Junk food and obesity

[Setanta]

I watched that film (well most of it) Thursday night where the guy went on a Mc Donald,s diet for a month. Must say the results amazed me especially the effect on his liver. He gained obviously a lot of weight over 20 lbs. His health deteriorated dramatically and the doctors warned him not to go past the month, some did try to stop him before then.
Today in the news there was a huge increase in obesity among children under the age of 10. To me obesity in children is a crime and it’s a crime that parents should be held responsible for. Bad diets, lack of healthy education and the almost complete failure for children to take any exercise naturally. To me this should all be a natural aspect of growing up in the home. What do you think?
By the way I know that some children can be obese for medical reasons but it is very rare.

[dragonfly]

I have two children, both eat exactly the same foods and both are very active - they attend swimming squads twice weekly, martial arts classes , badminton, and ten pin bowling not to mention playing football netball etc in school and out with friends. My son is probably underweight for his age (under 5st and 11 years old) but my daughter while by no means obese can and does put on weight very easily. I myself am overweight and have always struggled and because of this I have always tried to educate my children to eat healthily. We have always eaten 5+ portions of fruit/veg a day, as I don't beleive in giving them junk food and I don't buy biscuits, cakes, crisps or sweets, so why does my daughter, like me put on weight while we eat the same foods as my husband and son?
The answer is in the genes! yes McDonalds aren't good for you and eating them regularily will do harm but there are other contributing factors.

[©Amethyst]

I ate like a pig when I was younger. Weighed 3 st all through primary school. Doubled my weight in high school and have gained a little weight since. I eat like a pig the whole time and yet am still underweight. And I eat an awful lot of junk food (occasionally with some healthy stuff scattered in there somewhere).

To look at me, you wouldn't think I eat so much.

It's just, people have different metabolism rates. Mine's quite high, as is my 9 year old sister's. My brother's is low and struggles to shift weight. He's a chubby lad, but I wouldn't say overweight, while others would look at him and think he's on the way to obesity.

Each person is completely different. Different foods affect them in different ways. I've met people who are overweight, and they eat the healthiest food and get a good balance of diet and exercise.

The odd McDonald's meal every now and then won't harm you... but the diner wasn't put there for people to eat procesed junk 3 times a day!

[Alananders68]

I have two children, both eat exactly the same foods and both are very active - they attend swimming squads twice weekly, martial arts classes , badminton, and ten pin bowling not to mention playing football netball etc in school and out with friends. My son is probably underweight for his age (under 5st and 11 years old) but my daughter while by no means obese can and does put on weight very easily. I myself am overweight and have always struggled and because of this I have always tried to educate my children to eat healthily. We have always eaten 5+ portions of fruit/veg a day, as I don't beleive in giving them junk food and I don't buy biscuits, cakes, crisps or sweets, so why does my daughter, like me put on weight while we eat the same foods as my husband and son?
The answer is in the genes! yes McDonalds aren't good for you and eating them regularily will do harm but there are other contributing factors.

Nothing to do with genes...it's because men need more calories than women. Look at the national guidelines for recommended daily calorie intake and men need considerably more than women so obviously if your daughter is eating exactly the same as your son, then she will gain weight.

You are what you eat, people who put obesity down to genes or medical conditions are just doing so because they can't admit they eat too much and people go along with it so as not to hurt there feelings, even doctors. There was an interesting documentary on it a few months back and doctors themselves said as much.

Your weight is a combination of how much you eat and how much you burn off, some people will differ in they have different metabolism rates but your metabolism rate is affected by things like the times that you eat and exercise and how long you sleep for.

[EDDIE]

Aexander get a grip some people cant help being overweight if they have a medical condition and yes for the average person that doesnt have medical condition its true what they say you are what u eat

[Rheghead]

For a change, I am with Alananders on this one. Medical conditions that are responsible for obesity are in fact extremely rare, but many lazy and well fed people just use this arguement as a way of not facing up to their diet and exercise problems.

[Margaret M.]

Medical conditions that are responsible for obesity are in fact extremely rare

Actually thyroid disease is extremely common, particularly in women. Since the thyroid controls the metabolism, thyroid disease is often the culprit for one being unable to control/lose weight. Thyroid disease is now relatively easy to diagnose and the problem can usually be rectified, however, one has to recognize that the weight problem is probably not related to nutritional choices and consult a doctor. Just as the thyroid can cause one to be overweight (hypothyroid) it can also cause one to lose weight (hyperthyroid).

