[Toshi]

Big Sugar's position is ridiculous, of course. Refined white sugar directly promotes obesity, blood sugar disorders, Type-II diabetes, behavioral disorders such as ADD and aggression, and even cancer. These assertions are clearly revealed in the scientific literature.

the use of "clearly" is almost as suspicious if the author had thrown in "trivially" instead. where is this clear revelation? i haven't read your other links in depth but i didn't see anything all that striking. to clarify: the link between sugar & diabetes doesn't need explanation, but showing that sugar isn't just a confounding variable for obesity, behavioral disorders and cancer is what i'm after.

fwiw i try to avoid sugar myself, except in the context of ice cream. and egg nog. but that's a very seasonal thing. haven't drank soda regularly since junior year of high school.

 

[Snacks]

Sooo, if it is so outlandish, how big is your gut and what exactly do you eat? Are you a good representative of the average american? We are afterall discussing this on an athletic-based website

What does the average american weight?

 

[binary visions]

Just so I don't seem too focused on the drug thing, the comparison between sugar consumption and ADHD also leaves some serious factors not taken into consideration.

A major factor is that 20 years ago, kids were not diagnosed as having a medical problem - they were "problem kids". I myself have fairly severe (according to the tests I took, anyway) ADD, and was offered some special education benefits during high school as a result. That's a good thing; it wasn't that long ago that I would have been brushed aside as "smart but lazy".

Ritalin has also only started to come into real acceptance in the past ten years. I'm sure Viagra consumption has increased at least that much since 1990 - one could make a case for that being tied to sugar consumption as well. What's more likely, though, is that advertisements and social acceptance of the drug, as well as wider availability, have been the cause of consumption going up.

To claim that Ritalin consumption is directly related to sugar consumption is extremely misleading. Yes, it might be, but there's a lot more at work than simply comparing two statistics of Ritalin perscriptions and sugar consumption.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

What does the average american weight?

I'm not sure that any of us can answer that accurately (esp. considering height/weight). But, I was able to find on my initial pass through of information the actual "obesity" charts used in the film:

http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/index.htm

Also - what about the body mass index? I always look at those numbers with a skeptical eye knowing that an athletic and healthy adult mid-thirties can have a reasonable sized gut or (if girl), a few more curves than a skinny 18 year old who never exercises on the chart.

I don't think any one person falls into a cookie cutter shape of "perfect health" but, if the average trend is towards overweight and obese individuals with bad eating habits, then those trends should be exposed along with the correlating factors - like US support of the sugar industry - like our bad habit of picking food up rather than making it ourselves - like sitting on our butts and watching the yoga program on TV rather than joining in.

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/obese/obse99.htm

 

[Jr_Bullit]

US Obesity at an All-Time High

And Wisconsin's health statistics highlight the consequences.

According to recent statistics from national and international health organizations, Americans are among the fattest people on earth. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that in the United States, obesity has risen at an epidemic rate during the past 20 years. Dr. Jennifer Zebrack, Assistant Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine) at the Medical College of Wisconsin, reports that 34% of all Americans are overweight – defined as having a Body Mass Index of 25.0 to 29.9 – and 30.5% are obese, defined as having a Body Mass Index of 30.0 or higher. Dr. Zebrack points out that it’s not just adults who are becoming problematically heavy, but children and adolescents as well; about 13% of children and adolescents in the US are now seriously overweight.

Why Worry?
According to former US Surgeon General David Satcher, obesity counts for 300,000 premature deaths per year. Obesity raises our risk for heart disease, diabetes, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and other chronic diseases. In Wisconsin, where lifestyle-related diseases are prevalent, our health statistics are worrisome. "Death rates from cancer, heart attacks and stroke are higher than those of most places in America," says a 1999 article in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "The death rate from cancer in Wisconsin, for example, is 32% higher than the national average; it is 13% higher for heart disease and a staggering 54% higher for stroke. The percentage of all deaths in Wisconsin due to chronic disease - heart, cancer, lung and diabetes - was 73% here, the 18th highest percentage among the 50 states."

