Americans and their foods

[BiB]

ChrichtonsGirl

Well that may be the case, but Japan has a LOOOONG way to go and billions of pounds of fat to gain before its caught up to us North Americans. My impression of the Japanesse diet was that some of it was great and low-fat, and other times you could eat a meal with so much grease and fat you felt sick. The difference is that Japanesse don't seem to sit in front of a tv and eat and eat and eat and eat all damn day long. I don't really think they get a heck of a lot of excercise - many get none - but they just don't eat until they feel sick. Food is such a major part of north american culture, the more you can eat the better!

BiB

 

[DaBoneHead]

Ahh,

I love americans bashing americans. Of course, I'm not sure anyone ever defined what an american was (from a Jeffersonian perspective, but that is a different story...)

Anyways, we are a people where 30-40% are categorized obese, however, I think the obese title is somewhat subjective. For instance, according to the latest obese chart, michael jordan and arnold schwarzenneger are obese.

The sedentary life style is the killer. People in general have to exercise more. It isn't how much you eat, but how much you burn off in a days activity. Ever see how much a runner eats? A previous roomate of mine in college ran cross-country... never get into a drinking contest with a runner! They may be small, but that carb-engine body of their can put it away. I was twice his size and he ate more than me, but then he burned it off.

So it is exercise that really counts. How many fat basketball players are there?

 

[Electric Amish]

Who the hell cares if it has "variety" or not. I eat the same damn thing every day for lunch. Usually Taco Bell or Burger king. I couldn't give a rat's ASS about variety. It's cheap. It keeps me alive. It's one less decision I have to make everyday. You put enough hot sauce on anything and it's edible.

amish

 

[BiB]

dabonehead

I'm Canadian but we have the same problem.

That scale you refer to is the BFI - which for athletes and people who weight train is garbage - although those two may be "obese" - in fact according to that scale I am overweight as well purely because of my weight and height (but because of muscle I have a high body weight although my fat percentage is low). MOST people who are considered "obese" for these stats are - their bodyfat percentage is too high.

Excercise and food are both a problem. You can consume 6000 calories a day and burn it off. You can also not excercise and consume 2000 calories a day. In both cases you won't get fat. FOr the average working individual which is more realistic? Eating a moderate amount of calories and perhaps doing a moderate amount of exercise or eating like a fat pig and biking for 4 hours every day?

Anytime somebody is carving into a bigmac large-sized meal with regular pop and saying "I don't excercise enough" is a person who needs to wake the hell up.

BiB

 

[ChrichtonsGirl]

<< I love americans bashing americans. Of course, I'm not sure anyone ever defined what an american was (from a Jeffersonian perspective, but that is a different story...) >>



No bashing on my part, and I didn't take anything that was said as bashing against me, if I'm who you meant. I agree with some of BiB's comments, and actually agree with some of yours. I think in general, Americans have some terrible eating habits (as every culture does), but I still think the trend towards obesity is more attributable to a lack of exercise than general overeating. People in other countries focus on food just as much, and not all of them are healthy either - but in France or Italy (insert any other country here) they get off their butts and go for a walk once in a while.

 

[DaBoneHead]

They (europeans) also smoke alot. The trend in the US is up with fat and down with tobacco. Or so it seems.

I'm an american and dang proud of my american bashing abilities... For instance...

What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks two language? Bilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks one language? American.

Actually after four semesters of college level spanish, I can say I don't speak any of it. Not because I can't, but because I sound like a beloved patriot trying to speak spanish, and that annoys me.

American bashing is fun, and habit forming! Come on everybody, its like 'sweatin to the oldies' its that good!

Most american bashing is indeed incorrect. We are too diverse a people to generalize (that includes out food too), but people do it anyways (usually them ferners I keep hearin' bout).

Anyways, my rant is over. I relinquish the soap-box.

 

[Orbius]

The way you talk about being overweight, you make it sound like its some terrible affliction. Granted that there are a certain number of people who have serious problems, but most people who are overweight dont.

Europeans on the whole tend to be pretty slim, but most of the ones I've met are a lot less healthy than 'overweight' Americans. Europeans tend to drink astounding amounts of alcohol, also Europeans just tend to look less healthy, I personally put that down to the fact that their society is more tense and formal than American society.

Look at the death rates, despite our higher incidence of obeseity, Americans still live longer than most Europeans, go figure.

 

[desy]

I don't know about Europeans being slim . .
All my cousins are fat and so is my Uncle and Aunt but my dad is thin as a rail. He was a butcher so maybe that had something to do with with it. Lets the word Smorgasbord is Danish so their goes you all you can eat theory being American only.
When I've been in Europe they can stretch a meal to a 3 hrs deal.
Appetizers, many courses, sit BS, Coffe cake, it never ends. Although the difference might be that they personally eat out very little where we eat out all the time. My aunt was amzed at all the restaurants we have here she said they are just too expensive to go to over there.

