States seek to lower obesity rates

CBS Marketwatch ^ | July 5, 2002 | Andrea Coombes

[Tourist Guy]

Oh goodie! More gubmint "Task Forces." Yippie, I'm so relieved now they can solve yet another problem.

*sigh*

[discostu]

you're eyes are wrong. They've been beating this horse into us for so long you're accepting it as doctrine. It's the same thing as global warming, the enviros have been telling us it's getting hotter for so long even those of us who know it's bogus will find ourselves slipping into that mentality sometimes. Wanna have some fun, go to a sports team's web page and start plugging their heights and weights into the page I linked to. Find out how many of them are "obese" by the current standards.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Obesity is "a major problem for the upcoming generation. It's going to be a major cause of death and it may be even more important than tobacco,"

And to think, Twinkies have NOT been labeled DANGEROUS and a HAZARD TO YOUR HEALTH for the last many decades, the way tobacco has. Yes, sadly, the govt. and it's lawyers will have a field day with this one. Some day soon all foods except Tofu will be labeled a health hazard... Then, like cigarettes, lawsuits will still fly and multi-million dollar awards will be made to people who become fat because they really didn't think that the warnings were true.

Are Twinkies laced with addictive additives such as Nicotene (sp?)? Hmmmmm....

[Tourist Guy]

Back in the mid-1980's when I was in the service, they measured your wrist (along w/height, age, m/f) to take into account larger skeletal frames.
Depending on the wrist measurement people with the same height could vary 20 pounds (or more?) and still be within guidelines.
Glad to say I have large wrists and missed out on the 'fat boy' program by five pounds. (I'm sure the PC crowd in the military doesn't refer to it as 'fat boy program' any longer LOL)...

I see your valid point on the 'skyrocketing numbers'. Keeps them employed tho, eh?

[dtel]

The reason Americans are getting larger is because of the sedentary lifestyle the soccer mommies have imposed on their little urchins.
Johnny can't play football/baseball/soccer because;
He's allergic to grass.
The ball is too hard.
He might get hurt.
He has asthma, et al, ad nauseum.
We are raising our third generation of overfed, under-exercised little p*ssies.

[Gaston]

The reason for so many obese people today is that, because of their genes, they were able to survive the many famines that have plagued this earth throughout history while the fit people died in masses. So you see that while it may be unattractive to be obese and unhealthy in our current food glut, it is necessary that their genes be passed on for our future survival. Don't begrudge the human race of a diverse gene pool because of your own preferences.

[rainbowtvp]

I think what they are seeing are the results of failed educational "nutrition" programs.

Our schools have been selling junk food to students for years. When I was in school, I used to buy a Nutty Buddy and a coke for lunch every day... I had to work with a school lunch program with a head start I was working in. They got the lunches the local elem school ate- I was appalled.

And the "phys ed" courses for the most part teach children to hate physical activity.

Add to that the fact that most public school students graduate with such an insufficient and even twisted science education and really have no idea how the body works...

It's a recipe for obesity.

Hey- and did ya know- "overweight" people who get regular exercise are as healthy as people who are their "proper" weight. We are way too obesessed with the numbers in this country, when the actions are what is important- healthy eating and regualr exercise.

Tara P

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

you're eyes are wrong.

I don't think so. Case in point. I've had relatives from Europe come over and tell me they are astonished at the number of fat folks they see.

Maybe you're so used to seeing fatsos, it just doesn't register anymore?

[Gaston]

From a previous thread....And while I'm at it... They should have to pay double (at least) for health care. I'm tired of my insurance premiums being high because to the high medical costs related to obesity.

If you are so fit then you should drop your health insurance as I am sure you will never need it. The money you save should be more than adequate for any accidental injury you may sustain. And don't give me any crap about how you are predisposition for this or that disease, remember you said it wasn't genetic.

