Average American woman - new study

[Anonymous]

SES definitely has something to do with it, more than race.

I was recently at a fundraiser in Potomac. Of probably 100 people there, I owuld guess that maybe three people were of this weight. At 120 lbs myself, I was on the thinner side of average among people but not strikingly so. There was a mix of White, Black, Latino, Asian/South Asian people there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who is significantly overweight will have spend the rest of their life fighting their body to retain their set point weight. Like, significant mental energy dedicated to it every single day. Most people simply aren’t capable of it. Without bariatric surgery or lifelong medication to treat it is statistically nearly impossible. The new GLP-1 drugs (semaglutide) are quite promising but they will need to be taken forever.

For those who are obese and overweight already the focus for individuals needs to be on improving health and mobility regardless of body habitus with diet and exercise, and treating obesity with surgery and/or medication.

We need to figure out on a population level what is making us obese. The truth is we just don’t know.

Its not a mystery, racism and poverty wages are making Americans obese. You know, because we are constantly stressed out and working. And for much of the population, cooking at home from whole foods is out of reach. My family is southern and most of the adults are obese. My brother and I are not, and my kids are not. We live in the city, the public charter school lunch is cooked on site, and we try to walk and be active. Hoping to break the cycle.

It isn’t a mystery you are right. But it is laziness, not poverty. People, all people of every income, are programmed to want to do the least work possible. Cheap and very easy and attainable food is in abundance here. It is tasty too. So of course, time and time again, that will be picked over heathy options that take time to prepare and maybe are boring and not as “tasty” as the things filled with fat, sugar, and salt. But they certainly are available to all. Oats, lentils, beans, rice, canned/frozen/seasonal produce, eggs, milk, is readily available to all people at all income levels. But it takes more time and if working with limited ingredients, may not be as appealing to all- but to say people can’t eat heathy bc they don’t have access to any heathy food just isn’t true

No, they’re not. You just can’t imagine a world in which they aren’t bc you’ve never lived that reality.

Yes, yes I have and yes it is. But people like easy and what tastes better. The McD $1 menu is more appealing than a bowl of oatmeal.

[Anonymous]

Nothing cheaper than a bag of rice or beans.

[Anonymous]

McDonald's no longer has a $1 menu.

McDonald's no longer sells salads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who is significantly overweight will have spend the rest of their life fighting their body to retain their set point weight. Like, significant mental energy dedicated to it every single day. Most people simply aren’t capable of it. Without bariatric surgery or lifelong medication to treat it is statistically nearly impossible. The new GLP-1 drugs (semaglutide) are quite promising but they will need to be taken forever.

For those who are obese and overweight already the focus for individuals needs to be on improving health and mobility regardless of body habitus with diet and exercise, and treating obesity with surgery and/or medication.

We need to figure out on a population level what is making us obese. The truth is we just don’t know.

Its not a mystery, racism and poverty wages are making Americans obese. You know, because we are constantly stressed out and working. And for much of the population, cooking at home from whole foods is out of reach. My family is southern and most of the adults are obese. My brother and I are not, and my kids are not. We live in the city, the public charter school lunch is cooked on site, and we try to walk and be active. Hoping to break the cycle.

It isn’t a mystery you are right. But it is laziness, not poverty. People, all people of every income, are programmed to want to do the least work possible. Cheap and very easy and attainable food is in abundance here. It is tasty too. So of course, time and time again, that will be picked over heathy options that take time to prepare and maybe are boring and not as “tasty” as the things filled with fat, sugar, and salt. But they certainly are available to all. Oats, lentils, beans, rice, canned/frozen/seasonal produce, eggs, milk, is readily available to all people at all income levels. But it takes more time and if working with limited ingredients, may not be as appealing to all- but to say people can’t eat heathy bc they don’t have access to any heathy food just isn’t true

The vast stupidity of this worldview demonstrates an intellectual laziness that is remarkable. You think you're "smart" and a "hard worker," don't you. LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who is significantly overweight will have spend the rest of their life fighting their body to retain their set point weight. Like, significant mental energy dedicated to it every single day. Most people simply aren’t capable of it. Without bariatric surgery or lifelong medication to treat it is statistically nearly impossible. The new GLP-1 drugs (semaglutide) are quite promising but they will need to be taken forever.

For those who are obese and overweight already the focus for individuals needs to be on improving health and mobility regardless of body habitus with diet and exercise, and treating obesity with surgery and/or medication.

