Advocacy & Safety - Why is obesity an epidemic?

Everywhere I go, everything I read, it's always saying obesity's an epidemic, pandemic, this disease. Isn't obesity a result of too much input and not enough output, isn't that a symptom, a condition? Not a disease? Seems like medical companies would love for this to be called a disease cause then everyone would just magically take their pill to "cure" it. Sad part is, I read in a lot of magazines about how someone tried dieting, tried going low-carb, tried the pills, tried the hollywood diet, and now they're finally resorting to surgery. And I'm thinking to myself, good god nowhere in this article does it say they tried exercise; ride a bike to work for god's sake.

No one wakes up one morning 25 pounds heavier and calls their doctor in panic screaming, "OH MY GOD I CAUGHT OBESITY! I had a sore throat last night but I thought I could sleep it off."

hahahahahhah '
I think the food chain has been currupted which in turn currupts the endocrine system in some cases . Others I believe is a lack of activity , a love a beer ect ect . I go to the public pool alot and I have to say it is an epidemic . I know , Ive been trying to get my wife on a bike and shed rather drink a beer and she weighs almost as much as I do bwahahahahahahahahahaahahaahahahahahahh and Im a muscular dude !
:):):)
jarhead#42

Laugh it up Hyena Boy.

hahahahahhah '
I think the food chain has been currupted which in turn currupts the endocrine system in some cases . Others I believe is a lack of activity , a love a beer ect ect . I go to the public pool alot and I have to say it is an epidemic . I know , Ive been trying to get my wife on a bike and shed rather drink a beer and she weighs almost as much as I do bwahahahahahahahahahaahahaahahahahahahh and Im a muscular dude !
:):):)
jarhead#42

You're creepy and scary...

Guys
Im a bird ! Look at my avator ! bwhahahahaahhhahahahahahahahah
peace
jarhead#42

Exercise for the goal of exercise can seem hard to accomidate into someones life. (I think it actually isn't, but its a common excuse)

Exercise as a by-product of living life is easier to build into routine (cycle commuting, walking to post office, playing a sport, hiking, not spending 15min driving around the mall parking lot looking for the closest spot, doing your own gardening instead of hiring someone else, etc.)

As far as food input, what is considered 'normal' or acceptable as shown on TV, etc. thru advertising has gotten worse.

I think disease is technicaly correct if one studies the medical definition. I don't know much on this, but recall reading something about it. Simplisticly - being obsese affects body systems and organ and/or body health which by defintion is a disease (remember disease does not mean sickness like infection by a germ, etc.)

Al

As far as food input, what is considered 'normal' or acceptable as shown on TV, etc. thru advertising has gotten worse.

That's the walmart culture, quantity over quality.

You're creepy and scary...
No he's immature though the two can be easily confused.

I think disease is technicaly correct if one studies the medical definition. I don't know much on this, but recall reading something about it. Simplisticly - being obsese affects body systems and organ and/or body health which by defintion is a disease (remember disease does not mean sickness like infection by a germ, etc.)

Al

disease definitions:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oi=defmore&q=define:disease

or go to google and type in 'define: disease'

Al

No he's immature though the two can be easily confused.


In a world of mature obese folks , I consider this as a compliment . bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Actually , Im sorta happy :)
peace
jarhead#42
ps , many people over 30 have a endocrine system malfunction . They lose energy , put on weight ect ect .These are the people who really need to get the endocrine system checked . I mean we have genetically engineered food , food that changes the bodies functions and basically hurts your body , disrupting the normal functions . This is what I believe to be the problem , our govt and corperations are poisening us

Hmm.. so it IS a disease. I always thought about it as if I were to over exercise and later I'm sore. My soreness would be a condition caused by too much exercise and if only I didn't over do it, I'd be ok, it's not a disease.
Kind of like parents telling their kids if they watch too much porno, they'll go blind.

