October 15, 2007
FLABbergasted in America
I was amazed and appalled by the number of extremely fat people I encountered during our recent trip back to America. Living abroad, I thought the whole “obesity epidemic” thing was overblown, but WOW, if anything the problem in America is hugely understated. It was like I went away for a year and everyone gained 100 pounds.
I saw hundreds of fat young people (teenagers and college-age kids) and every fat child I saw was accompanied by a fat parent. I estimated that close to 75% (three out of four) of the people I saw were overweight and around half of them were “morbidly” obese (100+ pounds overweight). It was absolutely startling!
Here are some relevant excerpts from the book, Fast Food Nation:
“The United States now has the highest obesity rate of any industrialized nation in the world. More than half of all American adults and about one-quarter of all American children are now obese or overweight. Those proportions have soared during the last few decades…. The rate of obesity among American adults is twice as high today as it was in the early 1960s. The rate of obesity among American children is twice as high as it was in the late 1970s.
The medical literature classifies a person as obese if he or she has a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher-a measurement that takes into account both weight and height. For example, a woman who is five-foot-five and weighs 132 pounds has a BMI of 22, which is considered normal. If she gains eighteen pounds, her BMI rises to 25, and she’s considered overweight. If she gains fifty pounds, her BMI reaches 30, and she’s considered obese. Today about 44 million American adults are obese. An additional 6 million are ’super-obese’; they weigh about a hundred pounds more than they should. No other nation in history has gotten so fat so fast.
A recent study by half a dozen researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the rate of American obesity was increasing in every state and among both sexes, regardless of age, race, or educational level. In 1991, only four states had obesity rates of 15 percent or higher; today at least thirty-seven states do. ‘Rarely do chronic conditions such as obesity,’ the CDC scientists observed, ’spread with the speed and dispersion characteristic of a communicable disease epidemic.’
… [T]he nation’s way of eating and living [has changed]. In simple terms: when people eat more and move less, they get fat. In the United States, people have become increasingly sedentary-driving to work instead of walking, performing little manual labor, driving to do errands, watching television, playing video games, and using a computer instead of exercising.
Over the past forty years in the United States, per capita consumption of carbonated soft drinks has more than quadrupled. During the late 1950s the typical soft drink order at a fast food restaurant contained about eight ounces of soda; today a ‘Child’ order of Coke at McDonald’s is twelve ounces. A ‘Large’ Coke is thirty-two ounces-and about 310 calories. In 1972, McDonald’s added Large French Fries to its menu; twenty years later, the chain added Super Size Fries, a serving three times larger than what McDonald’s offered a generation ago. Super Size Fries have 610 calories and 29 grams of fat.
Obesity is now second only to smoking as a cause of mortality in the United States. The CDC estimates that about 280,000 Americans die every year as a direct result of being overweight. The annual health care costs in the United States stemming from obesity now approach $240 billion; on top of that Americans spend more than $33 billion on various weight-loss schemes and diet products. Obesity has been linked to heart disease, colon cancer, stomach cancer, breast cancer, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, infertility, and strokes. A 1999 study by the American Cancer Society found that overweight people had a much higher rate of premature death. Severely overweight people were four times more likely to die young than people of normal weight. Moderately overweight people were twice as likely to die young.
During thousands of years marked by food scarcity, human beings developed efficient physiological mechanisms to store energy as fat. Until recently, societies rarely enjoyed an overabundance of cheap food. As a result, our bodies are far more efficient at gaining weight than at losing it. Health officials have concluded that prevention, not treatment, offers the best hope of halting the worldwide obesity epidemic.”
October 15th, 2007 at 2:01 pm
Which part of America did you go to?
October 15th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Sacha: We flew into Newark and spent most of our time in Northern New Jersey and Upstate New York.
October 15th, 2007 at 6:20 pm
I live in NYC. I think a smaller percentage of people here are obese, compared to the rest of the US, based on what I see when I travel to other parts of the country. Few people here drive much, of course, whereas nearly all adults drive nearly everywhere in most parts of the country. Here, if you’re not going far, you walk. Also, the average Manhattanite is well educated, about health care, among other things, and tends to make relatively healthy choices. (Setting aside crystal meth, binge drinking and daytrading).
