American obesity? Why?

[Plucky]

I know Americans are seen as fat, and we do have a growing problem with obesity. The fast food, eating out, portions, all contribute. But what about the endorsement by our government for high-carb diets?

 

Also, in other countries they smoke more. Smoking does keep the appetite at bay.

 

If just eating less and exercise was all it took, while adhering to the food pyramid or pie graph. Why isn't it working?

 

The naturopath I am seeing truly feels that obesity is biochemical. People are eating too many carbs and having problems with their blood sugar and insulin levels, which makes them have unbelievable cravings.

 

What is your opinion?

[Joker]

I agree people eat way too many carbs. I gained quite a bit of weight over the course of 7 years and have just now started losing. I started losing when I actually started eating more food but way less carbs and whole grains. I feel better and have way more energy, too.

[ElizabethB]

Corn.

 

Also, we walk less. When we lived in Germany, even the overweight people we not roly-poly fat, they were "stout." People walk more in Europe.

 

All the fried food in the South might have something to do with it. Also, when we lived in the South, the majority of those who exercise there seemed to be from out of state! A lot more people get out and exercise in states like CA and CO. I saw 70 year old men roller-blading in CA!

[Chris in VA]

I think there's a lot of reasons for obesity--some of which include the rushed American lifestyle, the marketing of foods, the sheer abundance of food in this country, and the idea of recreational eating.

I'm sure TV and computer use play into it as well.

[wapiti]

I agree on the carb issue, and probably corn as a component of that.

 

I also think the low-fat craze of the last few decades has been unhelpful.

[Momof3littles]

I know Americans are seen as fat, and we do have a growing problem with obesity. The fast food, eating out, portions, all contribute. But what about the endorsement by our government for high-carb diets?

 

Also, in other countries they smoke more. Smoking does keep the appetite at bay.

 

If just eating less and exercise was all it took, while adhering to the food pyramid or pie graph. Why isn't it working?

 

The naturopath I am seeing truly feels that obesity is biochemical. People are eating too many carbs and having problems with their blood sugar and insulin levels, which makes them have unbelievable cravings.

 

What is your opinion?

I think some people do okay on the low fat/higher carb band wagon. But a huge percentage of the population has issues like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, etc. and would benefit from a higher fat/moderate protein/lower grain/lower carb WOE. ITA that insulin is a major culprit.

 

There are still experts stating it is merely calories in vs. calories out, and I think that is a gross oversimplification of how our bodies work biochemically/physiologically. I think the whole calories in/calories out thing has really done a substantial disservice to people. It smacks of telling people they just don't have enough self-control, etc. In reality, I think people often don't have self-control and feel the need to eat constantly without feeling satisfied because we've demonized fat.

 

Years ago I couldn't figure out why a bagel left me ravenous an hour later. About 5 years after that I got diagnosed w/ PCOS. I don't suffer from weight issues, but I am sooooo hungry if I overdo sugar, carbs, etc. I think there are people who start their day with a bowl of cereal and milk or a bagel and just ride the blood sugar/insulin roller coaster all day long. They never feel satiated.

 

I am a huge Gary Taubes fan and mentioned his books and articles in the sugar thread. I think we've done a huge disservice to people by pumping up how wonderful whole grains are. Yes, they usually result in less of an insulin spike, but for a lot of people, even those whole grains cause their body to pump out far too much insulin. And if you bombard your insulin resistant cells with insulin, over time they become even less sensitive to insulin and on and on it goes.

 

eta: There are obviously other factors involved, but I think the above is what drives me absolutely crazy. I feel so many people have been bombarded w/ the "fat is bad, whole grains are good" message and it has actually been detrimental to overall public health. It really does not recognize that a huge percentage of the population suffers from metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, etc. and the continued preaching of the same "fat is bad, good carbs are good" mantra is just not helping those folks at all.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Momof3littles

[WeeBeaks]

I think a large chunk is our food supply. I agree with the person above who mentioned corn. Also HFCS in every darn thing. All kinds of chemicals and garbage in things where they don't need to be.

 

I agree with the lack of exercise too. In some areas you have to go out of your way to exercise because you live 20 miles out of town with no sidewalks to be seen and no bike lanes so you use your car ... on and on.

