Official why are people obese thread!

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That is the main reason. I have heard a number of times that eating is around 75% of the problem. Working out doesn't do a whole lot of good if you still eat like sh!t

 

[leftyman]

Originally posted by: irishScott
*Sigh*

Like all human issues, it's a combination of nature vs nurture. Personally, I don't think being obese is that bad as long as your in shape[/b]. I know plenty of obese people who are genetically obese, but they have lower blood pressure than me (I'm 170 and thin). Being obese by simply overeating/eating the wrong foods/not exercising when you could be doing any of the above is inexcuseable IMO.

There's also ignorance. Despite media attention, there are still dumba$$es out there (ie: Those people who sued McDonalds awhile back). Lol I remeber seeing one guy on the news saying (in reference to McDonalds) "...I didn't know about the fat, I didn't know about the grease, I didn't know about the salt..." WTF do you not have taste buds?

how do you know its genetic?

and are you saying because its genetic, its healthy?

dont people who claim its genetic eat more than average?

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: Jeff7
In the past, good taste often meant it was good food - if it tasted good, it was probably good for you, like fruits and meats. With meat, you got protein and calories, while fruits provided water, sugars, vitamins, fiber, with fewer calories than meat on a per-weight basis.
Now we've learned how to separate the flavor from the nutrition, and taste sells more product than nutrition.

Technology just has to continue to progress to the point that we can have the good taste, and still have all the vitamins. I mean come on, we've got fully fortified foods for pets! My sister is caring for some gerbils, and I checked out the ingredient list. It has maybe 4 different plant products in it, and the rest of the huge list is comprised of various vitamins and minerals. Where is that for humans? Why not have an Oreo that is highly nutritious, so that eating a third of a package is actually a good thing, or Coca Cola that also provides 50% of your daily value of many vitamins?

probably because it would cost the company too much money to do that.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

That study, even the part you have quoted and bolded, never says that there is no role for environment in obesity. It simply says that environment alone is very unlikely to be the cause of obesity.

It has long been believed that genetics plays a strong role in obesity. The "fat" mouse has been around for several years now. And I believe there are several...One over-expresses a gene that influences the mouse to eat more than normal; which sounds akin to a behavior response (being a transgeneic mouse, though, makes this a genetic component). There was another mouse that has a particular gene knocked out, I believe. This mouse doesn't as easily metabolize the same food given to normal, control mice. It retains more weight.

The big caveat here, as any geneticist will tell you, is that a genetic diagnosis is not the end of the story. All genetics say is that this event is more liekly to occur within this organism knowing that a particular gene is present, absent, or over-expressing. Individual choice, does play a very large role, perhaps even larger in this case.

I personally think the major contributing factors are early-childhood behavior stemming from parenting at an early age. If parents spend their lives over-eating, eating to deal with depression, feeding kids to stop them from crying, complaining, begging, etc, then those children will incorporate those habits.

It also doesn't help that the majority of foods that Americans eat are over-processed and lacking in nutrition. Obesity is on the rise in Europe now. Is it only a coincidence that American fast food franchises (and the life habits that come with them) have concurrently risen in popularity over the last 10 years in Europe? Doubtful...

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: uberman
Waggy seems right. We've reached the height of our evolutionary development. Life is a struggle for food needed to survive.

We've evolved to the point that we are able to overfeed ourselves.

This is a key point in several fields of study. Too much of anything can kill you. It's not the a-bomb that worries me, but our un-paralleled evolutoinary success such that we have the potential to poison ourselves by doing something necessary for survival. amazing...

 

[ranmaniac]

The automobile is a big contributor to it, along with suburban sprawl.

Long commutes mean less time to exercise, people basically work, eat, and sleep.

 

[shortylickens]

I dunno. I weigh about 188.
Am I a fatty?

 

[FeuerFrei]

Originally posted by: uberman

Originally posted by: waggy

...i want a women with curves. the stick figure look just turns me off. actually turns me off.

A doctor on the radio was quoting a recent study the other day.

The study showed men are attracted to women with curves, not skinny women.

There's a fine line between curves and bulges.

 

[Mucho]

My son who just turned 16 is 6' 1" and ~254lbs, his mom is also fat so there you go.

 

[Red Dawn]

Corn Syrup

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

That study, even the part you have quoted and bolded, never says that there is no role for environment in obesity. It simply says that environment alone is very unlikely to be the cause of obesity.

It has long been believed that genetics plays a strong role in obesity. The "fat" mouse has been around for several years now. And I believe there are several...One over-expresses a gene that influences the mouse to eat more than normal; which sounds akin to a behavior response (being a transgeneic mouse, though, makes this a genetic component). There was another mouse that has a particular gene knocked out, I believe. This mouse doesn't as easily metabolize the same food given to normal, control mice. It retains more weight.

