America's Obesity Epidemic. Who's to Blame?
91Mmmm Mom's Home Cooking
Tipping the Scales
There is no denying Americans are getting heavier. And heavier. And heavier. Being overweight correlates to a host of health problems including high blood pressure and diabetes, and ultimately, shorter life expectancy. Current statistics:
- 67% of Americans (200 million) are overweight or obese - a doubling since 1980. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Currently one third of American children are either obese or at risk of becoming obese (IOM Progress In Preventing Childhood Obesity)
"Today's children may become the first generation in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents'."- 17th United States Surgeon General Richard H. Carmona, M.D., M.P.H., F.A.C.S.
That is a frightening thought.
From Family Dining to Fast Food Nation
We were not always a super-sized nation.
Well, how did we get here? A combination of trends has changed our eating habits and our very relationship with food. I'll use my own childhood as my benchmark. Back in the ‘60s and ‘70s there was exactly one hamburger stand in our town, Wetson's. We frequented it very, very infrequently, like maybe 3x a year. We also had a Dunkin' Donuts. My dad had a sweet tooth, so he got us a dozen donuts after church every couple of weeks (we went to church every week, we just didn't get donuts every time). On Friday nights we were allowed TV dinners. Other than that, we ate home-cooked food. If we dined out, it was a special occasion. My mom wasn't big on cooking, so if fast food had been more available, I've no doubt we would have been first in the drive-thru line.
Fast-forward to the present as I'm raising my son. Working full-time is not an excuse for laziness in the meal planning department, it's simply part of this equation. We have soccer practice after school, games and tournaments on weekends. My son goes through various evolutionary phases in his choice of fast food. First McDonald's, then Burger King (always Burger King for French toast sticks and hash browns, the breakfast of late-for-school champions). He flirts with Jack in the Box, Taco Bell, In ‘n Out Burger, finally declaring Wendys his all-time favorite.
Ninety percent of these "meals" are consumed in transit. Despite the fact that my German car has no cup holders (think they might be onto something here?), we regularly eat and drink while driving.
It's this eating/drinking and driving that's so dangerous. We multitask. We snarf rather than savor. Do we even care if we're ingesting French fries or quesadillas? Heck no! They're both just starch and grease. The perfect road food. We're lovin' it!
Cheap, fast and easy -- is just a little sleazy
Then there's the seductively low price of fast food. Fast food restaurants appeal to people who are either in a hurry, on a limited food budget, or both. If I'm hungry this minute, it offers me a quick fix. I can eat a "satisfying" meal, complete with drink, for under $5 and I don't have to pay a tip.
If they priced their food higher would they lose customers? That would be an interesting experiment. The combo of convenience and price is hard to beat.
What makes it so good?
My son and I had this discussion just this week. We both swear there is a secret ingredient all fast food restaurants put in their food. This little extra somethin' makes it smell irresistible and keeps you coming back for more. We don't know exactly what it is (that's why it's a secret) but it's the food equivalent of THC or nicotine. And yet, fast food has not been formally declared addictive.
Just because they sell it you don't have to eat it
This is my son's argument. He sees it as a personal choice based on the common sense he claims everyone should have. For example, "Everyone should know that eating a hamburger so big you can't even fit in your mouth is way more fat and calories than a regular burger." His common sense solution to super-sized soft drinks is to buy the large (because it's only $.20 more than a small) but don't drink it all.
This may explain why, despite consuming his fair share of McDonald's et al over the years, he is still long and lean. Others aren't so lucky
Egg McMuffintop?
|
The Fast Food Diet: Lose Weight and Feel Great Even If You're Too Busy to Eat Right
Price: $0.32
List Price: $14.95 |
|
Cellfood Natural Weight Loss Formula, 4-Ounce Bottle
Price: Too low to display
List Price: $37.95 |
|
Organic Black Soy Beans -1 Lb- Black Soybean Seeds- Seed for Sprouting Sprouts, Cooking, Making Tofu & Soymilk
Price: $6.95
List Price: $9.95 |
|
Relax Your Way to Thin! Hypnosis Weight Loss Motivation
Price: $19.95
List Price: $19.95 |
|
NanaCea 24/7 (Choc) (870g 30 serv) Heart Healthy Meal Replacement by Patty Mcpeak
Price: $49.60
|
|
Dr. Siegal's Cookie Diet Book: How a Doctor and His Cookie Helped 500,000 People Lose Weight Fast
Price: $17.96
List Price: $24.95 |
McDonald's made me fat
In 2002 two Bronx, NY teenagers sued McDonald's, claiming that its food had caused them to become obese and unhealthy. The suit claimed McDonald's failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose the ingredients and effects of its food, including high levels of fat, salt, sugar and cholesterol. The landmark legal action was the first of its kind against a fast-food chain to make its way into a U.S. courtroom and was modeled on similar litigation against tobacco companies.
The plaintiffs argued that McDonald's should be held accountable for the girls' obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol. The father of one of the girls said he had never seen anything in the Bronx restaurants that informed him of the food's ingredients. "I always believed McDonald's was healthy for my children," he said in an affidavit.
To win their argument, the girls would have to prove that McDonald's successfully fools its customers into a state of ignorance about the health risks of eating its product, and that in the absence of McDonald's deception, they would not have become overweight.
That seems like a pretty heavy burden of proof, doesn't it? And that dad doesn't sound too bright. I may feed my kid McDonald's, but I never fool myself into thinking it's "healthy."
Lawyers representing McDonald's used the same argument as my son. They said, "Every responsible person understands what is in products such as hamburgers and fries, as well as the consequence to one's waistline, and potentially to one's health, of excessively eating those foods over a prolonged period of time."
McDonald's lawyers also contended that it would be impossible to establish whether eating at McDonald's was a major cause of ailments because genetics, medical conditions and sedentary lifestyles could also be factors."
I dunno about that. These kids were just teenagers. Awfully young to be dealing with high cholesterol, high blood pressure AND diabetes - those usually show up after several more years of trashing your body.
Not so fast (food)
... says the judge
In the end, the judge dismissed the case. But the fact that McDonald's has added more healthful alternatives such as salads and yogurt to its menu can be seen as a "good faith" effort (at least to avoid further litigation).