 

I would like to walk more even here (we live urban so we do walk often to activities). I live a mile or so from the Costco locally. Walking there and back ought to keep my purchases down, right? :lol: But to walk there means walking alongside a very fast 4 lane road with no sidewalk and no shoulder, plus crossing over a busy freeway on-ramp with no light/cross signal. I admit to taking the car. I don't hear many other countries complaining it is quite as hard to walk as around the US.

 

Combine the food, the geography and the culture that has changed and you have fat people IMHO.

[Joker]

I agree on the carb issue, and probably corn as a component of that.

 

I also think the low-fat craze of the last few decades has been unhelpful.

 

:iagree: I see and hear so many people at the store filling their carts with junk but think its ok because of the low-fat, whole grains, heart healthy, etc. labeling. It was eye opening for me when I actually started to read the ingredient lists of most foods. Now even my dds read and look for the one with the least amount of ingredients and they know to stay away from anything low-fat.

[Momof3littles]

Ah yes, environmental exposure is interesting. BPA has been linked to central adiposity and insulin resistance in studies. I think it is very possible that our environmental exposures are creating havoc in our cells.

Obesogens.

[Susan in TN]

I believe that we have too much processed food, and not enough "plain" food. Bread, veggies, meat, fruit, cheese, butter. I mean, when's the last time you ate like this - not mixed or processed or convoluted with chemicals? Granted, it seems a little boring, but I think if our diets were primarily made of food that more closely resembled their natural state (with a little seasoning here and there), we'd all be better off.

[Jennifer3141]

We eat too much crap. We eat stuff that isn't even food in the most basic sense.

 

And we don't move enough.

[Margaret in GA]

I think some people do okay on the low fat/higher carb band wagon. But a huge percentage of the population has issues like insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, etc. and would benefit from a higher fat/moderate protein/lower grain WOE. ITA that insulin is a major culprit.

 

There are still experts stating it is merely calories in vs. calories out, and I think that is a gross oversimplification of how our bodies work biochemically/physiologically. I think the whole calories in/calories out thing has really done a substantial disservice to people. It smacks of telling people they just don't have enough self-control, etc. In reality, I think people often don't have self-control and feel the need to eat constantly without feeling satisfied because we've demonized fat.

 

Years ago I couldn't figure out why a bagel left me ravenous an hour later. About 5 years after that I got diagnosed w/ PCOS. I don't suffer from weight issues, but I am sooooo hungry if I overdo sugar, carbs, etc. I think there are people who start their day with a bowl of cereal and milk or a bagel and just ride the blood sugar/insulin roller coaster all day long. They never feel satiated.

 

I am a huge Gary Taubes fan and mentioned his books and articles in the sugar thread. I think we've done a huge disservice to people by pumping up how wonderful whole grains are. Yes, they usually result in less of an insulin spike, but for a lot of people, even those whole grains cause their body to pump out far too much insulin. And if you bombard your insulin resistant cells with insulin, over time they become even less sensitive to insulin and on and on it goes.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

I never really had a weight problem (but did start to gain a few pounds a year starting a few years ago). I have always been a carb addict and it wasn't until I cut out wheat and dairy that I realized. Like you, I used to eat a bagel and get hungry in an hour. Now I can actually just eat 2 or 3 meals a day. I can actually delay breakfast, whereas before I had to eat the minute I got up or my blood sugar would plummet and I would be sick. Once I gave up carbs, my life changed. And I lost 13 pounds.

 

Also, please watch this video about how sugar is not just making us fat, it is toxic:

 

[kristinannie]

I am not sure how much the food pyramid is to blame for obesity in this country because I don't know anyone who actually follows it! I am overweight and losing weight (I have had three babies in less than 5 years) and I wasn't exactly skinny beforehand. I have done a lot of thinking about this and these are the main reasons why I think we are overweight as a country:

 

We all live in suburbia where walking to run errands is next to impossible. Our town doesn't even have sidewalks!

 

It is cheaper and easier to just eat junk. You don't have to chop anything. You can just drive through somewhere and get as much junk as you want.

