Why is obesity so rampant?

[Ambivalent1]

It seems people mostly want to blame high fructose corn syrup. Is that really the reason?

 

[アホペンギン]

No, its either their genetics that cause them to be obese because low metabolism runs in the family or its just them eating too much because they can't help it.

 

[soonatpeace777888]

Food is a drug. People know what calories are and if they wanted to they could eat chicken breasts and broccoli instead of pizza and sodapop, they just don't WANT to because the later makes them feel good. If life was as good as people made it out to be you wouldn't have so many obese people. Its just another type of drug.

 

[Ambivalent1]

No, its either their genetics that cause them to be obese because low metabolism runs in the family or its just them eating too much because they can't help it.

Genetics? Sounds like an excuse. The obesity rate was low decades ago. The genes in the gene pool weren't all that different then.

Food is a drug. People know what calories are and if they wanted to they could eat chicken breasts and broccoli instead of pizza and sodapop, they just don't WANT to because the later makes them feel good. If life was as good as people made it out to be you wouldn't have so many obese people. Its just another type of drug.

Increase in obesity correlates with the global increase in misery. Makes sense

 

[carac]

I was going to make a big post but basically.....

People take on more calories than they expend

 

[Ambivalent1]

I was going to make a bit post but basically.....

People take on more calories than they expend

But what compels them to do this?

 

[Pluto]

 

[Anon1337]

I think it's because cheap food is often unhealthy and tastes good.

 

[carac]

But what compels them to do this?

Now that's the complicated bit, I think there can be a lot of different factors. One of the most compelling arguments I have heard is that it is just built in to us as humans, especially sugar. We have a natural instinct to take on as much food as we can. In the past you would have seasonal foods so you would try to literally stock up your body with food stores, mainly carbs, to survive periods when food is scarce. Stuff like sugar is especially addictive to us because it's bacically a fast way to take on carbs quickly. You add on top of this an epidemic mental health problems, the breakdown of society and mix that with; negligent food companies, capitalistic society, culture of junk food and laziness for want of a better word. You get a recipe for an obesity problem

 

[NumbItAll]

• food is increasingly accessible and delicious
• overeating is used as a coping mechanism
• more sedentary lifestyles
• not enough lean protein intake

edit: I don't think HFCS itself is to blame.

 

[アホペンギン]

Genetics? Sounds like an excuse. The obesity rate was low decades ago. The genes in the gene pool weren't all that different then.

Yes, in some cases, its due to genetics. Its something that has to do with the absorbion of nutrients in the small intestine. And indeed, the obesity rate was low because there was less fast food and artificial food around. There were still some obese people because of genetics. Even i have those genetics.

 

[MatthieuFrederickW]

It seems people mostly want to blame high fructose corn syrup. Is that really the reason?

It's because of all the fake highly processed foods loaded with added sugars and hidden sugars, too much carbs, more stress than ever in society

 

[Forever Sleep]

People- including me- are lazy. We rely too heavily on processed foods. Those are crammed with sugar, fat and salt because the evil food corporations know that in the right combinations, they are addictive. Not many people get enough exercise either.

People comfort eat. Like other people have said- food is used as a crutch in life. Just like alcohol, smoking and drugs are. We are obsessed with 'quick fixes'. Even if we know longterm- they will only make our lives harder.

Processed foods can be alarmingly cheap compared to a varied, balanced diet. Many poorer areas struggle with obesity. People aren't educated well either. Even about the basic food groups- protein, carbohydrates, fats and sugars. People don't always know what they should be eating. Some things are obvious but the food industry is cunning- it will label some things as being healthy when they're not.

Children learn from their parents. I imagine children who have been raised to consider health and were fed a healthy diet will perhaps more likely continue like that and vice versa. So- bad habits/ patterns are repeated throughout generations.

People have less self esteem than probably you have to begin with. Ironically- if someone is bullied for being fat and/or ugly- it doesn't always drive them to lose weight. It CAN drive them to eat more to comfort themselves. Food becomes their only friend- except it isn't in the long run. If you feel like an ugly piece of shit to begin with- you may be less likely to look after yourself!

 

[gag_order]

Can we track part of the problem back to the primitive brain? This is purely my speculation and could be 100% wrong, but the brain doesn't seem to detect excessive food as a threat. Perhaps it is because when our brain was evolving, humans didn't have a problem with obesity, the food was just scarce. In fact, obesity became a life-threatening problem only in the last few decades — after fast food took over and technological advancements proved that weight is bad for your health. Naturally, the brain doesn't stop overeating like it normally would if you were doing a dangerous thing; "don't go into that forest, there may be wild animals", "don't jump from that height, you may break your legs", "don't run with a knife, you may fall on it" etc. You know, the survival instinct that plagues all of us. But then again, the brain would know that the weight would slow you down if you were being chased by something, so, I guess I already refuted my own thesis. :P

 

[brainwormz]

I haven't seen anyone mention this yet, a lot of medications and health problems can cause obesity. People with severe mental health issues like schizophrenia might be on really shitty meds like zyprexa which cause weight gain no matter you non starvation diet. There's also eating disorders that come from mental issues and truama. A common coping mechanism for rape victims can be making yours "unattractive" via various means including but not limited to binge eating disorder.

