America gets even fatter!

[HisMajestyBOB]

Not me. I've lost 6 pounds and am well on my way to 160. 

Nice one. How tall are you?

6'1''?

Beanpole!

[katmai]

You'd have a blast at katmai's house then.

Not really, as i have no food there.

[Crazy_Ivan80]

americans are once again taking the measures needed tocombat rising sealevels.
fat floats.

[DontSayBanana]

Ok, that sort of answers the question. That they are unwilling to provide actually numbers suggests that this article is just hyperbole at best.

Looking for sources, and I'm seeing massive argument. It seems nobody's got solid numbers; NIH has been thinking about dropping the average life expectancy for the US because of the obesity rate, but a lot of doctors are complaining that the logic behind the forecasting is flawed.

Found an interesting op-ed on how it's flawed from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey dating all the way back from 2005.

http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/archives/obesity_archive.htm

[DisturbedPervert]

http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/archives/obesity_archive.htm

The United Nations most recent long-term projections concludes that by 2300, the lowest life expectancy in any country in the world will be 87 to 88 years

Don't see that happening.  Some places are still going to be completely fucked a century from now.

[DontSayBanana]

http://healthfullife.umdnj.edu/archives/obesity_archive.htm

The United Nations most recent long-term projections concludes that by 2300, the lowest life expectancy in any country in the world will be 87 to 88 years

Don't see that happening.  Some places are still going to be completely fucked a century from now.

It's all based on what the countries are actually reporting. For example, we're pretty sure China's been fibbing on its longevity reports, but we just don't have any proof yet.

[saskganesh]

let's cut to the fat. it's simply unamerican to go against fat freedom.

the obese should get on their segways and roll en masse to Washington. instead of the million man march, it can be the trillion pound rotation. based on the size of their lobby, I'm sure legislators will give their proposals full weight.

[crazy canuck]

I agree Sask.  It is a weighty issue indeed.  The problem is too large to tackle even without the trillion pound blob rolling into Washington.

On the serious side I read recently that healthy food costs substatially more then unhealthy junk food.  No real mystery why North America is getting fat.   This may be the largest unintended consequence of all time.  Who would have anticipated that subsidizing corn production in the US would have turned out to be such an unhealthy decision.

[Valmy]

On the serious side I read recently that healthy food costs substatially more then unhealthy junk food.

Not true but healthy food does cost more to get pre-prepared.  You can eat healthy for very little but you have to, you know, prepare the food yourself.  Americans don't usually have that sort of time to burn on food.

The bigger problem is all the food presented as "normal" is ridiculously unhealthy.  You have to reject your own culture to an extent.

[Barrister]

Not true but healthy food does cost more to get pre-prepared.  You can eat healthy for very little but you have to, you know, prepare the food yourself.  Americans don't usually have that sort of time to burn on food.

I disagree.

Even cooking from scratch you can't eat a healthy meal for the cost of a quarter pounder meal from McDonalds.  Produce is the real killer - fresh produce is expensive stuff.  You can probably eat somewhat better than the average american diet by eating like our grandparents and mostly filling up on starches like potatos or pasta, but that isn't exactly healthy either.

[crazy canuck]

Not true but healthy food does cost more to get pre-prepared.  You can eat healthy for very little but you have to, you know, prepare the food yourself.  Americans don't usually have that sort of time to burn on food.

Dont think so Valmy.  I cant link you to anything because I have come to this understanding from some books I have read lately along with recent news reports but the conclusion reached is that cheap corn creates cheap corn fed beef (for fast food) and cheap processed food (which is found not only in fast food restaurants but also in most of the products bought cheaply in grocery stores.

But the problem with the processed foods is that they are very high in sugar/calories.  Which then of course leads to a fat population.

[DisturbedPervert]

Americans don't usually have that sort of time to burn on food.

Too busy watching tv and playing WoW.

[Valmy]

Solution: end corn subsidies?  Who cares about Iowa anyway.  If Iowa fell into the ocean Garbon wouldn't even notice.

[Valmy]

Too busy watching tv and playing WoW.

Damn straight!  Important business.

[saskganesh]

Not true but healthy food does cost more to get pre-prepared.  You can eat healthy for very little but you have to, you know, prepare the food yourself.  Americans don't usually have that sort of time to burn on food.

I disagree.

Even cooking from scratch you can't eat a healthy meal for the cost of a quarter pounder meal from McDonalds.  Produce is the real killer - fresh produce is expensive stuff.  You can probably eat somewhat better than the average american diet by eating like our grandparents and mostly filling up on starches like potatos or pasta, but that isn't exactly healthy either.

you shop in the Yukon which has limited local production, so fresh is expensive.

where i live , food is cheap in the summer. the fresh local organic produce is cheaper than the conventional stuff that I used to buy at Safeway in Saskatchewan.

but to cook foods, you need some basic cooking skills, which people don't have, and you have to do shopping/menu planning, which is alien to a lot of people.  for some reason, it's a chore.