We need to figure out on a population level what is making us obese. The truth is we just don’t know.

Its not a mystery, racism and poverty wages are making Americans obese. You know, because we are constantly stressed out and working. And for much of the population, cooking at home from whole foods is out of reach. My family is southern and most of the adults are obese. My brother and I are not, and my kids are not. We live in the city, the public charter school lunch is cooked on site, and we try to walk and be active. Hoping to break the cycle.

It isn’t a mystery you are right. But it is laziness, not poverty. People, all people of every income, are programmed to want to do the least work possible. Cheap and very easy and attainable food is in abundance here. It is tasty too. So of course, time and time again, that will be picked over heathy options that take time to prepare and maybe are boring and not as “tasty” as the things filled with fat, sugar, and salt. But they certainly are available to all. Oats, lentils, beans, rice, canned/frozen/seasonal produce, eggs, milk, is readily available to all people at all income levels. But it takes more time and if working with limited ingredients, may not be as appealing to all- but to say people can’t eat heathy bc they don’t have access to any heathy food just isn’t true

I just can't get behind this idea that comes up over and over again that food is to be eaten as a reward when you are doing well or stressed out or any number of reasons. That is why people can't seem to choose cheap but healthy foods like oats/lentils/eggs etc. Even McD has salads but how many people choose that over fries? Food is to nourish your body so you are healthy and can participate in rewarding pursuits. Sure the occasional birthday cake or treat is fine but just eating junk food and soda daily? Why can't people listen to music as a reward? or read a book or even watch some random tiktok vidoes? Why does it have to be food? You don't live to eat and all that..

It's not an idea to "get behind" like a recommendation, it's a behavioral reality. I'm not medically overweight but I weigh a good 10 lbs more than before I had my second kid partially due to this psychology. I don't have TIME to do things I would enjoy personally (like distance running!) before the kids are asleep and the house is tidied up at 9-9:30 PM. I also don't have time to be cooking tons of raw vegetables and dried beans for weeknight meals the way I did before trying to balance multiple kids and a full time job. I DO have to eat every night, and we do eat more simple carbs and processed food than I know is ideal, and I do have seconds too often. Sometimes people just dont have it in them to apply extreme self discipline in every area of their lives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm surprised this isn't more of an issue with liberals. Just imagine how much less food we'd need to produce if Americans ate less/ate normal portions. Less greenhouse gases, less carbon, less trucking food around.

It is, which is why we support socialized medicine.

I think conservatives/libertarians are against socialized medicine for just this reason. People are eating junk and don't care at all about their health, why should others have to pay for it? Medicine would cost a lot less and would be more supported if people were generally healthier.

Preventative medicine would go a long way.

I know conservatives/libertarians think every issue someone encounters in life is because of their own moral failing, but that just isn’t so.

I agree that this doesn't apply to everyone who is overweight, but there has to be a systemic issue at play here given how much the nation as a whole is increasing in BMI, moreso than other developed countries (who also have this issue, but not nearly the rate the US does).

Right. If anyone is worried about this as a societal/systemic problem, let's hear some ideas for societal/systemic changes that will support healthier lifestyles.

I’d like a return of home economics classes. I remember being given a budget and having to shop for and prepare a healthy meal for 4, providing evidence of clipped coupons and nutritional value, as part of my tenth grade course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nothing cheaper than a bag of rice or beans.

I think what complicates that is the time factor. Preparing rice and beans takes time. Going through a drive through doesn’t.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why does it make you sad? Unpack that.

Huh? I’m not OP but anytime I see someone who’s health is destroyed it’s sad.

I am roughly 80 pounds overweight. You’d probably be sad if you looked at me, I guess.

I hiked 9 miles today. I work out hard 4-5 days a week. I eat a healthy and varied diet. My blood pressure is on the low side of normal. My fasting blood sugar and A1C has never been close to even pre-diabetic. I am insulin resistant which is why it’s very hard for me to lose weight and why I’ve always been overweight.

You can’t tell how healthy someone is by looking at them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compare the Sidwell lunch menu to your local public and you have your answer. Add in food deserts, too.

I work in a Title 1 school and see what they serve the kids for free breakfast, lunch, and snack. All microwaved processed foods like hot dogs, cheesy pretzels, chocolate milk, nachos with cheese dip, etc.

This is what they offer to ALL kids at ALL public schools now.