 

[sammiechzxv]

It depends on the person. Some people have medical conditions or eating disorders, others just like to eat a lot/not work out.

 

[theslasher]

Because in America our government allows all types of chemicals and ingredients in our foods. Many of these things that people eat every day are endocrine disruptors or they contain lots of estrogen. The thing they call "plant based meat" is literally just soy. Soy contains insane amounts of estrogen. I could also talk about hexane which is a neurotoxin and is put in this fake meat stuff, but that's another conversation. Overall, the best way to avoid obesity is to avoid processed food and drink water. No soda, no juice, none of that shit.

 

[Ambivalent1]

Because in America our government allows all types of chemicals and ingredients in our foods. Many of these things that people eat every day are endocrine disruptors or they contain lots of estrogen. The thing they call "plant based meat" is literally just soy. Soy contains insane amounts of estrogen. I could also talk about hexane which is a neurotoxin and is put in this fake meat stuff, but that's another conversation. Overall, the best way to avoid obesity is to avoid processed food and drink water. No soda, no juice, none of that shit.

I only drink water.

 

[Amelie]

I'm a fat girl and I can tell you my reasons..
First off, a mother who called me fat from an early age (I wasn't fat then) and all through my teens. She was obsessed with weight. I ended up bulimic and in massively unhealthy binge/ starve cycles. I ended up gaining weight after pregnancy, my mother used to call me fat in front of my kids!! then as my mental health worsened more and more it became both a comfort and a form of self destruction along with alcohol too.
Now I know I use food like a drug. I have to eat alone and sort of zone out into a safe place while eating. It's deeply unhealthy I know. Same with wine.
I have EUPD and anything I do, I do to excess, be it eating, drinking, loving, hating. It's all just black and white.

 

[byebyemadworld]

I'm a fat woman. I love food. Especially the unhealthy stuff. It tastes good and gives me comfort (chocolate).
And carbs taste better than vegetables

 

[Sapphire]

It's because people don't take care of themselves. They eat a lot of processed food, fast food, and snack on junk food instead of eating healthy meals. They also don't get enough of exercise. They spend most of their free time watching TV or on the internet.

 

[Gaga786]

Psych meds and other medicines being prescribed rapidly which causes weight gain. I used to be very thin and healthy, but ever since I took anti-depressents, I gained immense weight and my metabolism slowed down.

 

[AerialBoundaries]

Psych meds and other medicines being prescribed rapidly which causes weight gain. I used to be very thin and healthy, but ever since I took anti-depressents, I gained immense weight and my metabolism slowed down.

Yeah I gave SSRIs one last chance back in February because I was desperate and hadn't slept in over 3 days. Mirtazapine had helped my insomnia somewhat in the past, so I was prescribed that again.

I ended up gaining 28lbs in less than 6 weeks, so I swore never to touch them again. It's a ridiculous level of hunger, which resorted in eating in the middle of the night and in general, being a bottomless pit. You don't feel the desire to eat anything remotely healthy.

It's a shame because it was definitely helping with my intrusive thoughts and my sleep was slowly improving, but sometimes the cure is even worse than the illness.

 

[Gaga786]

Yeah I gave SSRIs one last chance back in February because I was desperate and hadn't slept in over 3 days. Mirtazapine had helped my insomnia somewhat in the past, so I was prescribed that again.

I ended up gaining 28lbs in less than 6 weeks, so I swore never to touch them again. It's a ridiculous level of hunger, which resorted in eating in the middle of the night and in general, being a bottomless pit. You don't feel the desire to eat anything remotely healthy.

It's a shame because it was definitely helping with my intrusive thoughts and my sleep was slowly improving, but sometimes the cure is even worse than the illness.

Yeah, I took them for 5 years, and now I think I might have binge eating disorder because of them. I just can't stop eating and whatever I do eat, I just chew it immensely fast like it takes a few seconds.
The worst part is that no one acknowledges these side effects of them, they are treated as some wonder miracle cure. Doctors should be informing everyone of the side effects and pros and cons

 

[AerialBoundaries]

Yeah, I took them for 5 years, and now I think I might have binge eating disorder because of them. I just can't stop eating and whatever I do eat, I just chew it immensely fast like it takes a few seconds.
The worst part is that no one acknowledges these side effects of them, they are treated as some wonder miracle cure. Doctors should be informing everyone of the side effects and pros and cons

Yeah it seems doctors just want to get rid of you as quickly as possible, as if you're an inconvenience to them. There's no communication whatsoever. It's simply "Here's your prescription. Come back and see us in 4 weeks".

It seems that healthcare all over the world is not fit for purpose, when it comes to treating mental illness.

 

[iwanttoleave2000]

Genetics alone don't cause anyone to be obese so disregard any answer that say it's genetics.

The truth is that it is a combination of 100s of different things but the main thing is bad parenting. Most obese people were fat during their childhoods when parents have practically full control over what food the kid has access to.

Furthermore most people have no idea how altering body composition works. The irony of this thread is that the answers claiming it's genetics or whatever are further proof of how people don't understand this stuff.