October 15th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
So whenever you read about the “health care problem” in the US you can say BS like the few of us normal weight Americans are thinking… it’s plain and simple a health problem.
I traveled to China in 2004 and when I returned to the US I remember thinking the same thing… just disgusting…
October 15th, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I have the same thoughts when I return to the States from overseas. It’s no wonder given how little physical activity most Americans get and how large our food portions are. Not to mention the quality (so processed) of our food.
BTW, thanks for the plug of Favebot
October 15th, 2007 at 10:29 pm
Last I read the obesity rate was 33%, but it looks more than that to me. This issue first dawned on me during my first trip to Paris where I was shocked that I saw no fat people there at all. And then was shocked when I went to the little food shops there and saw that the potato chip isle consisted of about 2 shelves 3 feet wide as opposed to floor to ceiling racks 100 feet long as we have here in the US.
One theory on that blames our Farm policy. The US puts a high priority on making wheat and corn as cheap as possible, which food marketers sell us as low glycemic carbs that make people fatter the more of it they eat. There’s something seriously wrong when an apple cost more than a bag of potato chips.
Really pathetic and sad, people in the US are eating themselves to death. . .
October 15th, 2007 at 10:51 pm
No need to walk anywhere, indeed it’s positively difficult to walk anywhere out in the burbs + an unprecedented access to refined carbohydrates = Landwhale USA.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
Yeah, there’s been a tipping point on obesity here in the USA, and by that I mean not on the scale!
October 15th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
BMI is a poor statistic to use for measurement, it does not take into account a person’s muscle mass, IE, someone who weight lifts can easily be classified Obese because they have muscle mass that weighs considerably more than fat. I bet 20% of the 44 million American adults considered Obese are not actually obese.
October 15th, 2007 at 11:32 pm
As they Say Fat is the next tobacco - at least we are good at importing our fast food all across the world. see Mcdonalds stock
October 16th, 2007 at 4:24 am
Meh, I couldn’t care less.
Until we go to socialized health care, then they better get their ass in shape.
October 16th, 2007 at 5:55 am
Your chubbier readers might like to know that the Shangri-La Diet is pretty good and easy. I’ve used it with success, plus eating lots of fruit and veg. ;-)
October 16th, 2007 at 6:25 am
I believe that with the death of the smoking generation, weight gains were inevitable. The food has appeared to appease the folks who now eat instead of smoke.
Case in point. My Grandmother stayed thin through a little dieting and smoking all of her life. Next generation, my mother quit when she was 18- had to deit much more extensively to maintain a healthy weight. I have to diet also to maintain a healthy weight, along with a real exercise program that most americans would’t want to try. My son is also predisposed to being heavy, and is attending sports classes and participates in two team sports to keep him off of the couch and away from the addictive but fattening video games.
By the way, Grandma died from smoking related cancer at age 76- her fatter nonsmoking siblings outlived her by an average of four years.
So, either diet and exercise, or get fat. Especially if you have a big genetic predisposition. My father has no genetic predisposition to being fat, but suffers from high blood pressure. Go figure.
How many Chinese or French smoke? Figure that into your equations and you will find that as the smoking rate in a population falls (usually the youngest generations stop with affluence and awareness of the risks), weight rises.
That aside, the comments on fast food nation are also correct, and contribute to our very large society. I have no quibble with the discussion that our food choices are ridiculous.
Further BMI is darned near useless, as the percentage of body fat has been shown in most studies to be a much better predictor of health consequences, along with activity levels. My calculations show that my BMI would only enter the healthy range for my height at a weight that is less than my body weight minus ALL of my fat and another 10 pounds to boot. Ridiculous. The calculations were made using the CDC calculator. Using a better metric with a body fat of 14% (which is quite reasonable for a male over 40 who is regularly physically active), my BMI is still listed as obese at 32.1.
So stop even thinking about BMI unless you are in the standard range for height and body size.