 

I think we have gotten used to bigger and bigger portions because restaurants compete to see who can make you feel like you are getting the most for your money. When I went to a chinese restaurant in Austria, I couldn't believe how small the portion was. Looking back, it was a healthy portion.

 

It has become acceptable to be overweight or obese. With few exceptions, no one says anything negative about it.

 

Everything is easier now than it was before and we don't burn as many calories. Women used to spend all day washing clothes or ironing or scrubbing. Now we have appliances that do a lot of the heavy work for us. Our middle class used to work in factories or do mostly heavy manual labor. Not so much anymore....

 

TV and the internet take up so much time that we could be playing with our kids, walking or working out.

 

School lunches are a joke. That teaches kids how to eat the wrong way.

 

It happens so gradually that it is sometimes hard to notice.

 

 

 

These are just a few of my thoughts. I think it is so sad that we are an obese country and there are so many people who starve to death elsewhere. I have really been trying to focus on that thought whenever I am tempted to overeat. I think it is a huge problem in this country. I have stopped buying anything processed or with ingredients I can't pronounce. I do spend a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, but I honestly think we save a lot of money by not eating out (it is now a rare treat) and by not buying junk food. Now if I could just get my DH to stop drinking pop!!!! :D

[Pretty in Pink]

I agree that grains are much cheaper and, therefore, more affordable for many Americans. Aside from that, I don't think that most Americans are as active as they believe that they are. I grew up overseas and let me tell you, people walked and biked *everywhere*. Physical activity was a lifestyle, not something that one scheduled 30 minutes, 5x per week. There is a huge difference between working out and leading an active lifestyle, IMO.

 

I think that many Americans have no idea what they are really consuming in a given day. I wouldn't consider a McDonald's salad to be a nutritious meal, for example, yet I see them advertised alongside chicken nuggets happy meals in parenting magazines with tag lines implying that these are nutritious choices for both mother and child. But they aren't. They might be some of the least awful choices at McDonald's, but they are far from healthy.

[Homemama2]

I had a good friend who was a foreign exchange student from Germany. She said the lifestyle there was really different. For example, she said kids walked or road bikes to school daily, rain or shine, while kids in America living the same distances ride the bus. She was always laughing at the amount of food all of us ate too. And when she went home her friends were teasing her about all the weight she gained in America (she came here a size 1 and went home a size 4. I guess the lifestyles must be different....I can't imagine thinking a size 4 was heavy! lol! :confused:)

[SonshineLearner]

processed foods:(

[Mrs Mungo]

Living in Germany/traveling all over taught me 2 things:

 

1. Most countries walk and bike *a lot* more than Americans do. Even small-sized cities in Germany have pedestrian-only zones.

 

2. Most countries only eat one *big* meal per day.

[Mrs Mungo]

Yeah, but keep in mind that Germany now has one of the highest rates of obesity in Europe. So it's not quite like that anymore.

 

They eat a LOT of fatty foods and drink a lot of beer. Probably, they have started watching more tv and doing fewer volksmarches. But, overall, the lifestyle is healthier than that of the US.

[YLVD]

I think it boils in huge part down to economics. What are the cheapest, easiest, and most widely produced agricultural goods in the US? Grains

 

:iagree:

 

I'll add to that the prevalence of HCFS, corn being fed to livestock, etc

 

The car culture in the US, sprawl of suburbs and lack of public transportation in much of the US all contributes to obesity. I know that for me, it was crucial that we live in area that is accessible, we can walk to activities and shopping, and near mountain trails. But, it's way expensive and can be tough on us. It is a sacrifice for us but it's really important to me.

Edited July 11, 2011 by YLVD

[Susan in TN]

I had a good friend who was a foreign exchange student from Germany. She said the lifestyle there was really different. For example, she said kids walked or road bikes to school daily, rain or shine, while kids in America living the same distances ride the bus. She was always laughing at the amount of food all of us ate too. And when she went home her friends were teasing her about all the weight she gained in America (she came here a size 1 and went home a size 4. I guess the lifestyles must be different....I can't imagine thinking a size 4 was heavy! lol! :confused:)

 

That's interesting - I walked to school until high school, which was 2 miles away - and even then I didn't think it was weird to walk that far - until a neighbor girl was attacked, and then we just didn't feel safe walking those distances. It seems to me that not many are allowed to walk to school any more for safety reasons.