As for me, I do consider myself a "responsible person" who understands the consequences of various food choices to my waistline and health. To me, responsible means that I hold myself accountable for the food choices I make. McDonald's may have deeper pockets than some of the other companies I could go after (Dreyer's ice cream, Hershey's, Frito Lay, to name just a few). The bottom line is, I do agree with my son on this one. Just because they make it, I don't have to eat it. And if I do eat it, I know enough to get my bottom to the gym and work - not sue - to get rid of the consequences of my indulgence!
Fast Food Facts & Figures
- The Fast Food Explorer | Helping America Make Healthier Fast Food Choices
Helping America Make Healthier Fast Food Nutritional Choices.
Time to Weigh In
Should people be allowed to sue companies for making them fat?
See results without votingPrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
Geat hub! I've got a fast food breakfast addiction, and the egg mcmuffin top to prove it! I'm far better than I used to be, and try to make better choices now when I do stop - a decaf black rather than the vanilla latte, for example. I do believe that everyone is responsible for the choices they make. They can choose not to swing through the drive thru just like they can choose to not pick up the pack of cigarettes.
Thanks NY Lady and Em. I do think fast food is something we grow out of -- one way or the other:-). I still do it, but a lot less often than when my son was little. Like your kids, NYL, he's seen FFN and cares about his body now. Or I think, at this moment, the possible connection between ffs and zits;-).
I wonder if I will get anyone on the other side of this debate...
Good subject, Mighty Mom. I've heard several testamonies stating that fast-food restaurants do indeed add addictive ingredients to their food. I don't know about that, but I certainly would not put it past them.
I'm afraid I am less forgiving than you when it comes to America's current level of obesity. As teenagers, adults and parents, we know this kind of food (and just not fast-food, but junk food from the market, as well) is fattening and unhealthy. The better, smarter choices are there: In the markets and in the fast-food restaurants. Those who choose to ingest what they know to be garbage are responsible for the affects, just as those who choose to smoke are responsible for that decision.
We have become a nation of whiners who, instead of taking responsibility for the decisions we make, like to blame everyone else for what we do to ourselves. We eat ourselves into lethergic obesity then blame fast-food. We pop a pill for everything imaginable then blame the "chemicals in our food" because we're always sick and suffer Dementia and Alzheimer's in our later years.
I'm sorry, I have no sympathy for a blatant lack of common sense.
Should people be allowed to sue companies for making them fat? I think it's upto the individuals. My cousin was totally under weight and used to eat ice creams/chocolates to put on weight (I wish I had that body constitution). Anyway what I mean is that some people may need the high calorie diets. I heard Michael Phelps has 10K+ calorie diet a day (ofcourse its an exception). By the way now I can never have a cup cake after looking at the adjacent picture (which is an unflattering side effect even showing up on me)..hehe
Very good hub. I think also a problem is most of the advancements we have only give us an excuse to get out of basic work and movement: remote control so we don't have to move, dishwasher so you don't have to wash dishes, self-propelled lawnmower so you don't have to work so hard at mowing the yard. We seem to contradict ourselves. Do not mean to go off on a tangent. We are a society of fast and easy and ignore the healthy needs.
Thank you again for a wonderful piece.
Hey there, RGraf. Thanks so much. I agree we have become a nation of contradictions. Health has become a preoccupation and a quest -- with diets of all ridiculous sorts substituting for reasonable portion control, and working out in a gym substituting for expending calories in our daily activities. I know I have to fight total couch potato-dom. HubPages is so addictive!!
Great hub - and I think it's a lot more than just over-eating. So many Americans are hardworking as well - so there has to be something more. My sister-in-law and husband, both doctors who worked with John Hopkins for years were convinced it was the growth hormones - from beast to meat to our bodies - they just don't fade away. Add to that trans fats which make fast food taste sooooo good and sit ill in your arteries and you'll see that it's more than just the food manufacturers to blame. So maybe change at the grassroots levels is necessary all over the world!
Thanks, Shalini. I don't know about the growth hormones interpretation, but the trans fats are definitely one of the main culprits. Now they're cutting them out of more foods and at least making us aware of them. I think the biggest bad guy in the whole epidemic is really our CARS. We drive them everywhere and we eat in them. And when we eat in them we don't eat good foods.
Yes, one does see a lot of awareness so I guess that's the first step to change - here's hoping - and anyways, you don't look like you need to worry at all!! :)
Corn syrup. Its in a majority of our food products. Look at any food or drink label, it usually comes in some form.
I agree that people are responsible for themselves and their own behaviors in cases like these. As you say, you'd have to be pretty stupid to not know that fast food is significantly less healthy than other foods, whether McDonald's tells you or not. (Of course, they probably knew this but they can't sue McDonald's because they themselves are stupid.) This probably has a lot to do with frivilous lawsuits - trying to rob a company just to see if you can get away with it. I tell you who they should have sued: The U.S. Government - for the state of our educational system that consistently turns out morons such as themselves.
Say, do you know you have your own "Yogi-ism" up there? it's cute. Thanks for a great hub! You've been scarce around the underground hubmob, where our motto is, "Where there's malarkey, we create anarchy!" Report for action, soldier!
I'm not good at debating, but here's a subject: "When something has been made normal, does that mean it's acceptable?" When a child sees junk food as normal and hence not junk food, does the argument of choice bear weight?
I'm one who has gone against the norm here and voted yes. The issue of not pleading ignorance has it's limits as far as I'm concerned. Ethics in business, any business, has a long leash, way too darn long. Subliminal advertising plays a part in this, as well as the alluring aroma that, as you have stated, is akin to nicotine in cigarettes. Have you noticed the clever McDonald's advertising geared directly at children. A nagging child has allot of weight, and ends up with allot of weight as a result. And get an adult fat and then try a guilt trip on why they feed their children rubbish. Much harder when the pot and the kettle are as black as each other.
I'd love the soda companies to be roped over the coals as well. The indications that diet drinks help you lose weight. Has anyone seen a person go from 2 litres a day of normal coke, to 2 litres of diet coke actually lose weight? And the argument that aspartain is linked to cancer. WHY IN THE NAME OF ETHICAL DESCENCY is aspartain allowed in sodas?