The human body uses calories as it's energy source. Just like how the device you used to make this post use electricity. Your car uses gas and/or electricity, etc.

So if you're eating more calories than you expend through using energy expending movement/actions, you will end up storing those excess calories as fat.

however not all calories are created equal.There are macronutrients aka protein(4 calories per gram) fat (9 calories per gram) carbs (4 calories per gram but these depend on other factors)

The body has a high predisposition to use protein to build and repair muscle.

It has a high predisposition to use fats as a slow energy source( low intensity walking)

And carbohydrates as the fast energy source(explosive exercise) and to replenish glycogen(fuel specifically for muscle cells, this only really applies to individuals who work out).

There are also subcategories of macronutrients, carbs have sugar,fiber, starches. Generally you want more starch and fiber and less sugar. This is because sugar increase appetite while fiber reduces it. Fiber also uses more calories to digest and so do resistant starches.

Fats you have polyunsaturated, saturated, trans, and more. However it's not quite black and white like people pretend, with saturated fat always being bad, as it depends on the number of carbon atoms in the fat. Saturated fat from dairy is fine, from meat not so much.

With proteins you have different amino acid chains that determine wether they are complete or noncomplete proteins. Although the types of protein was never something I lended much importance to. Different proteins can include whey, casein,soy. Really any protein is good because it has a high thermal effect( your body needs to burn more calories to digest it) and because of it's muscle building properties. You want to build muscle to keep off fat because muscle raises the amount of calories you burn.

So the problem is that the food that people are selecting in their diets (usually selected because it's the food that tastes the best) is very high in calories, and the calories are usually high carbs and fats with little protein. And usually they are eating the wrong kinds of carbs and fats, like high sugar, high saturated fats from meat, and low fiber and healthy fats. This, when combined with little to no exercise, does not lend itself to a good body composition.

People will tell you it is easier and cheaper to eat these foods. This is a lie. I am a bodybuilder who has eaten unhealthily and healthy before. Eating healthy on a budget is far easier.

The problem is most people do not know how, and the majority of the small portion of the people who do choose not to, because pizza and chips taste better than chicken and rice and brocolli. This is the reality. It is not genetics, it is not because pizza and chips are cheaper (it's actually the opposite), it's because people like to eat food that taste good.

 

[Ambivalent1]

I'm a fat woman. I love food. Especially the unhealthy stuff. It tastes good and gives me comfort (chocolate).
And carbs taste better than vegetables

Not true

Genetics alone don't cause anyone to be obese so disregard any answer that say it's genetics.

The truth is that it is a combination of 100s of different things but the main thing is bad parenting. Most obese people were fat during their childhoods when parents have practically full control over what food the kid has access to.

Furthermore most people have no idea how altering body composition works. The irony of this thread is that the answers claiming it's genetics or whatever are further proof of how people don't understand this stuff.

The human body uses calories as it's energy source. Just like how the device you used to make this post use electricity. Your car uses gas and/or electricity, etc.

So if you're eating more calories than you expend through using energy expending movement/actions, you will end up storing those excess calories as fat.

however not all calories are created equal.There are macronutrients aka protein(4 calories per gram) fat (9 calories per gram) carbs (4 calories per gram but these depend on other factors)

The body has a high predisposition to use protein to build and repair muscle.

It has a high predisposition to use fats as a slow energy source( low intensity walking)

And carbohydrates as the fast energy source(explosive exercise) and to replenish glycogen(fuel specifically for muscle cells, this only really applies to individuals who work out).

There are also subcategories of macronutrients, carbs have sugar,fiber, starches. Generally you want more starch and fiber and less sugar. This is because sugar increase appetite while fiber reduces it. Fiber also uses more calories to digest and so do resistant starches.

Fats you have polyunsaturated, saturated, trans, and more. However it's not quite black and white like people pretend, with saturated fat always being bad, as it depends on the number of carbon atoms in the fat. Saturated fat from dairy is fine, from meat not so much.

With proteins you have different amino acid chains that determine wether they are complete or noncomplete proteins. Although the types of protein was never something I lended much importance to. Different proteins can include whey, casein,soy. Really any protein is good because it has a high thermal effect( your body needs to burn more calories to digest it) and because of it's muscle building properties. You want to build muscle to keep off fat because muscle raises the amount of calories you burn.

So the problem is that the food that people are selecting in their diets (usually selected because it's the food that tastes the best) is very high in calories, and the calories are usually high carbs and fats with little protein. And usually they are eating the wrong kinds of carbs and fats, like high sugar, high saturated fats from meat, and low fiber and healthy fats. This, when combined with little to no exercise, does not lend itself to a good body composition.

People will tell you it is easier and cheaper to eat these foods. This is a lie. I am a bodybuilder who has eaten unhealthily and healthy before. Eating healthy on a budget is far easier.

The problem is most people do not know how, and the majority of the small portion of the people who do choose not to, because pizza and chips taste better than chicken and rice and brocolli. This is the reality. It is not genetics, it is not because pizza and chips are cheaper (it's actually the opposite), it's because people like to eat food that taste good.

Thank you. Adipose tissue will fuel the fires of hell.