In a wolrd of mature obese folks , I consider this as a compliment . bwhahahahahahahahahahahahahah
Actually , Im sorta happy :)
peace
jarhead#42
It damn sure wasn't meant as one. Grow up. Not everything is a laughing matter.

Kind of like parents telling their kids if they watch too much porno, they'll go blind.

you can go blind!! :eek: i just thought you got hairy palms. :p

I went to Wendy's today, where I had a healthful lunch (it can be done).

I was absolutely amazed at the huge portions of french fries, double and triple hamburgers and super-sized drinks filled with sugar (and refillable) that others were buying.

This despite numerous health warnings of the 1,000 - 1,400 calories in meals like this

How can we NOT have an obese society?

It damn sure wasn't meant as one. Grow up. Not everything is a laughing matter.


I sense a type A peronality . You seem to need the authority to determine , be in charge if you will of the moods of others . I stopped being like that a couple of years ago . Why not laugh ? We have a world thats been stolen by the noble ruling elite . That enough is worth a laugh , I mean we have pedophiles sending kids off for oil wars , people are being poisened everyday . If you dont laugh , you might get cought up in the illusians of the noble ruling inbred elite . I certainly will never be cought up in this game . Im too smart .
bwahahahahahhahahhahahhhahhahhah
:)
jarhead#42
Your reality is what you want it to be .

Kind of like parents telling their kids if they watch too much porno, they'll go blind.

And as a corollary, if you look at too many porn websites then your screen will go blank and your mouse will get hairy.

How can we NOT have an obese society?

I've wondered this on occasion as well. I live a fairly active lifestyle (20mi of biking 5 days a week, 2mi evening walks every day, hiking/backpacking on most weekends, mow lawn with pushmower, etc.) Yet I still need to watch what I eat and I am ~20lbs over ideal. I just don't understand why there are not even more significantly overweight people - I just can't imagine the aveage person exercises more and eats less than I do.

Then again a recent (rare) trip to the mall perhaps confirmed that the problem is worse than I realise.

Al

I've wondered this on occasion as well. I live a fairly active lifestyle (20mi of biking 5 days a week, 2mi evening walks every day, hiking/backpacking on most weekends, mow lawn with pushmower, etc.) Yet I still need to watch what I eat and I am ~20lbs over ideal. I just don't understand why there are not even more significantly overweight people - I just can't imagine the aveage person exercises more and eats less than I do.

Then again a recent (rare) trip to the mall perhaps confirmed that the problem is worse than I realise.

Al

I do about what you do, even more, with biking also on the weekends, and rather intensive weight lifting 3 x's week.

I, too, am about 20 lbs too much, and also have to continuously watch what I eat.

Part of it is age - at 64yo, my metabolism has slowed down a whole lot. I used to be able to eat more (in my 20's) and stay slim. Not any more!

And some of the folks eating at this Wendy's were HUGE! But still eating all the stuff. Yet, Wendy's has decent salads, low cal drinks, baked potatoes (on which I put low cal salad dressing), etc. The opportunities for better eating are there, if they will take them.

the problem is pretty bad. however, i only have the energy to care about myself and my immediate family and friends. hopefully my example will inspire others to become more healthy. if not, they can go sit in front of the TV and eat a gallon of ice cream for all i care. i've made the decision not to give a damn about people who don't care about themselves. heck...i don't even want to talk to 90% of the people i meet on the street. why should i care about what they have for dinner?

the problem is pretty bad. however, i only have the energy to care about myself and my immediate family and friends. hopefully my example will inspire others to become more healthy. if not, they can go sit in front of the TV and eat a gallon of ice cream for all i care. i've made the decision not to give a damn about people who don't care about themselves. heck...i don't even want to talk to 90% of the people i meet on the street. why should i care about what they have for dinner?

Because you and I end up paying for their diabetes, heart attacks, SSI Disability payments, missed work days and a bunch of other costs.

