Obesity is only a "problem" because...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

This is your complaint about healthcare costs? You think the outrageous premiums and ridiculous co-pays and inflated charges are... because fat people use healthcare? What a simple-minded fool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

Are Americans as a whole less willing to "fix their issues" than Europeans who have much lower obesity rates? Why?

Most europeans walk way more than we do. They also routinely eat much better---Whole Foods and a lot less crap is eaten in Europe.
Just go look at portion sizes at restaurants---you rarely will need a carryout box in Europe.

And yes, most Americans are not willing to "fix their issues". They complain complain complain but don't want to address the real issues. I get it, it's hard to do once you are 50lbs+ overweight. I just don't get how you let yourself get there. If I got 10lbs over my ideal weight, I adjust my diet and focus on walking more. In the office, I take the stairs, as long as I'm not carrying a ton. You can get 2-4K steps during the day from just doing that. I get out to walk for 10 mins with lunch and I make an effort to eat healthy

Btw I am not obese so spare me your "advice" - and btw people have been giving this advice for decades and the obesity crisis has only grown so maybe save your breath.

I totally agree that the US should look to Europe. They walk more because their cities are designed differently. They eat better because their food supply is more regulated and people work fewer hours, so they have more time to cook. I would love for the US to be more like Europe but we designed our communities to be car dependent and let the food industry guide our health guidance.

People are not consistently following the advice. You are talking about changing the structure to make the advice easier to follow (which I agree with!), but it has never stopped being good advice.

Why continue doing something that doesn't work? You are wasting your time. Prior to the development of GLP-1 drugs, the medical establishment had a record of abject failure on helping people to lose weight. Your advice is not new. This is what doctors have been telling people for decades. People know they should exercise more and eat less. You're not adding anything by screeching this advice incessantly to them.

It does work. People don’t consistently follow it.

+1

If you follow it for 6 months it will work. If you only follow it for a week and return to your crappy habits, it wont'.

When someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes there is an "optional" 4-5 sessions with a dietician/course with a nutritionist. It's Optional and very short. IMO it should be mandatory and continue for 3-6 months, with checkins every month for the rest of first year. You can reverse diabetes with diet and exercise. In reality, those courses should be available for pre-diabetics (A1C indicates that along with other tests). The issue is doctors take perhaps a single 6 week course on nutrition, and then forget about it. It's not a part of western medicine to look at diet as a real solution. Which is sad. Because diet and exercise can solve so many health issues, and it's not radical to eat Whole Foods and avoid sugar/baked goods, etc.

It works if you follow it. But that requires discipline and the desire to help yourself and make your life better for the next 30+ years. But it's "easier to pop a pill" and not have to change anything in your life

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:…it makes you depressed and the costs society (and your family) are enormous.

Nah, being fat doesn't make me "depressed". Being fatshamed by a bunch of hangry idiots might, but fat is neutral. Shame is a construct and a pressure from the outside. Fat doesn't make you feel ashamed; jerkish people try to make you feel ashamed of being fat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

Are Americans as a whole less willing to "fix their issues" than Europeans who have much lower obesity rates? Why?

Most europeans walk way more than we do. They also routinely eat much better---Whole Foods and a lot less crap is eaten in Europe.
Just go look at portion sizes at restaurants---you rarely will need a carryout box in Europe.

And yes, most Americans are not willing to "fix their issues". They complain complain complain but don't want to address the real issues. I get it, it's hard to do once you are 50lbs+ overweight. I just don't get how you let yourself get there. If I got 10lbs over my ideal weight, I adjust my diet and focus on walking more. In the office, I take the stairs, as long as I'm not carrying a ton. You can get 2-4K steps during the day from just doing that. I get out to walk for 10 mins with lunch and I make an effort to eat healthy

Btw I am not obese so spare me your "advice" - and btw people have been giving this advice for decades and the obesity crisis has only grown so maybe save your breath.

I totally agree that the US should look to Europe. They walk more because their cities are designed differently. They eat better because their food supply is more regulated and people work fewer hours, so they have more time to cook. I would love for the US to be more like Europe but we designed our communities to be car dependent and let the food industry guide our health guidance.

People are not consistently following the advice. You are talking about changing the structure to make the advice easier to follow (which I agree with!), but it has never stopped being good advice.

