Obesity in America:
The growing prevalence of obesity in the United States represents a significant health threat to millions of Americans, federal health officials say.
Obesity rose 6 percent nationally between 1998 and 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The increase affected all regions of the country and all demographic groups.
"The continuing epidemic of obesity is a critical public health concern," Jeffrey Koplan, M.D., director of the CDC, said in a letter to the editor published in the October 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "As a nation, we need to respond as vigorously to this epidemic as we do to an infectious disease epidemic."
Since 1991, obesity among adults has increased by nearly 60 percent nationally. Whites — with a 7 percent increase — had the largest increase in obesity rates between 1998 and 1999, according to the CDC.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. A BMI of 30, in most cases, means that an individual is about 30 pounds over their ideal weight.
Dr. Koplan says that national efforts to encourage physical activity and better nutrition are needed. Moreover, additional research is warranted to identify educational, behavioral and environmental strategies to control and prevent obesity.
Physical inactivity and being overweight account for more than 300,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., second only to tobacco-related deaths.
"As obesity rates continue to grow at epidemic proportions in this country, the net effect will be dramatic increases in related chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Koplan.
Recent CDC reports indicate that diabetes increased by 33 percent among American adults during the 1990s, reflecting a surge in obesity during the same period.
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I believe this whole "Battle of the Bulge" in America has gotten insane. It really has. The problem is this: the only way to effectively lose weight and keep it off is diet and exercise that is stuck with for a long time.
The problem is, no one wants to do this! It's hard, and since America is a self obsessed, victimized, "no responsibility on us" culture, obesity is out of control. Congress, THE CONGRESS! had to pass legislation protecting restaurants from fat lawsuits! Mention this 10, 20 years ago, and you would have been laughed at. The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, when it shouldn't even exist at all. Changing your diet is free, hell, you save money. Exercise is free, how much does it cost to take a walk, or do a push up?
People in Africa and South America and poor nations must look at fat Americans, and see how they cry because they can't stop eating, and go crazy. No wonder the whole world hates us! You got some kid in Africa who hasn't eaten a piece of meat in a month, who is REALLY suffering, looking over at some fat American kid who is actually depressed because he can't fit in a chair because he has so much to eat. It boggles the mind.
Every diet commercial out there basically says, "buy this diet pill, you will lose weight", and then there's a disclaimer saying you must diet and exercise to actually lose the weight. Hell, just buy a tic tac, it would have the same effect as the diet pill.
These diet companies make billions feeding off the MTV generation attitude of "I want it fast, NOW!"
I'm just ... mind boggled, utterly confused, can't, unable to understand a person who is morbidly obese, who gives their sob story, then lets off what they eat for one meal : "I eat 7 pancakes, 5 sausages, 10 biscuits, 3 cups of chocolate milk, etc." Then for lunch...
I'm asking - How can you even AFFORD all that food? What kind of a job do you have, and where can I get a job like that? Hell, why don't you just NOT EAT THAT MUCH FOOD? And why, God, would a parent feed their child that much? Usually it's some parent who is feeding their kid that much food, since the kid or adult can't even leave their bedroom. Just walk in with a small, low calorie meal. It's not like the guy or girl is going to get up and chase you down, they can't even move!
I know people who have failed to lose weight, and people who have succeeded. The people who succeeded changed their diet, started exercising, kept up with it, lost a lot of weight, and continued to diet and exercise. Those who failed started some weird ass diet, they didn't exercise, (they had a list of excuses not to) and quickly gave up. Hell, just move around normally and you'll lose weight. You notice how the thin people park all the way in the back of the parking lot, and take the stairs, and always get up and get whatever they need themselves? The overweight ones will drive around for 20 minutes looking for the closest parking space, take the elevator up one floor, and ask other people to go get them whatever, because they won't bother getting up and doing it themselves.
The attitudes are what's really different. I used to know guys who lifted weights. They worked out every day, or every other day. When they'd miss ONE work out, they talk about how they were just not on the ball. One guy got sick for a week, ONE WEEK, and he was complaining how totally out of shape he was.
Overweight people will brag about exercise they did years ago! I knew one guy who spend a few days one summer riding his bike around. He spent two summers after that bragging about his leg muscles from that one summer. I knew a girl who bragged about her thigh muscles from ballet classes - when she was a kid! If that were the case, I'd lift weights for a month, and never have to lift again for the rest of my life, and I'd always be in shape.
This is frustrating because the rest of us are going to have to foot the bill for this problem. Our food prices will rise, insurance will go up.
Children now are suffering from high blood pressure. Diabetes is on the rise. I doubt this bubble will burst, because people will always look for soemone else to blame.
