Weigh In: America and Weight
 

In you opinion, why is obesity an issue in the USA? Why do we worship the thin, while we see the not thin as morally deficient? Why do we suffer from rampant body hatred? Have you found a way to overcome the prevalant media msg of "fat people=evil and thin people=good"?

Discuss...

I don't think it's so much fat people=evil as fat=unhealthy.

MOST adult Americans are overweight and every year the obesity figures go up. The extra weight puts you at risk for a variety of diseases. Short of anorexia or thinness associated with smoking, being small is not in and of itself a health risk.

We eat too much and we are inactive. That is not a lifestyle that I think should be celebrated quite frankly. That is not to say that all large people are unhealthy of course, some people ARE just big. But is that most Americans? I think not.

While it would definitely be good to see a wider variety of body images in the media, especially for women, I think our media is not prepared to handle the issues it brings up, so they ignore it. The bigger Americans get, the more we prize thinness, so I don't foresee it changing in the near future.

Wasn't always so...Lillian Russell was considered the most beautiful woman of her day (1890's) and she weighed like 200 pounds. Maybe it's because food was scarcer then.

This book offers an interesting take on the subject, though it's more of an expos&eacute on the fast food industry than a study of obesity.

Ya know, my boyfriend and I was talking about this subject just the other day. It's either society is telling everyone to be the super skinny rib showing size....or to be completely happy by being severly overweight.
It's confusing!

Heck, I'm 5'5 and I weigh 160, yet if you look at my pics I don't look that heavy, they say I'm supposed to be 130-40 but guess what..I work w/weights..a lot of them.

Grr!! I hate it how it's only the weight of you that matters!

Jon I read that book not too long ago. It was such an eyeopener for me! I'm not much of a fast food type of person but after that book I was less so.
Ok, the issue at hand. I think that thinness is prized so much because it's increasingly rare. If indeed 60% of adults are overweight, that means that thin people are in a minority. Many of my friends are from other countries and the amount of driving we do as opposed to walking astounds them. Our suburban type towns aren't really designed to be pedestrian friendly, for one thing. Also the type and amount of food we eat is highly unhealthy. Think white bread, fried foods, red meat, white sugar, butter, processed food, ice cream etc. Eastern diets tend to be more veggie based and European diets tend to have smaller portions. That's why the French eat so richly yet stay pencil-slim. I try to model my diet after these two groups and even though I don't exercise nearly as much as I should I manage to stay fairly normal. (5'2" and around 118-123, depending). And as anyone who knows me can attest, I never dare miss a meal and I'm always hungry! :p

Oh one more thing; I just read a book called "Fat is a Feminist Issue" by Susie Orbach. It's a fairly old book (written in the 70s I believe) but it brings up issues that are still pertinent today. It discusses how some women gladly allow themselves to not fit the mold of the perfect thin girl as a way of giving the finger to the establishment (sort of your traditional feminist, in an extreme way). This is especially true of women who have been abused or raped, for they see their fat as a sort of shield. Some women (the book says) are actually afraid to be thin because it means that there is nothing physically in place to protect them from the world, hence they can no longer call the shots in a "man's world". It's deep reading but it's worth the read!

I was talking with some people just the other day. One of the (older) ladies could remember when Cokes were a nickel, but they were 8 ounces. Now, you pay at least 75¢ for 16 ounces. Do we really need to have twice as much?

Same with the whole Supersizing, Biggie Sizing, MegaSizing bit. I've often wondered why I can't seem to get a large ice tea and a small french fries! The food industry - not just the fast food industry - just doesn't get it!

And, no, I'm not trying to rationalize the whole issue. I just think our society has become too polarized on it, and the food industry just pushes the poles further apart.

Re: Weigh In: America and Weight
 

America has an obsession with obesity beacause as a society, we are lazy. We want things fast, we want it done immediately if not sooner. If you live in the NYC metro area, it needs to be done 20 minutes ago.
Personally, I think we worship the thin because there are so few thin people around anymore, which is why we celebrate it. Think about supply and demand.
Hating goes on both ends. Granted 'fat' people may get made fun of more publicly and often, but hating of thin people happens too.
Ok, I'm a college xc/track runner. I can't tell you how many people I hear in the gym (when I have my head phones on) either making fun of me, saying i probably throw up after every meal, and so on. I'm in shape- but there is no way of mistaking me for having an eating disorder.
Oh- the other reason we are obese as a society- we cater to it. My favorite example- the McDonald 'Mighty Kids Meals'. I buy one, and sometimes have fries left over. Anytime you are offering up adult sized portions with double cheeseburgers and fries, you are bringing up kids to not know portion sides. I just despise fast food for this.
edited to add- don't get me STARTED on supersizing. It took 3 grown adults to finish a supersize coke the other day. its a BUCKET of soda...literally.
::Steps off McDonald Soapbox::

Re: Re: Weigh In: America and Weight
 

I can relate....