 

The kids in my neighborhood would often get together to ride our bikes a couple miles to Dairy Queen or a little further to the shopping mall.

[DesertDweller]

1. Sugar-I think it's all the sugar that has been added to our foods. Unless you are eating food in it's original state, almost everything that has been processed in even a small way has sugar added. Just try to shop for foods with little or no sugar added to them. Sugar causes cravings for more sugar and processed carbs. It's a vicious cycle that causes many people to overeat. Many foods that are now low fat have sugar added to make up for flavor.

 

2. Refined Carbs-Many of the carbs people eat are in the form of unhealthy processed foods that have been stripped of their fiber and had sugar, sodium and preservatives put back in them to make them taste good. These too can bring on cravings that cause people to overeat. I would also add that their is a huge convenience factor in this. People want things that are microwavable and fast. They don't want to bother with food that needs to be prepared and cooked from it's raw, natural state.

 

3. Unhealthy Portion Sizes-The amount of food that people think they need to eat at a meal is just crazy. I seldom go out to eat, but if I do, I know I will usually take a good bit of my food home. If I were to try to eat it all, I would be in pain. We are made to think that we aren't getting our money's worth unless we sit down to a huge feast when we go out. This translates into thinking that we need to have a huge plate of food at most meals even at home. In addition, many restaurants, especially fast food chains, price their menu so that more is cheapest. Order the bigger fries and the bigger soda so you get a better deal. Most people if they order more, will eat more.

 

4. Lack of Exercise-We are a society that uses our minds. We sit at the computer or in front of the television. Unless we make the effort, physical activity is usually limited.

[stripe]

I think carbs have nothing to do with it. Many people around the world eat tons of carbs.

 

My question is -- when do Americans not eat? There is constant eating, and lots of nutrient-rich food (high calorie) like cheese, nuts, meat, salty fatty snacks (chips) and baked goods. Dessert constantly. And tons and tons of soda.

 

And no one cooks anymore!

 

With no exercise, no physically demanding housework, and no walking or bicycling anywhere. Sweating is a bad word!

[Mrs Mungo]

I simply do not believe fatty foods have anything to do with it. In fact, they are eating a lot less fat because they have bought into the same low fat mantra that many Americans have. Their food is WAY less fatty compared with year's past.

 

They do walk more. That is definitely true. Whenever we visit we don't drive to the restaurant. We walk. We walk to the train station, etc.

 

Let me rephrase. I think their lifestyle is becoming more sedentary. When one's lifestyle is physically demanding, one can eat a fatty diet.

[YLVD]

That's interesting - I walked to school until high school, which was 2 miles away - and even then I didn't think it was weird to walk that far - until a neighbor girl was attacked, and then we just didn't feel safe walking those distances. It seems to me that not many are allowed to walk to school any more for safety reasons.

 

The kids in my neighborhood would often get together to ride our bikes a couple miles to Dairy Queen or a little further to the shopping mall.

 

I understand the feeling. I admit to being cautious with my own DD. The interesting thing is that crime rates are actually quite a bit lower than when many of us were children.

 

It's just that the media coverage has increased. I was a Criminology major in college and we spent a lot of time learning about the actual crime rates versus perceived crime.

 

BUT, even though I know that, I'm still overprotective! lol

[Orthodox6]

I think it boils in huge part down to economics. What are the cheapest, easiest, and most widely produced agricultural goods in the US? Grains

 

High fructose corn syrup = cheap, easy, and widely-produced. Whole grains are NOT our problem. Overly-refined foods, sugars, the wrong types of fats, and sloth undermine our health.

 

Contentious topic, so I'd best shush.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Orthodox6

[stripe]

Hey now....I cook every day. ;)

 

I know some people cook. But how many people do you know who consider it baking to take frozen balls of prepared cookie dough out of the freezer and onto a sheet, and insert them in the oven? To warm up a frozen pie? How many people use canned soups and mixes and even RICE in pre-cooked or almost cooked form (rice a roni). Cake mixes. Canned fruit. Prechopped watermelon and frozen pb&j sandwiches, for God's sake. What's next???

