US Obesity Rates Still Climbing

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   Stacie Lposted 13 years ago

   More proof today that Americans are losing the battle of the bulge.
   
   Researchers at Harvard say the country's obesity epidemic will increase until at least 42 percent of the population is obese.
   
   Previous research shows obesity rates - which are at 34 percent the past five years - have peaked.
   
   
   are we eating poorly...not exercising...not working and sitting around?
   this is scary!
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   http://www.wkyt.com/wymtnews/headlines/ … 52113.html

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      kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I just updated my HFCS hub with the news that the percentage of fructose in HFCS turns out to be 65%, not 55% as previously believed. Oops. Not so similar to table sugar after all.
      
      It's also in everything from spaghetti sauce to whole wheat bread, so even if it really is "okay in moderation" as the industry claims, "moderation" has been rendered completely impossible unless you cook all your food from scratch. My family does a better job of that than many, but it's still shocking to read labels at the grocery store and discover how much of the stuff the less culinarily inclined must actually eat. No wonder we're fat when even some medicines have been filled with as much sugar as a piece of candy.

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   Stacie Lposted 13 years ago

   yeah I know about the excess sugars added to foods..i just want to know why?
   are they trying to make us all sugar junkies? LOL

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      kerrygposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      A lot of it is because of the deathgrip the agriculture (actually, make that agribusiness) lobby has on Washington. Subsidies artificially drive down the price of corn and soy, so they're cheaper than healthier foods. There's a great documentary called Food, Inc. that covers a lot of the problems with current American food policy.
      
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0

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      Dr Ken Romeoposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Aren't cigarettes additictive?
      How about alcohol?
      Guess What?
      Sugar is addictive too!
      And because we genetically modify corn (the by-product of which is sugar), why not hook us on sugar as well.
      Say "thanks" to Conagra and Congress every time you enter a grocery store.

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   psycheskinnerposted 13 years ago

   In a free market system anything that boosts taste, undermines self control, lowers costs and moves product will tend to get done.  This does tend to lead to escallating levels of flavor enhancers.

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   Stacie Lposted 13 years ago

   looks like San Fransisco took matters into their own hands...so to speak.
   they are banning Happy Meals because they are unhealthy with all the sugar and fat...well sometimes govt. can do some good..
   should they control what people eat?

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      mom101posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I am by and large all for a much smaller govt.  If they were to cut the staff in half and enforced that the workers actually did their jobs, we would do fine.
      Should they control what we eat? That is a damned if  question. Either answer  could be a little painful. Yes, because it is apparent we won't do it for ourselves. Hey, food taste good. But look at the damage we are putting ourselves thru.  The damage done is in a way much more worse than if one were to smoke. And yes, it does affect other people.
      
      Sugar, is one of the least things we should be concerned with.
      
      Margarine, the stuff that everybody thinnks is better than real butter, is one ingredient away from being plastic.
      
      psycheskinner, you are right. It does undermine our self control. But, the costs are anything but lower. The price for the food may be but look at all the costs associated with obesity.  Start from scratch. Employment  medical and the list goes on.
      
      We have got to find a way to reverse this train.

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   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   US Obesity rates still climbing- and will continue to rise and then come to a crushing downward spiral, as people die off.
   
   The level of ignorance of people in America is appalling to say the least, but it's unfortunate- not many actually see it as it is now.
   
   People are so twisted, turned and flipped upside down, on information with regards to many things. It's that lack of knowledge(or ignorance) that is or has lead to the problems in relation to obesity.
   
   Uneducated and uninformed people, tend to make things worse. The more ignorance to facts, the more damage to be done.
   
   The time for more consciously active people is coming and approaching faster than most realize.
   
   Just my thoughts.

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      mom101posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Cagsil, i agree. This is something that is not being taught at home or anywhere else a kid is during those critical young learning years.
      
      For several years I was the leader in a national weight loss company and each week i taught 75-100 people about healthy nutrition. diets fail. period. They did great. Our group made it to state and regional levels each year, and they won.
      
      I love food. plain ole southern cooked food. The older I get, the more relaxed with me I get. and i am beginning to buy prepackaged more often. (Oh i know). but that is part of the problem with everybody, to busy to prepare.
      I have said many many times, we need to get back to the basics of life. No, it is to the point we HAVE to get back to the basics, and soon.
      People go to the doctor and the doctor tells them, you have a choice, either loose the weight or die. But it does not phase them.
      
      Food rationing? Sounds stiff. But maybe just what we need.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hey Mom101, no disrespect meant, but the single biggest problem in the world today is how little people truly care about themselves.
         
         It shows that more and more people refuse to use conscious thought in their everyday life. They are so routinely driven by their environment, that they do not realize that the environment they are living within is actually deadly to themselves.
         
         It's ridiculous that more people are not aware, informed, educated about many aspects.
         
         The question is "how" and "why" did get to this point?
         
         Can you answer that?
         
         Just a thought. You don't need to really answer the questions either.

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   Richieb799posted 13 years ago

   Obesity is a HUGE problem

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   maudine_05posted 13 years ago

   I came from a third world country and when I migrated here in the US I noticed the lack of activities of people , meaning, everything is an instant... You wanna go to a store which is even 1/2 mile away instead of walking people here tend to use their car, no handwashing coz theres the high tech and very efficient washing machine and etc... I am not saying that these are bad things to do but rather contributed to having a sedentary way of life which of course lead to being overweight.

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   kazemaru2posted 13 years ago

   obesity is a pervasive disease but eventually be ended with more advanced drugs of the biotechnological nature.

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   gracenotesposted 13 years ago

   Some years ago, a colleague who had a PhD in Public Health gave me some statistics on cigarette smoking.  He said studies showed that if a doctor asks a cigarette smoking patient, "Have you ever thought of quitting?" and walks them through their options and provides resources for them, about 9% of the time, the patients do quit smoking.  That may not be an outstanding percentage, but it is very helpful.  Just that one little talk does make a dent.
   
   I have not struggled with obesity, but I think more doctors should be addressing this issue with obese patients, of which there are many now in the U.S.  Yes, every doctor, even the ophthalmologist, since diabetes can and does lead to many eye complications, including blindness.  Doctors need to develop good communication skills in this area, of course.
   
   The recent predictions on how many overweight Americans will develop adult-onset diabetes in the next 20 years are truly shocking and disturbing.

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    I am DB Cooperposted 13 years ago

    I don't suppose McRib month at McDonald's is helping out with this too much.

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