The growing prevalence of obesity in the United States represents a significant health threat to millions of Americans, federal health officials say.
Obesity rose 6 percent nationally between 1998 and 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The increase affected all regions of the country and all demographic groups.
"The continuing epidemic of obesity is a critical public health concern," Jeffrey Koplan, M.D., director of the CDC, said in a letter to the editor published in the October 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "As a nation, we need to respond as vigorously to this epidemic as we do to an infectious disease epidemic."
Since 1991, obesity among adults has increased by nearly 60 percent nationally. Whites — with a 7 percent increase — had the largest increase in obesity rates between 1998 and 1999, according to the CDC.
Obesity is defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. A BMI of 30, in most cases, means that an individual is about 30 pounds over their ideal weight.
Dr. Koplan says that national efforts to encourage physical activity and better nutrition are needed. Moreover, additional research is warranted to identify educational, behavioral and environmental strategies to control and prevent obesity.
Physical inactivity and being overweight account for more than 300,000 premature deaths annually in the U.S., second only to tobacco-related deaths.
"As obesity rates continue to grow at epidemic proportions in this country, the net effect will be dramatic increases in related chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease," says Dr. Koplan.
Recent CDC reports indicate that diabetes increased by 33 percent among American adults during the 1990s, reflecting a surge in obesity during the same period.
........................................
I believe this whole "Battle of the Bulge" in America has gotten insane. It really has. The problem is this: the only way to effectively lose weight and keep it off is diet and exercise that is stuck with for a long time.
The problem is, no one wants to do this! It's hard, and since America is a self obsessed, victimized, "no responsibility on us" culture, obesity is out of control. Congress, THE CONGRESS! had to pass legislation protecting restaurants from fat lawsuits! Mention this 10, 20 years ago, and you would have been laughed at. The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar a year industry, when it shouldn't even exist at all. Changing your diet is free, hell, you save money. Exercise is free, how much does it cost to take a walk, or do a push up?
People in Africa and South America and poor nations must look at fat Americans, and see how they cry because they can't stop eating, and go crazy. No wonder the whole world hates us! You got some kid in Africa who hasn't eaten a piece of meat in a month, who is REALLY suffering, looking over at some fat American kid who is actually depressed because he can't fit in a chair because he has so much to eat. It boggles the mind.
Every diet commercial out there basically says, "buy this diet pill, you will lose weight", and then there's a disclaimer saying you must diet and exercise to actually lose the weight. Hell, just buy a tic tac, it would have the same effect as the diet pill.
These diet companies make billions feeding off the MTV generation attitude of "I want it fast, NOW!"
I'm just ... mind boggled, utterly confused, can't, unable to understand a person who is morbidly obese, who gives their sob story, then lets off what they eat for one meal : "I eat 7 pancakes, 5 sausages, 10 biscuits, 3 cups of chocolate milk, etc." Then for lunch...
I'm asking - How can you even AFFORD all that food? What kind of a job do you have, and where can I get a job like that? Hell, why don't you just NOT EAT THAT MUCH FOOD? And why, God, would a parent feed their child that much? Usually it's some parent who is feeding their kid that much food, since the kid or adult can't even leave their bedroom. Just walk in with a small, low calorie meal. It's not like the guy or girl is going to get up and chase you down, they can't even move!
I know people who have failed to lose weight, and people who have succeeded. The people who succeeded changed their diet, started exercising, kept up with it, lost a lot of weight, and continued to diet and exercise. Those who failed started some weird ass diet, they didn't exercise, (they had a list of excuses not to) and quickly gave up. Hell, just move around normally and you'll lose weight. You notice how the thin people park all the way in the back of the parking lot, and take the stairs, and always get up and get whatever they need themselves? The overweight ones will drive around for 20 minutes looking for the closest parking space, take the elevator up one floor, and ask other people to go get them whatever, because they won't bother getting up and doing it themselves.
The attitudes are what's really different. I used to know guys who lifted weights. They worked out every day, or every other day. When they'd miss ONE work out, they talk about how they were just not on the ball. One guy got sick for a week, ONE WEEK, and he was complaining how totally out of shape he was.
Overweight people will brag about exercise they did years ago! I knew one guy who spend a few days one summer riding his bike around. He spent two summers after that bragging about his leg muscles from that one summer. I knew a girl who bragged about her thigh muscles from ballet classes - when she was a kid! If that were the case, I'd lift weights for a month, and never have to lift again for the rest of my life, and I'd always be in shape.
This is frustrating because the rest of us are going to have to foot the bill for this problem. Our food prices will rise, insurance will go up.
Children now are suffering from high blood pressure. Diabetes is on the rise. I doubt this bubble will burst, because people will always look for soemone else to blame.