[Mrs Mungo]

Hey now....I cook every day. ;)

 

I cook every day too, but I know a *lot* of people who don't cook at all. I taught a woman at a fundraiser to make scrambled eggs. It was the first thing she had ever cooked from ingredients. She ran a fitness center, she had been married for 15 years, she had kids.

[Momof3littles]

Let me rephrase. I think their lifestyle is becoming more sedentary. When one's lifestyle is physically demanding, one can eat a fatty diet.

 

Hmmm...exercise increases insulin sensitivity in cells. Again, I think insulin is more of an issue than fat. I am a huge fan of fat in fact :D

 

I think short bursts of high-intensity exercise works well for increasing insulin sensitivity in cells.

 

I think exercise on the whole is not as effective for weight loss as we've been lead to believe (and there is some science to back this. Again, Gary Taubes :D ). I think it helps maintain some insulin sensitivity in cells, but in terms of exercise working via burning calories, I think it has been oversold to us.

 

That doesn't mean exercise isn't beneficial, but I don't think it "burns" all that many calories.

[Orthodox6]

Bread, veggies, meat, fruit, cheese, butter. I mean, when's the last time you ate like this - not mixed or processed or convoluted with chemicals? Granted, it seems a little boring, but I think if our diets were primarily made of food that more closely resembled their natural state (with a little seasoning here and there), we'd all be better off.

 

Answer for my family: Just about every day for the past twenty-five years.

 

Your [good] points nudge me to suggest that if people would dump most of the available convenience foods and cook their own meals, overall public health would improve.

 

The "traditional" diets also were simpler. In America, we crave never-ending variety and innovation for our foods.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Orthodox6

[twoforjoy]

Obesity rates leveled off about a decade ago.

 

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/weightloss/2010-01-13-obesity-rates_N.htm

 

And, Europe isn't that far behind us.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/22/world/europe/22iht-health.4.5393089.html

 

Honestly, I think we're in the midst of a moral panic. Obesity rates leveled off 10 years ago, in that 10 years we've seen life expectancies continue to rise, and yet we've seen an absolute explosion of media reports on the "obesity crisis." It's got all the hallmarks of a classic moral panic.

 

There is no evidence that any of the interventions being proposed will do anything to change people's body weights long-term. And yet, rather than emphasizing the value of healthy eating habits and physical activity for their own good (and they are extremely good for health even if weight doesn't change), we continue to push weight loss as the only way to good health. This despite the fact that every single study of dieting (yes, even when it's marketed as a "lifestyle change") has found that over 95% of dieters end up regaining everything they lost, and most of those end up weighing 10% more after a diet than they did before, with every single diet. If we want to make people fat, dieting seems to be the surest way to do it, and yet we keep pushing it (and at younger and younger ages).

 

I really think we're going to see some extremely bad outcomes to our current "war on obesity." We're going to see children growing up with an obsessive, unhealthy focus on body size and afraid to eat (already the rates of eating disorders in young children has skyrocketed). We're going to see young people probably ending up heavier than they would have because we're told to start restricting their food intake as early as infancy. We're going to see an entirely generation of children coming of age with disordered thinking and behaviors around food and their bodies. And, we're not going to be any healthier for it.

[YLVD]

Answer for my family: Just about every day for the past twenty-five years.

 

Your [good] points nudge me to suggest that if people would dump most of the available convenience foods and cook their own meals, overall public health would improve.

 

Good points for sure

 

There are other factors at play, access to those foods, being able to transport those foods, lack of shopping options in urban, inner city areas.

 

They are all factors.

 

I also think that sugar, grains and insulin are a big issue. But, that may be because my own daughter is insulin resistant and has PCOS. She sees an endocrinologist and we have had to make major dietary changes, no bread, etc.

Edited July 11, 2011 by YLVD

[Momof3littles]

High fructose corn syrup. Whole grains are NOT our problem. Overly-refined foods, sugars, the wrong types of fats, and sloth undermine our health.

 

Contentious topic, so I'd best shush.

 

Do you believe that all people are able to tolerate carbs equally well? A large percentage of the population (if I remember right, roughly 25% of Americans?) have markers for metabolic syndrome. An even larger percentage have insulin resistance.

