8 years ago
11
Obese Americans now outnumber those who are merely overweight, study says
Americans have reached a weighty milestone: Adults who are obese now outnumber those who are merely overweight, according to a new report in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine. A tally by researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis estimated that 67.6 million Americans over the age of 25 were obese as of 2012, and an additional 65.2 million were overweight.
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That is a pretty insane statistic. Out of interest is basic nutrition taught in American schools? In uk schools we don't get too much but we were taught the basics. Eat more calories than you use, you put on weight; 5 fruit and veg a day is important part of a balanced diet, 8 glasses of water a day should be consumed a day, that sort of thing.
Also how do so many people get to that size without hating themselves? Although my bmi is average, I'm about a stone or so overweight and I feel so completely insecure and gross about it that I can't contemplate being more heavy than that whilst having any sort of self confidence/worth. I guess I just answered my own question, low self confidence doesn't isn't conducive towards bringing about a positive attitude towards weight loss.
I'm far from an expert and what I'm about to say is mostly speculation, but it's first hand and may provide some insight.
Obesity is such an issue that it is ignored. A lot of times if your friend is doing something unhealthy that will potentially kill them then it is your duty as a friend to bring it up (ex. Alcoholism, smoking, etc.) However the moment obesity is mentioned you're being a bully. People just don't talk about it. Everyone knows it's a problem but so what?
Very simply it's a forbidden topic on an individual level. Until that changes, the obesity rates won't change either.
I heard the 8 glasses thing has been debunked, not everyone needs 8 glasses worth of water to live healthy lives
Yes, some studies say we should drink even more, but most say that you should just drink when you're thirsty.
Because the line between overweight and obese is very very thin. And frankly, in practical day-to-day matters, it does not matter. Also, no one seems to actually know what the typical obese person looks like. I get called chubby/little husky all the time and that I shouldn't call myself obese.
But I am. I am firmly in the obese range and everyone's surprised I don't even waddle a little bit. I think people see too many scare tactics advertisements showing morbidly obese people and just assume it that "this is what obese looks like, better avoid that" when it's actually a thin marker and the road is a cunning and casual slope.
Changing your lifestyle to a healthier one is something that's just getting traction in the US, but if anything, I think its ~dieting that's exacerbating the problem.
When are you more likely to binge: after having a decent meal with some veggies, grains, and nice bit of dessert; or after a day of sticking to a boxed mean plan that is small, made you stressed about all the invisible calories you vacuuming into your gaping mouth (you pig, you) and to top it off is nothing remotely similar to what you normally eat. Of course there are also those "diet cookies" you can accidentally overeat while still getting that false esteem boost of eating healthy.
TLDR: We are fat because it profitable for companies to sell junk and then sell diets to "cure" the fat. We stay fat because ain't nobody got the time, patience and mental stamina to be healthy.
Like, if you have to be shamed into health, what's so fucking great about it anyway?
Not really surprised or shocked. What the lower middle class and poor want/need is food that is fast, cheap, and convenient. We've made it such that healthy food is really a crazy amount of luxury. If it's healthy, it either cheap but in such a raw form a lot of people won't know what to do with it so that they'd enjoy it or it's just out of the budget. Why venture out for that bundle of veggies you don't like/don't know how to cook so that you like them, when you can just get fed cheaper on shit you know you'll eat?
Think about it. Back in the day having food chock full of fat and sugar was a thing of luxury and people craved it because it was delicious (duh) and a sign of status. Business found a way to profit on that so much until it's not a symbol of wealth like it used to be, but it's still hella addicting and we (collectively) keeping making it so that it's more addicting and cheaper to make than all the labor put into less processed food.
I need to ditch this thread, having too many feelings all over it. :(
That is a truly absurd level of fat. I'm not sure I can conceptualizer that 3/4 of american males are considered overweight. Interestingly, Texas recently decided to allow fried foods and sodas in it's school cafeterias again.
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