I was very thin in high school and some people thought I had an eating disorder. I have never been anorexic or bullemic. I ate very well but I just could not gain weight. I was embarrassed and hurt at times b/c of how some people made me feel- so it does go both ways.

I don't know if it's a case of fat = evil, but I can vouch for the fact that fat people are treated differently than their thinner counterparts.

When I was 130+ pounds heavier, people wouldn't look at me. Men wouldn't hold the door open for me, sales clerks took their own sweet time about helping me in stores. People were amazed that I was smart enough to be in graduate school, because the common perception of a fat black woman is that (1) she's not very intelligent (2) she's lazy, and (3) she must be on welfare. :mad:

Now that I'm smaller, my life is completely different. People actually make eye contact. And not that my self worth depends on what men think of me, but men not only hold the doors open for me, but they actually SPEAK now, when they wouldn't before.

(Does it show that I'm still pretty bitter about how fat folks are treated?)

I agree with the sentiment that as a nation, we eat far too much and move far too little. It's really difficult to point to one particular cause, but I think that our propensity to look for the best "value" has a lot to do with it. For example, these days when I go to a movie, I always order a small unbuttered popcorn, but the person behind the counter ALWAYS says "Would you like to upgrade to the large for 50 cents more?" -- never mind that there's four times the amount of popcorn in a large bag as there is in a small -- but we go for the gargantuan sizes because it's a "bargain".

I also think that the way that American cities are designed has a lot to do with our sedentary lifestyle. We moved out to the suburbs, our jobs are still mostly in town, so we spend half an hour or more each day plunked down on our butts in our cars. We hate the idea of public transportation, and most municipalities refuse to support initiatives. We're more insular, we like to do things as quickly as we can with the least amount of effort. Our "creature comforts" have contributed to our greatly expanded waistlines.

Okay, I'm gonna stop here because I feel a blog entry coming on. ;-)

I think it's not at all surprising that a country with a culture and values like America's -- bigger, better, faster, easier, more -- would end up with a weight problem. At the same time, it's not surprising that such a culture would end up worshipping thinness. After all, people who point out that centuries ago, the Rubenesque body was praised -- that was back when the average person had to work to get enough to eat, and it was fairly difficult to be fat. These days it's the opposite.

Ditto the fact that people are lazy -- they don't WANT to exercise because it takes too much effort. They don't want to go to the effort to find out how to lose weight and keep it off. They want to keep eating how they want to eat, exercising how they want to exercise (i.e., not at all), and find some magic pill that will effortlessly make them lose weight. And since that magic pill has yet to be found, there are a lot of people out there who complain that they're not able to lose weight. The fact is that 90 percent of them just aren't making the effort either to do the work or to understand what they need to do to effectively lose weight.

Damn straight, Sistermadly.

I've lost a lot of weight recently, and it seems that with every 10 pounds I lose, I get treated better and better by other people.

While it makes me feel good, it also pisses me off to know that people value me better as a person just because I'm thinner.

A person's value shouldn't be based on how big or little they are. Or what color thier skin is. Or their religion. Or ANYTHING that is beyond their own personal morals, choices, and behavior to others.

We're going thru the exact same thing. I've lost a couple inches this summer, and people seem to respect me more. It's sad, but that's just the way the world works.

I completely agree about the instant gratification. I think it's touched many aspects of society. Only some people prefer to put in the work instead of finding ways around it or finding loopholes.

You got that right!

http://www.gamers-forums.com/smilies...k/smily012.gif

I have to say that plus sized women are treated differently. As are thin women.

If you're on the larger side, most people peg you has stupid and lazy. If you're on the thinner side, some people pegg you as anorexic or bullemic. It's a no win situation. People demand perfection, and it's impossible.

