World now has more fat people than hungry ones - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Supple Cow · 08-16-2006, 08:36 AM

World now has more fat people than hungry ones: expert
by Lawrence Bartlett Mon Aug 14, 5:22 AM ET

Quote:

SYDNEY (AFP) - The world now has more overweight people than hungry ones and governments should design economic strategies to influence national diets, a conference of international experts have heard.

The transition from a starving world to an obese one had happened with dramatic speed, US professor Barry Popkin told the annual conference of the International Association of Agricultural Economists on Monday.

"The reality is that globally far more obesity than undernutrition exists," Popkin said, adding that while hunger was slowly declining, obesity was rapidly spreading.

There are more than a billion overweight people in the world and 800 million who are undernourished, he said at the Gold Coast convention centre near Brisbane. The world population is estimated at about 6.5 billion.

"Obesity is the norm globally and undernutrition, while still important in a few countries and in targeted populations in many others, is no longer the dominant disease."

The "burden of obesity", with its related illnesses, was also shifting from the rich to the poor, not only in urban but in rural areas around the world, he said.

China typified the changes, with a major shift in diet from cereals to animal products and vegetable oils accompanied by a decline in physical work, more motorised transport and more television viewing.

But all countries had failed to address the obesity "boom", the University of North Carolina professor said.

Food prices could be used to manipulate people's diets and tilt them towards healthier options, he suggested.

"For instance, if we charge money for every calorie of soft drink and fruit drink that was consumed, people would consume less of it.

"If we subsidise fruit and vegetable production, people would consume more of it and we would have a healthier diet."

University of Minnesota professor Benjamin Senauer used a comparative study of lifestyles in the United States and Japan to show how the costs of food and transport play a role in the problem.

Japan has one of the world's lowest rates of obesity and the US one of the highest.

"The average Japanese household spends almost a quarter of its income on food compared to under 14 percent in the US," Senauer said.

While a direct tax on food in the US to reduce obesity would not be politically acceptable, agricultural subsidies which resulted in cheap food could be reduced.

But other factors such as exercise also played an important role and again economic influences were involved, he said.

"Japanese cities are based on efficient public transport -- and walking. The average American commutes to work, drives to the supermarket and does as little walking as possible."

The average Japanese man walks four miles (6.4 kilometres) a day while almost a quarter of US adults may only walk between 1,000 and 3,000 steps a day, Senauer said.

While the relative cost of calories and fat had decreased over time, technology had eliminated much of the need for physical activity during work.

For most Americans, getting enough physical activity now required a conscious commitment to exercise and often cost money, such as the price of a round of golf or membership of a gym."

"Obesity and overweight bring with them significant risks of chronic disease and premature death and adjusting domestic policy to encourage a less sedentary lifestyle is literally a matter of life and death," he told the conference.

I added the emphasis near the end there. I know that the lower cost of calories and fat and increased availability coincide with rise of technology and the decline in physical activity, but I have a hard time accepting a statment like 'now that I have to think about it and it actually costs money (

!), I don't know, this whole exercising thing is just really hard to accept!' It is preposterous to me because eating food also costs money and requires us to think about it - in fact, about three times a day on average. This reminds me of that health insurance thread a while back (I'll have to go searching for it and post it here later) where somebody asked why people routinely choose to spend their time and money getting things like ipods and expensive laptop upgrades rather than purchasing health insurance. As simplistic as it is to say this, why don't people think more? Why is thinking such an unpleasant activity?

Aside from that, I wonder what people think and actually do when they read something like this (and please enlighten me by replying). I've been reading stuff like this -- about the growing percentage of obese people in the world, or even specifically in the U.S. -- for years and years now. For me, it's usually a reminder to start eating healthier again, or to get my butt outside to exercise more. When I had to take the President's Physical Fitness test in the 5th grade, the entire faculty and staff of my elementary school spouted a bunch of 'encouragement' for my whole class along the lines of 'America is getting too fat and the best thing you can do for your future is to be fit now!' On any given day, you are confronted with lots of conflicting information about this issue, even just in two aisles of the grocery store. You can find dozens upon dozens of boxes of cereal telling you how healthy and nutritious they are, and then you usually have to go all the way down to one end of the store to see a bunch of leafy greens and small bags of carrots with pictures of bunnies on them. I wonder how many people subconsciously forget that carrots and leafy greens are good and too many simple carbohydrates coated in sugar are bad. Perhaps it's time to tell the produce providers that they need to start advertising better?

What do you think the issue is?