Why continue doing something that doesn't work? You are wasting your time. Prior to the development of GLP-1 drugs, the medical establishment had a record of abject failure on helping people to lose weight. Your advice is not new. This is what doctors have been telling people for decades. People know they should exercise more and eat less. You're not adding anything by screeching this advice incessantly to them.

It does work. People don’t consistently follow it.

+1

If you follow it for 6 months it will work. If you only follow it for a week and return to your crappy habits, it wont'.

When someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes there is an "optional" 4-5 sessions with a dietician/course with a nutritionist. It's Optional and very short. IMO it should be mandatory and continue for 3-6 months, with checkins every month for the rest of first year. You can reverse diabetes with diet and exercise. In reality, those courses should be available for pre-diabetics (A1C indicates that along with other tests). The issue is doctors take perhaps a single 6 week course on nutrition, and then forget about it. It's not a part of western medicine to look at diet as a real solution. Which is sad. Because diet and exercise can solve so many health issues, and it's not radical to eat Whole Foods and avoid sugar/baked goods, etc.

It works if you follow it. But that requires discipline and the desire to help yourself and make your life better for the next 30+ years. But it's "easier to pop a pill" and not have to change anything in your life

A challenge to all the fatshaming haters on this thread: If you think changing your habits is so easy, change your own for 6 months and report back. Don't say a single mean thing to anyone.

It's an easier challenge than the one you think the "lazy fats" are failing because you don't need to be mean to survive the way you need to eat food to survive, and saying kinder things isn't any more expensive than talking shit. Try it, and then come back and report how it was super easy, you never backslid, and you radically altered your life with minimal effort or consequence.

Until then, please kindly STFU with the sanctimonious "calories in, calories out" you and your blessed metabolism espouse. This isn't nearly as simple as you think, and you're not nearly as superior as you seem to feel about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
...Telling everyone it is "cool" to be fat just makes the lazy people in society get even fatter...

Wow, I guess I am just so lazy...
I am 5'6" and weighed 120 until I was 55. I had 3 kids, gained 50 lbs with each - up to 170, back to 120 after each baby. Stayed at 120 until age 55.

Then virtually overnight I gained 50 lbs, while I was in a marathon running group, which I ran in for 15 years. I cut back on calories by skipping breakfast or just having a hard boiled egg or chunk of cheese, eating half of my usual protein and vegetable heavy lunch (zero calorie salad dressing or sauces), then eating the other half for dinner. I eat virtually no sugar or white stuff (rice, potatoes, flour, etc). I drink water only and no caloric beverages. Consume 1200-1500 calories per day.

But I am so "lazy".

Does it count that I did everything right for 55 years and now with no behavior changes post menopause I suddenly am size XL after being a 6 for the majority of my adult life? And with 15 years in a long distance running club, I saw virtually no one lose weight while running year in and year out. The thin people stayed thin, the thicker people stayed thick. Although we did have stronger muscles and lungs.

I walk (instead of run) and bike now and added more strength training to take myself into my older years without losing muscle.

But I apologize for being so "lazy".

Grrr, do not be so judgmental if you are lucky to be 60 or older and not have this frustrating weight gain (yet).

Menopause hit me hard as well. I found a doctor to help deal with my hormones and that helped.
Also, I decided one day to cut out all alcohol, sugars, breads, etc for 2 weeks, and only ate Whole Foods, carbs come solely from veggies and fruits (berries and apples). No more crackers with cheese or chips or cookies. No rice (use cauliflower rice).
And you know what? I dropped 10 lbs in that 14 days. I no longer crave the crap I was eating.
Now I have added alcohol back in and dark chocolate as a treat. But have not had bread for over 2 months and rarely have rice/non-veggie carbs.
I feel so much better, and the weight has stayed off. The weight that had crept on over the last 2+ years since menopause was officially started. I no longer crave crap, and I have a protein heavy breakfast with tons of veggies as well. I can eat at 6am and not feel hungry until 1/2pm. I eat 2000 calories a day or more. Diet does work, but you cannot starve yourself, you need protein and more protein and cut the crappy carbs that don't have nutrition (sweet potatoes and berries are your friends)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

You better pray you never have to take a medication that causes severe weight gain. You will have to drop that attitude fast.

How many medications cause "severe weight gain" and what are they being used to treat? DP: but I believe in finding the root cause of my health issues, and fixing it rather than just continuing to medicate away my life and cause so many problems.
Because other than cancer meds, I'm not sure I'd take them

Dp: So you are saying you'd rather die than gain weight?