I was in the mall the other day looking for a birthday gift for my 12 year old cousin. She might might be 12, but has the body of a 16 year old. She's very tall, and she's very thin. So I'm walking through stores that are obviously not catered to me (as I am a plus-sized girl), but I was not asked once if I need help. I got nast stares from the sales girls, and I was ignored. Instead of asking for help I chose to walk out. I ended up buying an outfit for my cousin in the first store that a had someone ask if I need any assistance.

Also, if you're interested in reading about this topic I suggest the Book No Fat Chicks: How Women Are Brainwashed to Hate Their Bodies and Spend Their Money

The Author is Terry Poulton. She's a Canadian author and the book was published in 1996. I had a hard time finding it, so I don't know how accessible it will be. I would try Amazon.com or even go the Chapters.Indigo.ca. You may be able to find it there.

I hate the media for that reason. My main beef is with MTV. They air these "Fight for your rights" shows that preach equality yet the rest of their shows only feature the thin and beautiful people.

PandaOnProzac: I agree. Which is why I hate MTV. It's evil, vapid, and useless.

Anywho.....There are so many fat little kids these days! Now, don't get me wrong, when I grew up, there were chubby little kids. But there is a difference between a few extra pounds & obese. It's just something you see more and more.

Here is my example: Last night, Mr. Mox & I were looking at houses. He said, "I don't know if I would want to live here. There are too many kids around." WHAT?! They weren't being bad, they were playing kickball in the street and stuff. What kids used to do! He used to do the same darn thing! But now, we're so used to kids being plunked on their butts, watching tv, playing Playstation, or being entertained on the computer that anything else is seen as unusual.

This sedentary lifestyle & fast food culture is a result of single parent families. I think that the mother or father raising their children alone have to work so hard, for such long hours, they just don't have the time to cook. Plus, they do not want their kids outside where it could be dangerous. So whipping through the drivethru & letting your kid stay indoors with a computer or tv is easier and seems safer.

Ok, that was starting to get way off subject. Sorry.

MoxieGrrl, I wouldn't blame it all on single-parent families, but on the double-income scenario that so many parents find themselves in. They work lots because they want to be able to send their kids to soccer camp, give them piano lessons, and pay tuition at a good college.

I think that it's the Pepsi-Nintendo culture. Kids stay inside and eat Doritos and watch TV instead of going out and being kids.

When I was a child I was climbing trees and riding bikes and doing all sorts of crazy outside stuff. I was only allowed one hour of TV per day (I didn't have a Nintendo or computer). I didn't even realize it, but I was getting tons of exercise. Today's kids are lazy without even realizing it. Our society goes for the passive entertainment.

I think it's because society puts thin, beautiful women in our faces everyday. With magazines like Maxim, Playboy, even Cosmo, we're shown that people only like thin women. It puts enormous pressure on women and teenage girls to look a certain way - a way that is often unattainable and usually unhealthy.

I can entertain that, since I was in a single parent family and I have a weight problem, but at the same time, I didn't gain all that weight until I was AWAY from my mom's rule and had money to spend on fast food. My mom ran a VERY healthy house (She's the most petit/slim person I know), but when I was away from that is when it went bad for me, so it might not be because the parent doesn't have time to cook because my mom cooked healthy meals all the time.

I agree that huge portion sizes have a lot to do with how much larger people are now as opposed to, say, 50 years ago. Most of the older (well, older than, say, 40) people I know insist that no one was overweight when they were younger except maybe one or two people in their class. But back then, there was no McDonald's in town, either, and most people either did chores (like pushing those lawnmowers with no motors) or worked on farms around here, so they could eat chicken fried in lard and not be overweight.

All through high school and even now, people always tell me, "Oh, my God, you're so thin!" Well, I'm the same size as my mom was when she was my age (I know this because I wear her now-fashionably-retro clothes! :p) and it wasn't unusual thirty years ago. I think whoever said we idealize the not-normal is right...back when people were starving, it was chic to be heavy, and now that people are heavier, thin is the ideal.

Re: Weigh In: America and Weight
 

I think a lot of it has to do with portion control. I've been in the US and seen some potato chips bags the size of Animal Feed Bags, which I think is out of control! :eek:

Also, the way that a lot of North American cities are set up, you cannot walk here there and everywhere, you have to drive. Whereas, in Europe, you can often walk to places, or you can walk to their terrific public transit (believe me, climbing the stairs in those subway stations is good exercise)

FWIW: I have seen people who exercise who were "not slim". I watched the Ironman Triathlon in Penticton, BC and saw plenty of 'not-slim people' finishing. It's important that people exercise, as we don't get enough in our day to day routines, unless you do heavy manual labour or something. Exercise is GOOD FOR YOU! :D

I have already vowed, that when I have children, I will never buy them a Nintendo or an X-Box. For their birthday, I might 'rent one" and they can play it all weekend, but that's it! At the end of the weekend, it goes back to BLOCKBUSTER.

