Obesity Epidemic

shadb33
shadb33 Members Posts: 3,810 ✭✭✭
edited February 2010 in The Social Lounge
I just finished watching a video on TED.com, which has great videos on living a healthy lifestyle and he provided some startling statistics. My question to yall is: Why do you think Americans aren't getting the message? Is it cause of ignorance? Standard of living?

Globalization of Illness

Countries are beginning to eat like us, live like us, and die like us.
In one generation, Asia has gone from one of the lowest to the highest rates of chronic disease.
Cardiovascular deaths equal ? /AIDS deaths in most African countries.

The American Cuisine?
65% of adults and 15% of children are obese or overweight.
Diabetes has increased 70% in 30 year olds in the last decade.
This may be the first generation in which children lead a shorter life span than their parents.



And the sad thing about it is, cardiovascular disease is PREVENTABLE for at least 95% of people just by change of diet and lifestyle. But today, you still hear people using excuses to why they are overweight or obese. "It's genetics... I can't lose weight...something else is gonna ? me if not this..."

Comments

  • The Prime Minister
    The Prime Minister Members Posts: 2,883 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2010
    Most people drive everywhere they need to go, and spend most of their work day sitting on their ass.

    Will look at you crazy if you propose actually walking somewhere., let alone exercise.
  • Niccolò Rossi
    Niccolò Rossi Members Posts: 31
    edited February 2010
    Obesity is a problem. But compared to the struggle against hunger put up by humanity throughout human history, it's a small problem - one solved pretty straightforwardly through individual initiave: exercising a bit more and eating a bit less (indeed, in this sense, the fact that some of us can now afford to overeat is something to be celebrated). This can't be said about the struggle against hunger - which needs social solutions, revolution, radical social change.

    Also, today's obsession with 'fat people', especially those 'greedy fat Americans', can be seen to be motivated by a more general widespread unease with material wealth and raised living standards for the masses, as this interesting article points out: http://www.anonym.to/?http://www.spiked-online.com/index.php?/site/article/670/
  • getchamoneyrigh
    getchamoneyrigh Members Posts: 506
    edited February 2010
    Americans are fat because food is easy to get to and its easy! You can eat, eat, and eat more without breaking a sweat. Now this is not a new thing. If you look at most fat children their parents are fat. Why? Because of the children modeling their parents behavior.
  • bbwthick23
    bbwthick23 Members Posts: 954 ✭✭✭
    edited February 2010
    When I was a young child(I am only 24 now) my mother would make us go outside and play. We would play football, basketball, manhunt;all active games. Now activity is xbox 360, playstation 3, and mtv jams
  • DarcSkies777
    DarcSkies777 Members Posts: 5,600 ✭✭✭
    edited February 2010
    bbwthick23 wrote: »
    When I was a young child(I am only 24 now) my mother would make us go outside and play. We would play football, basketball, manhunt;all active games. Now activity is xbox 360, playstation 3, and mtv jams
    *looks at your name*

    LOL

    Anyway, we have to stop lying to people and telling them they are fine just how they are and all that Oprah Winfrey nonsense. Fat people always say it's none of our business if they're fat but healthcare costs are up in part because of fat people and their constant need for health related services from heart disease, etc.

    People give fat people toom many excuses but everybody has time to jog I dont care what they say.
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited February 2010
    Fat people are annoying honestly. I mean if you are fat and that's the way you want to be, that's fine, but quit making up excuses and quit throwing hissy fits because he world isn't conforming to your fat ass. I think the whole airplane fiasco is the worst. I'm sorry, but airplanes have limited space. The airline shouldn't have to take a hit on revenue because some people can't say no to food, and the people sitting next to that person shouldn't have to fly in discomfort because someone's excess girth is over in their space the whole flight. I know how it feels to be on a five hour flight and have your space invaded by someone else's fat. That ? is really uncomfortable.

    Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying there are no legitimate reasons for being fat. Some people are dealt a bad hand, but that's not the case for the average fat person. Most fat people are the ones that will wait half and hour for a shuttle just to go two blocks or 5 mins for an elevator just to go up one flight of stairs.