The Skinny on Fat (The Truth About Obesity, Part 2)

Tech Central Station ^ | July 16, 2003 | Sandy Szwarc

[Timesink]

A host of sinful foods have been demonized as the root of obesity and poor health of American adults and children. Fast food restaurants have been sued, accused of contributing to customers' obesity because their food tastes too good and they tempt us by advertising. Taxes are being proposed on foods deemed fattening or bad for us, namely, anything with meat or fat, that is fried or processed or that is sweet.

[Timesink]

This is part two of a ten-part series on the myths and science surrounding obesity. Part One is posted here (and what a fun thread it was!).

[EggsAckley]

Here we go again! LOL!
I'm glad these articles are being posted!

[lambo]

Bookmark to read later.

[laweeks]

I'll never forget going on a sales call about 10 years ago and being told to wait in the lobby for a while because the person I was to see had just died that a.m. Uncomfortably I waited for a bit, and a guy came out to tell me that the death of the person I was to see caught everyone by surprise because the dead guy was in the best of health, in his early 40s, had NO body fat, and exercised every morning before work. In fact, he had dropped dead while working out on an exercise bike that morning at the "Y".

The guy they sent to tell me this bad news was wheezing, had a cigarette and cup of black coffee in one hand, a big cream-filled donut in the other hand, powdered sugar all over his tie, and had to be 50 pounds overweight, and appeared to be in his late 50s. Coulda' been a good Seinfield episode! ROTFLMAS (but not then of course!)

[Xenalyte]

Of course, none of this article is true, since we all know people are overweight solely because they lack willpower.

Or something. Did I get that line right?

[foreverfree]

bump

[caisson71]

Great post. It won't influence those into fads however.

[Publius6961]

Right.
It's not your fault, it's all genetics and you can't hep it.

[Sam Cree]

These threads are fun. Thanks for posting them.

Although, so far, I disagree with what I perceive as the main thrust of the articles, that obesity isn't related to eating too much of certain foods.

[mvpel]

Hopefully it will influence those who want to back up fads with the force of law.

[Xenalyte]

Do you also think that depression is just a state of mind and people should just snap out of it?

[Timesink]

Ping for the rational, intelligent posters, on either side of the debate, from the first thread.

[Rennes Templar]

IMHO, these articles are a bunch of crap. As a practicing Doctor of Chiropractic for 20 yrs with a specialty in nutrition, for anyone one to imply that activity and food intake are not related to obesity is trying to sell something. There are two causes of obesity in America: Inactivity and addiction to sugar. For anyone to imply that sucrose does not affect health in general and weight is ludicrous. But we alternative practitioners are used to this from orthodox sources. Americans are addicted to sugar. We consume nearly 150 pounds a year now.I challenge anyone reading this to go four days without any food that has sugar in it. Bet you can't make it. The other cause is incorrect individual food intake patterns. I recommend anyone interested to read the books on individual meatabolic typing. One mans diet food is anothers scale breaker. By the way, I practice what I preach. I'm 51 yrs old, 6-2, 170lbs and ran a 14.2 sec in the 100 meter at the Senior Olympics. Sorry I can't reply to comments now, got to get back to work.

[Ditter]

"If its decided then....... that I must die. I think I'll have another piece of pie."

[RockyMtnMan]

I'll weigh in on this thread because of recent events in our household. My wife has started running and dieting to lose a few pounds.

She has been frustrated because the weight wasn't coming off fast enough. Then I pointed out to her that she was trading lean mass for fat mass. She already looks great, but hey I'll let her tear herself down until she reaches supermodel.

She wanted to know how I could lose so much weight so quickly. The answer I gave her is that I burn twice the number of calories (I run faster) on one of my runs and eat the same amount of food she does.

Weight loss boils down to burning more calories than your body needs to function. Unfortunately some people's bodies need a ridiculously small number of calories compared to others. Genetically this is an advantage in a world where food is scarce. But we all know food is not scarce in the good ol' USA just take a trip to Chilli's and try to eat the whole plate.

A friend of mine can consume 3X what I can and he is in better shape than me. He exercises all day long and needs the calories to function.

[Zipporah]

Thanks for posting this.. very interesting. More than diet IMHO is that kids are too seditary and not only kids but adults. The more muscle you have the faster your metabolism. I eat pretty much what I want now that I have found an exercise program that works. I was going to the gym 4 or 5 times a week and not getting near the results. This is the program: www.t-tapp.com

[Arthalion]

Do you also think that depression is just a state of mind and people should just snap out of it?

Depression, like obesity, is a treatable medical condition caused by genuine chemical changes in the human body. Is it an insult to call a depressed person depressed? Is it an insult to call a fat person fat? Should depressed people be proud and accepting of being depressed? Should fat people be proud and accepting of being fat? If you want to consider them both medical conditions, then you must accept that they should both be treated.

Being overweight is like having a fat, hairy mole growing on your upper lip. It's perfectly natural and you could live with it, but most people would have it removed because it's unattractive and presents the possibility of later health problems. Nobody would be proud of their mole, or "happy with themselves" because they have the mole, so why do people insist on being so proud, happy, and defensive about their weights? When you have a negative medical condition, the intelligent response is to get rid of it!

[Maigrey]

I'm one of the people who wouldn't die in a famine. My metabolish is slow (and the doc wants me to take meds for it...) so I have to exercise to burn off what I intake over the minimum. I may be shapely, but I don't want to eat like a bird to fit someone else's view of how I should look.

[ravingnutter]

I challenge anyone reading this to go four days without any food that has sugar in it. Bet you can't make it.

How much do I win? I have gone without sugar for over 5 years. Also cut out coffee and salt. Sugar plays hell with my system...I get a sugar high and then I crash and burn and feel like crap the rest of the day...not worth it. I cannot even stand the taste of anything sweet anymore. I get really angry when a restaurant brings me sweet tea when I order tea.

BTW, I am about 15 lbs. overweight AND I walk 1.5 miles on my treadmill each night besides walking all over the AF base at work and working in the yard on weekends. I can't take diet pills because I have high blood pressure. Your theory does not fly with me.

[Thorondir]

Should depressed people be proud and accepting of being depressed? Should fat people be proud and accepting of being fat?

Right on! Furthermore, should an alcoholic be proud and accepting of being an alcoholic? Should a man with lung cancer be proud and accepting of being cancerous? Should a stool-packer or a necrophiliac be...eeeeewwwww!!!!! Just why the heck should anybody be proud and accepting of the disastrous results of a generally unhealthy behavioral problem?

Here, let me save the dynamic duo some time: "Why you hideous, hateful, biggoted a$$hole! STFU!"

LOL! Good points, my friend.