry
I don't know what the answer is.

I don't think the answer is anything simplier than a quantum-leap change in society's beliefs and value system as they apply not only to exercise, but diet/malnutrition and marketing in this country.

We're as a society fatter than ever, but also less healthy, too. We drive everywhere and we sit on our asses in front of a cathode-ray tube when we aren't working or sleeping. We think nothing of eating calorie-ladden fast-food more than occasionally. All this and we still wonder why we are unhealthy, fat, and spending our older years with less and less quality of life.

It goes beyond exercising, way beyond that. It goes to the very heart of things like health care in this country. We have unquestionably the best system in the world. But it's also a system that just about zip to encourage prevention over reactionary treatment. It's a system that does very little to make people see the connection between diet and lifestyle with quality of life.

We are wealthy beyond all get out. Yet it's the very wealth that we have that also contributes greatly to our malnutrition and obesity. If we HAD to walk or cycle places, we unquestionably wouldn't be so fat. If we couldn't afford to eat out so often or drink so much alcohol, our dietary intake would be healthier.

It's a mess and no one is really sure where to start because as a society we are just so ignorant to begin with. Most people don't seemingly even know how much they are eating or exactly what constitutes a healthy or unhealthy diet. We don't even encourage our children to get out and play anymore, as if death by obesity-related diseases is somehow less of a probabilty than being accosted by some stranger (if we were actually afraid for the safety of our children from people who are most likely to assault them, we'd protect them from the male members of our families, but that's another story).

I've kind of given up. I used to be in health care and it was beyond frustrating trying to just get people to listen to preventative measures that required almost no effort. I figure that if people can't see how painful and awful malnutrition and lack of exercise in the people all around us already is, then I dunno....

There's this family next door to us (we are in canada, not the us, but obesity is becoming a problem here as well, though not quite as bad). The oldest daughter is really overweight, really fat, and she never seems to get much exercise. SHe has a bike, fortunately. But I think she and her brothers eat crappy food with lots of sugar and carbs, and the mother isn't much of a cook. It's kind of sad, because you can see all kinds of problems looming. The kid is really good in school and gets the best grades in her class (she's 10), but doesn't seem to have She's also really hyper and screams and cries at the slightest thing. One day, I said to the dad, "Gee, amanda really has a lot of energy (Being tactful). Maybe she would like to do sports!" The dad said, "We've tried, but she's just sort of well, lazy." yeah, well so are the parents- I mean they work, but they do not live the healthiest lifestyle. ON a nice saturday, they sit around the yard smoking and drinking beer all day. This kid is just doomed. Is there any wonder why type 2 diabetes is showing up in kids? She'll have it, I guarantee you. Where is she going to learn about healthy living? ANd this kind of thing is becoming more typical.

I want a cheesburger ;)

Originally posted by SamDaBikinMan
I want a cheesburger ;)

:roflmao:

I hope this doesn't hit a wrong nerve :

I have little sympathy for about 99% of people who are overweight. There is a tiny minority of people who have a genetic disposition working agianst them and can make it hard to not be overweight. If the other 99% can't control themselves and eat and exercise responsible, why should I have to bear their financial burden (remember, health care is government funded in Canada). I feel the same way about smoking and excessive drinking. Why should I have to cover the costs of someone elses lack of self-control?

The idea that McDonalds or Hersey (after that sucessful lawsuit for a 10 digit sum of money) is utterly ridicous. Blaming society is just as bad. Obesity is something somebody has nearly COMPLETE CONTROL over and gets little sympathy from me.

obesity is just the end result. the real concern is a growing laziness. energy begets energy. people just seem to have given up....because it is too hard? no. because the results are not readily apparent.

students make fun of word problems in school. but this is the type of problems that help you solve life's little problems. avoidance is not a solution.

your body is the container that hauls around your thoughts and inner being. some people think that is an important container and some think that it is just fluff.

WHAT am I doing SETTING on my A$$! I'm going for a ride!:eek:

Damn, it's raining here.

Originally posted by Max
Interesting article:

CDC: Obesity fastest-growing health threat (http://edition.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/diet.fitness/06/05/obesity.reut/index.html)



I can see our own national health service (free) going further than asking fat people and smokers to sign an agreement to change their habits - I see operations being given priority to people who actively try to avoid fat and smoking related illnesses by not smoking, and by keeping the weight off.

My mum just had an op to put two stints in her arteries, and IS changing her habits - over two weeks smoke free, no craving, no patches.

I'd be pissed at her, REALLY pissed, if she got back on the smokes. Her stints would become irrelevant in a matter of months.


I AM heavy, but actively trying, and succeeding (slowly) to reverse that - I either walk or cycle every day, and swim about 3 times a week, and weight train at least twice. I've added running two-three times a week to this too.

Resting heart rate is down 33beats in just over three months. BP is normal. Cholesterol is v.good.

I'm *not* dying early! I want to be old and annoying!

Originally posted by cbhungry
The roads here are not amenable to walking or biking to work so people are unable to incoorporate excercise into their life rather than finding time outside their numerous daily obligations. I don't know what the answer is.

The obvious answer would be to make them amenable for walking and biking.

But for this the leadership is required. If we wait for people to decide to cycle to work and demand from the government to improve roads, then we will wait forever.

It will not work like this.

If the functional bicycle trail to the office and the covered parking for bicycles were built, and then John says: "Look man. This time we got it right. This is your new assignment - you are to cycle to work. Otherwise you lose 15% of your salary for additional health insurance."