I don't think the obesity problem is a result of single-parent families, but rather the increasing pressure to work longer and longer hours. That's something that many single parents struggle with, of course, but there are plenty of married couples I know who are both working 60-80 hours a week too.

It would be an interesting study to see if kids from single-parent homes were more likely to be overweight than those from two-parent ones.

Yeah, I guess single-parent wasn't what I was really trying to say. It's more like latch-key kids. Back in the day (when I was in elementary school), there were one or two kids who had to do this, and everyone talked about how bad their parents were. (Gotta love small towns.. :rolleyes: ) Now, it seems to be the norm. It's a lot easier for a kid to call & order pizza than it is for the parent to leave a prepared meal.

I think that it's ridiculous to compare criticisms/stereotypes for people who are thin to those for people who are fat/obese.

Thin people are envied up to a certain level- skeletal ain't cute by any standards but thin is considered THE aesthetic.

Any sniping done on people who are a size 5 and under is done out of envy 9 times out of 10, and not because of CONTEMPT for the actual person.

I am sure that there are many thin people on GC who have been hated on and I am not trying to say that being picked on for any reason is better than another, but let's be real. People in America look at fatness and see ugly, stupid and lazy.

Please let's not pretend that there is any equality in both ends of the spectrum.

Agree with lovelyivy on this one.

I am thin. People are always chiding me about it. But seriously? Nowhere NEAR what happens to overweight people. Come on guys it isn't even anywhere near the same thing.

And I am gonna be blunt as hayle about this. To me, skinny people who complain about being skinny are nothing more than attention whores.

I feel the same way about when thin people say "God, I'm SOOO FAT!!" They say that JUST to hear, "OMG! You are so thin! You are not fat!"


FURTHER approval and validation!!!

Agreed.

my old roomate used to say this all the time and she was definitely not fat! it pissed me off to no end because i have been struggling with my weight for as long as i can remember. i lost a lot a few years ago but i'm still not where i want to be. to hear her complain bothered me because i would have loved to look like she did and eat all the crap that she did and not gain anything.

Re: Re: Re: Weigh In: America and Weight
 

Back in high school, if I had a dollar for everytime someone asked me if I was sick, anorexic, not fed enough - I would be living a very comfortable lifestyle right now. I'm 5'7" tall, which also made me taller than most of my girlfriends. I myself, had no problems woofing down a big plate of food, but my metabolism was still high and I would not gain any weight at all. Today, things are a little different - I need to find an exercise program that works for me b/c I've gain weight, and it all fell into one area of the body (I am a pear shape).

I only skimmed through most of the posts, I've might have missed someone saying this.....eating is also emotional. Eventhough people from older generations say that the younger generations are spoiled (which I agree), we are also a depressed and anxious generation. For example, I saw on the news that fast food sales sky rocketed during the war on Iraq. We eat to cope.

Orbach.
 

I have read the Orbach book as well. I think that what she is saying is true. It is very sad. I minored in Women's Studies, and we had many a conversation on this topic. Although it must be said that the "buckets" of soda and all the "super sizing" should not be blamed on the food industry. Is it their job to police what we want? NO. Is it their job to tell us what size drink to get? no. It is our responsibility to check our own diet. It cannot be blamed on any one else. EVER. If you are under the age of 10 years old, it is up to your parents to make sure they feed you healthful foods. Parents who only feed their kids crap should be drawn and quartered. What about when you want to buy a 20oz soda 5 years down the road and some lawyer caused the government to arrest you b/c your yearly quota was lowered to 5oz after his major tort lawsuit. Sounds great!!??!! Well, quit blaming the industry, and blame yourself. Get out and exercise. That is what we should say to the american "society." How many people out there complaining are drinking every thursday, friday, saturday night and eating Gumby's at 2:30. Thought so.

SOOOO TRUE!!! I know whenever I feel crappy, stressed, depressed, nervous, etc. I tend to eat and will choose the higher-carb, higher sugar, and higher fat options rather than all of the healthy food all over my apartment because it is immensely soothing. I think that if we all got more therapy and worked on exercising more just in general, we would all feel a whole lot better (but I'm not really one to talk here!)

