Obsesity Threatens to Reverse Growth in U.S. Life Spans

NY Times ^ | March 16, 2005 | PAM BELLUCK

[Lexinom]

You're right. We all have our little indulgences. Mine is my pipe and occassional cigars. There's a risk, yes. I accept the risk, and derive pleasure from these things. Cigarettes are a much higher risk, but if someone enjoys that, who am I to preach at them, considering I too use tobacco? For others, it's candy, and for still others, it's the (hopefully only) occasional adult beverage.

Still, the bigger we are, the more volume we occupy. The more pressure on our arteries. The more cells to potentially mutate into devastating neoplasms. We all have to weigh (no pun intended) the risk against the vice.

[speekinout]

And I'd wager they were better tasting, too. Smaller quantities, higher quality.

Seemed so at the time. But even today, the first three spoons of chocolate ice cream are the best. The rest of the pint is unnecessary. :-)
Better when shared with the rest of the family.

[sevry]

Must be all those 'obese' running backs. How CAN a guy weigh that much and only be 5-10? CDC is working 24/7 on the problem.

Your government at work.

[One Proud Son]

Blame xBox and scooters. I can't understand why kids would want to sit in front of a TV for 6 hours a day. I did my share of TV watching, and I ate biscuits and gravy and bacon, but I was outside until it was dark playing army or indians or something. I didn't have a nintendo until 8th grade when I bought it with Christmas money, and even then it was just for boring nights and rainy days. There is no secret to preventing obesity. The issue's complexity is blown way out of proportion. It's ALL about exercise.

[Soliton]

If we don't have a pill for obesity in 20 years, I'm goin on a diet.

[dread78645]

A hamburger was more likely to be 3 oz. than the 8-12 oz. ones we see today.

Less.

McDonalds used (and still uses) 10 burgers per pound of meat. Ray Kroc said that he wanted to simplify inventory; 100 buns = 10 lb = $15 in sales.
After Dave Thomas (Wendy's) introduced the 1/4 lb patty as the "standard", McD had to counter with it's Quarter-pounder®

[speekinout]

McDonalds used (and still uses) 10 burgers per pound of meat.

I believe that. And it seems like a reasonable portion to me. I haven't had many McD's, but their regular burger always seemed like enough. Esp. if one adds a side (not Super-Sized!)

[jamy]

you should watch that movie... supersize me. obesity should not be treated as a joke. i see parents let there children eat unhealthy processed foods, sit on there arse, watch mind numbing TV, then wonder why they have ADHD, and increased health risk problems. please. parents know the problem stems from their behaviour, and as a nation of lazy fat couch potatoes, too afraid to get off there arse and do the hard work... you deserve your arteries to be clogged and for your child to cry on your shoulder because noone likes him because he smells from being so fat. can't walk let alone run... this is not a joke. healthy = happy.

[speekinout]

I agree that obesity is not a joke. But I don't think it's a reason to turn child-rearing over to the gov't.
I didn't see that movie, because my understanding of the movie is that it tries to make McD's look responsible for this guy's weight gain, and that's just not true.

If we can't each be responsible for our own life and health, then our country is doomed. I'm not ready to go there.