The food is definitely terrible, but the parents contribute to make it even worse. I was giving my kids a small pack of goldfish and a banana for snack. Their friends are almost uniformly bringing skittles, pockies, gummy bears, and other bullsh*t so I'm constantly getting told how I'm such a strict parent. I pointed out that like half the kids in their school are fat and they rebut with "not in our class" (they are in the AAP class where somehow the kids eat garbage for snack and are still thin). My response is that their friends will have diabetes soon after college. It's so unfortunate what we are doing to our kids in America. I went to school in Germany as a kid and the food there is actually like a home-cooked meal with actual food groups compared to what we get in the US.

When my kids were in K all the parents turn turns bringing afternoon snack for the week.
When it was my turn, I brought in grapes, rice crackers, strawberries, oranges, graham crackers, etc...
One of the kids told me that he didn't like my snacks because he expected skittles and doritos. I was genuinely surprised that skittles are considered snacks.

Anyways, I'm not a strict parent as I have chocolate malt balls, hard candy, cookies and the like sitting on my countertop for the kids to grab whenever they want. But I also always bring out fruits for dessert at the end of the day. My kids would feel it strange if they didn't finish off the day with fruit.

Another weird thing I learned, one of my daughter's classmates brought lunch from home - which was a Nutella sandwich. This girl was on the heavy side by just little. Makes you realize that she probably wouldn't be if she had a sandwich with, say, bacon and eggs. I watched her little sister also get heavier through the years. The strange thing is the mother is small, skinny and always decked out in Lululemon. I think she didn't know how to cook because she'd serve canned soups for lunch to the kids on weekends. I get it if one is a working mom, but this woman didn't work AND she had a nanny for her 2 kids.
This is a school in NYC's UWS, in a most sought after G&T program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compare the Sidwell lunch menu to your local public and you have your answer. Add in food deserts, too.

I work in a Title 1 school and see what they serve the kids for free breakfast, lunch, and snack. All microwaved processed foods like hot dogs, cheesy pretzels, chocolate milk, nachos with cheese dip, etc.

This is what they offer to ALL kids at ALL public schools now.

The food is definitely terrible, but the parents contribute to make it even worse. I was giving my kids a small pack of goldfish and a banana for snack. Their friends are almost uniformly bringing skittles, pockies, gummy bears, and other bullsh*t so I'm constantly getting told how I'm such a strict parent. I pointed out that like half the kids in their school are fat and they rebut with "not in our class" (they are in the AAP class where somehow the kids eat garbage for snack and are still thin). My response is that their friends will have diabetes soon after college. It's so unfortunate what we are doing to our kids in America. I went to school in Germany as a kid and the food there is actually like a home-cooked meal with actual food groups compared to what we get in the US.

When my kids were in K all the parents turn turns bringing afternoon snack for the week.
When it was my turn, I brought in grapes, rice crackers, strawberries, oranges, graham crackers, etc...
One of the kids told me that he didn't like my snacks because he expected skittles and doritos. I was genuinely surprised that skittles are considered snacks.

Anyways, I'm not a strict parent as I have chocolate malt balls, hard candy, cookies and the like sitting on my countertop for the kids to grab whenever they want. But I also always bring out fruits for dessert at the end of the day. My kids would feel it strange if they didn't finish off the day with fruit.

Another weird thing I learned, one of my daughter's classmates brought lunch from home - which was a Nutella sandwich. This girl was on the heavy side by just little. Makes you realize that she probably wouldn't be if she had a sandwich with, say, bacon and eggs. I watched her little sister also get heavier through the years. The strange thing is the mother is small, skinny and always decked out in Lululemon. I think she didn't know how to cook because she'd serve canned soups for lunch to the kids on weekends. I get it if one is a working mom, but this woman didn't work AND she had a nanny for her 2 kids.
This is a school in NYC's UWS, in a most sought after G&T program.

So you were shocked that candy is considered a snack…but you have candy available as a snack at all times. Makes sense!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing cheaper than a bag of rice or beans.

I think what complicates that is the time factor. Preparing rice and beans takes time. Going through a drive through doesn’t.

An excuse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Anyone who is significantly overweight will have spend the rest of their life fighting their body to retain their set point weight. Like, significant mental energy dedicated to it every single day. Most people simply aren’t capable of it. Without bariatric surgery or lifelong medication to treat it is statistically nearly impossible. The new GLP-1 drugs (semaglutide) are quite promising but they will need to be taken forever.

For those who are obese and overweight already the focus for individuals needs to be on improving health and mobility regardless of body habitus with diet and exercise, and treating obesity with surgery and/or medication.