The big caveat here, as any geneticist will tell you, is that a genetic diagnosis is not the end of the story. All genetics say is that this event is more liekly to occur within this organism knowing that a particular gene is present, absent, or over-expressing. Individual choice, does play a very large role, perhaps even larger in this case.

I personally think the major contributing factors are early-childhood behavior stemming from parenting at an early age. If parents spend their lives over-eating, eating to deal with depression, feeding kids to stop them from crying, complaining, begging, etc, then those children will incorporate those habits.

It also doesn't help that the majority of foods that Americans eat are over-processed and lacking in nutrition. Obesity is on the rise in Europe now. Is it only a coincidence that American fast food franchises (and the life habits that come with them) have concurrently risen in popularity over the last 10 years in Europe? Doubtful...

American fast food started in the 50s and became wildly popular in the 70s. The obesity epidemic did not start until the late 80s and really took off in the 90s.

It's not the food, nor the food sellers. It's the lack of activity and the common pastime when someone is sitting around: Munching. In fact, the REAL change in the food industry has been in snack foods. What used to take up half an aisle in the 70s now takes up three aisles in your average supermarket... and that's snack foods.

This, combined with the genetic propensity for obesity spells disaster. So yes, I partially agree with you.

Another fact: The vast majority of the 300 calorie increase per person in the US over the last 25 years is GRAINS followed by sugars. Not fats. In fact, fat per calorie is down.

What are the majority of munchies? Grains and starches.

And as this study shows, obesity and the tendency to overeat is NOT learned. Skinny, health conscience adoptive parents have fat adoptive kids if the kid's bio-parents were fat as well.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

All that says is that it is easier for some people to get fat, given the opportunity.

how many third world people have the same genetic makeup?

Quite a few. Even more in some cases. Put a Samoan in our environment and 9 times out of 10 they will be morbidly obese.

There is a theory that the genetic propensity for obesity is closely tied to the feast/famine cycles we went through all through history up until just recently. Those with the propensity for obesity in today's environment were more likely to survive in that environment.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Papagayo
People eat fatty foods instead of healthy foods..

Hooter's Chicken wings are probably one of the worst foods to eat..

Dietary fat does NOT make you fat. On the contrary, as the obesity epidemic started, so did the low fat craze. Fat per calorie eaten in the US is now LOWER than it was before the obesity epidemic.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
1) no portion control
2) everything is processed
3) chemical/hormone additives
4) hydrogenization
5) high fructose corn syrup

in summary people are fat because they eat alot of food with low nutritional content.

I do not know a single fat person (with a sedentary or active lifestyle) that has a clean natural food diet with reasonable portion control.

On the flip side, the vast majority of skinny people I know don't watch what they eat either.

The idea that skinny people somehow have more discipline than fat people is absurd. The only skinny people with dietary discipline are those who have to diet to remain thin. Most skinny people do not have to diet. In fact, most skinny people couldn't become obese if they tried.

 

[austin316]

I love these threads. Simply put, people are lazy. It is complete bullsh!t that people 'can't lose weight because of genetics.' That is just an excuse. Granted, some people can eat McDonald's everyday and not gain weight, but most will.

Further, if this is true, how come on shows like the biggest loser or survivor has NO ONE EVER NOT LOST A TON OF WEIGHT. If you don't over eat and you exercise, you lose weight.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: uberman

Originally posted by: IcebergSlim
1) no portion control
2) everything is processed
3) chemical/hormone additives
4) hydrogenization

in summary people are fat because they eat alot of food with low nutritional content.

I do not know a single fat person (with a sedentary or active lifestyle) that has a clean natural diet with reasonable portion control.

Processed foods are our worst enemy. I'm shocked what schools feed children for lunch when a reduced fee lunch program is in place.

Nachos with a hydrogenated artificial cheese sauce. Gross!

We ate the same sh!t or worse in the 60s and 70s in school, yet we weren't obese.

It is obviously not food alone.

 

[leftyman]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

All that says is that it is easier for some people to get fat, given the opportunity.

how many third world people have the same genetic makeup?

Quite a few. Even more in some cases. Put a Samoan in our environment and 9 times out of 10 they will be morbidly obese.

There is a theory that the genetic propensity for obesity is closely tied to the feast/famine cycles we went through all through history up until just recently. Those with the propensity for obesity in today's environment were more likely to survive in that environment.

I can easily agree with that entire statement.

if that statement is true most humans living now would benefit from the ability to gain weight, thus most people would have a genetic make up to become obese.

so the issue becomes environmental then doesnt it?

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: austin316
I love these threads. Simply put, people are lazy. It is complete bullsh!t that people 'can't lose weight because of genetics.' That is just an excuse. Granted, some people can eat McDonald's everyday and not gain weight, but most will.