October 16th, 2007 at 6:44 am
I am convinced that it is something in the food in America. Everywhere you see this Neuvo Americano Junkfood culture you see little fatty’s. I was in Ireland and saw a whole bunch of little fattys. England as well. And what about child obeisity in China? I have seen all kinds of articles coming out of China on child obeisity full of pics of little fat chinese kids trying to excercise.
There has to be more to it than just America. It must be something the NWO fools are putting in the food to make a population more docile and easy to control! A trading acquaintance of mine was relocated to Moscow Russia by a firm. He lost 20 pounds in the first 4 months. He is convinced it was from having less additives in the food. I would believe it. Although looking at the chick he brought back to the States….he may have lost it in other ways.
But I will say that when I lived in Chicago just the walking kept my weight 10 lbs lighter. Getting your arse out and moving around everyday does wonders for the weight.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:32 am
The French are not fat because they understand that food is more than just the acquisition of calories.
Mealtimes are a social event whereby a family meets and discusses its place in society. Roles are played out, children given priceless instruction on how to manipulate the other sex (and Brussels subsidies). Food is prepared with a devotion to the family and its entire wellbeing. The goal is to raise intelligent, cultured individuals with an understanding of good taste, moral values, respect and an appreciation of the family unit as the best mechanism for society.
American kids eat their food straight from the microwave on their laps while watching MTV while their parents are out stealing or working 80 hours a week to fund the plasma TV.
I read somewhere that 40% of American households no longer have a dining table.
October 16th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Thanks for the many excellent comments, guys. I would like the record to reflect that I gained seven pounds in 14 days in the US, mainly by binge eating much-missed junk food (including Mac & Cheese — the bright orange variety, Charleston Chews, and pint after pint of Chunky Monkey. I searched high and low for Wise Onion Rings (my all-time favorite) but couldn’t find them anywhere — I’m afraid they discontinued them).
@Tom: I welcome all puns.
@Rob & AllenM: I agree BMI is a lousy statistic — I personally measure body fat % using a Tanita scale to keep track of things. I believe Shaq is 320 pounds and has single digit body fat % but I’d hate to see his (flawed) BMI.
@Martin: I tried to Shagri-La some oil a couple of times a day but it kind of made me gag and although the plan appeals to me logically, I prefer to just exercise a lot.
@AllenM: Interesting point about smoking — my Mom told me that when my dad quit smoking in the mid-1960s he quickly gained 20 pounds.
@RiskR: I’m not a black helicopter crowd guy, but I agree that they “optimize” the fat delivery — “Once you pop, you can’t stop.” It’s true there are tons of little fatties here in China — there are no nutrition labels, there’s tons of cheap junk food, and the Little Emperor (single child) phenomenon means that kids (usually little boys) get spoiled by multiple adults.
@CapitalGain: Fascinating statistic about the incredible disappearing dining table. I lived in a Co-op in college where we cooked and ate all our meals together. It recently closed and one of the reasons given was that no one was eating together anymore — students would just take their plates and return to their rooms to stare solitarily into screens (TV, video games, Internet) instead of sitting and chatting as a group in the dining room — I found that incredibly depressing.
October 16th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
It’s funny how we have an election coming up in 2008 and not one politician wants to take the risk of pointing the finger at the American people. The #1 and #2 preventable causes of death (read: the 2 most expensive preventable causes of health care costs) are yes yes yes you guessed it Obesity & Smoking. What exactly will free health care do again, other than simply encourage the over indulgence and consumption that is known as the US?
October 16th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
I think it’s really dreadful and not a pretty sight to behold either, obesity, but I’m noticing a marked increase here in Europe as well. It’s just junk food combined with lazinesss, keeping trim and in shape really isn’t a Herculean task at all.
Focus on the positive sides such as being more attractive and healthier, eat a healthy diet - few and only complex carbohydrates with lots of proteins from eg Tofu will keep you feeling nourished in between all meals, by contrast eating animal fats with simple carbohydrates, eg a hamburger with white buns and fries, will have you yearning for more food an hour or two after leaving the table.
Couple a healthy diet with exercise, all you’ll need is no more than half an hour of brisk walking a day, which is something everybody can achieve, and you’ll be fine the rest of your life.