 

[BiB]

orbius

Granted that there are a certain number of people who have serious problems, but most people who are overweight dont.

Essentially by definition they DO have problems. Comparing an obese and non-obese person the obese person has a much higher chance of dying from a veritable slew of different ailments: diabetes, heart disease, etc.

If you go through your life as an obese individual you are going to be very lucky to live to an old age. How many obese 80 year olds do you see? Not many - they died from heart attacks years before. Not just longevity but being obese has a massive dampening affect on one's quality of life. Even ignoring that person's concern for how bad they look when one is fat even so much as going up stairs can bust their chops.

People who have shunned all junk food aren't doing it because its a fun thing to do; they do it because with everything good comes a sacrifice. A 60-year old life-long McDonald's patron is going to wish he'd cut back on those daily trips through the drive-through when he is recovering from his second stroke and worried if he'll even see retirement. The more body fat one has the worse for their health that fat is (unless we're talking about people with 3% bodyfat!).

biB

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

<<Homer Simpson>>

&quot;mmmmmmmmm dooohhhnnnuuutttttssssss&quot;

<</Homer Simpson>>

 

[Isla]

<< they do it because with everything good comes a sacrifice. >>



Why BiB, I quite agree.

 

[Bakwetu]

I think Lupin is thinking about the american food found abroad (BK, Macdonalds, and pizza hut etc)which isn't all that varied.

I agree with Dabanshee-I wish Asians would eat less species especially tigers, rhinos and other endangered species. :|

Desy-eating habits vary a lot in Europe. Those 3 hour dinners are usually found in the Mediterrainean countries like Spain and Italy

and no-sm&ouml;rg&aring;sbord is a Swedish word not Danish, sm&ouml;rg&aring;s=sandwich, bord=table

 

[desy]

Just going by what my dad said an he was born and raised in Denmark so lets just call it Scandinavian word and be done with it.
Fast food is the killer food though IE today we just ordered in Vietnamese the spring rolls are deep fried and every thing else is full of sugar.

 

[grillmasterP]

I tend to define food based on geography versus Nationality
Food from any country is regional or provincial
The US is too large to classify its cuisine as American, or even North American Cuisine

I am Asian, and Vietnamese Cuisine is very Regional- North Vs South Vs Coastal regions
No need to bash,There is room for all types, I guess that's Why many non theme restaurants in the US are actually labeling themselves as Continental or Fusion cuisine

 

[Bakwetu]

Sorry Desy, but sm&ouml;rg&aring;s doesn't exist in Danish (It is called sm&ouml;rrebr&ouml;d (should be with danish &ouml; though))

 

[Zucchini]

Cruisin1,

This answer came late anyways, asians don't order plates of shrimpheads, i don't know where you got that from. Its true that some like to suck the crap out of them, but thats when shrimp are served whole for hand peeling

heh and as for fat americans.. its probably due to the #@% super size. Have you guys tried mcdonalds lately? Their &quot;super size&quot; now is insanely huge. The drink must be 1.5 litres alone heh. Ordered it by accident once Anyways, the previous supersize is now just large.. so i'm stuck eating regular. Even with just the regular i feel damned full

 

[denali]

desy, The reason that eating out is expensive in Denmark is that they have a very high tax rate on restaurant meals. My mom is from Denmark and when I was visiting my relatives last year we had a seven hour meal. Started in the afternoon with coffee and cakes and ended around 11pm with cake and coffee. I don't think that is typical, but as all my moms brothers and sisters got together to see one of the children of the black sheep of the family, because when I was just with the one aunt I stayed with we had simple meals. The one thing that I forgot about though was the big breakfast, rolls, pastry, cheeses, meats, jams and jellies.

desy, just wondering did your dad teach you any Danish? My mom didn't said she didn't want to confuse me as she was still learning english. Today i wish I could speak Danish so I could communicate better with my relatives. The younger ones can speak english but not most of the older ones.

 

[desy]

No I don't know any Danish other than nursury rhymes and what dad used to cus at me in. Same, the Aunt/Uncle don't but all my cousins do and they usually want to talk to you on the phone to practise English. My buddy who moved to Finland said if he was in the bar as soon as they found out you spoke English the babes would come up to talk to you, unfortunately just to learn English though I've only been there as a kid but I do remember the long meals not 7hrs though :Q
My mom was German so they used English to talk to each other. The only kids I know that picked up a second at home are the ones whos parents both spoke it.