[2ndDivisionVet]

We are in a crisis, no doubt. I think a lot of it stems from high fructose corn syrup and other sweeteners we started using several decades ago.

[calex59]

I think it has more to do with people doing less physically and letting their childrem sit in front of video games, TVs and computers all day long. People used to eat about 5000 calories a day(back a few years)and most of them were not fat because they burned it off in their everyday work. If we ate that many today we would gain weight at a tremendous rate. I say this as a recovering fatty, losing weight as we speak.

I use to work hard but landed a soft job and got fat, now I am losing it(and it isn't easy!)and feel much better. I put exercise(not a tremendous amount but enough)back into my life and I watch my calories, two pounds a week floating off me(well not floating, but dissapearing at any rate!).

[MEGoody]

Interesting that I’ve never seen a study that indicates how much time off work people take due to on-the-job stress. Of course, employers don’t want to admit that people miss work because of that.

[PISANO]

Has anyone ever wondered why ever increasing numbers of those who are obese coincides with the ever increasing numbers of those who occupy the poverty level and below in our society??

[deebee1]

What do we need a military for anyway? According to the Dems, if we just act nice to everyone, they’ll act nice to us too.

[DesScorp]

The reasons:

Not enough physical activity; the Xbox has replaced the football field

Two working parents: two income families save time by ordering out a lot. That means lots of fast food, and lots of sugary soda to wash it down with, not to mention a lack of vegatables in the diet.

Good food is more expensive: it used to be cheap to eat healthy. Now it’s actually cheaper to eat unhealthy.

Microwaves: increasing US obesity rates track almost exactly with the rise of the cheap microwave oven in the early 80’s. The two graphs match each other almost point for point.

More vehicles: more people (including teenagers) than ever have their own vehicles, and they ride everywhere, even on a short trip to the store.

Air conditioning: The availability of cheap air conditioning keeps us cooler than nature intended. Hot bodies have reduced appetites. Colder bodies have increased appetites. Cold temperatures triggers an instinct to gather energy for the long winter ahead.

[Billthedrill]

We’ve been through this before within the military. Now, I’m not discounting a national obesity issue but with respect to the military specifically I can recall a previous enthusiasm for BMI that had my CO telling one of the best collegiate wrestlers in the country that he was overweight. Guy had a 29-inch waist and was built like a Mac truck, probably not enough fat on him to fill a teaspoon. Ship’s Doc just rolled his eyes and asked the CO if he wanted him to amputate a leg or something...

[napscoordinator]

I don’t think we are in a crisis. They changed the way they measure body fat index. President Bush is considered overweight according to the new chart. There are plenty of normal sized kids that will join the military. Besides Air Force and Navy are downsizing right now. Marines and Army are growing. It evens out.

[Vinnie]

Take away the computers.

I never see kids playing in the street. No bike riding, football, baseball, hockey. Never.

They are busy in chat rooms instead of exercising.

[Drawsing]

Its not fried chicken. It is sugar. I have lost 20 lbs simply by skipping the sweets on the weekdays. I allow myself a couple of desserts on the weekends and I skip the bedtime snacks. That’s it. Simplest diet there ever was.

[Grunthor]

“Young Americans too fat to fight”

Bull. I went to basic at 206 lbs. Eight weeks later I graduated at a svelte 161. And that was in peace time.

[P.O.E.]

I’m more worried about the trend to demand that others solve one’s own problems.

[Trailerpark Badass]

I have read that more medical issues are seen in basic like shin splints, stress fractures, torn connective tissue, etc because even normal weight young people are unused to physical activity.

Better build more of those remote smart weapons.