Nope! But I'd like to hear what meds cause massive weight gain and what they are used to treat? Because yes I'd take them for cancer, but for many other issues I prefer to solve the actual problem, not just put a huge band aid on (pills) that often cause more extensive issues

It's called common sense

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

Are Americans as a whole less willing to "fix their issues" than Europeans who have much lower obesity rates? Why?

Most europeans walk way more than we do. They also routinely eat much better---Whole Foods and a lot less crap is eaten in Europe.
Just go look at portion sizes at restaurants---you rarely will need a carryout box in Europe.

And yes, most Americans are not willing to "fix their issues". They complain complain complain but don't want to address the real issues. I get it, it's hard to do once you are 50lbs+ overweight. I just don't get how you let yourself get there. If I got 10lbs over my ideal weight, I adjust my diet and focus on walking more. In the office, I take the stairs, as long as I'm not carrying a ton. You can get 2-4K steps during the day from just doing that. I get out to walk for 10 mins with lunch and I make an effort to eat healthy

Btw I am not obese so spare me your "advice" - and btw people have been giving this advice for decades and the obesity crisis has only grown so maybe save your breath.

I totally agree that the US should look to Europe. They walk more because their cities are designed differently. They eat better because their food supply is more regulated and people work fewer hours, so they have more time to cook. I would love for the US to be more like Europe but we designed our communities to be car dependent and let the food industry guide our health guidance.

People are not consistently following the advice. You are talking about changing the structure to make the advice easier to follow (which I agree with!), but it has never stopped being good advice.

Why continue doing something that doesn't work? You are wasting your time. Prior to the development of GLP-1 drugs, the medical establishment had a record of abject failure on helping people to lose weight. Your advice is not new. This is what doctors have been telling people for decades. People know they should exercise more and eat less. You're not adding anything by screeching this advice incessantly to them.

It does work. People don’t consistently follow it.

+1

If you follow it for 6 months it will work. If you only follow it for a week and return to your crappy habits, it wont'.

When someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes there is an "optional" 4-5 sessions with a dietician/course with a nutritionist. It's Optional and very short. IMO it should be mandatory and continue for 3-6 months, with checkins every month for the rest of first year. You can reverse diabetes with diet and exercise. In reality, those courses should be available for pre-diabetics (A1C indicates that along with other tests). The issue is doctors take perhaps a single 6 week course on nutrition, and then forget about it. It's not a part of western medicine to look at diet as a real solution. Which is sad. Because diet and exercise can solve so many health issues, and it's not radical to eat Whole Foods and avoid sugar/baked goods, etc.

It works if you follow it. But that requires discipline and the desire to help yourself and make your life better for the next 30+ years. But it's "easier to pop a pill" and not have to change anything in your life

CGMs can be very impactful in terms of behavioral change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

Meat and salt can be very healthy. Lots of people have reversed multiple health conditions on an animal based diet.

The current food pyramid is what is unhealthy and it tracks with an explosion in obesity and insulin becoming a huge money maker.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

Are Americans as a whole less willing to "fix their issues" than Europeans who have much lower obesity rates? Why?

Most europeans walk way more than we do. They also routinely eat much better---Whole Foods and a lot less crap is eaten in Europe.
Just go look at portion sizes at restaurants---you rarely will need a carryout box in Europe.

And yes, most Americans are not willing to "fix their issues". They complain complain complain but don't want to address the real issues. I get it, it's hard to do once you are 50lbs+ overweight. I just don't get how you let yourself get there. If I got 10lbs over my ideal weight, I adjust my diet and focus on walking more. In the office, I take the stairs, as long as I'm not carrying a ton. You can get 2-4K steps during the day from just doing that. I get out to walk for 10 mins with lunch and I make an effort to eat healthy

Btw I am not obese so spare me your "advice" - and btw people have been giving this advice for decades and the obesity crisis has only grown so maybe save your breath.

I totally agree that the US should look to Europe. They walk more because their cities are designed differently. They eat better because their food supply is more regulated and people work fewer hours, so they have more time to cook. I would love for the US to be more like Europe but we designed our communities to be car dependent and let the food industry guide our health guidance.

People are not consistently following the advice. You are talking about changing the structure to make the advice easier to follow (which I agree with!), but it has never stopped being good advice.