Further, if this is true, how come on shows like the biggest loser or survivor has NO ONE EVER NOT LOST A TON OF WEIGHT. If you don't over eat and you exercise, you lose weight.

No one here is saying you cannot lose weight.

But if dieting and exersice were that easy, no one would be yo-yo dieting.

The fact of the matter is, genetics plays a HUGE role in how someone will react to a given environment. It's VERY hard to keep weight off if your body is constantly telling you it's starving. This is why most dieters fail.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I have to say that what is fed the elementary school kids in the Tucson Unified School District averages 90% to 95% carbs. I recently compared menus and nutritional guidelines for TUSD and the State penitentiary.

I can tell you that we feed our prisoners better than our school children in the State of Arizona. Training our children to eat crap just might have SOMETHING to do with rising levels of obesity.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

All that says is that it is easier for some people to get fat, given the opportunity.

how many third world people have the same genetic makeup?

Quite a few. Even more in some cases. Put a Samoan in our environment and 9 times out of 10 they will be morbidly obese.

There is a theory that the genetic propensity for obesity is closely tied to the feast/famine cycles we went through all through history up until just recently. Those with the propensity for obesity in today's environment were more likely to survive in that environment.

I can easily agree with that entire statement.

if that statement is true most humans living now would benefit from the ability to gain weight, thus most people would have a genetic make up to become obese.

so the issue becomes environmental then doesnt it?

The only way to change the environment is to dictate how people live and severely restrict foods.

I like freedom. So I'll never feature that solution.

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Happiness is doing what you love frequently.

You're fat.

...

Ta-da!

- M4H

 

[leftyman]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

All that says is that it is easier for some people to get fat, given the opportunity.

how many third world people have the same genetic makeup?

Quite a few. Even more in some cases. Put a Samoan in our environment and 9 times out of 10 they will be morbidly obese.

There is a theory that the genetic propensity for obesity is closely tied to the feast/famine cycles we went through all through history up until just recently. Those with the propensity for obesity in today's environment were more likely to survive in that environment.

I can easily agree with that entire statement.

if that statement is true most humans living now would benefit from the ability to gain weight, thus most people would have a genetic make up to become obese.

so the issue becomes environmental then doesnt it?

The only way to change the environment is to dictate how people live and severely restrict foods.

I like freedom. So I'll never feature that solution.

genetic engineering?

 

[MercenaryForHire]

Originally posted by: Amused
The only way to change the environment is to dictate how people live and severely restrict foods.

I like freedom. So I'll never feature that solution.

I may not like what you eat, sir, but I'll defend to the death your right to eat it.

- M4H

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: leftyman

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: meltdown75
genetics plays a big role as well. if your parents were big, you're more likely to be big. how you were brought up, if you exercise, lifestyle, etc.

do you think there were no fat cavemen at all?

Actually, genetics plays the WHOLE role in the propensity for obesity.

While many people like to blame environment, studies prove this to be untrue:

http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/abstract/314/4/193

We examined the contributions of genetic factors and the family environment to human fatness in a sample of 540 adult Danish adoptees who were selected from a population of 3580 and divided into four weight classes: thin, median weight, overweight, and obese. There was a strong relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their biologic parents - for the mothers, P less than 0.0001; for the fathers, P less than 0.02. There was no relation between the weight class of the adoptees and the body-mass index of their adoptive parents. Cumulative distributions of the body-mass index of parents showed similar results; there was a strong relation between the body-mass index of biologic parents and adoptee weight class and no relation between the index of adoptive parents and adoptee weight class. Furthermore, the relation between biologic parents and adoptees was not confined to the obesity weight class, but was present across the whole range of body fatness - from very thin to very fat. We conclude that genetic influences have an important role in determining human fatness in adults, whereas the family environment alone has no apparent effect.

All that says is that it is easier for some people to get fat, given the opportunity.

how many third world people have the same genetic makeup?

Quite a few. Even more in some cases. Put a Samoan in our environment and 9 times out of 10 they will be morbidly obese.

There is a theory that the genetic propensity for obesity is closely tied to the feast/famine cycles we went through all through history up until just recently. Those with the propensity for obesity in today's environment were more likely to survive in that environment.

I can easily agree with that entire statement.

if that statement is true most humans living now would benefit from the ability to gain weight, thus most people would have a genetic make up to become obese.

so the issue becomes environmental then doesnt it?

The only way to change the environment is to dictate how people live and severely restrict foods.

I like freedom. So I'll never feature that solution.

genetic engineering?

A much better solution... as long as we can get it right.

 

[leftyman]

Originally posted by: MercenaryForHire

Originally posted by: Amused
The only way to change the environment is to dictate how people live and severely restrict foods.

I like freedom. So I'll never feature that solution.

I may not like what you eat, sir, but I'll defend to the death your right to eat it.

- M4H

give me liberty or give me a big mac.