Why was it so easy to address the trans fat issue and not aspartain? I don't understand. Maybe my ignorance can be answered by someone.
Hi Goldentoad: corn syrup you say? Have you seen the commercials they're now showing that make corn syrup out to be all natural and aok "in moderation" Ha!
Jewels: You raise some excellent points. There's something about the smell of sizzling fries. Mmmmm. And yes, I have seen the commercials aimed at kids. I just love the one with the kids soccer teams and they're singing (I think it's in Italian). Brilliant advertising and it cuts across generations -- both kids and parents. I also agree that soda is a huge culprit, too. Do you know how many tablespoonfuls of sugar are in a glass of soda? Not to mention portion size. The large sodas they serve now are like a quart. Way too much.
I think in the end we need to be responsible for ourselves and our own kids. Although Christoph -- I like the idea of suing the government. Alas, I don't think they have a lot of spare cash after bailing out Wall Street and potentially the auto industry as well. But if you hear of any class action suits, be sure to post them here on HP so we can join in:-). Good to see you, as always. MM
Great hub Mighty Mom. The obesity epidemic is catching on here too, and it's a big worry. Strangely enough though, my big concern with my children is the drinks that they serve at these fast food places. Have you ever looked up the calorie content of one of those milkshakes? It's collosal! I'm so lucky that my younger child has never cottoned on to fizzy drinks, and my daughter is aware that they are for treats only. All too often when I stand behind very ample people in supermarket queues I notice that their trolleys are full of Coke and lemonade. We have a whole vocabulary developing here for expessing that someone is overweight, but in a polite way. My favourite is 'extremely well-nourished'! (LOL)
Amanda,
Glad your kids are able to stay away from the high sugar drinks. When I was a young girl we were allowed soda only 1x a week, on Friday nights (and it was such a treat). Candy was also 1x a week after church on Sunday.
I like you "extremely well-nourished" name for overweight people. The thing is, they probably are NOT well nourished if their diet consists of fat, fat and sugar:-). I think the parallel might be what they say when someone is in their cups (drunk) -- they were 'overserved.' That seems to be the case with obese people, also. Thanks so much for commenting.
Overserved! I love it! Perhaps someone should write a hub about polite ways of stating the obvious! I might even do that myself. Now there's a thought.....
Amanda, not to state the obvious, but that's a CAPITAL IDEA! I look forward to reading it. We have gone way overboard in political correctness. But some "obvious" states still need to be examined and commented on. What fun! Makes me so hungry I want to go eat a Whopper from Burger King with an extra large milkshake and supersized fries. MMMMM
First, and foremost, MM, I'm really sorry about your loss and I hope you are with your family during such a hard time.
I have mixed feelings about this. I do believe that we are programmed to survive famines, so it is very easy to fall for certain triggers (high-sugar foods, larger portion sizes, etc.) that make us overconsume. It does require some conscious intervention, though, since we're not facing famine in developed countries. In fact, the poor typically have the highest rates of obesity. I do think obesity is the result of glandular/hormonal problems brought on by unhealthy habits, so I do think education is really important.
It's also worth remembering that healthy food is EXPENSIVE. It's either time-consuming if you buy everything raw, or incredibly expensive if you want it prepared. Junk food? Ready and cheap. And tasty. When you're earning minimum wage and are living paycheck to paycheck, the $7 difference between a taco bellgrande at Taco Bell and salmon salad at Whole Foods is huge. I know it's an extreme example, but an illustrative one. The era where one parent could afford to stay home and cook from scratch is over for most people. Convenience is a must.
Our healthcare system, unfortunately, does not reward increasing access to healthy foods, educating people on healthy foods, or encouraging healthy habits. It encourages cherry-picking the healthy and leaving everyone else to be unhealthy. So, I strongly believe that national universal healthcare coverage will force healthcare providers to have a long-term incentive in encouraging healthy behavior (because they will be covering people for the long-term), and it might help subsidizing low-income people to have access to healthier food.
Hi Livelonger, I think you are right on all counts. The poor are most susceptible to the entrapment of fast/junk food. And don't even get me started on our abysmal healthcare system. Cherrypicking is right. So instead of insuring everyone up front and keeping us happy they pay for the aftermath of decades of bad habits with heart disease and diabetes. Arrggh. Thanks!
Hi, MM-
I just read your other hub, too. So sorry about your dad. Ironically, my father goes for heart surgery tomorrow--we believe he will be all right, but it always feels odd, uncomfortable...
Concerning this hub, I read somewhere--I think it was in the New Yorker--that some of these obesity issues are set in the womb. That if a baby was born to a well-nourished mother, it is good that they remain well-nourished, as they are adapted to that, but if a baby is born to a mother who is mal-nourished (who may as well be obese--as is often the case), the baby, essentially, is adapted already to a famine-like environment, and so has the propensity towards obesity. It was a very interesting read.
I actually think we are getting better concerning this whole 'Super Sizing Me'--it is just taking everyone a little while to catch up with new research and to break old habits. Still--I for one--was shocked that the hamburger I'd been eating for lunch breaks had something like 720 calories in it! Gross. Plus, the older you get, the more you realize that eating junk makes you feel bad.
And much of this has to do with the fact people don't get enough exercise in normal life-- RGraf is right.
Part of the 'fast food diet' that so many people partake of is due in part to the fact that families tend to need two incomes to get by decently nowadays, which means less time and energy to cook good meals at home. It's less effort to stop and grab a burger on the way from work than it is to get in and go straight to the kitchen to start making pork chops. I'm not saying it's a valid excuse, but it certainly is a reason why the weight problem is so out of control with a lot of people. It's simply more convenient, in the short term, to eat a burger and fries that can be made for you in 5 minutes than it is to spend half an hour in the kitchen at night making something healthy.
Which is my own personal problem that I need to fiught to get over. I'm not exactly what you'd call small-boned. I'm large. Too large. And have gone through eating disorders. Not fun. But often, instead of getting my butt up off the chair and making something simple and easy like spaghetti for supper, I'll order pizza. Or burgers. Or any number of things I shouldn't have but that are more 'convenient' for me.
It's a nasty cycle.
MightyMom, great hub.