Why continue doing something that doesn't work? You are wasting your time. Prior to the development of GLP-1 drugs, the medical establishment had a record of abject failure on helping people to lose weight. Your advice is not new. This is what doctors have been telling people for decades. People know they should exercise more and eat less. You're not adding anything by screeching this advice incessantly to them.

It does work. People don’t consistently follow it.

+1

If you follow it for 6 months it will work. If you only follow it for a week and return to your crappy habits, it wont'.

When someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes there is an "optional" 4-5 sessions with a dietician/course with a nutritionist. It's Optional and very short. IMO it should be mandatory and continue for 3-6 months, with checkins every month for the rest of first year. You can reverse diabetes with diet and exercise. In reality, those courses should be available for pre-diabetics (A1C indicates that along with other tests). The issue is doctors take perhaps a single 6 week course on nutrition, and then forget about it. It's not a part of western medicine to look at diet as a real solution. Which is sad. Because diet and exercise can solve so many health issues, and it's not radical to eat Whole Foods and avoid sugar/baked goods, etc.

It works if you follow it. But that requires discipline and the desire to help yourself and make your life better for the next 30+ years. But it's "easier to pop a pill" and not have to change anything in your life

A challenge to all the fatshaming haters on this thread: If you think changing your habits is so easy, change your own for 6 months and report back. Don't say a single mean thing to anyone.

It's an easier challenge than the one you think the "lazy fats" are failing because you don't need to be mean to survive the way you need to eat food to survive, and saying kinder things isn't any more expensive than talking shit. Try it, and then come back and report how it was super easy, you never backslid, and you radically altered your life with minimal effort or consequence.

Until then, please kindly STFU with the sanctimonious "calories in, calories out" you and your blessed metabolism espouse. This isn't nearly as simple as you think, and you're not nearly as superior as you seem to feel about it.

I don't fat shame or treat people meanly. And yes I myself am 8 weeks into a "healthier diet", cutting out all sugars, baked goods, breads, and eating only whole foods and getting carbs from fruits and veggies. I don't plan to change that ever again. I only had 10lbs to loose and that dropped off immediately and I feel so much more energized from eating healthy. I'm post menopausal so that was the cause of my weight gain---oh and the desire to eat bread, cookies, baked goods, and generally unhealthy items.

So yes, I have made the changes myself and don't plan to look back

[Anonymous]

Ugh should have never opened this thread. So many smug people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

Meat and salt can be very healthy. Lots of people have reversed multiple health conditions on an animal based diet.

The current food pyramid is what is unhealthy and it tracks with an explosion in obesity and insulin becoming a huge money maker.

+1

The food pyramid is wrong. We don't need grains, it lead to this obesity epidemic. Cut them out and see what it does to your body. You won't know until you give it a try

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

Meat and salt can be very healthy. Lots of people have reversed multiple health conditions on an animal based diet.

The current food pyramid is what is unhealthy and it tracks with an explosion in obesity and insulin becoming a huge money maker.

+1

The food pyramid is wrong. We don't need grains, it lead to this obesity epidemic. Cut them out and see what it does to your body. You won't know until you give it a try

First, no, the food pyramid recommendations (which no one has ever followed anyway) did not lead to the obesity epidemic. Second, the word you are looking for in this context is “led” - I assume you also don’t understand the difference between “loose” and “lose”.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

Meat and salt can be very healthy. Lots of people have reversed multiple health conditions on an animal based diet.

The current food pyramid is what is unhealthy and it tracks with an explosion in obesity and insulin becoming a huge money maker.

+1

The food pyramid is wrong. We don't need grains, it lead to this obesity epidemic. Cut them out and see what it does to your body. You won't know until you give it a try

First, no, the food pyramid recommendations (which no one has ever followed anyway) did not lead to the obesity epidemic. Second, the word you are looking for in this context is “led” - I assume you also don’t understand the difference between “loose” and “lose”.

Exactly - the idea that the 40% of Americans that are obese are that way because they meticulously followed some food pyramid guidelines is so intellectually dishonest its impossible to know where to start.

The sad part is the rush to blame externalities in all this ends up neutering the ability of people from taking control of their own health. Any time you speak any form of actual truth its too mean and its shaming. The opposite of the empowerment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

Are Americans as a whole less willing to "fix their issues" than Europeans who have much lower obesity rates? Why?

Most europeans walk way more than we do. They also routinely eat much better---Whole Foods and a lot less crap is eaten in Europe.
Just go look at portion sizes at restaurants---you rarely will need a carryout box in Europe.