“Obesity is the most common nutritional disorder in the developed world,” emphasizes Dr. Zebrack, “and the second most preventable cause of death after smoking.” Health and wellness risks include, but are not limited to, the following:

* High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol
* Coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure
* Type 2 diabetes
* Osteoarthritis
* Gallstones
* Low back pain
* Heartburn
* Gout
* Obstructive sleep apnea and other respiratory problems
* Some types of cancer, including endometrial, breast, prostate and colon
* Complications of pregnancy
* Poor female reproductive health such as menstrual irregularities, infertility
* Bladder control problems (e.g., stress incontinence)
* Psychological disorders including depression, eating disorders, distorted body image and low self esteem

What is a Body Mass Index Score?
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a common measure used in adults that shows the relationship of an individual’s weight to height. Your BMI equals your weight in pounds, divided by your height in inches, divided again by your height in inches, multiplied by 703. For example, an adult weighing 210 pounds and 6 feet tall would divide 210 pounds by 72 inches, divide again by 72 inches, and multiply that number by 703, for a BMI score of 28.5

"In some cases," Dr. Zebrack says, "a waist-circumference measurement is an important and possibly stronger predictor of health risks than BMI." For children, overweight and obesity is determined using growth charts for age and gender and is best interpreted by a pediatrician.

Why Are We So Fat?
There are many factors contributing to the “growth” of Americans. Americans are eating out more than ever before and restaurants, fast food and fine dining establishments alike, are serving much heftier portions of food than they did in the past. We eat more between meals as well, and consume more sugary sodas and fruit drinks. Advertising also plays a part – who can resist the juicy double cheeseburger that looks so appetizing on TV, or the two-for-one specials advertised at our local pizza parlor? And forget about going to the gym – no one seems to have the time.

Interestingly, genetics also seem to play a part in determining our weight. Dr. Zebrack reports that over 250 genes and chromosomal regions are associated with obesity and that scientists have developed a "human obesity gene map." Two hormones – called leptin and ghrelin – are also being studied extensively by researchers who want to know more about America’s epidemic weight gain. But despite all these reasons, it seems that many Americans are simply eating more and exercising less.

Even a Little Helps a Lot
"Even a modest weight loss of 5-10% of body weight decreases blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugars," says Dr. Zebrack. Her advice? Basic common sense. "A combined therapy has proven to be most effective for weight loss: dietary therapy, physical activity, and behavioral changes." She recommends first seeing your health care provider for an assessment. He or she can tell you how much, if any, weight you need to lose, as well as help you set goals and make a plan. Your provider may also have you see a dietician who can help determine your daily calorie requirements for weight loss.

"Regardless of the composition of your diet, the primary predictor of weight loss is calorie balance - in other words, calories eaten versus calories burned," says Dr. Zebrack. "Current recommendations of the American Heart Association, National Institute of Health and American Dietetic Association say that the composition of your diet should be about 30% or less fat, about 15% protein and about 55% carbohydrates." As far as fad diets go, Dr. Zebrack cites several reasons to avoid them. Many programs are difficult to maintain, lack basic nutritional requirements such as fiber, iron and calcium, and are not supported by any national health organizations. "We don't know the long-term effects of extreme diets," Dr. Zebrack emphasizes, "and we need to look toward life-long, healthy dietary changes, not a quick fix." > >

Herbal Supplements and Prescription Drugs
What about prescription weight-loss drugs? "Drugs must only be used as an adjunct to the combined therapy and are only indicated in select patients," states Dr. Zebrack. "Weight loss from drugs alone without other measures will typically be less than 5% of body weight, so dietary changes, physical activity and behavior modifications are necessary to reach weight loss goals." In addition, unless they have made significant lifestyle changes, patients typically regain the weight when the drug is stopped.