I agree, The fast food restaurants are not responsible for the choices individual diners make. It would make just as much sense for the McDonald's chain to sue their obese customers for making McDonald's serve unhealthful food, because customer choices ultimately led to to the McDonald's menu. If people don't buy it, it doesn't pay to make it.
I agree with Livelonger that good food and food that is good for us is more expensive, if we take into account that the time spent in food preparation also has value. That's why peoples' lives are enriched when some family member agrees to stay home and be a housekeeper. (It doesn't have to always be a woman who does this, of course.)
Which brings me to the interesting point made by RiaMorrison about how nowadays people need two incomes to get by. Why is that exactly? When there was only one breadwinner in a typical American family, an entire family was able to live off the work of one person. Now that twice as many people are working, is each of them producing half as much as the average breadwinner used to? How did this happen?
Presumably we get paid for what our time is worth on the open market. Did Americans devalue their own time when twice as many offered to work outside the home?
I can't believe people would actually try to sue a chain for "making them Fat" The food isn't free or forced down their throats...
I'm becoming very "Anti-McDonalds" these days. It's amazing how much better I feel when I've eaten home cooking for a while.
Interesting hub. I note the result of the poll that 89% of people felt it was up to the individual to say no to unhealthy food - not always an easy choice. I always feel a whole heap better when I keep to healthy foods.
I find sweet foods very addictive and once I start I want more - so best to keep away from them in the first place!
So, as I read everyone's excellent comments, we all recognize it's a problem. We disagree to some extent as to why it is occurring -- could be genetically programmed (although our parents were not genetically programmed to be obese!) I do believe the combo of being more sedentary and consuming larger portions of high fat/high sugar foods is behind the bulk of it. We need to get off our derrieres and walk. And we do have to think about our food choices. But I'm with everyone who talked about it being a) more expensive and b) more time-consuming to cook/eat healthy. Now there are healthier items on the menu at many fast food restaurants. Does this mean I order those? Heck no! If I'm gonna go to McDonalds, I'm gonna get me some FRIES, baby!
But yes, my body feels so much healthier when I feed it veggies, fruits, whole grains and just a small amount of protein. And I'm also with you Accora. Do NOT get me started on the sweets. If I eat one piece I want the entire cake! Better to avoid the first piece...
Thanks everyone for reading, voting and commenting. MM
Hey MM - there is a terrific book called "Good Calories, Bad Calories" that sounds like a cheesy diet book, but is actually a long, research-backed piece of non-fiction that exposes the waves of bad policy that have contributed to the obesity crisis. The biggest finger points to the entire "fat-free" craze in the 80s and 90s that encouraged exactly the sort of behavior that screws with your metabolism and encourages you to eat more. All the result of bad science. (The author goes into deep detail on it). "Fat-free" means starchy and sugary foods - stuff that is prone to create the insulin problems that create the snowballing weight gain effect.
Older generations didn't really exercise that much more than we do, but they did avoid sugar, which was the nutritional sin of our grandparents' generation that fat is today. It is also the sin in France (fat sure isn't!) and the French are far lighter than we are.
The problem is that we do have a genetic propensity to eat sweets and starchy food. It makes complete evolutionary sense - these kinds of food were readily available in HUGE quantities during a very short period of the year (before refrigeration) - during the harvest. So we're programmed to fatten up during this brief period, and then survive off it during the months of lean. The problem is that nowadays we have a permanent harvest! (and lots of refinement that allow us to consume much more nutrient-dense foods)
MM-You know I believe in eating things that are quote, quote, 'bad for you,' once in a while. Otherwise you make everything worse. But you gotta, gotta stay away from those McDonald's french fries--they are radio active! No lie--this person I know had an e-zine based in Brooklyn and they did a study on them. They do not disintegrate or mold for months when left laying around in open air, unlike other restaurant fries. Some additive.
Also, Dairy Queen's fries have huge amounts of calories--much more than other chains. Besides, Arby's curly fries rule! (Once in a while.)
A much closer look at the obesity epidemic reveals that the states with the biggest obesity problem also have the most people on food stamps, wic and welfare. Public assistance is a good thing for those who need it but do the math. It all goes back to one having to forage for their own food.
stanley: I disagree. I think the lack of education is the problem, as is income. Wealthy people are extremely well-educated about matters of health and weight (and they know, more than anyone, the socioeconomic problems you'll have if you're not fit), and they can afford the healthiest food available. If you're poor and even if you're on public assistance, you're not going to go to a health food market if you think it's "hoity toity" food for rich "elites".
Ever since I started maintaining a serious exercize schedule I have also been more careful about what I eat. But still it is so easy to eat all those calories until one gets on the treadmill where the calorie count doesn't seem to increase..hehe. I sometimes wish their could be a machine in which I give somebody $10 an hour to run for me and I will lose the weight....LOL
The lady in the picture looks like a normal size with the muffin top. The problem is she is wearing way too tight of pants and showing off her midrift to boot. I eat out at Del Taco once a week because i really do not like McDonald's or hamburgers much, but I do not eat out much. I eat healthy and walk quite a bit, which helps.
Great hub as usual MM, thank you!
You know, something is wrong, and we don't know what it is. It's easy to say it's fast food, it's people eating too much, it's portions, it's transfats, and so on, but I was raised in the 50s and 60s and we ate mashed potatoes and gravy, meat, vegetables with butter, and corn bread or biscuits almost every night, then topped it off with dessert, and no one got fat. It was unusual for anyone to be fat.
I saw a show on TV that tracked the average American diet since colonial times, and during the 19th century people actually consumed MORE calories than we do now, and were smaller all over--lighter weight, smaller in stature--You look at a woman's dress from, say, 1850, and it looks like a child's dress its so small. They were packing away 5,000+ calories daily.
I think you are on to something with the car business. When I was a kid we walked everywhere. Supermarkets hadn't been invented--we walked to the neighborhood market and carried the groceries home on foot. Now a walk is a planned event--often taking place on a treadmill. I think it needs to be part of our lives, not a chore.
Also, I think Aya is right--we lost something when both adults in a household started 'needing' to work. Our entire quality of life instantly declined.
God Pam, shut up....sorry for ramblng! lol!
I read somewhere that the difference between an average slim person and an average overweight person was 2000 steps a day. There could be something in that! Henry Ford has a lot to answer for! LOL
"an average slim person and an average overweight person was 2000 steps a day."