And yes, most Americans are not willing to "fix their issues". They complain complain complain but don't want to address the real issues. I get it, it's hard to do once you are 50lbs+ overweight. I just don't get how you let yourself get there. If I got 10lbs over my ideal weight, I adjust my diet and focus on walking more. In the office, I take the stairs, as long as I'm not carrying a ton. You can get 2-4K steps during the day from just doing that. I get out to walk for 10 mins with lunch and I make an effort to eat healthy

Btw I am not obese so spare me your "advice" - and btw people have been giving this advice for decades and the obesity crisis has only grown so maybe save your breath.

I totally agree that the US should look to Europe. They walk more because their cities are designed differently. They eat better because their food supply is more regulated and people work fewer hours, so they have more time to cook. I would love for the US to be more like Europe but we designed our communities to be car dependent and let the food industry guide our health guidance.

People are not consistently following the advice. You are talking about changing the structure to make the advice easier to follow (which I agree with!), but it has never stopped being good advice.

Why continue doing something that doesn't work? You are wasting your time. Prior to the development of GLP-1 drugs, the medical establishment had a record of abject failure on helping people to lose weight. Your advice is not new. This is what doctors have been telling people for decades. People know they should exercise more and eat less. You're not adding anything by screeching this advice incessantly to them.

It does work. People don’t consistently follow it.

+1

If you follow it for 6 months it will work. If you only follow it for a week and return to your crappy habits, it wont'.

When someone is diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes there is an "optional" 4-5 sessions with a dietician/course with a nutritionist. It's Optional and very short. IMO it should be mandatory and continue for 3-6 months, with checkins every month for the rest of first year. You can reverse diabetes with diet and exercise. In reality, those courses should be available for pre-diabetics (A1C indicates that along with other tests). The issue is doctors take perhaps a single 6 week course on nutrition, and then forget about it. It's not a part of western medicine to look at diet as a real solution. Which is sad. Because diet and exercise can solve so many health issues, and it's not radical to eat Whole Foods and avoid sugar/baked goods, etc.

It works if you follow it. But that requires discipline and the desire to help yourself and make your life better for the next 30+ years. But it's "easier to pop a pill" and not have to change anything in your life

A challenge to all the fatshaming haters on this thread: If you think changing your habits is so easy, change your own for 6 months and report back. Don't say a single mean thing to anyone.

It's an easier challenge than the one you think the "lazy fats" are failing because you don't need to be mean to survive the way you need to eat food to survive, and saying kinder things isn't any more expensive than talking shit. Try it, and then come back and report how it was super easy, you never backslid, and you radically altered your life with minimal effort or consequence.

Until then, please kindly STFU with the sanctimonious "calories in, calories out" you and your blessed metabolism espouse. This isn't nearly as simple as you think, and you're not nearly as superior as you seem to feel about it.

I don't fat shame or treat people meanly. And yes I myself am 8 weeks into a "healthier diet", cutting out all sugars, baked goods, breads, and eating only whole foods and getting carbs from fruits and veggies. I don't plan to change that ever again. I only had 10lbs to loose and that dropped off immediately and I feel so much more energized from eating healthy. I'm post menopausal so that was the cause of my weight gain---oh and the desire to eat bread, cookies, baked goods, and generally unhealthy items.

So yes, I have made the changes myself and don't plan to look back

I'd offer you a cookie, but...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

Meat and salt can be very healthy. Lots of people have reversed multiple health conditions on an animal based diet.

The current food pyramid is what is unhealthy and it tracks with an explosion in obesity and insulin becoming a huge money maker.

+1

The food pyramid is wrong. We don't need grains, it lead to this obesity epidemic. Cut them out and see what it does to your body. You won't know until you give it a try

First, no, the food pyramid recommendations (which no one has ever followed anyway) did not lead to the obesity epidemic. Second, the word you are looking for in this context is “led” - I assume you also don’t understand the difference between “loose” and “lose”.

Exactly - the idea that the 40% of Americans that are obese are that way because they meticulously followed some food pyramid guidelines is so intellectually dishonest its impossible to know where to start.

The sad part is the rush to blame externalities in all this ends up neutering the ability of people from taking control of their own health. Any time you speak any form of actual truth its too mean and its shaming. The opposite of the empowerment.

Imagine being arrogant enough to think you, and only you, know "the actual truth" about the complexities of a stranger's physical health. What an AH.