Why are most people fat in the US? Any ideas?

male minority acceptance and encouragement of big bone chicks, most minorities prefer 200+ lb chicks with BMI 40+

42-39-56 you could say she's got it all, whole lotta Rosie

Just a piece of the puzzle - mostly caloric and sedentary related.

You're only supposed to eat fish once a week from lakes due to the mercury. Also I think even though lead was removed from gasoline/and paint a few decades ago that it stays in the environment. The irony of urban gardening is that some/most/much of the urban soils will contain lead to some extent which is also taken up by many of the green leafy's. Most of the products we use are synthetic. Plastics give of a fine dust of pthalates which are xenoestrogenic. Couches, beds and clothing contain fire retardants that aren't good for you. It's exhausting to think about and easier not to. But....considering 1 out of every 2 people currently get cancer, that we've tamed infectious disease compared to 100 years ago but have an epidemic of autoimmune diseases it's crazy not to at least consider. Alzheimer's epidemic with no mechanism or cause. At least consider it. USA is the only western country that approves chemicals on a basis similar to the judicial system, i.e. "innocent until proven guilty," where as other similarly modernized countries the opposite.

YMMV wrote:

Try ZERO sugar including juices and fruit except berries, reduce starches and no grains, more saturated fat, especially from pastured animals and fish, ZERO fat from vegetable/seed oils, more salt except in rare anomalies , fiber usually doesn't matter but reduce if any G.I. issues, more protein from animal and fish sources, maintain perfect weight and physique.

OR.....you could eat some sugar without freaking out about it (not excessive), eat plenty of fruit, eat plenty of whole grains and legumes (make sure to get PLENTY OF FIBER), reduce and eat very LOW amounts of saturated fat, eat decent amounts of lean or vegetable protein (chicken breast, no fat dairy, legumes), some fish, eat veggies of course, eat HEALTHY UNSAT FATS (from nuts, unrefined olive/grapeseed/canola oils, fish, flax), and maintain an even more perfect weight and physique, lower LDL, lower cancer risk, lower metabolic stress. (of course work out a lot).

I, and 95%-98% of true health/nutrition/medical experts, would support my diet over yours.

But thanks for your fad advice anyway.

YMMV wrote:

The food industry has engineered foods and dietary advice perfectly to maximize both waistlines and profits. Of course, government policy makers get their cut as well.

If you want to stay slim and healthy, reverse EVERY recommendation by government and industry and you will be 98% on the right track. Of course, you will face blowback from ignorant useful idiots all around you in the process. Let your improved running performance and health markers five you the Last Laugh.

Exactly right. Big pharm isn't exactly in any hurry to nudge western medicine back toward healthy eating either...

Well you would be wrong because the medical community is actually coming around to the fact that blood sugar level and the chronic inflammation as a result of elevated levels is the root of all chronic disease of the heart and cardiovascular system. What's more, the acidity increase in your system is a much more conducive environment for cancer cell growth. There is no need in the human diet for fruit and the high glycemic load it places on your system. You described a very high carb and low fat diet and which is basically the fosselized food pyramid that's been around for 40 years now languishing undisturbed.

Calling everything that's not the food pyramid a fad diet is also extremely lazy.

hobble jogger wrote:

1. Well you would be wrong because the medical community is actually coming around to the fact that blood sugar level and the chronic inflammation as a result of elevated levels is the root of all chronic disease of the heart and cardiovascular system.

2. What's more, the acidity increase in your system is a much more conducive environment for cancer cell growth. There is no need in the human diet for fruit and the high glycemic load it places on your system.

1. No they're not. Because it's not a fact.

2. What system? You cannot change the acidity of your body.

They're fat because they don't run.

Yes, big government and the food industry are to blame for most people overeating, eating junk, and not exercising. It’s not as if you can go to a grocery store and buy fruits, bread and vegetables to last a week for $15...wait, what? Common sense? Who ever heard of that?

I would ordinarily call myself a liberal but it’s thinking like this that makes me think about becoming a republican.

