[brytlea]

That's because alot of kids today don't know what it is to "go outside and play".
Absolutely. And, they consume alot more junk calories per day than we did. I suspect we are going to see a huge jump in the numbers of people with diabetes and such when this particular generation hits 40.
susie

[keats5]

I don't know about kids eating more junk food. My sister and I learned that if you took the bottles from the back of our local store to the cashier, she would give you the bottle deposit money. Thus, we found an endless supply of petty cash for our life sustenance: mallo cups and snickers bars, washed down with pop. Yet, I was skinny as they come.

Of course, I had to ride my bike to the store.

Now we have suburban sprawl, and fewer sidewalks. Until my kids were teens, I hated to even let them take a walk or ride their bikes, because without sidewalks they were dodging cars. (We live on a busy road, and although the sign says 35 mph, 45-50 seem the norm.)

My other theory is that Americans got fat when they quit smoking. Of course, the crack-heads remain fashionably thin.

[Bob]

Absolutely. And, they consume alot more junk calories per day than we did. I suspect we are going to see a huge jump in the numbers of people with diabetes and such when this particular generation hits 40.

I don't think you're going to have to wait that long. My doctor told me last week that the upper limit for the fasting glucose test has just been dropped by 5 points (from 105 to 100, IIRC). Those 'normal' 101's and 102's of last year aren't now considered normal.

Lord only knows what they've done with the A1C (long-term) glucose test. A few years ago, I dropped 50 pounds with a corresponding drop in my A1C results. Unfortunately, they were dropping the limit faster than I was dropping my level. As soon as I'd get below the old limit, they'd drop the limit again.

[television is just wrong]

Diabetes is already at epidemic levels. It will surpass todays levels though, because the schools provide nothing but junk food for lunch, and sodas out of the machines.

I know a lot of teens that have had to have their gall bladders out as early as 15.