(Ever sit next to one in an airplane seat?)

I went to Wendy's today, where I had a healthful lunch (it can be done).
I was absolutely amazed at the huge portions of french fries, double and triple hamburgers and super-sized drinks filled with sugar (and refillable) that others were buying.
This despite numerous health warnings of the 1,000 - 1,400 calories in meals like this
How can we NOT have an obese society?

That's one of the reasons why mcdonalds is taking supersized off the menus and offering more salads. They were taking too much flak.

I do about what you do, even more, with biking also on the weekends, and rather intensive weight lifting 3 x's week.

I, too, am about 20 lbs too much, and also have to continuously watch what I eat.

Part of it is age - at 64yo, my metabolism has slowed down a whole lot. I used to be able to eat more (in my 20's) and stay slim. Not any more!
.

Well I get to exercise less since I am 30yrs younger than you ;) . But seriously, even at 34 I do put on the pounds much easier than when I was in my 20s.

Al

people will always pay for others 'problems'.

lots of people don't care that they are fat and overweight. some don't know how to loose the weight and some are turned off by health nazi's.

I'm a fat guy trapped in a skinny guys body. :D

Because you and I end up paying for their diabetes, heart attacks, SSI Disability payments, missed work days and a bunch of other costs.

yeah, you're right. my post wasn't very clear. i agree with you on the costs problem. i just meant i don't have the energy to criticize and look down on people all the time. i choose instead to worry about myself and make decisions as a consumer that i think are sound. i'll vote on any matter that i feel is important, and i'll do it in an educated way. that's the best i'm willing to do. i'm not out to save people from themselves.

people will always pay for others 'problems'.



So?

That doesn't mean we shouldn't do reasonable things like wearing seat belts, eating appropriately, not stepping in front of buses, not drinking while driving. There are a host of common-sense things that can be done to reduce health and other costs. Why shouldn't we do those things, and expect others to do them also?

I like to ride so that I can eat like a pig. :)

I can't get over how good those $6 guacamole bacon burgers from Carls Jr. are. Normally fast food makes me ill, but every once in a while...

I think I've poisoned the Ad-bot...

Saw a HBO programme recently naming Houston as the fattest city in the US. One example was a typical new housing development with no sidewalks. Mom drove her son (14) 50yds to the school bus stop. Aaaarrgghh!

By the way, did you know that cutting the average US car fuel efficency by 2.7m/gal would remove the need to import oil from the gulf?

So?

That doesn't mean we shouldn't do reasonable things like wearing seat belts, eating appropriately, not stepping in front of buses, not drinking while driving. There are a host of common-sense things that can be done to reduce health and other costs. Why shouldn't we do those things, and expect others to do them also?


no, what I meant was, we pay tax dollars and those dollars are not always spent how we think they should be.

Because you and I end up paying for their diabetes, heart attacks, SSI Disability payments, missed work days and a bunch of other costs.

(Ever sit next to one in an airplane seat?)
About fifteen years ago I had to travel a lot in my job, sometimes three cities a week. Anyway, one day I'm sitting in my seat at the gate when this fat slob wheezes up, raises the armrest between our seats, and plunks his fat butt down, pushing me half off my seat. I press the call button and a moment later the flight attendant walks up, takes one look, and tells him he'll have to get off the plane or buy two seats. She didn't even have to ask why I'd pressed the button.

The pig had the nerve to act as if he was being mistreated or something - like it was unfair for him to pay for his own obesity but would have been fair for him to sit in my lap for six hours.

John

In some cases it truly is an inherited endocrine problem; I have a close relative who is on a long, slow course of correction from a medical emergency a few years ago precipitated by weighing over 300kg--she found out that her thyroid gland had almost never worked! I share a whole lot of genes with this woman--there but for the grace of Tullio and salads go I. Hey khuon--hairy mouse? HAHAHA make my day!

So?