Zeraph · 08-16-2006, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supple Cow

What do you think the issue is?

A changing environment that's moving too fast for us to evolve or adjust immediately. We'll balance out though, it just takes time.

kurty[B] · 08-16-2006, 09:52 AM

Ever since I spent time in the Middle East and India this has been a major thing for me.

I'm not sure about the statistic of obesity being more of a problem now than starvation (if the distribution of food were proper than yes starvation should no longer be a problem). But, I do agree that we (and when I say we I generalize with western culture) are getting obese.

I can attest that it's due to ease of transportation. I can hop in my car and go to the grocery store. Now that I have a bike with panniers, I try to load my clothes in one, and buy groceries and put them in the other. Unless there's a lot to get at the grocery store, I try and avoid taking the car.

I personally have joined Adventure Cyclists (a company that advocates travel by bicycle), and support any initiative in my state to build bike paths (Denver's paths are fairly reasonable, Colorado Springs's paths are horrible, but they are trying to improve).

I think gas prices continuing to rise will help out with getting people out of their car, and walking that half a mile to the store, rather than driving. I also think too many people look at exercise as a no fun activity, and then having to PAY to exercise!!

Quote:

'America is getting too fat and the best thing you can do for your future is to be fit now!'

I don't like that statement. I think as children, in Physical Ed classes we should be encouraged to do activities we like. If it's soccer, running, biking, baseball, anything physical. We should encourage our children to keep at such activities they enjoy. Yeah, they might give up on them in their teen years, but if they had fun doing it they will be more likely as adults to say "I had fun playing... I'm going to see what it requires to join a team, or buy a bike so I can enjoy that again".

I personally spend my summers trying to stay in shape for snowboarding in the winter, and spend my winters trying to stay in shape for backpacking in the summer.

As far as diet goes, when I go grocery shopping, I try and avoid the middle aisles. Everything I NEED is on the edges (deli, bakery, fruits & vegetables), everything I WANT is in the middle; I only go in there if I have something specific I need to get. My biggest problem now, is getting demotivated about cooking every evening, and simply stop somewhere and grab something quick.

My co-worker in Fallujah had this on her fridge http://www.brodystevens.com/headlines/fat%20kid.jpg
. With the saying "Hey Tubby Tubby, you don't want to look like this kid do you?"

I personally don't like to see kids like that. When my neices are old enough I plan to take them snowboarding, backpacking, go out to the park and play soccer with them.

I do think subsidizing nutritious foods so they are cheaper is a great idea. I think it would help, but I also think just providing more opportunities for people to walk, bike, or use their muscles is also very important.

Sultana · 08-16-2006, 09:53 AM

I think the nutritional education is vital, and is fairly neglected here in the states. Of course, I could have been exposed to it previously in my life, and simply been unmotivated enough to act on it.

The training and understanding (two very different things, both required for changing actions) I received about nutrition and label-reading when I was in Weight Watchers (proud lifetime member here!) was by far the most valuable thing I got from the program. Plus I started thinking of food as fuel for my body, rather than, "I *feel* like pizza for dinner". It became (and still remains, for the most part) "How much protein have I had today, versus today's activity requirements?" Stuff like that.

Before WW, I never EVER bothered to check the serving portion info on a label. I'm still shocked that an entire box of macaroni and cheese is considered, like, 4 servings. I used to eat a whole box for a meal. So multiply the caloric and fat content by FOUR, and there you have it!

I love mac & cheese, but I simply don't make it anymore, unless I'm taking it to a party or something (and in those cases, I make it from scratch, I don't bring the boxed stuff to a party, LOL, even though I still adore it) and other people will be there to eat off it.

Crack · 08-16-2006, 10:06 AM

Are you trying to tell me something Supple Cow?

cj2112 · 08-16-2006, 11:27 AM

My first thought when reading the thread title was "Woohoo I'm in the majority!"

I swear I am soooooo going to hell

maleficent · 08-16-2006, 11:31 AM

/me gives cj a cookie

balefire88 · 08-16-2006, 12:00 PM

Shouldn't we be more concerned that there are still hungry people left?

Ustwo · 08-16-2006, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by balefire88

Shouldn't we be more concerned that there are still hungry people left?

Why?

(mmmm too short of a posting goodness)

Giant Hamburger · 08-16-2006, 02:57 PM

Let the hungry ones eat the fat ones.

Halx · 08-16-2006, 03:14 PM

I LOVE YOU GIANT HAMBURGER

stevie667 · 08-16-2006, 03:15 PM

What do hungry fat people count as?