[EDDIE]

Rheghead what your really saying is everytime you see someone that is overweight the first thing you think is that the person eats to much.Thats a terrible way of thinking im suprised at you usually your comments are quite sensible.Some as in some cant help being well over weight if they have a medical condition.Look at that guy that was on that breakfast program 3 or 4 months ago were his brain kept on telling him he was hungry all the time and eats all the time thats not his fault is it.The vast majorty of people that have no medical problems if they are over weight then yes they are eating the wrong foods but u cant put every one in the category in the way that u think.

[ktb50]

Margaret: It sounds like you might be speaking as if you have a thyroid disorder, however, there are just as many people with underactive thyroid glands that do not put any weight on, infact if your thyroid has been stablised surely you should loose any weight that you may have gained.

I'm talking from experience, I have a thyroid disorder, and I'm afraid I go by the theory of, I lot of woman use being underactive as an excuse....Ohhhh poor me I'm underactive, hey.....that means I can have an excuse for being a little cubby....If your doc gets you on the right medication, you shouldn't infact gain or loose any weight.

I reckon you are what you eat, I have what I considered a healthy diet, I walk for about 1 hour a day down the beach (whatever the weather), and I also have a very busy job, If I gorge myself on what you might consider unhealthy foods, or drink much booze I put on weight.....If I dont eat rubbish and don't drink I loose the weight, simple as that.

There are many peolpe that think the eat healthy food, this may be the case, but it is also how much you eat, if you actually weight out the correct recommended portion size, and compare it to what you would usually eat, I'm sure most folk eat way too much.

Its quite scary when you measure out how much, rice, pasta, chips, tatties you are ment to eat, I used to eat about 3 times the quantity of rice that I should. Cut down portion size and you can loose a lot of weight.

However, I was also shocked by the McDonalds film, I'm not a great lover of fast food anyway, I'm a fruit and veg junkie (always have been), but its really put me off now.

Kate

[Alananders68]

his brain kept on telling him he was hungry all the time and eats all the time thats not his fault is it

That's a good one that is Can you imagine a drink driver telling the sherriff it was because his brain kept telling him to drink, or a robber saying his brain kept telling him to steal, get a grip on reality will ye.

Yes there are medical conditions that affect the metabolism but Rheghead is right about them being rare and even when they exist they are not to the extreme that some would have us believe. You are what you eat, Kate is right about how many people think they eat normally when they infact eat too much and because they are so convinced they are eating normally they think it must be down to genes or medical conditions. I know someone who is obese and believes they eat healthily when they don't and no amount of telling him will convince him otherwise, he thinks because products are advertised as healthy or less fat that they are ok to eat and doesn't seem to accept the moderation part .

[squidge]

Im a fat lady!

Im pretty and funny and smart and clever but i am a fat lady.

My weight has been pretty constant now for about 7 years. I eat a healthy diet and swim three times a week and walk the dog daily but i remain a fat lady. I have an underactive thyroid gland and Polycystic ovary syndrome. My cholesterol level is fine my blood pressure is good my liver is fine too. I have been seriously ill twice in my life and my recovery was not hampered by my weight - in fact i didnt lose much as a result of being ill. I have had three babies and by the time i was full term i was 1lb lighter with the first than i was at the start, i was 6lbs lighter with the second and a stone lighter with the third. I have successfully lost weight over my lifetime with weight watchers and the like but my weight gradulaly creeps up to what it is now. Im actually disgustingly healthy just now but im still a fat lady.

I eat no more nor less than the next person... I certainly couldnt eat those supersize meals that were shown in that film - in fact it made me feel very sick to look at them. Im not gluttonous, im not lazy, im not anything other than normal. I dont drink hardly at all these days maybe a bottle of wine a week, Im still a fat lady. My sister isnt - i look like my nana - she was a big woman my mum is slim- im not - my children are slim too.

So whats the point of this - it is that you are what you are. Being defensive is waste of energy , being judgmental is cruel and shows a lack of understanding of other people. Junk food has its place in a healthy balanced diet, A macdonalds a month wont make you ill or make you fat and low fat spread an inch thick on a doorstep slive of bread wont make you lose weight.

if youa re in a rush have your pizza or your fish and chips - the next night you will have a salad or something low in fat - be sensible like yourself and enjoy!!!