That doesn't mean we shouldn't do reasonable things like wearing seat belts, eating appropriately, not stepping in front of buses, not drinking while driving. There are a host of common-sense things that can be done to reduce health and other costs. Why shouldn't we do those things, and expect others to do them also?
For that matter, why not have the government regulate all of the minute details of our private lives? We can all go on heath-department approved diets, eating only meals approved by the NLLIC(National Lunch Lady In Charge). In the mornings, we will gather for our communal P.T. sessions. Then everything will be grand, and we won't have to worry about paying for anyone else's sloth!

I press the call button and a moment later the flight attendant walks up, takes one look, and tells him he'll have to get off the plane or buy two seats. She didn't even have to ask why I'd pressed the button.

It's a safety issue. The flight attendent was trained and wise to recognise it as such. A flight attendent's primary role is to act as safety officer. Since the man beside you was compromising a preset safety condition, it was her duty to force a resolution.

Everywhere I go, everything I read, it's always saying obesity's an epidemic, pandemic, this disease. Isn't obesity a result of too much input and not enough output, isn't that a symptom, a condition? Not a disease? Seems like medical companies would love for this to be called a disease cause then everyone would just magically take their pill to "cure" it. Sad part is, I read in a lot of magazines about how someone tried dieting, tried going low-carb, tried the pills, tried the hollywood diet, and now they're finally resorting to surgery. And I'm thinking to myself, good god nowhere in this article does it say they tried exercise; ride a bike to work for god's sake.

No one wakes up one morning 25 pounds heavier and calls their doctor in panic screaming, "OH MY GOD I CAUGHT OBESITY! I had a sore throat last night but I thought I could sleep it off."

This is a result of the American culture. Nothing is anyone's fault. It's somebody else, it's a disease, it's McDonald's, but it is never, ever me! Things that are failure of character, morality and/or virtue, and self-control have been classified as "diseases" as a result.

Drug addiction, alcoholism, wanton sexual promiscuity, and obesity are all individual failures of character, morality, and self control. But we cannot blame the person responsible, the drug addict, the drunk, the ****, or the fatso, because that would be - dare I say it? - wrong!

It is all, pardon my French, crap. Pure, unadulterated, 100% crap. If you are obese, it is because you are too self-indulgent to stop putting so much crap in your gullett. No one marches a fatso into McDonald's and forces them to super-size six extra-value meals. No one forces someone to stick a needle in their arm and inject heroin into their veins. No one forces another to drink alcohol. No one forces a **** to have sex with 100 partners in one night. It is a failure of character, not a disease.

The cure is no magic pill. The cure is to realize that you are a drunk, a ****, a fat slob and taking it upon yourself to rectify the situation through personal initiative, character, and self-control.

The only beneficiary - and I mean the ONLY beneficiary - are tort lawyers. Sue Seagrams, sue McDonald's, sue the tobacco companies, sue whoever, but never, ever, let on that your client is a fatslob who did it to himself.

For that matter, why not have the government regulate all of the minute details of our private lives? We can all go on heath-department approved diets, eating only meals approved by the NLLIC(National Lunch Lady In Charge). In the morings, we will gather for our communal P.T. sessions. Then everything will be grand, and we won't have to worry about paying for anyone else's sloth!

i agree - who ever said freedom is cheap? it's quite expensive actually.

however, i do think it's a problem when schools are turning the lunch programs over to fast food companies. i think that's one place where the government needs to regulate somewhat.

i agree - who ever said freedom is cheap? it's quite expensive actually.

however, i do think it's a problem when schools are turning the lunch programs over to fast food companies. i think that's one place where the government needs to regulate somewhat.
That last bit is a little disturbing, although as I recall, school meals were never particularly nutritious. A scoop of canned green beans does not a healthy meal make.

I like to ride so that I can eat like a pig. :)

I can't get over how good those $6 guacamole bacon burgers from Carls Jr. are. Normally fast food makes me ill, but every once in a while...