If you want to argue that junk is addictive, I would buy that...however people have to take personal responsibility if they want to lose weight. Even poor people can eat healthy in most parts of the country.

I call BS of this...anyone knows eating a bag of Doritos and sitting on a couch all day isn’t good for you. If you want to make poor choices about diet, and exercise at least admit it rather than blaming the government.

Getting hung up on who is to blame for our poor American diet is beside the point, as with any complex problem, the answer is also equally or more so. The answer to the question why are Americans fat - is the poor diet. Specifically, low nutrient highly processed high carb junk that is cheap, tastes delicious because sugar is addictive, and its cheaper and easier to prepare than anything else. It's the food. And everyone is to blame, including us personally.

You can eat a low carb high fat/protein whole food, high nutrient diet and sit around on your ass and remain thin and healthy. You cannot eat a high carb and high OR low fat diet and do the same. You can run your ass off and remain thin in that circumstance, but tons of hobby joggers can't even manage that because they reward themselves with more high carb bullshit than they burned.

You say that blaming is besides the point, then proceed to blame a poor diet.

Poor diet is only part of the problem...sedentary lifestyles, addiction to fast food/junk etc are just as much a part of the problem. 'Fat acceptance' has only hurt fat people by making it more acceptable to be obese.

I know plenty of people that eat 'healthy', yet are still fat or skinny fat because they don't exercise. Humans were not meant to sit around...when we do, we store fat no matter what we are eating unless we are starving ourselves.

To your point: a mother of two who contracted Lyme disease over 20 years ago and switched to only eating meat for two decades without exercise (because she didn't want to get too muscular):

"It's the diet, stupid."

yea this wrote:You cannot eat a high carb and high OR low fat diet and do the same.

Says who? You can eat a high carb and low fat diet and remain just as thin and healthy as long as total calories aren't too much.

NTSA wrote:

yea this wrote:You cannot eat a high carb and high OR low fat diet and do the same.

Says who? You can eat a high carb and low fat diet and remain just as thin and healthy as long as total calories aren't too much.

Fine, you got me, let me caveat that statement with "WITHOUT BEING HUNGRY". And what do fat people do when they're hungry? Most people fail at counting calories. It is very easy to overeat on a high carb diet. Not only that, since the body is going to burn the most readily-processed form available, any fat taken in will be stored. But sure, continue to be intentionally dense and act like the diet you claim is healthy is not the reason people are fat.

yea this wrote:

NTSA wrote:

Says who? You can eat a high carb and low fat diet and remain just as thin and healthy as long as total calories aren't too much.

Fine, you got me, let me caveat that statement with "WITHOUT BEING HUNGRY". And what do fat people do when they're hungry? Most people fail at counting calories. It is very easy to overeat on a high carb diet. Not only that, since the body is going to burn the most readily-processed form available, any fat taken in will be stored. But sure, continue to be intentionally dense and act like the diet you claim is healthy is not the reason people are fat.

I have not claimed that any diet is healthy, but seeing as the USA has among the lowest % carb in the world and among the highest obesity, the vast majority of the billions of people on earth eat a higher carb diet and are less fat. The leanest tend to eat a very high % carb diet. You can argue whether they're "healthy", but high carb does not automatically lead to being more fat.

NTSA wrote:

I have not claimed that any diet is healthy, but seeing as the USA has among the lowest % carb in the world and among the highest obesity, the vast majority of the billions of people on earth eat a higher carb diet and are less fat. The leanest tend to eat a very high % carb diet. You can argue whether they're "healthy", but high carb does not automatically lead to being more fat.

Try that link one more time.

the type of carb is important, too. High fiber foods tend to be particularly beneficial. Whole grains, leafy vegetables, fruit and vegetables in general. Helps with weight loss and a healthy gut biome and fending off disease.

Why is this even a question?

Compared to other countries, Americans eat not only more fast food, but much bigger sizes, always with extra fries or whatever. Seems cheaper and certainly quicker to get fast food meals