I simply do not believe that all people can tolerate grains/carbs equally well. The mandate to eat whole grains simply does not work for everyone.

 

I always feel badly for those who have PCOS/IR and are overweight because the assumption is that being overweight caused them to have PCOS. But there are many women w/ PCOS who are thin of normal weight, and who have hyperinsulemia. I'm one of them.

 

There are people who tolerate grains better than others. There are some of us who respond very, very poorly to even whole grains. I don't cycle and can't get pregnant when eating carbs. I was a vegetarian when I was a teen (for about 8 years). In my adult life, I always ate whole grains, and almost never consumed refined carbs. I am insulin resistant. I simply cannot tolerate grains, even "whole grains" without it impacting me negatively.

 

eta: I looked it up. 25% of Americans have some degree of metabolic syndrome. It is obvious to me that an even larger percentage have the issues that lead to metabolic syndrome like IR.

Edited July 11, 2011 by Momof3littles

[LisaKinVA]

From what I've been watching and reading, the reasons are many.

 

#1 -- the government "redefined" obese/overweight. As a size 8, 5'5" middle aged woman, I am considered by the government to be "overweight." I have to lose 5 more pounds to be considered "normal." Conversely, I only have to gain 15 more to be considered "obese."

 

#2 -- changing demographics. As the boomers have aged, their weight has increased. An aging poulation tends to be a bit more overweight.

 

#3 -- what the FDA/government and public have allowed to be DONE TO our food. Whole grain flour at the store is NOT the same whole grain flour I mill at home. They take a bunch of stuff OUT, and then put "some" things (along with synthetic things) back in -- to qualify as a an "FDA-Approved" "whole grain."

 

#4 -- virtually wiped out the local production of many different varieties of veggies/fruits.

 

#5 -- we are more sedentary. But some of the lack of energy is a viscious cycle. Eating processed foods (and I include processed sugar and most flours purchased off the grocery store shelves as processed), screws with the body's metabolism and makes us more hungry, so we eat (because our body is telling us to eat). When you detox from the processed carbs and sugars... the energy boost is incredible, and you actually FEEL like doing more.

 

I like Taubes... and others. There are some AWESOME documentaries out there (and NO, I don't include Super Size me as an awesome documentary, because he set out with an agenda and did his darnest to make it a self-fullfilling prophesy. I mean, seriously, you drink close to a GALLON of soda a day and you're shocked you're gaining weight??). Fathead, Fat, Sick and Almost Dead are a couple I've watched recently that stick out as pretty good on the subject (although they have fundamentally different approaches to diet). I also have been watching some video classes on-line with the Breadbeckers and doing some reading. It's been life-altering.

 

In the end, I really think whole foods (including grains), as close to God made 'em... both cooked and raw is the way to go. 2011 is the year our family became a vita-mix loving, home-milled bread making... and soon to be juicing family. I just need to buy my grain mill and my new mixer (because my KA is dying). :D

[YLVD]

Do you believe that all people are able to tolerate carbs equally well? A large percentage of the population (if I remember right, roughly 25% of Americans?) have markers for metabolic syndrome. An even larger percentage have insulin resistance.

I simply do not believe that all people can tolerate grains/carbs equally well. The mandate to eat whole grains simply does not work for everyone.

 

I always feel badly for those who have PCOS/IR and are overweight because the assumption is that being overweight caused them to have PCOS. But there are many women w/ PCOS who are thin of normal weight, and who have hyperinsulemia. I'm one of them.

 

There are people who tolerate grains better than others. There are some of us who respond very, very poorly to even whole grains. I don't cycle and can't get pregnant when eating carbs. I was a vegetarian when I was a teen (for about 8 years). In my adult life, I always ate whole grains, and almost never consumed refined carbs. I am insulin resistant. I simply cannot tolerate grains, even "whole grains" without it impacting me negatively.

 

:iagree:

 

As my DD has PCOS, and is insulin resistant, I agree with this. She is a bit heavy but works VERY hard to not become really heavy. It has been a huge dietary overhaul and working out a lot just to not become obese.

 

For some, grains are a big issue.

