I don't think that this problem will ever be solved.

Human beings evolved during an ongoing climate "eating for survival" (you know, gathering/hunting). Even when food became more abundant people had to actually labor to survive. When things were good folks would adopt "feast days" or longer periods wherein more elaborate (and caloric) dishes were available.

The problem is that, at least in America, EVERYDAY is feast day. Worse yet, every Meal is a feast meal -- especially for those who eat out frequently or every day. And physical labor? Now we go to gyms where we "reinact" labor.

Things will never change unless science can find a way for humans to stuff themsleves and still maintain good health. Who knows, it might happen. Americans are simply too 'hard-wired' now. They believe that the good/bad foods are an entitlement and consider it "unfair" if they can't have all they want. That's my take

How about we just institute daily mandatory exercise?

When I worked in Internal Medicine I ran a program for people with eating disorders, everything from over eating to not eating at all. Myself, not being overweight find it easy to say...just exercise and eat less. For them it is a totally different story. There are so many emotional problems involved in why they over eat or binge and purge.

The emotional problems wouldn't be there without the malnutrition. People keep forgetting that obesity is a sign of malnutrition. What? But how can fat people be overweight? Our food supply is so abysmal (factory created food is not food, it is a product that is beholden to the laws of advertising, not the laws of health) that these poor people overeat because they are not getting the nutrition they need. Unfortunately we are mis-wired, so the very foods they crave and are addicted to are those that are pushing out the nutrition they need. Then eating disorders and emotional difficulties develop, the brain is not getting the nourishment it needs and goes into panic mode.... the problem with us is that we have an overly abundant supply of junk food. The other problem is that people don't realize the level of nutrition in the food they eat, even whole foods that are commercially grown (as opposed to organic) are now grown on fields with no topsoil meaning the resulting produce has somewhere in the order of 50% of that of organically grown food. Over time, this builds up both a deficit in nutrition and a toxic load, which usually results in obesity (though it can also manifest itself as a host of other diseases). I think you're right Bijou, we're hopeless. I'm a nutritionist who knows all of the cutting edge information, and preparing meals for myself and my family takes up a good portion of my day. Our society has evolved without compensating for that time, and it makes it a herculean ordeal to actually feed oneself healthily, not to mention the extra cost of eating organic and buying locally farmed food. Yes, most of us are w/o hope.

The emotional problems wouldn't be there without the malnutrition. People keep forgetting that obesity is a sign of malnutrition. What? But how can fat people be overweight? Our food supply is so abysmal (factory created food is not food, it is a product that is beholden to the laws of advertising, not the laws of health) that these poor people overeat because they are not getting the nutrition they need. Unfortunately we are mis-wired, so the very foods they crave and are addicted to are those that are pushing out the nutrition they need. Then eating disorders and emotional difficulties develop, the brain is not getting the nourishment it needs and goes into panic mode.... the problem with us is that we have an overly abundant supply of junk food. The other problem is that people don't realize the level of nutrition in the food they eat, even whole foods that are commercially grown (as opposed to organic) are now grown on fields with no topsoil meaning the resulting produce has somewhere in the order of 50% of that of organically grown food. Over time, this builds up both a deficit in nutrition and a toxic load, which usually results in obesity (though it can also manifest itself as a host of other diseases). I think you're right Bijou, we're hopeless. I'm a nutritionist who knows all of the cutting edge information, and preparing meals for myself and my family takes up a good portion of my day. Our society has evolved without compensating for that time, and it makes it a herculean ordeal to actually feed oneself healthily, not to mention the extra cost of eating organic and buying locally farmed food. Yes, most of us are w/o hope.


Refreshing to see someone who is so well informed in the issue!

There is some hope though, first we must stop the WTO from trying to regulate our food laws!

I gained about 50 lbs in 2004 due to a medication. I had never had a weight problem before. I felt so helpless, each week seeing the numbers on the scale climb because the drugs made me sedated and hungry. I couldn't function without an enormous amount of sugar, and sugar is something I never ate before this.

