What should America do about the childhood obesity epidemic?

[hal9000]

Cheerios and goldfish and HFCS in everything appear to not be helping

 

[Sharky]

I used to work in an office that had three obese women working in it. I became friends with them. They all complained about how genetics were a major problem for them, how they really didn't eat anything much, they were simply getting fat on air. The funny thing is if you came in during lunch, or looked in the trash in the lunchroom after lunch, burger wrappers, sodas, french fries, multiple large pizzas, etc etc.

I believe that is called "Fat man's amnesia."

Or in this case, fat women.

Every fat person I have ever come to know, you don't have to be around them very long before you see how they are getting fat.

 

[Kento]

I used to work in an office that had three obese women working in it. I became friends with them. They all complained about how genetics were a major problem for them, how they really didn't eat anything much, they were simply getting fat on air. The funny thing is if you came in during lunch, or looked in the trash in the lunchroom after lunch, burger wrappers, sodas, french fries, multiple large pizzas, etc etc.

I believe that is called "Fat man's amnesia."

Or in this case, fat women.

Every fat person I have ever come to know, you don't have to be around them very long before you see how they are getting fat.

I bet it was freezing cold in that office too from them cranking the A/C also. My desk was under a vent so it sucked.

Long time ago, I aired the grievance of it being 58 degrees or some such in the office and it was suggested I wasn't actually cold but anemic.

That was a good one. Just made it a habit to always bring a sweatshirt and/or jacket into the office. Even in summer? Especially in summer.

 

[Ifallalot]

What exactly do you think I did?

My generation and cultural milieu is rife with guys who are no longer with us due to drug and alcohol addiction (cigarettes not so much...education programs???). The problem there is almost the opposite- no one shamed them, but rather they were egged on. It was like you were expected to "party." The shame was on those who "couldn't hold their alcohol." Lightweights! I feel lucky now that I was a lightweight.

Alcohol ruins the next day for me, even when I was young, and i'm just not good at drinking to begin with. I don't know my limits and over-consume

Because of this, I was one of the first people in my friends group to seriously cut back. I was often shamed about not drinking, or shamed for not wanting to "hang out" when I knew what that would lead to.

 

[Ifallalot]

I used to work in an office that had three obese women working in it. I became friends with them. They all complained about how genetics were a major problem for them, how they really didn't eat anything much, they were simply getting fat on air. The funny thing is if you came in during lunch, or looked in the trash in the lunchroom after lunch, burger wrappers, sodas, french fries, multiple large pizzas, etc etc.

I believe that is called "Fat man's amnesia."

Or in this case, fat women.

Every fat person I have ever come to know, you don't have to be around them very long before you see how they are getting fat.

Bingo

 

[grapedrink]

Crappy food promotes, or rather feeds, microbes that are not mutually beneficial, lead to unhealthy gut permeability, etc.

sure but there is no proof that this has some direct effect on metabolic rate.

New discoveries indicate that our bodies contain more microbial cells than human cells, so a bit more than sprinkles on a cupcake, metaphysically speaking.

From a purely quantitative standpoint, ok. In terms of effect on fat gain, minimal. Caloric intake relative to output is and always will be the primary driver. To disagree is to ignore the laws of thermodynamics.

 

[VonMeister]

Cheerios and goldfish and HFCS in everything appear to not be helping

Neither did the governments war on sugar and the recommendation of replacing them with sugar substitutes.

 

[VonMeister]

Alcohol ruins the next day for me, even when I was young, and i'm just not good at drinking to begin with. I don't know my limits and over-consume

Because of this, I was one of the first people in my friends group to seriously cut back. I was often shamed about not drinking, or shamed for not wanting to "hang out" when I knew what that would lead to.

.....not to mention liver disease. The liver is good at disguising itself as healthy but once you see symptoms it's often too late. There's not a lot of good options once you get there.

If a person regularly exceeds 3 drinks per week they need to really decide how they want their future to look.

 

[hal9000]

Neither did the governments war on sugar and the recommendation of replacing them with sugar substitutes.

Is someone on here arguing that point? I think we're all in agreement here.

 

[Kento]

Alcohol ruins the next day for me, even when I was young, and i'm just not good at drinking to begin with. I don't know my limits and over-consume

Because of this, I was one of the first people in my friends group to seriously cut back. I was often shamed about not drinking, or shamed for not wanting to "hang out" when I knew what that would lead to.

Have the exact opposite problem but at the same time, enough's enough.

Been sober (well, CA sober) the last three months and not regretting it.

 

[estreet]

From a purely quantitative standpoint, ok. In terms of effect on fat gain, minimal. Caloric intake relative to output is and always will be the primary driver. To disagree is to ignore the laws of thermodynamics.

You seem to be overlooking the fact that these microbes are an essential part of a health digestive system and may also significantly affect appetite (which affects caloric intake and that kinds of foods consumed).

 

[Random Guy]

erbb sure does love fat threads

is there a bit of “we’re better than them” thing going on here?
whado the resident psychobabblersnher have to say about us and out fat threads?

 

[drunjk]

 

[grapedrink]

You seem to be overlooking the fact that these microbes are an essential part of a health digestive system and may also significantly affect appetite (which affects caloric intake and that kinds of foods consumed).

Im not overlooking that at all. What I said that there is no direct effect on metabolic rate. what you describe in your last sentence is an indirect effect on appetite, not a direct effect on metabolic rate.

 

[hal9000]

Im not overlooking that at all. What I said that there is no direct effect on metabolic rate. what you describe in your last sentence is an indirect effect on appetite, not a direct effect on metabolic rate.

Try having a digestive or immune system without a microbiome.

 

[afoaf]

I was often shamed about not drinking, or shamed for not wanting to "hang out" when I knew what that would lead to.

this is a HUGE problem for alcoholics...the social pressure

it sucks.

at work events I just have the bartender put soda in a rocks glass with a lime and call it a gin and tonic

imagine if your friends simply respected your choice...or were appropriately indifferent seeing as how it doesn't really have any effect on them.....

 

[Swallow Tail]

End taxpayer funded free school meals?

for many children - school is literally their only resource, the only place they get meals.

 

[grapedrink]

Try having a digestive or immune system without a microbiome.

Irrelevant to my overall point.

 

[Autoprax]

Loosing the weight is way harder than maintaining it.

 

[Ifallalot]

this is a HUGE problem for alcoholics...the social pressure

it sucks.

at work events I just have the bartender put soda in a rocks glass with a lime and call it a gin and tonic

imagine if your friends simply respected your choice...or were appropriately indifferent seeing as how it doesn't really have any effect on them.....

Now that we’re in our 40s it’s different

for the ones I still hang out with…