So this new report came out from this stats company that does the stats of how fat everyone is by state, and the news is: we're getting fatter. Wait, that's not news! Well, the "news" is that we're getting fatter slower than we were last year, pointing towards an eventual stop -- and hopefully a stop-and-reverse -- trend of obesity. Stats: in 1995, no state had a higher than 15% obesity rate, but now, only one state has a less than 20% obesity rate (it's like 19.8% or something super close to 20). However, a few states reported no more people getting fatter than last year. The other good ("good" being relative here) is that the reports stated a steady obesity rate in children. Meaning the percentage of kids that are fat is the same as last year. Good job, parents, good job.
It's studies like these that usually prompt the divide: there's the side that says, government, step in, do something! The other side says, screw the government, they can't control me, I can eat whatever I want!
Hey losers (that would be those who say the second one), listen up. I'm all for government keeping their grubby hands offa my life and all, but a >20% (and >30% in some states) obesity rate affects me. Firstly, selfishly, the bigger the average person, the smaller I am in comparison, and the less that things fit bodies like mine. In addition, there is a REASON people are getting bigger. It will become harder and harder to avoid the foods that are bad for me. I mean, besides the fact that I'm picky as hell. If the food we're surrounded by makes us fat, that means *I* am surrounded by food that will make me fat. Again, the average: if the average Californian is fat, it's because she eats in a certain lifestyle, and I don't want to eat that lifestyle, but it's going to be hard to avoid if it's the norm. Well, I'm exaggerating. Everyone who knows me knows that I don't eat the norm. So this is a worse-than-what-is-currently-happening scenario, and actually more places now have vegetarian and even vegan offerings, so this most likely won't happen in CA. This may be the case in other states though. Also, everyone who knows me knows that I have a discipline that allows me to eat a way that's drastically different from the average. Not everyone has this desire to suffer everyday like I do (I kid, I kid) so this means that I do fear for those who I love.
I just want to make sure I'm not coming off as shallow. I mean, I am shallow: I am watching my figure and would prefer it if others did too. But ALSO, I believe that the VAST MAJORITY of what ails us today could be prevented, mitigated, or cured through weight management primarily and nutrition education secondarily: obesity, high blood pressure, many cancers (yes, I said it, cancer), heart diseases. Technology has helped us live longer lives so we can continue to enrich our own well-being, the lives of those who love us, and our very own Mother Earth, and we're challenging that by feeding (pun intended) into preventable diseases.
The society we have today is one that needs to be immediate satiated, and the thought of long-term effects hardly have any consequence on our actions today. We're also very protective of our rights. We celebrate eating and make competitions out of it. We tell overweight children that they should love themselves the way they are and to continue living the same lifestyle they are living. The fashion industry started to hire plus-sized models to accommodate the plus-sized population (not that I loved the anorexic ones; we just went from size -10 to size 10 models). The last two imply that this problem is okay and again we should continue living the same lifestyle we're living. Obesity IS A PROBLEM. It is a problem that affects every American, whether or not that American is obese.
Other studies done on patrons at restaurants that have calorie counts in their menus have shown that either the calorie numbers have no effect or only have an effect on those who already watch their figure and try to eat healthy and do exercise. This means that there's apathy or lack of education among consumers. I think programs like that of Michelle Obama's Get Moving (or whatever it's called) Campaign and the Jamie Oliver Food Revolution (or something) help a lot. I also think we need to ditch that 2000 calories a day thing. That number is so subjective. I mean, firstly, I don't think the average American counts calories, and secondly, a female eating 2000 cals is different from a guy eating 2000 cals. 2000 calories in fruits and vegetables is different from 2000 calories in grains and meat. I'm not saying that Americans need to count calories at every meal or snack but I just think this is the wrong way to go about it.
I was at Mongolian BBQ earlier this week for lunch and a couple and their very young daughter were in line in front of me. The dad filled up the daughter's bowl with some meat and then moved down the line and asked if she wanted some vegetables (rhetorically). She said no. He asked her twice more, each time trying to entice her: "you want some vegetables? Look, they have snap peas!" Each time she said no. They of course put vegetables in her bowl. It also reminded me of a work event I attended a while ago, and one of the women brought her daughter, probably the same age as the kid I saw this week. She had a bowl of rice, vegetables, and meat, and she only ate the meat. Now I'm not judging the parents at all. Obviously, the kids think the meat is very tasty, and the vegetables yucky. There may be some biological intuition going on with what their bodies are craving... I don't buy into that since meat doesn't provide as much nutrition as plant food pound per pound, there's no biological reason for a human body to exclude plant food, and if you wanna go biological, hunter-gatherers didn't eat meat too often. But I had to throw it out there.
Everyone knows the early ages are the most influential. The future generation is what worries me the most. We need to celebrate fresh fruits and vegetables, and make them the center of the dinner, and use lean meats and refined carbs as side dishes.
This is where I'm okay if the government steps in. I'm all for capitalism, okay, but I honestly would be an advocate for getting rid of high fructose corn syrup as one of the first ingredients on an ingredient list. Sure, as the old commercial told us, it's "natural, comes from corn, and is okay in moderation," but the truth is, it's NOT used in moderation. That being said, government stepping in will only do so much and it will also make some sensitive people backlash and cry that the guys on Capitol Hill are trying to control their lives. Education to the people and empathy by manufacturers will make more of a difference. We need more widespread education about food and how it affects our bodies. We need the government to shift its subsidies from meat plants to the produce department and stop thinking about the revenue and more about its people. One of the reasons this is so hard to reverse is because sugar is an addiction. Refined carbohydrates is an addiction. When it's hidden in your food as a kid you grow up and stuff like vegetables that aren't laden in dressing and sauce taste like nothing. Your tastebuds are taught to like a certain type of thing and your body is trained to crave certain types of things from when you're a kid and what your parents and siblings eat.. The transition is difficult which makes me go back to the "immediate satiation" thing.
Lots of misinformation out there. You cannot go wrong with some discipline, fruits, vegetables. Maybe some lean meats if you're into that. Indulgences here and there, no big deal. Some grains. The initial part is hard, but it gets easier. Don't listen to the manufacturer label. Look at the actual ingredients. A cookie is still a cookie even if it's made from whole grains and dark chocolate. Then you don't even have to worry about your weight.
Last thing. And yes, it's going to be preachy. FYI: we are the only country (maybe Canada too?) that allows our cows to be injected with growth hormones. In Europe and Asia, growth hormones are outlawed. Think about it. Our cow farmers are injecting their cows to get beefed up quickly. And then you eat it. You're undoubtedly getting some of that growth hormone too. Just throwing that out there...