In the evening the President of the USA also says: "Yes. This is very patriotic to cycle to work. It makes country independent, improves health and environment."

And people would start cycling.

And what we see instead. For example, in Buffalo the group of 120 cyclists was attacked and beaten by the 28 policemen.

I would never believe that the decision to attack the 120 strong group could be taken outside the WH. The reasoning behind it could be: "They are not using oil for transportation, but it is my product."

Unfortunately, Al Gore "lost", and we got for the "leader of the free world" the very environment-unfriendly man. GB could be a nice family man, but he is not the leader, which can solve the modern serious problems.

This catastrophe with obesity is his failure. This is how he leads his nation (and unfortunately the world).

Does this sound familiar?

"Supersize that!"

We are getting fatter because we don't know what sensible eating is- and we insist on having the most bang for our buck. I also believe that these "fat- free" foods that have tons of calories do us in also... it's causing us to be fat

Gas is too cheap--this is the root of it. This country needs to lose a Mideastern war in a catastrophic, humiliating way and our cheap oil with it in order to move toward the right path.

Society in general is just lazy, my ex-wife is very overweight and has been since she was younger. I believe is partialy genetic, but can be overcome with exercise her sister was also overweight along with her dad. As soon as her dad had his 2nd heart attack he started eating better and getting some exercise and has lost some weight still not thin but getting their. She was taking Hydroxycut to lose weight till her doctor showed her the nast side effects it was having on her like her blood pressure. She asked me what she should do I told her to start exercising she did not have to do it every day but a majority of the week. She said that is to much work she woudl rather take her pills and deal with the consequences what kind of logic is this? I would rather be thin and die at a early age then exercise?

Originally posted by Kev
She asked me what she should do I told her to start exercising she did not have to do it every day but a majority of the week. She said that is to much work she woudl rather take her pills and deal with the consequences what kind of logic is this? I would rather be thin and die at a early age then exercise?

I remember listening to a news report, and the surveyors asked would people take a pill that would take off all your excess weight that would take 5 years off your life? Not surprisingly, the majority of respondants said they'd take the pill.

Personally, I'd rather exercise and live the extra five years, but hey... different strokes for different folks!

Another problem with our society is that we are very results driven- we want it now, now, NOW! and we're willing to cut the corners to get the end result, even if it's lesser quality. But then again, when it IS lesser quality, people complain about the low quality...

You can't have your cake and eat it too, I guess.... as I've said before.

Now is that 5 years off the life you would have lived if you had done nothing to change your weight or eating habits?

Heck, Koffee, if you exersize and eat right you will, more likley than not, live 15 years longer than if you had done nothing!:beer:

I think Koffee is right. Probably one reason people are obese is that they try to lose weight and want it to come off in a week. They want instant results, instead of having to change their lifestyle and give up eating things they like. When the weight doesn't come off, and when it doesn't stay off, they just give up, think, what the hell and start stuffing their faces again because 'its so hard.' Well, yes, some things aren't easy! Or people lose weight and expect everything to magically change and when it doesn't they give up. They don't want to make a sustained effort. It's easier to gain weight than to lose it, and people like what's easy.

Yes, it's so true- it is so easy to pack on the pounds, but to work it off, it takes months and sometimes years to take it back off. Then after that, it's a lifestyle change that you must maintain for the rest of your life- and that's what a lot of dieters don't understand. That's why I hate to say "diet". I prefer stressing "lifestyle change" when talking to folks in my fitness classes. They have to realize that it's going to take time, and only after positive, healthy lifestyle choices are made and then maintained. If they can't admit that much, they're not ready to take the weight off.

Sadly enough, there are people in my classes that haven't done anything I suggested, and after two years, they are still complaining they are overweight, and some are fatter than ever. When I start talking about upping the exercise and nutrition choices, they start to shy away. At that point, I tell them to come see me when they're ready. Unfortunately, no one's come to me yet... :(

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
When I start talking about upping the exercise and nutrition choices, they start to shy away. At that point, I tell them to come see me when they're ready. Unfortunately, no one's come to me yet... :(

The lifestyle, which leads to excessive weight, is being advertised incessantly on TV, in magazines, etc.

When someone sees the ad 10 times per day as a happy, charming couple jumps into their new car and drives away to a new future, this someone thinks: "Aha. This is what I am told to do."

He also drives his car, exactly as in the ad, exactly as the society told him to do. But the result is not that charming.

The consumers are systematically deceived into this lifestyle, or I would say, deathstyle.

Originally posted by Koffee Brown
Does this sound familiar?

"Supersize that!"

We are getting fatter because we don't know what sensible eating is- and we insist on having the most bang for our buck. I also believe that these "fat- free" foods that have tons of calories do us in also... it's causing us to be fat

I stopped while I was shopping yesterday and bought a soft pretzel. I asked the girl how much would it come to if I added on a small soft drink (I only had a couple of bucks on me). She gave me the price but said for a penny more I could have the large drink. We argued for a minute because she couldn't understand why I wouldn't want the large. Apparently the answer "because I would drink it" didn't make sense to her.

Originally posted by Tina
We argued for a minute because she couldn't understand why I wouldn't want the large. Apparently the answer "because I would drink it" didn't make sense to her.

Simply saying 'I don't want that much to drink' might have made more sense?

Originally posted by jatkins679
Simply saying 'I don't want that much to drink' might have made more sense?



Yup...sometimes making a point is lost on some customer service people. :)

I frequently have a similar response "I don't want that much" which seems equally lost on some people.