Exactly, -----^
internet use, videogames, driving to everything, communities designed where there are actually no walkable destinations! - People can get away with shortcuts on what they eat and how healthy they eat without becoming obese with the right right lifestyle choices..at least look healthier( heart disease will still be an issue) (take the stairs, the elevator stinks anyway) Walking is boring? Walk around the mall (leave the money at home) take the stairs! Check out a national park or two.
Personally i never support or eat at any of these min wage franchises -bad food, workers who dont care - not a local business
Amanda - you're so right! (notice I've been following you??!!)
My advice - get yourself a dog! I walk mine 4 kms - twice a day :)
All very astute comments, ladies! Pam -- do not ever tell yourself to shut up, please! You always have thought-provoking additions to any conversation! And I agree. My upbringing was in the 60s and 70s and we at the same way. But were much, much more active. TV time was about 1 to 2 hours a night. Otherwise we were outside playing. I like the idea of getting a dog -- that ENSURES getting your daily dose of sunshine AND exercise.
I have gone through periods of wearing a pedometer and been shocked at how little I am walking -- unless I make a conscious effort to go for "a walk" for mileage. And CW, I'm with you on those machines that never seem to count the calorie expenditure nearly as fast as I KNOW I'm sweating off the calories. LOL. Pay someone to exercise for you? Now there's a novel solution!
Does anyone else think we should suspend discussion of obesity for the next couple of days? It is THANKSGIVING after all -- as my hubby and I watched on the Food Channel last night, the only holiday devoted exclusively to food (ok, and football)? I at least will be starting my day with a 5k Run to Feed the Hungry. Probably my favorite Thanksgiving tradition.
Wishing everyone a happy Turkey day whether you celebrate it as such or not!
I think that parents have a responsibility to monitor their kids intake of fast food. Don't give them the money to eat at those places and don't keep alot of junk food in your cupboards. Individual adults have the responsibility to use self control. My theory and thoughts on obesity? If I don't want to look at myself naked, what makes me think my husband would! haha! It helped me use ten pounds last summer:)
Happy Thanksgiving, MM-
Turkey iand cranberries are delicious and low cal., too! I also think that kind of food hits something at the heart of the matter--so people are more 'nourished,' and don't need to overeat, etc.... Something like what pgrundy was saying.
Though I somewhat disagree with a lot of what others are saying here--you don't have to be rich to eat healthfully. Just takes a little imagination, really, and not even that much time. Baked salmon with rice and vegetables is cheaper than fast food, ie...
This is a great hub and yes Americans are clearly getting bigger and obesity is getting way out of hand on a big scale.
Yes with people thinking they are Just Too Busy ... They Have Mistakenly Put Eating Properly at the bottom of their list....... and just treat eating as a necessary evil.... and do not view it as the 'number one priority' for ones body to be properly fueled/nourished.
****Perpetual Diets
With Obesity in Young People then leads to perpetual diets throughout their lives... going from one diet to the next and the next.... and never keeping the weight off..... WHY
WHY? Because DIETS do NOT work .... they do NOT solve the Underlying Problems of WHY one is Overweight, A Compulsive Eater or a myriad of other reasons why one is Eating More and Enjoying It Less.... and then finding themseves overweight and wanting to Look and Feel Better..... and then they then look to diets....
Unfortunately once they go from Eating Improperly as a young person and then phase into the adult compulsiveness issues caused by their younger days of bad eating habits ...which is losing the weight and looking and feeling good.... They have now embarked on a life long Diet Focused Life....
I have found that there this diet based obsession cycle has effectively born a new generation of Diet Focused People.... who have Finally Realized that Diets Do Not Work.... and are truly looking for the true solution to their life long problem and compulsive issues relating to food and their bodies.
Many have found the solutions... and they are not Quick Solutions.... but they are in fact..... Solutions That Do Work..... and Each Person Personally Must make that choice ....
...as to if they truly want to get off the Diet Jumping Game....
There is s brand new site being developed focused on Identifying Alternative Solutions to Diets and Weight Loss and Overcoming Compulsive Eating and finding ones Natural Body Weight Naturally ( Without Dieting )
..... and Allowing the Body to determine what its Natural Body Weight Should Be...
and not be artificially influenced by some body look you want... or some ideal weight you want to be.... because in the end it is your body that determines if the weight loss is achieved.... and if it it sustainable.
Losing the weight is difficult.... and is NOT the Answer.... Beacause Keeping it Off... is the hardest part......
and when you Diet.... You are Setting Yourself Up For FAILURE...
Why?? Because By Definition "DIET" has a beginning and an End... and once You End your diet...... having reached your goal or objective.....
The Keeping it Off Goal has now begun.....and it is well documented that very few people can or do suatain that weight they lost.....
and thus by definition getting ready for the next diet... the day they Stop the One thet are on....
Check out this site.... will be ready soon and just maybe you will find something that will help you got off the Diet Jumping Cycle.... and find a solution that will work for you and truly change your life in the process.
In conclusion, there is no one universal cure for solving the Obesity Problem in the United States...
Each person must make that personal choice... to start with acknowledging to themselves that they have an obesity and eating related overweight problem... and that they have learned from experience that Diets Do NOT WORK... and that Diets are NOT the Answer.
Once they accept and internalize deeply these two FACTS... will they be in a Good Place to begin their journey out of their Diet Based Weight Loss Compulsiveness...
http://www.Stop-Dieting-Start-Living.com
and do remember this Very Very Important Slogan that will follow:
Start Living Start Losing --- because once you Stop Dieting and Start Living...
the Natural Process of Weight Loss Will Kick In!
well...there is one"lighter weight" result from shorter lives...less weight on social security...(just kidding, te he)...
Lita - I have a tough time imagining salmon with rice and vegetables costing less than fast food, unless you caught the salmon yourself! And besides, cost is not the only concern - convenience is, too.
MM- I wish there was a such a machine (as they say in physics energy can neither be created or destroyed only transfered and if i transfer some money they burn energy then the transaction should be able to take place)...LOL
Btw great noble tradition and hope you complete that 5k race in good time. Iam planning to do a seattle to portland bike race next year. I do 2/3 mile on treadmill every alternate day and so far I have been doing ok. I did volunteer in a marathon earlier this year and ever since have been inspired to participate. Now I have another person like you who is inspiring me. May their be more kind souls like you in this world. I wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving. May God bless us all with health, wealth and happiness.