October 16th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
actually, dave (#17) huckabee has taken that stance, probably because of his personal success (lost LOTS of weight).
i wouldn’t vote for him because i’m sick of religion taking center stage in politics, but he’s *actually* a kinder, gentler conservative. i told a dem friend of mine last year the one republican that would be most capable of winning is huckabee and i still believe that.
October 16th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
there were some statistics in the new atlantic monthly magazine. the average # calories taken in by an american is 3800/day. so if you and i are eating normally there are lots out there eathing WAAAAAY too much.
kids today get far less exercise than when i was a kid.
October 17th, 2007 at 1:49 am
>>I am convinced that it is something in the food in America — Omega 6 fatty acids (vegetable oils) undergo changes as they are heated in processing. These cause inflammation. Combined with insulin pumping carbs this creates (guessing) 95% of the ills.
So what we have seen is the mass exodus from saturated animals fats in the last 30 years to so called “nutritious” vegetable based fats and the concurrent rise of obesity and health issues.
Doctors seem to be savant morons when it comes to cause and effect sometimes. They will treat all the symptoms but never do simple tests for things such as parasites (silent epidemic in USA).
October 17th, 2007 at 2:13 am
Some posted a comment about how 40% of the US households have no dining table and that Europeans tend to have dinner together. Being from European stock, my parents made it a point that all of us sat and ate dinner together, the TV was in another room.
When we got older and had jobs/lives/etc, we still made it a point to have Sunday dinner together. I miss those days and I’m making it a point to do that when our kids get older.
Has anyone checked out the Slow Food movement? www.slowfood.com. From their site:
“Slow Food is a non-profit, eco-gastronomic member-supported organization that was founded in 1989 to counteract fast food and fast life, the disappearance of local food traditions and people’s dwindling interest in the food they eat, where it comes from, how it tastes and how our food choices affect the rest of the world.”
October 17th, 2007 at 3:57 am
Mao…where is upstate NY? I am in Rhinebeck…close?
October 17th, 2007 at 5:04 am
paul - i’ll wave hi next time i’m at the farmer’s market. stop by popovich provisions - great mozz.
btw, dinner tonight: chicken and hot dogs on the grill, probably french fries, and some kind of veggie - salad or peas. and, yes, we’re all eating at the dinner table. and i’m cooking.
October 17th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Paul: Further north and west, Cooperstown area. Rhinebeck is Catskill country and doesn’t qualify as truly “upstate” (unless you’re coming from the City).
October 17th, 2007 at 6:01 pm
Omega 3 oils are the goodies that prevent inflammation, while Omega 6 is one of the sources that causes it.
The biggest cause of body inflammation though is Arachidonic acid that’s found in meat.
October 17th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Of course people are more overweight in the northeast. The winters keep lard asses homebound and Italian food is prevalent and unlike people in Italy who eat very small portions of their wonderful food,people in the US eat humongous portions.
I also have to wonder,if New Yorkers are so intelligent,why do they elect people like Shumer and Clinton to office? Why do they live in a city impossible to get out of? I mean I love NYC but after a few days its sort of like Vegas,get me outa there.
Now if you really want to see the fattest most grotesque bodies in the US go to Vegas. Most of those people are tourists from the Northeast.
October 18th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Shhhhhhh …. its part of the secret plan to keep social security solvent in the out years.
October 18th, 2007 at 9:47 am
Kacy: What’s saved there will be lost to Medicaid and Medicare.
October 19th, 2007 at 5:35 am
[…] My friend ‘The Chairman’ was back in America visiting from China and the obesity problem really hit him . […]
October 20th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Hey, you could have paid us a visit. You know you are welcome to drop by. Anyway, when I am in Beijing next May, I plan to call on you. So be warned.
Only 2 weeks? I thought you need 6 months to clear your lung.
October 20th, 2007 at 8:15 am
Joy: We didn’t visit *anyone* except family so don’t feel left out. Six months would probably clear the lungs out, but some of us have to work for a living. ;-)
November 1st, 2007 at 11:27 am
[…] I didn’t see many skinny bitches during our recent trip to America, but I did see a lot of Pringles vending machines. Cat: […]