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Post by Polako on Jul 24, 2004 18:43:50 GMT -5
Anyone who's ever been to the US and Australia has surely noticed that, compared to Europe, there are a hell of alotta fatties running (or rather, hobbling) about there.
Ok, I have to say that the difference between US/Oz and Germany is not as big as between the other Euro countries. But otherwsie my comment stands.
So what's the reason for this? Any ideas? I have some of my own, but will wade in with more comments later.
Regards
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Post by buddyrydell on Jul 24, 2004 19:02:33 GMT -5
Well, much of it surely has to do with unhealthy diets (ie fast food) and lack of exercise. On the other hand, if one were to analyze the genetic side of the issue, German ancestry figures very prominently in America (dealing with the similarities in obesity). Perhaps the large Alpine strains and their tendency towards stockiness doesn't help the obesity problems (Don't worry, not "anti-Alpine" or anything, LOL). However, I believe that the diets and lack of exercise are what's at work here. Btw, I'm a healthy, fitness-oriented American with a well-balanced diet.
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Post by flakorpotemkin on Jul 24, 2004 21:36:13 GMT -5
It's all because of Technology. The drive to make life easier will be a downfall. Dependance on machines will be the end of us. Technical advancement for every day tasks must be halted.
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Post by murphee on Jul 25, 2004 0:17:57 GMT -5
Dependence on the automobile, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyle, over-eating. Obesity is considered epidemic in the United States.
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Post by captainusa1 on Jul 25, 2004 0:24:23 GMT -5
I'm in my 30's, so I've noticed some changes over the years. The obvious explanation is that Americans eat more and exercise less. They eat larger portions of fast food than they did in the past. They also have more sedentary lifestyles because of the various advances in technology.
These changes have led to an increase in diabetes and obesity. Kids are more likely to play video games than to play outside like we did. Busy parents often don't cook nutritious meals like they did in the past when things didn't seem so hectic. The restaurants super-size entrees too, which makes a bad situation worse.
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Post by murphee on Jul 25, 2004 0:29:55 GMT -5
Yes, I see it in my own family. My sister-in-law has four kids, and I watched her change from a trim woman who baked her own bread to an unhealthy and obese person. She ordered fast food every night for her family (specifically Domino's pizza). I think it's important to eat a healthy, balanced diet and daily cook meals from scratch. I do.
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Post by Graeme on Jul 25, 2004 9:01:24 GMT -5
You are right about Aussies. They are very close to Americans in the obese stakes. The Germans are very large also. I know it takes me two weeks to aclimatise in Europe, not to the climate/seasons but to all the walking I have to do. Europeans are great walkers and have good places to walk. In Australia everything is far, shops, work, entertainment, sports facilities...you are forced to drive everywhere. The lack of exercise and easy access to processed high sugar, high fat foods. When I see old films or newsreels of Australia, the thing you notice is how thin and slender everyone is. The medical profession has something to do with it. People who should have died from heart disease, cancer, diabetes... are living because of medical interventions.
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Post by captainusa1 on Jul 25, 2004 17:24:04 GMT -5
Yes, I see it in my own family. My sister-in-law has four kids, and I watched her change from a trim woman who baked her own bread to an unhealthy and obese person. She ordered fast food every night for her family (specifically Domino's pizza). I think it's important to eat a healthy, balanced diet and daily cook meals from scratch. I do. I'm surprised that she would do that. I can't imagine eating pizza for dinner almost every day. Pepperoni and sausage are two of the worst things to consume on a regular basis. She needs to do a 180 ASAP.
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Post by murphee on Jul 25, 2004 18:03:48 GMT -5
Absolutely. It was always cheese and pepperoni pizza. What's more surprising is that she used to be a nurse and had training in nutrition. I am not trim because I tend to overeat, but at least what I eat is healthy. I am a strict vegetarian who eats organically-produced food (lots of fresh fruit and vegetables daily). I eat some yogurt and cheese, and I eat a lot of soyfoods and whole grain rice.
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Post by AWAR on Jul 25, 2004 20:57:12 GMT -5
If I didn't excercise, I'd be very fat. I have such a metabolism, that everything I eat turns into fat ( or muscles ).
The statement that they don't have enough time to work out is a poor excuse. Spending 30 minutes a day excercising with weights, doing some abs and punching the bag 5 minutes a day... this won't make you into a supermodel, but at least you won't look like a bloated whale.
After reading this topic, I went out into town. People here look very trim and healthy, maybe it's the Dinaric component, but walking down the street at night, among younger people is like witnessing a fashion show.
On the other hand, older Serbs are more 'obese', but again, not nearly like the Americans. You'll rarely see someone who's just plain fat... most older guys here who are probably claimed by statistics to be 'obese' are actually strong like oxes, but with large bellies.
Women are naturally 'softer', but again, you'll hardly find 'whales'.
The huge bottoms or short fat legs which seem to be common among Mestizos and Blacks/Mulattoes are not common here.
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Post by murphee on Jul 25, 2004 21:29:33 GMT -5
Exercise is important, and it is good to find something that is enjoyed. I love to play tennis and do so frequently. I have to watch it, because I notice that when I exercise, it makes me more hungry.
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Post by Elistariel on Jul 25, 2004 22:00:31 GMT -5
I believe genetics plays a factor as well. It's not JUST diet and/or excercise. I can only use myself and a close friend as comparisons. Stats: I am 5'5" tall, I don't know what that is in cm 120-130 lbs. Sorry it fluctuates. I'm female, our weight does that. Usually it's around 125-128. Low weight - 118 - I was sick as a dog for two weeks, and for a few days, all I ate was about a baked potato a day. High weight - 132 - went on vacation, and developed a bit of an addiction to baby back ribs. My friend: 5'4 weight - I honesty don't know. I'd say she's 170-190. Then again, I'm not the best judge of weight. (I have photos) We pretty much eat the same things, she actually eats better than I do. Where I'd actually eat half the sugar shaker in one sitting, she'd eat an apple. She's the type who makes home made meals. I live on lean cuisines, and the only thing I can make from scratch is a kitchen full of smoke. She doesn't eat much candy, a bag of mini hersheys would last me 3 to 5 days. Our excercise levels are about the same as well.
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Post by murphee on Jul 25, 2004 22:29:42 GMT -5
Aging plays a role, also. Before I was thirty, I could eat whatever I wanted in any quantities, and I maintained a trim weight of 115 to 125 lbs. at 5'5''. After age 30, I started to gain weight and I am now in the 160 lb. range. I yo-yo between 150-165, and am almost 50. I still think I look attractive as I am overweight but not obese.
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izabet
Full Member
Canada isn't that friendly...
Posts: 128
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Post by izabet on Jul 27, 2004 21:39:37 GMT -5
The portions in American restaurants is unreal! It isn't quite as bad in Canada, though we do have our share of fatties. Just as an example, last evening some colleagues and I went out for drinks and desert, and I ordered a brownie with ice cream. Out came two brownie slabs the size of two fast fry steaks, four huge blobs of ice cream, and four mounds of whipping cream. It tasted good, but I left most of it behind. Who would eat that much?!!!
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Post by Elistariel on Jul 28, 2004 9:20:43 GMT -5
izabet is definatly correct. Who in blazes can eat all that? Many older, and I'm sure some current, generations were raised to clean their plates.My grandfather was one of them. If you didn't finish, you stayed at the table until everything was gone. So it could be psychological too. My hometown (well the town beside it) has a new restraunt. I ordered teriyaki chicken. FINALLY a place with decent portions. My chicken was about half the size of what is normall served. Heck, I'm almost 21, and I still order from the kids' menu, granted the drinks are too small... lol
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