Why are Americans so unhealthy?

[OldWiseGuy]

our school district has a yearly Hall of Distinction for former graduates

might include former mayors, community leaders, etc

And the others?

 

[mama2one]

And the others?

they often end up written about in newspaper

for example, ones that started a student scholarship or recently saw write up of actor that graduated from our HS

 

[OldWiseGuy]

You want to see more lectures in schools warning children about the cold hard facts - and from this, they will act?

They will have the information needed to act. It is the duty of the "watchman" to warn of danger. The keepers knowledge are the modern watchman.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

they often end up written about in newspaper

for example, ones that started a student scholarship or recently saw write up of actor that graduated from our HS

I meant those that didn't do so well. Kids need bad examples as well as good ones.

 

[mama2one]

I meant those that didn't do so well.

read the obits then

 

[OldWiseGuy]

read the obits then

Or the "Good morning, Judge" column.

 

[keith99]

that's why parents are the first teachers of their children & why nutrition is responsibility of parents who buy the food & feed children daily

our child has been grocery shopping with us from day 1
(age 2 at adoption) and picks out her fruits/veggies

also, why our school district partners with parents in education...they expect parental involvement
such as in elementary school- required reading time/day

Bolding mine.

I think this points out the huge problem with how healthy living gets implimented. It is usually forced on people. The result? It fails miserably.

A parent does not need to go as far as you have to minimize that problem. They just need to pay attention to what healthy food their child likes. Eat your veggies when the veggies in question are overcooked and frankly nearly ineddible is going to fail. When it is snap peas cooked in a way teh child likes frankly never gets said because it does not need saying.

Also a child will often scarf down food that they planted, watered and picked where they otherwise would not even try it. Not always but often.

Far to often people are given two very distinct choices. Food they are told is healthy and lacks any appeal or food they are told is unhealthy that is tasty. It is not hard to guess which they wil pick.

But if healthy and tasty food is offered then parents need only to establish that the child should try it. Not finish it, just take one bite.

A similar problem exists with institutional excercise. It is forced on kids in school. Often there is little to no concern for the kids enjoying it. The result is often that as soon as they can avoid it they do. If instead the idea it to help kids find excercise that they like then they continue it for decades. Frankly regular PE sucks. I say that as a guy who went out for football in part to avoid regular PE. (Other senmester was swimming, since I already swam AAU that was a no brainer).

Forcing healthy food and excercise fails badly. Finding healthy options that are enjoyable works, but requires thought and creativity.

Signing off. I'm boing on a bike ride. A secondary sport for me.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

Absolutely. The 'food desert' is a myth.

I suppose you would say the same about education.
It's out there, cheaper than healthy food, for anyone that wants it.

 

[Confused-by-christianity]

...Actually we have several agencies charged with monitoring food production from field to supermarket...

I have heard that american agencies allow inferior quality food through to market.
I wonder if it's true?

Specifically, things like this ...

I don't know if it's true though.
Reports like this could be propaganda made to make the agencies look bad.
Firstly, I don't know if the ingredients lists are that different. Secondly, I don't know if all these ingredients are "evil" or not.

Can anyone confirm? One way or another?

Edit: Found this picture...

I believe "Foodbabe" started posting pictures of ingredients lists.
Is her info accurate?

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I have heard that american agencies allow inferior quality food through to market.
I wonder if it's true?

Specifically, things like this ...

I don't know if it's true though.
Reports like this could be propaganda made to make the agencies look bad.
Firstly, I don't know if the ingredients lists are that different. Secondly, I don't know if all these ingredients are "evil" or not.

Can anyone confirm? One way or another?

Edit: Found this picture...

I believe "Foodbabe" started posting pictures of ingredients lists.
Is her info accurate?

I used to love Quacker oatmeal and Ralston whole wheat cereals, until they changed them to inedible slop.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I suppose you would say the same about education.
It's out there, cheaper than healthy food, for anyone that wants it.

There's a laziness about dealing with these things as well. People are taught to follow leaders. In the absence of leadership they are stumped. There is little personal initiative. Those that possess initiative are usually the successful in society.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

.

 

[mama2one]

A parent does not need to go as far as you have to minimize that problem.

our child was undernourished when adopted her
so made decision to feed only healthy foods
(in the beginning/first few years)

she likes fruits and veggies since that's what we served
no need to bribe "eat your veggies or no dessert" cause we didn't serve dessert

if someone tried to give a lollipop, I said no
teachers were giving lollipops as rewards in 5th grade, I sent in sugar free mints for her reward (braces on)

just went to dentist & complimented on teeth
no cavities, healthy eating habits, & slim
the good choices pay off

 

[OldWiseGuy]

our child was undernourished when adopted her
so made decision to feed only healthy foods
(in the beginning/first few years)

she likes fruits and veggies since that's what we served
no need to bribe "eat your veggies or no dessert" cause we didn't serve dessert

if someone tried to give a lollipop, I said no
teachers were giving lollipops as rewards in 5th grade, I sent in sugar free mints for her reward (braces on)

just went to dentist & complimented on teeth
no cavities, healthy eating habits, & slim
the good choices pay off

Kudos! Your children are the exceptions however, as dental caries remain a serious disease among all age groups and ethnicities.

 

[o_mlly]

In your opinion.

I'm participating in a clinical research study on obesity and coronary disease. The survey questions for participants seem to indicate what the docs believe are the causes of obesity. While food selection and medical records are certainly included, the overall habits, emotional, and cultural situation of candidates are also thoroughly explored. The study will generate data in an effort to support the various hypotheses that connect obesity and disease.

Please do not send helpful suggestions to me; I'm in the control group with a healthy BMI.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I'm participating in a clinical research study on obesity and coronary disease. The survey questions for participants seem to indicate what the docs believe are the causes of obesity. While food selection and medical records are certainly included, the overall habits, emotional, and cultural situation of candidates are also thoroughly explored. The study will generate data in an effort to support the various hypotheses that connect obesity and disease.

Please do not send helpful suggestions to me; I'm in the control group with a healthy BMI.

I hope the study of the formation of plaque as it is related to diet and especially to digestion is included in the study.

 

[durangodawood]

That is a good solution. The only problem I can think of is if one goes to slicks or other road tires it is easy to find the highest gear is not high enough. But of course one still goes forward at a devent pace, just not as fast as one could.

Also if one is riding the street a bike suspension is just one more thing to go wrong. And if it is not stiff enough it does go wrong by bouncing and losing power.

I fond most of the mtbs from back then were way overgeared for MTBing and perfect for communing, touring, noncompetetive riding generally. Yes those old susp forks are useless boat anchors. Gotta find a rigid fork bike for this.

 

[asteroidtempo]

Weight gain is becoming a problem elsewhere in the world as well, and I think the issue is all the preprocessed cr*p we call food today. Ham coldcuts isn't ham anymore, it's shredded mystery meat that's been glued and pressed together into a hamlike shape, and everything contains starches and corn syrup instead of sugar and so on and so forth. The quality of what we eat today is abysmal, and that is because it is cheaper to make really bad quality food and make a bigger profit. Finding good, quality food these days is actually getting difficult, and if you can find it it costs quite a bit more than the garbage we usually find in grocery stores.

However, portion sizes and the sheer availability of fast food and junk have to be a factor. I was just over there and the contrast to Europe was striking - there were junk food places everywhere, and the junk food was cheaper than the good stuff. Portion sizes were insanely large too, and it seemed like almost everything was fried.

 

[Lost4words]

In your opinion.

Because they LOVE fast food...

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

corn syrup

Think you are buying maple syrup for you pancakes and waffles? Read the ingredients.