Elphaba · 08-16-2006, 04:09 PM

I knew that the US had a problem with obesity, but I didn't know that it extended to other countries as well. That many of us, young and older, spend a great deal of time in front of the computer is certainly a factor in lack of exercise. Kurty reminded me of another, perhaps bigger cause that has received a lot of attention of late. Our suburban sprawl has reduced most of the opportunities for "natural" exercise, such as walking or biking to school, a quick trip to the store, or just a visit with friends. The suburbia of the '50's expected kids to walk to school (ten miles, uphill, in both directions) where I think most kids today catch a school bus.

I think parents need to take some responsibility for their obese children, and that what a child knows about proper nutrition doesn't reside merely in formal education. I know a young, chubby kid that is very active physically, but his parents allow all manner of junk food. They are not ignorant people, so I sometimes wonder if they simply can't see that their child is overweight.

Good moves are being made in the schools that are kicking out the soda and junk food machines, and providing healthier food in the lunch provided. It's a small start.

We all know that proper food and exercise is necessary for healthy living. And yet, I do little about it.

PS: Giant Hamburger is made of lean ground beef.

Toaster126 · 08-17-2006, 07:18 AM

Exercising doesn't have to cost money. Eating healthier food does, unless you are some sort of botonist or something.

highthief · 08-17-2006, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supple Cow

World now has more fat people than hungry ones: expert
by Lawrence Bartlett Mon Aug 14, 5:22 AM ET

I added the emphasis near the end there. I know that the lower cost of calories and fat and increased availability coincide with rise of technology and the decline in physical activity, but I have a hard time accepting a statment like 'now that I have to think about it and it actually costs money (

!), I don't know, this whole exercising thing is just really hard to accept!' It is preposterous to me because eating food also costs money and requires us to think about it - in fact, about three times a day on average.

There is a large element of having to go out of your way to get enough exercise. I'm a fitness nut, but I do understand how our sedentary work - sitting in front of a computer for many - make sit much harder to stay fit than when we shucked hay or did other manual labour. Most people don't walk to work, they commute, either by car or subway, and don't have a big chocie in the matter. We live in non-temperate areas now - I can't imagine doing a lot of running, the way I do now, if I lived in a really hot environment like Arizona or New Mexico - you do need a gym in many places outside temperate zones.

snowy · 08-17-2006, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elphaba

Our suburban sprawl has reduced most of the opportunities for "natural" exercise, such as walking or biking to school, a quick trip to the store, or just a visit with friends. The suburbia of the '50's expected kids to walk to school (ten miles, uphill, in both directions) where I think most kids today catch a school bus.

I used to live in suburbia. When I caught a bus, it was because I lived several miles from the junior high I was attending at the time. I still had to walk several blocks to the actual bus stop, though. After we moved to another neighborhood, we had no bus--the elementary school was about 1/2 mile away, the junior high was right over the back fence of our yard, and the high school was 1/2 mile away. So for a good part of our schooling, my brother and I walked or rode bikes to school.

Ustwo · 08-17-2006, 11:14 AM

Its not about exercise, thats an excuse.

I am getting almost no exercise beyond the basics lately. Its a choice, I work, I come home, I want to relax, I find weight lifting to be boring. I'd love to have a 'great' body but I'll settle for a good body.

Solution:Less food in the pie hole. Its worked wonders, I lost weight, look good, and feel better. I have a buddy who works out 10* as much as me, eats less, its 3 inches taller, but drinks a lot (a modern martini is about 5-700 calories) and is getting a good sized gut.

The problem isn't that we don't walk to work, hell walking a miles doesn't exactly burn a whole lot of callories. The problem is we are not walking to work and we are eating enough to feed a tri-athelete.

08-16-2006, 09:53 AM	#4 (permalink)
Sultana Falling Angel Location: L.A. L.A. land	I think the nutritional education is vital, and is fairly neglected here in the states. Of course, I could have been exposed to it previously in my life, and simply been unmotivated enough to act on it. The training and understanding (two very different things, both required for changing actions) I received about nutrition and label-reading when I was in Weight Watchers (proud lifetime member here!) was by far the most valuable thing I got from the program. Plus I started thinking of food as fuel for my body, rather than, "I feel like pizza for dinner". It became (and still remains, for the most part) "How much protein have I had today, versus today's activity requirements?" Stuff like that. Before WW, I never EVER bothered to check the serving portion info on a label. I'm still shocked that an entire box of macaroni and cheese is considered, like, 4 servings. I used to eat a whole box for a meal. So multiply the caloric and fat content by FOUR, and there you have it! I love mac & cheese, but I simply don't make it anymore, unless I'm taking it to a party or something (and in those cases, I make it from scratch, I don't bring the boxed stuff to a party, LOL, even though I still adore it) and other people will be there to eat off it. __________________ "Love is a snowmobile racing across the tundra and then suddenly it flips over, pinning you underneath. At night, the ice weasels come." - Matt Groening My goal? To fulfill my potential. Last edited by Sultana; 08-16-2006 at 09:54 AM.. Reason: spelling