Amen.
Livelonger-I promise, it is the truth, :). I cook this all the time, and we are not rich. The salmon is frozen (wrapped individual filets), but wild caught, a bag of rice can be bought here in the middle of the dessert for a couple dollars if you play your cards right, and the vegetables are just down the road fresh at a farmers market or can be frozen, too.
I wrote a hub on this, actually--takes approximately 30 minutes or so baked on tinfoil in the oven--about the time it takes to run to a fast food restaurant. Not to mention, McD's now has really good chicken salads which are great--just got to choose them.
I DO understand this whole situation--although I've always been fairly thin, I put on a little weight while working in a office because I had to eat somewere quick--I always knew I did have some choice, tho, about what to consume.
Caveat here--I am an inveterate walker and runner and I consciously think 'health' with almost everything I put in my mouth--for years. The same can be said with finding bargains and living inexpensively--something I have concentrated on for years.
Great hub for getting people and especially teens thinking about the way they eat. Americans definitely eat way too much, not just quantity of food, but salt, sugars and fats in their diet. It would be interesting to find out WHY we crave those flavor enhancers so much today. Check out that hub on ten videos to exercise! Think about working on the emotional motivation to slim down. See if there is a homeopath who may suggest an energetic approach that gets to core issues, relationships and family dynamics as a source of the problem.
I think more people need simple culinary education from you, Lita. ;-)
Good hub for fat people who never cares for theri eating habits.....Good effort to make people alert the way they live
Hello all you health-conscious hubbers! The emotional connection to eating also can't be overlooked. As you point out, cnielson, and debbie bruck, what is the core issue behind our overeating? I don't believe one overeating pattern fits all. Do agree for sure that diets are a crazy idea. But people who write diet books and sell diet pills are making millions. Americans want the quick fix, don't we?
I suggest we all head over to Lita's for salmon, rice and fresh veggies. That sounds good to me!
Also thanks for the reminder that food and eating have become secondary in our lives. We seldom take the time to sit down and enjoy a real meal with our family. That leads to mindless meal consumption and mindless junk consumption. Before we know it, we've popped thousands of extra calories in our mouths!
Great hub. This can give us the realization that despite of the busy lives that we have, we should spend time eating healthy foods and better to share eating with the family.
It's the fast food and the easy life. I've gained some weight myself in the last few months, because i started eating junk food.
From which of the Americas are these Americans who are getting fatter? North, Central, or South!
Oh, you mean USAmericans...I see
Isn't it amazing when we need organizations and programs to retrain us how to eat properly? Boggles the mind. But I think mostly all here are agreed. Too much fat, salt and carbs and grease and too little exercise are to blame.
Rodrigo -- thank you for pointing out the "US-centrism" of my hub! I definitely meant NORTH Americans, but not even Canadians. Just us blubbies in the good of US of A!
The weight problem in Am is almost as mysterious to me as gas prices! LOL. I stuffed myself with too much turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, peas, stuffing and cranberry sauce - a minimual menu today for just hubby and me. (We will have the BIG SPREAD at my mom's Saturday, but I wanted to have leftovers so I cooked a "small" t-day menu for us.) That's all I've eaten today. Granted, it was a huge plate, at least by my normal standards. But I remember going back for seconds and thirds at the holidays when growing up. I simply cannot eat like I used to, but I can't keep the pounds off either.
I feel extremely fortunate that my daughter is very slim and trim - in spite of her tv and computer addictions, and in spite of obsesity in my family tree. I agree MM, it's a problem with multiple causes, and will take some figurin' to solve.
Good Hub, as always!
Obviously lifestyle and food choices have made staying active and eating right more difficult. People don't understand anymore what food choices constitute a normal & healthy diet, & on top of that, there's the never-ending cycle of denial, guilt, and self-restraint followed by over-indulgence when it comes to food consumption. The fact is, many overweight people actually do not over-eat. They have cycled themselves through so many diets that they've lowered their metabolism to a point where almost any food consumption will result in weight gain. I know this sounds crazy, but it's true: dieting, when done without simultaneous exercise, will result in a slower metabolism & an eventual increase in body weight.
It's what we all know: to lose weight, you have to eat right & exercise. It's just fact. And, eating right means EATING. Fasting or skipping meals, or overindulging at a single meal all are signs of DISORDERED EATING.
And what does "eating right" mean? It basically means eating foods that are closest to their natural forms: fruits, vegetables, meats, beans, grains, etc. Can we indulge occassionally? Of course, but that's not once a day...maybe once a week.
And if you're going to lose weight, you have to be active. College students who gain weight (I just did a HUGE research paper on this) have the SAME DIETARY HABITS as those who lose or maintain weight. The only difference is that they stopped exercising as much. That's a HUGE deal. By maintaining an exercise program, even if you don't change your eating habits initially, you'll be more likely to fend-off weight gain.
Anyway, sorry for rambling...great topic, great hub.
Is fast food really less expensive? I thought it was the opposite. I avoid fast foods, not only cause excessively eating it is going to make my stomach bigger, but it's really expensive. It was mentioned that Time was factored into the expense. Isn't that just a matter of being more organized? Even if you're travelling, eating out of a supermarket is much cheaper than using a fast food outlet. Much cheaper. If you're running out of money in London, find the fruit and vegie stand, eat banana's -less than half the price of fish and chips.
Fast food advertising is encouraging you to have an easier life, by them doing it for you. Yet you are really paying a high price for it. Not only is it more expensive buying KFC instead of a casserole with vegies, the nutritional value decreases tenfold. Both mum and dad working - get fast food, it's easier. But is it? What price do you put on emptier pockets and living beyond your means. Takeaway once a week is a good treat, every night is a diabetic disaster waiting to happen.