[LisaKinVA]

It's probably better to move than lay on the couch all day long, but how many people actually lay on the couch all day long?

 

The sick people...;)

[Orthodox6]

Good points for sure

 

There are other factors at play, access to those foods, being able to transport those foods, lack of shopping options in urban, inner city areas.

 

They are all factors.

 

I also think that sugar, grains and insulin are a big issue. But, that may be because my own daughter is insulin resistant and has PCOS. She sees an endocrinologist and we have had to make major dietary changes, no bread, etc.

 

:iagree: strongly with your bolded text. (I don't mean by that that I disagree with the rest of your post, because what you wrote there also is true.) I have had poverty-level friends living in urban downtown areas that lack proper grocery stores. They buy their food from convenience stores which obviously don't stock a wide variety of good-quality foods. . . . Related to this important issue, can anybody remember where in the U.S. are those ongoing projects of planting and supporting public community gardens in highly urbanized areas, with the crops going directly to the lower-income individuals and families who desperately need them? I remember reading some articles about this topic, sometime within very recent years.

[Mrs Mungo]

What I really dislike about these conversations is the notion that somehow not being a certain shape or size is a moral failing. That I don't agree with.

 

I agree. And to be 100% honest? I am *healthier* at a higher weight. I do not get sick as often as I did when I weighed 100 lbs.

[YLVD]

I agree. I see exercise as making us physically fit, look better naked, and gives us some more stamina. That it is ESSENTIAL to good health in a particular dose...I don't buy it. It's probably better to move than lay on the couch all day long, but how many people actually lay on the couch all day long?

 

I think that this is just one of those things that vary too.

 

For most people, exercise may not make a huge difference. For me, I can cut calories to the bone and I will not lose without exercise. When I exercise frequently, I can eat a ton more and not gain.

 

I have no idea why that is but it's true!

[Mrs Mungo]

:iagree: strongly with your bolded text. (I don't mean by that that I disagree with the rest of your post, because what you wrote there also is true.) I have had poverty-level friends living in urban downtown areas that lack proper grocery stores. They buy their food from convenience stores which obviously don't stock a wide variety of good-quality foods. . . . Related to this important issue, can anybody remember where in the U.S. are those ongoing projects of planting and supporting public community gardens in highly urbanized areas, with the crops going directly to the lower-income individuals and families who desperately need them? I remember reading some articles about this topic, sometime within very recent years.

 

Oooh, here's a documentary that will make you mad.

http://www.thegardenmovie.com/

[wapiti]

But there are many women w/ PCOS who are thin of normal weight, and who have hyperinsulemia. I'm one of them.

me too! and my dad was a thin type 2 diabetic.

[YLVD]

Oooh, here's a documentary that will make you mad.

http://www.thegardenmovie.com/

 

That's a good one and yes, it really made me mad!!

[Momof3littles]

me too! and my dad was a thin type 2 diabetic.

 

Yet everyone IME assumes people get type 2 because they are overweight. People don't understand that hyperinsulemia, etc. can cause people to become overweight.

 

CHicken and egg.

[Orthodox6]

I agree with your points without quibble. I do not at all, however, side with the groups who wholesale reject grains and carbohydrates and demonize them categorically. (I should have been clear about that, to prevent confusion.) You are not taking that tack, but are citing a legitimate medical condition.

 

 

 

Do you believe that all people are able to tolerate carbs equally well? A large percentage of the population (if I remember right, roughly 25% of Americans?) have markers for metabolic syndrome. An even larger percentage have insulin resistance.

I simply do not believe that all people can tolerate grains/carbs equally well. The mandate to eat whole grains simply does not work for everyone.

 

I always feel badly for those who have PCOS/IR and are overweight because the assumption is that being overweight caused them to have PCOS. But there are many women w/ PCOS who are thin of normal weight, and who have hyperinsulemia. I'm one of them.

 

There are people who tolerate grains better than others. There are some of us who respond very, very poorly to even whole grains. I don't cycle and can't get pregnant when eating carbs. I was a vegetarian when I was a teen (for about 8 years). In my adult life, I always ate whole grains, and almost never consumed refined carbs. I am insulin resistant. I simply cannot tolerate grains, even "whole grains" without it impacting me negatively.