Now that I've been off the medication for about 8 months, I have lost all but about 5 lbs of the weight because my eating habits naturally shifted back to normal once my chemistry wasn't being screwed around with. I am not as active as I should be but I'm not terribly lazy. I think there are genuine physical/chemical imbalances that are a cause of obesity, and I don't know that most people can do much about it on their own. Overcoming biology takes a herculean effort and a great deal of support, which we don't have in this world of 'snickers really satisfies' and fast food.

Plenty of people are naturally stable at a healthy weight and do not need to work a great deal at maintaining it. They just don't have whatever component contributes to the destructive eating habits. Maybe we will someday have a good drug option for those who need to get back on the right track. I see this as a more likely solution than our society reforming to be able to offer the huge support to those who need it in changing their behaviors.

Even 50 lbs overweight I was hardly a giant fat person, I was what most people would consider slightly chubby. I am 5'4" and my max weight was about 175lb. Compared to people I see every day that are 300, 400lbs or more, I was at the low end of the spectrum. But it really surprised me how differently I was treated.

While shopping for my wedding dress the sales girls were very snotty to me, saying things like, "We don't carry LARGER size bras here" - because I didn't fit in a 36C. Apparently that is considered large.

Men would have entire conversations with my suddenly present chest, which was much smaller before.

Sales people would ignore me in stores. I was generally treated like crap. I felt like a pig just ordering food at a restaurant or going to the grocery store, fearful that I would be criticized for eating while I was overweight.

I was lucky in that my weight problem was short-lived and relatively easy to overcome. Not everyone is.

Americans need to learn how to eat less, and eat healthier foods. I eat once a day, and stay active. I NEVER eat McDonalds' poison burgers and other junk. It's a matter of self discipline. I haven't gained a pound since I was about 15, and I'm 43.

I was married to a bulemic woman, so I'm well aware of how screwed up people can be when it comes to food. That truly is a severe psychological disorder, but in many cases, it's triggered by the desire to be thin, like the people on TV. It becomes an obcession, and bulemia kills more people than anorexia does.

Too many people believe that it's not OK to be average looking. They just have to be like those Hollywood folks. They think that if they do, then they'll magically become "happy". The sad truth is, it doesn't work.

If people would stop trying to emulate the "stars", and stop putting so much stock on our bogus pop culture, they would be better off. Staying away from TV is a great start.

How about we just institute daily mandatory exercise?


That's the typical Liberal approach - state coercion at the point of a gun.

Americans need to learn how to eat less, and eat healthier foods. I eat once a day, and stay active. I NEVER eat McDonalds' poison burgers and other junk. It's a matter of self discipline. I haven't gained a pound since I was about 15, and I'm 43.

I was married to a bulemic woman, so I'm well aware of how screwed up people can be when it comes to food. That truly is a severe psychological disorder, but in many cases, it's triggered by the desire to be thin, like the people on TV. It becomes an obcession, and bulemia kills more people than anorexia does.

Too many people believe that it's not OK to be average looking. They just have to be like those Hollywood folks. They think that if they do, then they'll magically become "happy". The sad truth is, it doesn't work.

If people would stop trying to emulate the "stars", and stop putting so much stock on our bogus pop culture, they would be better off. Staying away from TV is a great start.


Very good advice. The media projects body ideals that are completely unrealistic and unhealthy. Many of the skinny women they celebrate smoke like chimneys and abuse prescription drugs to stay thin.

I also favor the "slow food" approach. Buying good ingredients (hormone, chemical and pesticide free) as much as possible, and cooking at home is far better than buying convenience food.

Well I live in a Nursing Home, and it's impossible to lose weight.
All they serve are carbohydrates, and since I can't exercise, it just adds up.
It's appalling what they serve in Nursing Homes.
I've always watched what I ate,
and made sure it was good quality food.
Only to be fed this mess everyday.