There is something said for getting back to basics, and if your a working mum, then get dad to pull his weight. Teach your kids how to cook basic things too. I'm worried cooking is becoming a lost skill in favor of junk crap food. Imagine a life where junk food is the norm. I think that's already the case.
hi mm...i'll warrant that the smokin' gun is handed by "fast foods" with no easy fix in the forecast. i do declare!!!...you wonderful people must surely labor night and day on these true works of art. (uhh...hubs)...py
Hi Dineane, Congratulations on your restraint today! Sounds like a good warmup for the big feast with family on Sat. And I do hope your daughter escapes the family tendency towards heaviness.
Boss #1 you make an excellent point about overweight people actually not overeating. Dieting is so bad for us. And eating nothing for breakfast and lunch then overloading at dinner just messes with our metabolism. You're absolutely right. Fuel your body regularly. Six small meals are better than three larger ones. And get MOVING!
Jewels. It sounds like there is a built-in disincentive on takeaway (here called takeout). With $1 "value menus" and $.69 tacos fast food really is cheap eats.
Pylos -- Thanks for stopping by again! You are funny:-). Maybe we should all take a snack break. Healthy snacks only, of course!!!
MM, you're right, I remembered that after I posted. It is much cheaper to buy takeout in the US than here. I hope that doesn't change.
Hi, MM! I'm writing to you here because it was your mention of the McDonald's lawsuit that inspired my lawsuit hub. Then....you left a comment about the bee in your lemonade and said you had thought of me. That's funny, because I was looking for some pictures and came across one that made me think of you and this hub and I saved it to show to you. Since you can't send attachments through the hubpages email system, I will figure out one of my hubs where I can put it and then let you know. See ya later!
Ok. It's at the bottom of my Lawsuit hub (under the video).
So I was working as a Financial Advisor and got this Idea I would do a search of the Richest people in San Diego, in order to figure out who my clients should be.
Low and Behold miss Jenny Craig topped the list. That got me to thinking. There is a whole lot of money in them fat folks. Then I got to looking further on the list and crunched the numbers.
75 percent of the top 25% of wealth in San Diego has to do with food and diet. What a partnership half the rich folks gets everyone fat and the other half is selling them something to get them skinny. But the point is it takes twice as many calories per step to move a 200 lb person as a 100 lb person. That equals twice the consumption or 200% profit for the people selling the food be it from a supermarket or a fast food joint.
TMG
Pepe! I'm so honored you were thinking of me in the context of lawsuits and obesity! I will go and check out your photo forthwith.
TMG, Now that is one interesting analysis. Did you end up getting Jenny Craig as a client -- IS there a Jenny Craig or is she like an icon like Betty Crocker or Aunt Jemima? Man, get her, Colonel Sanders and Mrs. Fields together and you've got yourself quite a power shake! BTW, I really like your hubs and the way you approach business. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
Hi MM, Excellent hub. My wife was never health conscious but a couple of years ago she agreed to join me at a health spa for a few days. She got fired up when she saw the difference a healthy diet made to her energy and sense of wellness. When we got home she started to prepare more healthy meals and we have never looked back.
Two tips for the hectic lifestyle;
1. Priorities and not programs should dictate the pace of our lives. What's the point of rushing headlong to an early grave? What's the point of never savouring the moment because you're too busy? Slow down, it really is a choice. Our kids also learn to organise their lives better.
2. If you have to have TV dinners, prepare healthy ones yourself. Just cook four meals every time you cook and freeze three portions. When you defrost just add a salad and/or some fresh veges and you have a healthy meal.
MM,
Yes she is real, the other one that blew me away on the list was Dr. Seuss's widow.
I was unable to obtain either one as a client, if I do you will know, because I won't have time to be writing on here. :-)
Thank you for all your great hubs as well.
TMG
Interesting! I always associate Dr. Seuss with Santa Rosa, where his museum is. Did you know there is a hand-drawn Dr. Seuss pic/plaque at the geyser in Calistoga? His widow much have traded in the wine country for the temperate climes of SD in her retirement. Go get her. I would suggest showing her my Green Eggs and Palin poem, but probably not the right political sentiment for the clients you are seeking:-). Cheers, MM
Great hub and so many wonderful comments from everyone too. Child obesity gets to me the most because they don't know any better than what their parents teach them, especially toddlers and they are that young and obese- and have health stats of a 40 year old.
I never heard of fast-food until I was 7 and we were moving from two states away so late one night we had to eat at a fast-food joint because our house wasn't ready yet. I got sick for two days after that. What I still find odd is that I can never smell regular restaurants passing them driving down the road, but I can always smell a fast-food joint right away.
The secret ingredients are MSG, corn syrup, and all the other toxic preservatives I can't pronounce. I was raised a health nut so my taste buds have healthy preferences.
Cooking instead of eating out is all about planning ahead. I cook a couple meals ahead on Sunday and/or cook meat one night and use leftover meat for the next night paired with healthy sides like baked potatoes and veggies or brown rice. Even if I have to use an instant rice (without additives of course) I will. It's still better than greasy fast-food. Although I do like Taco Bell every once in a while so don't tell me what goes into their stuff, I don't want to know.
I think fast food has nothing to do with getting fat. I think you can eat fast food but you just have to watch how many calories you take in. Of course, the fat is never good for your heart. I think we just eat way to much and don't get the exercise we need. Maybe fast food is cheaper then buying in the store but how much does a loaf of bread and bag of chicken breast cost. What 2.00 for bread and 7.99 for a bag of chicken breast 1.10 for a can of vegetables. You can feed a family of 5 with that. It's going to cost more or the same for a family of 5 to eat at Mcdonld's if they have a hamburger, fries and a coke. The prices are for this area and maybe are more expensive else where. Slow cookers are great for working Moms.
I also grew up in the 50's an 60's and we weren't fat. We had desserts every night. I got many of my good sweet recipes from my Mom, grandma and Mother-in-law. But.....we also walked everywhere and we ate three meals a day with no snacking. No soda in the house. Meals were put on the table early. We weren't allowed to just eat at will our parents couldn't afford it.
Fabulous hub, MM! Comments are also quite an interesting read :-) Can't add much too all that has been said, in the hub and thereafter --just wanted to show my appreciation with this bitsy comment :-)
MM,I like your thoughts and your approach! It is so wonderful to meet knowledgeable people here whom I can share thoughts and ideas with and learn from them at the same time.Cheers,Debra
Hello Debra, Thanks for stopping by and your comment. It truly is a wonderful place, our Hub Pages! Anything you want to talk about or learn about, anytime of the day or night -- it's right here!!! Good to meet you. MM
Good hub MM,
Wetsons, Dunkin Donut and Nathans ( I added the last one)Hempstead Trnpk
I don't think that people are totally responsible for bad foods that they eat out.
