People are fat because they're poor

[disneysteve]

I think the start up cost with stocking the pantry with sauce, oil, vinegar, butter and etc... can be really pricey at first.

That's true, but you don't have to do it all at once. You also don't have to buy top quality from day one (if ever). Nothing wrong with picking up some basics at the dollar store or Aldi's or other discount place until you can afford better for the items where better matters. We certainly didn't stock our pantry overnight. Your menu options might be a bit limited early on based on what ingredients you've got, but over time, as your pantry fills in, your options grow.

[BCHGRL]

It all has to do with lifestyle choices. I was once poor and ate crap but I went out dancing every night so I was skinny. When I started making money, kept eating crap, but didn't go out to dance as much, I gained weight. Now, I'm nearly at my ideal weight and I eat out maybe once a week and I make better selections. I eat a ton of natural peanut butter sandwiches. The $2 peanut butter and $2 bread is affordable for anyone and will make at least 6 meals in a week.

[Brokemofo]

An oxymoron is when you combine things that don't usually go together.

You mean like Trex / empathetic?

[Taribor]

Let's be honest. One of the main reasons that people in the US are fat is because they're poor. Why? Because it's a lot cheaper to eat food that is crap and is crappy for you than it is to eat healthy food. When you are living on a minimum wage, creating a healthy diet comes second to trying to feed yourself. When the cheapest foods are the ones that make you fat, it's no wonder that the US is a nation of the obese. It's only going to get worse with the rising oil prices.

How much does it cost a poor person to go for a jog, do some basic exercising, etc? ZERO.


People are fat, just in my opinion, for three reasons:

-Lazy (by FAR the biggest reason)
-Psychological (i.e., quit smoking, etc)
-Physical (thyroid/other problem)

I know plenty of skinny poor poeple, and plenty of fat middle/upper class people.

[Ima saver]

You mean like Trex / empathetic?

I think you have that right!!!

[veronak]

i do agree with this post; however, not a 100%. There are a number of reasons people are over weight in this country, but I feel like the main reason is the lack of education. In my day it was the thing for girls tp be skinnyand strave themselves to look like models, in which I am sure is still occurring but when I was in high school it was the norm

[Scanner]

Well, my opinion is that the addition of modified corn syrup into our daily diets has exactly correlated with American weight gain.

It's more insidious than poor education - like I said - people get it. Yeah, I know. . .don't eat McDonalds. . .don't eat ho-ho's. . .eat apples and oranges. Eat fish.

For some reason - simple education has not translated into action.

Maybe these new fangled health insurance plans where you pay extra for being overweight will hit people where it really hurts - their pocketbook.

That being said. . .the American Food industry knows very well that injecting their foods with refined flour, sugar and corn syrup elicits a response like rats to overeat. Yes, humans are animals and we are fools to think we are that much more evolved than the common swine.

You may think you are immune and truthfully, I think some people are. In other people, eating that stuff interferes with the saiety center in their brain to say, "Okay, I've had enough."

The food industry has treated us like cattle, and Americans have dutifully fattened up.

I am working CAT scan tonight and I had a patient off the floor we could barely fit into the scanner.

I think it's also perhaps conventional knowledge has not caught up either.

I mean, you ask anyone, what is a better snack? An banana or two pieces of bacon?

Everyone would naturally pick the banana. Gee, it's fruit. When in reality. . .the bacon (although not best of health foods) is going to satisfy your hunger where the banana is just going to feed your hunger.

[ThriftoRama]

People in the U.S. are fat because we drive everywhere.

[topwater]

No, they're fat because they're lazy. I can put together 2 pieces of bread with turkey and light mayo for about 20 cents. But that actually takes a little effort and planning which is why people turn to fast food.

ummm... i think an example of healthy food might be better. processed grains, meat, and chemicals are no better than an "unhappy" meal.

[topwater]

What we need is to reintroduce Home Ec class to our schools, particularly in poor neighborhoods but really in all schools. Teach kids basic cooking skills. Teach nutrition. Take field trips to a supermarket to learn how to shop.

the problem is deciding what actually gets taught. the nutrition curriculum currently is dominated by large business interests, such as the milk industry. there is no way these indutries and their paid for politicians would allow teaching of real healthy eating, because it would hurt thier bottom line.

[topwater]

I mean, you ask anyone, what is a better snack? An banana or two pieces of bacon?

Everyone would naturally pick the banana. Gee, it's fruit. When in reality. . .the bacon (although not best of health foods) is going to satisfy your hunger where the banana is just going to feed your hunger.

i cannot let this slide, it is just plain nutritional nonsense. 2 pieces of bacon over a healthy piece of fruit. fat and cholesteral vs healthy carbs and fiber.

the problem is that people have a phobia of carbs instead of refined food. fruit, whole grains, beans, and vegetables are THE HEALTHIEST foods there are. a cured, processed piece of meat is just plain unhealthy.

fat is 9 calories a gram vs 4 for carbs and protein. this means that you can eat twice as much volume for the same amount of calories... ie more filling. two crisp small pieces of bacon or a big piece of fruit. i know that banana is going to fill me up more, plus have fiber and plenty of nutrients that bacon cannot have... plus no cholesterol and minimal sodium (bacon is very high sodium food).

the standard american diet is high in fat, cholesterol, and sugar.... and people want to blame fruit and other non-refined carbs for people getting fat.