08-16-2006, 10:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
Crack Misanthropic Location: Ohio! yay!	Are you trying to tell me something Supple Cow? __________________ Crack, you and I are long overdue for a vicious bout of mansex. ~Halx

08-16-2006, 11:31 AM	#7 (permalink)
maleficent Junkie Moderator Emeritus Location: Chicago	/me gives cj a cookie __________________ Free your heart from hatred. Free your mind from worries. Live simply. Give more. Expect less.

08-16-2006, 12:00 PM	#8 (permalink)
balefire88 Tilted	Shouldn't we be more concerned that there are still hungry people left? __________________ "Today is the beginning of the rest of your life."

08-16-2006, 03:14 PM	#11 (permalink)
Halx Please touch this. Owner/Admin Location: Manhattan	I LOVE YOU GIANT HAMBURGER __________________ You have found this post informative. -The Administrator [Don't Feed The Animals]

08-16-2006, 11:27 AM	#6 (permalink)
cj2112 Unbelievable Location: Grants Pass OR	My first thought when reading the thread title was "Woohoo I'm in the majority!" I swear I am soooooo going to hell

08-16-2006, 02:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
Giant Hamburger Gastrolithuanian Location: low-velocity Earth orbit	Let the hungry ones eat the fat ones.

08-16-2006, 03:15 PM	#12 (permalink)
stevie667 Too Awesome for Aardvarks Location: Angloland	What do hungry fat people count as? __________________ Office hours have changed. Please call during office hours for more information.

08-16-2006, 04:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
Elphaba Deja Moo Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA	I knew that the US had a problem with obesity, but I didn't know that it extended to other countries as well. That many of us, young and older, spend a great deal of time in front of the computer is certainly a factor in lack of exercise. Kurty reminded me of another, perhaps bigger cause that has received a lot of attention of late. Our suburban sprawl has reduced most of the opportunities for "natural" exercise, such as walking or biking to school, a quick trip to the store, or just a visit with friends. The suburbia of the '50's expected kids to walk to school (ten miles, uphill, in both directions) where I think most kids today catch a school bus. I think parents need to take some responsibility for their obese children, and that what a child knows about proper nutrition doesn't reside merely in formal education. I know a young, chubby kid that is very active physically, but his parents allow all manner of junk food. They are not ignorant people, so I sometimes wonder if they simply can't see that their child is overweight. Good moves are being made in the schools that are kicking out the soda and junk food machines, and providing healthier food in the lunch provided. It's a small start. We all know that proper food and exercise is necessary for healthy living. And yet, I do little about it. PS: Giant Hamburger is made of lean ground beef.

08-17-2006, 07:18 AM	#14 (permalink)
Toaster126 Extreme moderation Location: Kansas City, yo.	Exercising doesn't have to cost money. Eating healthier food does, unless you are some sort of botonist or something. __________________ "The question isn't who is going to let me, it's who is going to stop me." (Ayn Rand) "The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers." (M. Scott Peck)

08-17-2006, 11:14 AM	#17 (permalink)
Ustwo Pissing in the cornflakes	Its not about exercise, thats an excuse. I am getting almost no exercise beyond the basics lately. Its a choice, I work, I come home, I want to relax, I find weight lifting to be boring. I'd love to have a 'great' body but I'll settle for a good body. Solution:Less food in the pie hole. Its worked wonders, I lost weight, look good, and feel better. I have a buddy who works out 10* as much as me, eats less, its 3 inches taller, but drinks a lot (a modern martini is about 5-700 calories) and is getting a good sized gut. The problem isn't that we don't walk to work, hell walking a miles doesn't exactly burn a whole lot of callories. The problem is we are not walking to work and we are eating enough to feed a tri-athelete. __________________ Agents of the enemies who hold office in our own government, who attempt to eliminate our "freedoms" and our "right to know" are posting among us, I fear.....on this very forum. - host Obama - Know a Man by the friends he keeps.