The government took decades before they even had shown any interest in the health aspect of fast foods. For the longest time, you didn't know what was in the foods your were eating when you went out.
When the food industry started to use chemistry to replace real food is when the country went large. High Corn Fructose Syrup is really bad for the old waistline and that replace simple cane sugar. All the diet soda had one chemical after another to replace sugar with an artificial sweetener.
You have to be a chemist with a PHD to read the ingredients on the foods, that is if you want to understand it. Sodium is ubiquitous in fast foods and packaged foods.
The bottom line is that you don't have many options when you go out to eat or buy packaged meals to cook at home. The dessert foods are really filled with chemistry, yet they taste good and that is the problem.
We don't get good information about diets and food from the government. Every week the news has another study that says this food is good or bad only to have next week's study reverse it. You can't even count on water as a safe drink, whether it is from the tap or in a bottle.
The food companies add ingredients that make you addicted to their product. The diet label should read consume only if you need to gain weight.
I don't crave fish as a food, but one time I decided to get the fish sandwich at McDonalds. I thought that it would be healthier than the Big Mac. Boy, that was a mistake in logic, I was surprised later when I found out that I had eaten the highest calorie food on the menu.
Eating food out while trying to be healthy is like playing Russian Roulette with live bullets in five of the six chambers.
boom!
Hey there Issues Veritas! I can spot a fellow 'gislander a mile away. Hempstead Turnpike, you say? Nathans? You and I must talk!!!
MM from Manhasset
I didn't know that they had a Wetson's in Manhasset?
Wetson's was the first and only fast food restaurant in Manhasset. We're talking 1960s-1970s. It's long gone now. We also had a Dunkin Donuts. And of course, pizza by the slice.
I don't think it's just fast food. When I was in HS I'd eat a huge snickers bar & diet coke every day for lunch. I had to walk a mile to the corner convenience store to get it and a mile back to school in the 40 minutes alloted to lunch. I could eat junk food because I walked every where I went. My kids walk to the bus stop, 1/2 mile from our house and that's about it.
Hi DSE901. I agree with you. We naturally exercised much more when we were kids. If I didn't walk I rode my bike everywhere. The solution is really quite simple: eat less, move more!
Thanks for stopping by and commenting. MM
Excellent Hub (and I agree with your son's approach). There are "certain people" (on tv and selling books) who claim there is a secret ingredient. I tend to think the "secret ingredient" is the fat content. Particularly for people who tired and/or stressed out, fat can be satisfying. Carbs, of course, can boost energy. Whatever is in fast food, though, none of us has to select the worst stuff on the menu.
Parents need to limit how much fast food their kids get anyway (because it isn't the healthiest choice); but my kids were always slender - and they didn't even eat the food anyway. All they wanted was the toy in the boxed meal. As for adults, these places serve single-size salads; and if it's fat you need two adults can always share the mozarella sticks.
Hi Lisa HW, I love your avatar -- makes me feel healthier already!
If fast food restaurants really wanted to promote their healthful choices, they would offer the salads on the dollar menu and charge a lot more for the fat-filled items. Hopefully, we will get there!
Thanks for your common sense comment! MM
Hi Lisa HW, I love your avatar -- makes me feel healthier already!
If fast food restaurants really wanted to promote their healthful choices, they would offer the salads on the dollar menu and charge a lot more for the fat-filled items. Hopefully, we will get there!
Thanks for your common sense comment! MM
I think your exercise comment above is the real issue. I used to cycle all over my home town and the surrounding country when I was a kid, just like you. I was often gone all day when I was ten or eleven years old and came back exhausted (and healthy).
Nowadays, so many parents are scared to let their children out of their sight for an hour and all entertainment is home based. Couch potatoes are popping off the production line by the second.
Hi Will, I agree. Increasing our exercise can overcome quite a bit of the fat laden prepared food problem. The problem is we have really gotten out of the habit of walking/bike riding. Even getting up to change TV channels is a thing of the past!!
Couch potatoes are the sedentary parents. Couch potato chips are our rotund offspring!
I agree with we are getting lazy because of new electronic devices. But what about the parents role in teaching kids the easy way to stay slim by balanced food intake and exercise regime. All of us could improve our health issues just by changing some simple eating habits.
snoopy055 -- your avatar says it all! you are out there setting a positive example of walking with the little ones. LOVE IT!
You are absolutly right.
The thing is, when I grew up, parents did NOT set the model for physical activity. We kids were very active -- lots of time spent outside. Because there were only 3 TV channels and none of the other electronic devices we now have.
But parents weren't overweight either.
I think it's a matter of portion control. And not grabbing fast food and consuming it in the car.
I for one am working on getting healthier by changing some simple eating habits. Thank you for reminding me and for the great comment. MM
Great hub and very true. My blog is about creating a healthy relationship with food. Much like you, I was raised where going to a hamburger joint was a "treat", and not a daily event. But as we progressed...
It's constant go, go, go. There isn't time to sit down, relax and enjoy a meal. To taste it, savor it and really, just enjoy the flavors of it. So I am learning.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for commenting, terrimak. You really nailed one of the biggest sins of our current age. Our RELATIONSHIP to food -- we don't sit down as a a family and enjoy a meal. Gotta relearn to simplify our lives and stop multitasking....
Cheers and happy, healthy eating! MM
Great Info! Here's one you might like: http://hubpages.com/hub/Get-Rid-of-Toxins-the-Natu
Good Hub. It looks like society has got itself in a pickle - like spaghetti, we cant seem to unravel and go back - it seems too late. Ive touched on this subject myself, maybe you might like it. I value your comments x
NYLady says:
13 months ago
MM: Really great hub with so much good information. There was one McDonald's in my town when I was growing up and it didn't open until I was in high school. In my kids' time, there's one on every corner -- next to a Burger King or Wendy's. Now that my kids are in college, they won't go near the places. They've seen "Fast Food Nation," and care about their bodies now.