Those things rock! They're probably trying to kill me, but they are fantastic!

This is a result of the American culture. Nothing is anyone's fault. It's somebody else, it's a disease, it's McDonald's, but it is never, ever me! Things that are failure of character, morality and/or virtue, and self-control have been classified as "diseases" as a result.

Drug addiction, alcoholism, wanton sexual promiscuity, and obesity are all individual failures of character, morality, and self control. But we cannot blame the person responsible, the drug addict, the drunk, the ****, or the fatso, because that would be - dare I say it? - wrong!

It is all, pardon my French, crap. Pure, unadulterated, 100% crap. If you are obese, it is because you are too self-indulgent to stop putting so much crap in your gullett. No one marches a fatso into McDonald's and forces them to super-size six extra-value meals. No one forces someone to stick a needle in their arm and inject heroin into their veins. No one forces another to drink alcohol. No one forces a **** to have sex with 100 partners in one night. It is a failure of character, not a disease.

The cure is no magic pill. The cure is to realize that you are a drunk, a ****, a fat slob and taking it upon yourself to rectify the situation through personal initiative, character, and self-control.

The only beneficiary - and I mean the ONLY beneficiary - are tort lawyers. Sue Seagrams, sue McDonald's, sue the tobacco companies, sue whoever, but never, ever, let on that your client is a fatslob who did it to himself.

I vote this for post of the month. Well done.

For that matter, why not have the government regulate all of the minute details of our private lives? We can all go on heath-department approved diets, eating only meals approved by the NLLIC(National Lunch Lady In Charge). In the mornings, we will gather for our communal P.T. sessions. Then everything will be grand, and we won't have to worry about paying for anyone else's sloth!

You took what I said, "common-sense," and deliberately stretched my meaning and the intent of what I wrote to suit your purposes. This I call a foul ball. Shame.

This is a result of the American culture. Nothing is anyone's fault. It's somebody else, it's a disease, it's McDonald's, but it is never, ever me! Things that are failure of character, morality and/or virtue, and self-control have been classified as "diseases" as a result.

Drug addiction, alcoholism, wanton sexual promiscuity, and obesity are all individual failures of character, morality, and self control. But we cannot blame the person responsible, the drug addict, the drunk, the ****, or the fatso, because that would be - dare I say it? - wrong!

It is all, pardon my French, crap. Pure, unadulterated, 100% crap. If you are obese, it is because you are too self-indulgent to stop putting so much crap in your gullett. No one marches a fatso into McDonald's and forces them to super-size six extra-value meals. No one forces someone to stick a needle in their arm and inject heroin into their veins. No one forces another to drink alcohol. No one forces a **** to have sex with 100 partners in one night. It is a failure of character, not a disease.

The cure is no magic pill. The cure is to realize that you are a drunk, a ****, a fat slob and taking it upon yourself to rectify the situation through personal initiative, character, and self-control.

The only beneficiary - and I mean the ONLY beneficiary - are tort lawyers. Sue Seagrams, sue McDonald's, sue the tobacco companies, sue whoever, but never, ever, let on that your client is a fatslob who did it to himself.

A better (or more correct) way to put this is that the failure of character (possibly, but not in all cases, combined with the genetic disposition - not an excuse but a factor) caused the disease. In other words the disease didn't cause the situation, but the person caused the situation which results in the disease. Likewise the person can decide to address the situation (i.e. overeating, no exercise) and eliminate their disease.

Al

For that matter, why not have the government regulate all of the minute details of our private lives? We can all go on heath-department approved diets, eating only meals approved by the NLLIC(National Lunch Lady In Charge). In the mornings, we will gather for our communal P.T. sessions. Then everything will be grand, and we won't have to worry about paying for anyone else's sloth!

Where did you get the idea that the government should be regulating these things? I think the point made by the post you responded to was that if people were responsible for their actions it would benefit all of society. No where did the post say these should be regulated by government?