 

eta: I looked it up. 25% of Americans have some degree of metabolic syndrome. It is obvious to me that an even larger percentage have the issues that lead to metabolic syndrome like IR.

[Mrs Mungo]

I have a vegetarian friend who eats no processed foods. She runs triathalons, running, riding or swimming every day. She weighs enough to be considered morbidly obese. Everyone's body is not the same.

[Joyofsixreboot]

My thoughts? We got in trouble when we medicalized food. Scientific data, while useful, can't replace centuries of food ways. Communal family eating, seasonal eating, local eating were the norm. Keeping food and feasting to certain times held excess in check. I don't want to go back to famine for heaven sake but it's also a toxic food environment we live in.

[The Governess]

Oh, I could write a book on this topic. ;)

 

1) The animals we eat are unhealthy. They are sick and fed an unnatural diet. This results in unhealthy fats in our meat and dairy products.

 

2) We eat too many animals in general. There is nothing wrong with eating plant-based meals, but many Americans feel that a dinner is not complete without a big serving of meat.

 

3) We cook with too many highly processed and refined other fats, many that were not consumed at all until recent history (soybean oil? canola oil?).

 

4) We eat way too many carbs and sugars. There have been studies that show that adding wheat to someone's diet will cause overeating. I think too many processed carbs changes your body's metabolism.

 

5) Our lifestyle is too sedentary, especially considering average calorie intake.

 

6) We reward ourselves with food too much.

 

7) we have been affected by BPA, hormones in water and our food, and effects from countless other environmental inputs that we don't even know about yet.

 

8) Chemicals like artificial sweeteners have been shown to alter the way our bodies metabolize what we eat.

 

I feel like our government is partially to blame for allowing so many things on the market before they have been thoroughly tested and deemed safe (or deemed safe in spite of testing that shows otherwise). I feel that the food supply economy has become more important than the people eating it. And I think a disservice has been done to many by championing cheap food that is slowly killing us.

[Momof3littles]

I agree with your points without quibble. I do not at all, however, side with the groups who wholesale reject grains and carbohydrates and demonize them categorically. (I should have been clear about that, to prevent confusion.) You are not taking that tack, but are citing a legitimate medical condition.

 

I would extend my previous statements and say that the number of people with medical conditions that are impacted by insulin are far greater in number than most people acknowledge. I have a medical condition, but it wasn't easy getting to the bottom of it. Had I not had fertility issues, I doubt I would have ever had a physician figure out that I have insulin resistance. In fact, my first ob/gyn (before I got diagnosed) told me I needed to gain weight to get pg (my BMI was 19-20 at the time).

 

I think far more people are IR, etc. than we realize. If you look at the number of folks impacted by metabolic syndrome, etc. it becomes quite staggering.

[Plucky]

I would extend my previous statements and say that the number of people with medical conditions that are impacted by insulin are far greater in number than most people acknowledge. I have a medical condition, but it wasn't easy getting to the bottom of it. Had I not had fertility issues, I doubt I would have ever had a physician figure out that I have insulin resistance. In fact, my first ob/gyn (before I got diagnosed) told me I needed to gain weight to get pg (my BMI was 19-20 at the time).

 

I think far more people are IR, etc. than we realize. If you look at the number of folks impacted by metabolic syndrome, etc. it becomes quite staggering.

 

I agree. I think most overweight people probably fall into this category.

[elfgivas]

what works for us:

 

eating real food. we belong to an organic coop that delivers organic fruits and veggies to us each week. we eat only 4 ounces of meat at a meal, if that, and it will be free range/grass fed.... dairy = cheese and yoghurt...

 

we bake our bread (but don't mill our own grain; at least, not yet ; ).

 

and we just don't bring the rest of the stuff in the grocery store home. we have been to buffets where after looking around, we've realized that there is no real food there : (.

 

lots of outdoor time

 

limited media time

 

fwiw,

ann

[justamouse]

The naturopath I am seeing truly feels that obesity is biochemical. People are eating too many carbs and having problems with their blood sugar and insulin levels, which makes them have unbelievable cravings.

 

What is your opinion?

 

I agree with your naturopath and lovelearnandlive.