[discostu]

Skeletal frame is gone from the measurement. I pulled a few players from ESPN.com and plugged them into the BMI. Here's the BMI "guidelines":
Normal weight = 18.5-24.9
Overweight = 25-29.9
Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Here's my results, these are just players I picked from football and baseball that I figured only a nutcase would consider overweight, here's my results:
Eddie George - 6'3" 240 = 30.0
Kordell Stewart - 6'1" 217 = 28.6
Brett Favre - 6'2" 225 = 28.9
Jerry Rice - 6'2" 195 = 25.0
Randy Johnson - 6'10" 232 = 24.3
Curt Shilling - 6'4" 231 = 28.1
Mike Piazza - 6'3" 215 = 26.9
Ichiro Suzuki - 5'9" 160 = 23.6

Notice the only two that don't rate as at least overweight are Ichiro and The Big Unit (and even they are on the big side of normal), Eddie George (generally considered to be a lean mean running machine in the NFL) is obese. Clearly the BMI system is BS. You ask any physical trainer the best way to determine if your overweight and they'll all give you the same answer: body fat percentage. That's the key. BMI has cut that out, but even they they couldn't come up with an epidemic so they needed a scale so rediculous that it was impossible for most people to qualify as "normal". Accordingt to this method a nice healthy 6'4" person (76 inches if you look on the table, BMI of 22) is 180lbs. When was the last time you saw somebody that was 6'4" and came it at under 200, and did you think they looked healthy?

We've gotta watch out, the same crowd that got rid of saccharine and red die #5 have now targeted "bad" food with the same level of excellent science. Get ready for the kielbasa tax coming soon to a grocery store near you. Unless we spread the truth of this bogus "index" we'll be seeing the fat version of Kyoto in 10 or 15 years.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

I've had relatives from Europe come over and tell me they are astonished at the number of fat folks they see

Good point! That just reminded me of my business trip to Sweden a few years ago. I was over there for 10 days and just couldn't figure out why there were so few fat people there. Everyone looked very fit and trim. It was really strange. After eating at many restraunts it started to sink in. The restraunts weren't all about HUGE portions and high fat food. The portions were reasonable in size and the meal was balanced. Also, in Sweden people walked a lot of places. Here McDonalds delivers in some places so you don't even have to get off of the couch.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

How did Refrigerator Perry socre???
:)

[discostu]

I'm so sick of the "Europeans say...". Who cares what they say? There isn't a major European country who's butt we haven't either stomped or saved in war, since when do they know better than us about anything? Do we listen to them on Kyoto? How about taxation? UN army? No. Why? Because Euro's aren't as bright as they say they are. Don't listen to them about us either. Just because they got a bunch of beanpoles running around doesn't mean we're fat, it means they need to start making edible food.

[GailA]

With the single stroke of a pen by former Surgeon General Statcher millions of Americans became OBESE over night that were NOT obese the day before.

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Having not been to the doctor for the past 7 years, yes, you are right in that I should drop my health insurance. But, I am not allowed. My employer forces me to have some type of health insurance. I am not given back a penny of the money that I pay into the plan either. Even though that money goes to cover other people's lifestyles.

At least you found nothing prejiduce in my earlier post. Just more facts and wishes that people pay for their lifestyle choices. Then again, some people call that prejiduce...

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Don't listen to them about us either.

I've been to Europe and Japan and I don't see as many fat folks as I see here. It's real.

[discostu]

Didn't say there aren't obese people in this country, I'm not living in never never land. Just saying it's not 1/5 of us like these "scientists" are saying.

[discostu]

Whine whine whine whine whine. What did I just say? Who gives a crap about them?! We're talking us. America. Not Eurotrash who eat stinky cheese. Not japanese with their diet of rice and fish. US. bigger isn't necessarily fatter. Have you even hit the link I provided? Have you plugged in your stats? Try it out. Bet you're obese.

[A Ruckus of Dogs]

Have you plugged in your stats? Try it out. Bet you're obese.

Don't need to. I already know 105 lbs is not obese.

[discostu]

how tall are you? You'd be surprised.