We need to figure out on a population level what is making us obese. The truth is we just don’t know.

Its not a mystery, racism and poverty wages are making Americans obese. You know, because we are constantly stressed out and working. And for much of the population, cooking at home from whole foods is out of reach. My family is southern and most of the adults are obese. My brother and I are not, and my kids are not. We live in the city, the public charter school lunch is cooked on site, and we try to walk and be active. Hoping to break the cycle.

It isn’t a mystery you are right. But it is laziness, not poverty. People, all people of every income, are programmed to want to do the least work possible. Cheap and very easy and attainable food is in abundance here. It is tasty too. So of course, time and time again, that will be picked over heathy options that take time to prepare and maybe are boring and not as “tasty” as the things filled with fat, sugar, and salt. But they certainly are available to all. Oats, lentils, beans, rice, canned/frozen/seasonal produce, eggs, milk, is readily available to all people at all income levels. But it takes more time and if working with limited ingredients, may not be as appealing to all- but to say people can’t eat heathy bc they don’t have access to any heathy food just isn’t true

I just can't get behind this idea that comes up over and over again that food is to be eaten as a reward when you are doing well or stressed out or any number of reasons. That is why people can't seem to choose cheap but healthy foods like oats/lentils/eggs etc. Even McD has salads but how many people choose that over fries? Food is to nourish your body so you are healthy and can participate in rewarding pursuits. Sure the occasional birthday cake or treat is fine but just eating junk food and soda daily? Why can't people listen to music as a reward? or read a book or even watch some random tiktok vidoes? Why does it have to be food? You don't live to eat and all that..

It's not an idea to "get behind" like a recommendation, it's a behavioral reality. I'm not medically overweight but I weigh a good 10 lbs more than before I had my second kid partially due to this psychology. I don't have TIME to do things I would enjoy personally (like distance running!) before the kids are asleep and the house is tidied up at 9-9:30 PM. I also don't have time to be cooking tons of raw vegetables and dried beans for weeknight meals the way I did before trying to balance multiple kids and a full time job. I DO have to eat every night, and we do eat more simple carbs and processed food than I know is ideal, and I do have seconds too often. Sometimes people just dont have it in them to apply extreme self discipline in every area of their lives.

It does not take that long to steam or roast frozen or pre cut vegetables. This post is nothing but a bunch of excuses. Batch cook healthy stews and soups on the weekend. There are so many easy ways to eat healthy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compare the Sidwell lunch menu to your local public and you have your answer. Add in food deserts, too.

I work in a Title 1 school and see what they serve the kids for free breakfast, lunch, and snack. All microwaved processed foods like hot dogs, cheesy pretzels, chocolate milk, nachos with cheese dip, etc.

This is what they offer to ALL kids at ALL public schools now.

Agree. My 6 year old loves all this junk they are serving to her at public kindergarten. So sad. No real kitchen, no real cooks. These kids have no chance to eat healthy anywhere really.

I am 51, and went to public school out west. From what I recall, school lunch was gross then, too. Did you all go to private school or something? School lunches in US public schools have been bad for eons.

Other countries definitely do it better, but they also pay their teachers better, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having moved here years ago as a young adult from a country with overhalf the obesity rate as us. I was shocked at how many big people I saw. But I was also surprised at all the portion sizes at restaurants, sodas, even the kiddie size ice cream cup is a normal size for an aft elsewhere. Plus add the snack culture, the emphasis on grain products and highly processed, highly palatable salty food, you've got a recipe for disaster. Before skinny people pay ourselves on the back though, we are not immune to "fat people diseases". Our rates of type 2 diabetes is half of an obese person. But half the rate is still too high. Metabolic disease, while much more prevalent in obese people, still afflicts the skinny ones too.

+1 portion sizes here are *insane*.

I am a petite woman, and in some of the restaurants, the portion sizes from the child's menu would be enough for me. I went to a nice hotel restaurant after a long flight, and the "children's menu" had a small steak and salad and potatoes. I asked the waiter if I could order from the children's menu, and he said yes. That dinner was enough for me. I can never finish an adult sized meal.

DH is from Europe, and when he first came here, he couldn't finish a meal at a restaurant. A year later, he had no problem finishing it. He gained a lot of weight after living here for a few years. Luckily, he's lost a fair amount of that during covid.

When we go to Europe, I can actually have a 3 course meal, whereas here, I can't even finish my main.