Al

Recently I saw a special on identical twins, separated at birth, who had found each other after many years.

What absolutely struck me was the similarity in weight, even after all these years, of each pair of twins. It was amazing. Why wasn't one skinny and the other fat? After all, they had been raised in highly different environments - different foods, different exercises, different everything, yet, after 20-40 years of being apart, they had almost the same identical weight and look.

I vote this for post of the month. Well done.
I disagree. The point is that people should take responsiblity for self inflicted diseases. Calling it a disease is not an excuse, its a fact.

Al

A better (or more correct) way to put this is that the failure of character (possibly, but not in all cases, combined with the genetic disposition - not an excuse but a factor) caused the disease. In other words the disease didn't cause the situation, but the person caused the situation which results in the disease. Likewise the person can decide to address the situation (i.e. overeating, no exercise) and eliminate their disease.

Al

Sorry, Al, but that is nothing but rationalization. "Pre-disposition" to obesity? Maybe if both your parents are fat because they stuff their faces on 8 meals per day, but the "science" that says there is a "fat" gene is so much fairy tale.

In some cases it truly is an inherited endocrine problem; I have a close relative who is on a long, slow course of correction from a medical emergency a few years ago precipitated by weighing over 300kg--she found out that her thyroid gland had almost never worked! I share a whole lot of genes with this woman--there but for the grace of Tullio and salads go I. Hey khuon--hairy mouse? HAHAHA make my day!

I tried to explain this fact before some got upset , called me imature and scary LOL
jarhead#42

Recently I saw a special on identical twins, separated at birth, who had found each other after many years.

What absolutely struck me was the similarity in weight, even after all these years, of each pair of twins. It was amazing. Why wasn't one skinny and the other fat? After all, they had been raised in highly different environments - different foods, different exercises, different everything, yet, after 20-40 years of being apart, they had almost the same identical weight and look.

I have seen some of the same reunion shows. I have seen twins were one was heavy with a full head of hair and the other was skinny and bald. If you pre-select your subjects, you can demonstrate anything without even making the point.

I disagree. The point is that people should take responsiblity for self inflicted diseases. Calling it a disease is not an excuse, its a fact.

Al

Al I say again the "science" that says obesity, alcoholism, drug addiction, et al, are diseases is pure unadulterated crap. But, I tell you what, why not present the published, peer-reviewed, scientific studies that proves what you call a fact. And I said "studies," plural on purpose because unless a study has been repeated by independent groups and achieved the same results every time attempted, one study is worthless.

I have seen some of the same reunion shows. I have seen twins were one was heavy with a full head of hair and the other was skinny and bald. If you pre-select your subjects, you can demonstrate anything without even making the point.

Sorry, but this was NOT the purpose of the show. There was no attempt to make any point about obesity. It was a show about reuniting identical twins. The similarity of build was not even mentioned in the script.

Also, there is a whole lot of research that shows a predispostion to obesity - not a gene, but perhaps up to 70 genes.

If there is a predisposition to tallness, to shortness, to black hair, to light skin, why is it so unreasonable to assume there is a predisposition to obesity? However, that is not an excuse but a reason to be even more careful.

All i now is that the spouses of the obese have a delema , what delema ? Im not sure . bwhahahahahhahhaahahahahhahahhahahahah
jarhead#42

Al I say again the "science" that says obesity, alcoholism, drug addiction, et al, are diseases is pure unadulterated crap. But, I tell you what, why not present the published, peer-reviewed, scientific studies that proves what you call a fact. And I said "studies," plural on purpose because unless a study has been repeated by independent groups and achieved the same results every time attempted, one study is worthless.

The fact is that if you smoke (as in you are a regular smoker), you will get lung disease.

Or to use obsesity - if your weight is above the threshold of defined obesity level you will have impared health, which is the defintion of disease.

Do you really need data on this?

Al