Ever stop and think about
 

Ever stop and wonder why there is this prevalence of obesity seen in our children to adults?

Well, my observations are as a molecular geneticist studying diabetes, genetics, mitochondria dysfunction and obesity--called metabolomics in some circles--is because of the development of "fat mice" genetically. They are called the ob/ob mice and the db/db mice.

The genes in these mice were genetically altered to generate mice that eat the similar content in food as normal wildtype mice, but are larger body fat and body weight than their wildtype counterparts.

That was when Leptin, a protein that regulates appetite was discovered. The regulation of leptin levels in the body are determined genetically, and by circadian cycle (the sleep-awake patterns)...

Interesting research regarding the circadian cycle. The body has a "master clock" in the Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the brain. However, the liver, the gut and the lungs have their own internal clock genes. Now researchers have modified these genes, clock, per (period) and dbt (doubletime)--to name a few--in mice and these mutations have ruined these animals sleep, wake and eating cycles. Some animals don't eat and die. Some animals, don't sleep and eat all the time...

What this has to do with type 2 diabetes is, the same dysfunctions are seen in the human body. The human body at the molecular genetic level tries to maintain a sufficient amount of fuel to maintain normal bodily functions. When an environmental stimuli is perturbed at any level--i.e. less food, more food, bad food, no food, poisons, war, famine, more gravity, less gravity, pollution, and etc.--the body inherently as directed by its genetic make up tries to compensate for the discrepancy in some direction.

Spiritualists call it an imbalance. And IMHO, the medical community may have found that the spiritual understanding of how the body regulates itself may have some level of validity...

I myself am battling weight because I have hit 35. I am female with female--called pre menopausal symptoms. Where I use to live, air pollution was rampant. I was unable to maintain breathing properly--so inadvertantly, I ate to keep whatever chemical I lacked up. However, I fooled my body with highly processed food intake because the nutritive value of these foodstuffs were poor and I subsequently gained weight. My choice was to move out of that environment to a wholesome environment to recoup damage I incurred to my body...

Oxidation ruins your heart, brain and lungs... It stops the mitochondria (the cell's powerhouses) from functioning. That atrophies muscle. It promotes an inflammatory response. Adipocytes grow under those conditions. Moreover, once the damage is made, that's it... Aging can occur. Prone to diseases, such as cold or flu like symptoms... All in all, a body is stressed out... And the fact that we can get massive sugars at an instant...

Hence, obesity...

PM me if you want to know more...

Some people might not say it for validation. Yes, many people say it just to hear the "no your not", but they may actually have an eating disorder.
I said earlier that I am in shape, but cannot be mistaken for an eating disorder. I know because I had one. And when I was really bad, I would look at myself and see fat- everywhere. I still do somewhat- and I've been 'fine' for a few years now.
On both ends of the spectrum, its a touchy subject.
I don't think anyone is to blame. Its a personal/faimly situation. Blaming the weight issue on anything other than yourself, and within that your family/upbringing, is just looking for a scapegoat. When you are a child and its your parents responsiblity to make sure that you don't sit in front of the tv 24/7 eating bon bons or whatever. But when you reach about high school- it starts becoming your responsibility. You can start making the decision to make a grilled chicken with a side salad or hop in the car, drive to mcdonalds go through the drive though and sit in the parking lot with the air on eating your greased out dinner (my gym looks onto mcdonald's parking lot- this happens ALOT).

AKA Monet that was so interesting. You know your stuff! :) I think that the overexposure to nonnatural things like air pollution, etc also contribute to reproductive issues in women and men alike. One of my friends was telling me that her mother (who's in her late 50s and lives in another country) didn't start her period until she was 17. Yeah. When I was in 3rd and 4th grade there were already a considerable number of girls with obvious development. I wasn't allowed to drink lots of sodas or eat fast food and I think that's why I didn't start 'til I was nearly 13. Just some thoughts!

What about all of the preservatives put in food? I'm sure all of that cannot be healthy. They didn't have this level of food preservation 50 years ago, which may account for some of the unhealthy food that leads to weight problems.

Actually, research has shown that girls are developing earlier because all of the cows and chickens are shot up with estrogen to make them bigger so they have more meat to sell. All that extra estrogen in women's bodies causes early development. It also leads to higher rates of breast cancer.