[dragonfly]

Nothing to do with genes...it's because men need more calories than women. Look at the national guidelines for recommended daily calorie intake and men need considerably more than women so obviously if your daughter is eating exactly the same as your son, then she will gain weight.

I am quite aware of the fact that a womans calorie intake is less than a mans and what I said is that we eat the same foods not the same portions. I am also aware of the national guidlines and have spent my adult lifetime looking at calories/fat content in foods and that is why I steer clear of processed ready meals.

As Squidge so aptly put it, we are what we are and I for one am happy to be less than perfect

[EDDIE]

I agree with squidge she has hit the nail on the head with this topic

[jings00]

Aye, well said Squidge. Folk shouldn't judge just cos the way someone looks, walk a mile in their shoes...'n all that.

[Fran]

well said Squidge, i admire you for your comments.
Heart disorders also cause weght gain. A lot of people with heart problems put on weight without changing their diet or eating too much, but becuase they cannot be so active as they were before.
Also, heart and blood pressure medication cause weight gain, as well as underactive thyroids.

[Rheghead]

Ok, squidge, but if you exercise regularly and STUCK to a diet which restricts you to 2000 calories per day then it is my belief that you will lose a lot of weight tag lag, providing of course that you are not one of the unfortunate few that suffers from one of those rare conditions that will make no difference to your best intentions.

[Margaret M.]

Margaret: It sounds like you might be speaking as if you have a thyroid disorder, however, there are just as many people with underactive thyroid glands that do not put any weight on, infact if your thyroid has been stablised surely you should loose any weight that you may have gained.

My weight is fine, I eat a very healthy diet and I'm in the gym for 1 - 2 hours, 5 days a week. What I was trying to say in my post was that conditions that may affect your weight are not extremely rare as someone stated. 25 million Americans have a thyroid disorder and there are many more who don't realize that they may have a problem. I'm absolutely not saying to use this as an excuse to justify being overweight but for those who eat sensibly, exercise regularly and still cannot budge the weight, it may be a good idea to have their thyroid checked.

[Drutt]

I hada a quick google on hypothyroidism (which can cause weight gain), as it wasn't something I'd regard as either rare or common, both of which had been proposed earlier in this thread.

I found that in the UK, it is thought that 1.5-2% of women over 60 (the group in whom it is most common) have hypothryroidism, and it is less common in younger people and in men generally.

A US website, however, reports that 4-9% of the general US population and 9-16% of people over the age of 60 have hypothyroidism (whether diagnosed or as yet undiagnosed).

My question is, are the UK and US populations really so different (and if so, why)? Or are US doctors overdiagnosing it?

[ktb50]

I'm not sure why people keep going on about Thyroid Disorders......just cause your thyroid is over or under active doesn't mean you loose or gain weight.

And like I said in theory once the docs have stabalised you on pills, any weight gain/loss you may have had should go back to normal.

Yes, and before anyone mentions it, I know there are excpetions to the rules, but I am speaking as someone whos thyroid is knackered....!

The most interesting part of the documentory I thought was when one of the people being interviewed said it was now socially unexceptable to smoke, but it was still okay to be fat even though in a few years time medical problems from being over weight will kill more people than smoking will......Mmmmmm something to be said there.....

Next time my larger friend moans about being fat whilst stuffing a cream cake in her mouth maybe I should point this out to her......

[ktb50]

Drutt

I believe in the USA the levels for detecting Thyroid problems (TSH, T3 and T4) values are set slightly lower than here in the UK.

So I guess that means more folk in the USA are regarded as having problems than here in the UK, but like you said it is fairly rare, so to me it seems a bit of an excuse to blame thyroid problems on being over weight, how come we never hear of all those underweight people that are overactive.......lol......I've never heard anyone ever say " Oh I'm so slim....I must be overactive"...........lol.....

Yes there are some people out there like Squidge who may just be on the larger size and can't so anything about it, but there are a lot more out there who are fat because of the rubbish they eat.

Anyway, how can peolpe afford to eat junk food all the time, I have a McDonalds/ Burger King every once in a while but it costs a fortune......