As for the various herbal supplements on the market today, Dr. Zebrack reminds us that they are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and in general we do not have well-designed trials to support their safety or efficacy. Ephedra, for example, has been taken off the market in Canada and is currently being investigated for a possible connection to heart attacks and strokes in several people taking the supplement for weight loss.

Physical Activity, Behavior Changes are Fundamental
Physical activity is vital to weight loss and a healthier body, says Dr. Zebrack. “Building muscle mass helps to burn more calories,” she points out. She advocates choosing an activity that you enjoy and can fit into your daily life. And little things add up, she says. “Take a walk around the block. Park farther than usual from work or shopping. Take one or more flight of stairs instead of the elevator. Reduce sedentary activities like TV, video games and computer use.” Your goal for physical activity should be at least 30-45 minutes per day, 5-7 days per week, although some experts are now recommending we raise that goal to an hour per day.

Behavioral changes play a necessary part in any weight-loss program, and Dr. Zebrack recommends the following:

* Eat your heaviest meal in the morning or at lunch
* Drink a glass of water before eating
* Eat more slowly
* Eat smaller portions
* Limit the number of meals eaten out, especially fast food
* Keep healthy snacks easily at hand around the house and at work
* Get social support from friends and relatives, or from established programs like Overeaters Anonymous or Weight Watchers

In general, a trimmer body is a healthier body. Seeing your health care provider for information that’s tailored to your individual needs might give you the motivation you need to get a healthy start. As Dr. Zebrack points out, if we eat a little less, add some physical activity to our routine and modify our behaviors, the loss of just a few pounds can make a dramatic difference in our health.

This article also includes information from:
Harris Interactive Health Care Research

Article Created: 2002-11-26
Article Updated: 2002-11-26

http://healthlink.mcw.edu/article/1031002183.html

 

[Slugman]

Nothing to add... just found this article funny
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6661381/

Obese passengers break seats on cruise liner
Report: Plus-size Americans collapse chairs on Queen Mary IIMSNBC

Updated: 2:27 p.m. ET Dec. 6, 2004

Overweight American passengers have broken dozens of seats on the Queen Mary II, the world's biggest and most luxurious cruise liner, according to Britain's The Sunday Telegraph newspaper.


The French company that supplied chairs on the cruise liner told the newspaper it is repairing and replacing them as quickly as they collapse under plus-sized passengers.

A spokesman for the company Alstom Chantiers told the newspaper that some of the passengers, mostly those from the United States, were heavier than expected.

Many of the broken seats were in the bar and restaurant areas, according to the British paper.

There has been a rise in the number of obese and overweight people going on cruise holidays because of cramped seating on airplanes and trains, an obesity expert explained to the Telegraph.

The Queen Mary II, which set sail on her maiden voyage in January this year, is more than twice as long as the Washington Monument. It carries 2,620 passengers and 1,250 crew, and cost an estimated $800 million to build.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

To claim that Ritalin consumption is directly related to sugar consumption is extremely misleading. Yes, it might be, but there's a lot more at work than simply comparing two statistics of Ritalin perscriptions and sugar consumption.

True enough, and I tend to agree. I don't own tv and don't watch it. But my parents do. Thanksgiving while cooking dinner, Mom and I had the dog show on and were enjoying that - but the lasting impression I had from the commercials was not what was the best brand of puppy chow, but instead the over abundance of drugs.

It seems that a lot of our "culture" is based around over consuming. We over spend, we have more "things" than anyone else, higher debt limits, more food, more calorie consumption, more drugs, more needs and so on. Do we really? or are we just fascinated with constantly improving the quality of our life without doing the work necessary.

The Super Size Me video made one very good point, I felt, about the US diet trends where we try to "lose weight while you sleep" take a pill to drop pounds, lose 30 pounds in 30 days, and so on - nothing advocating simply improving the quality of the food you eat and getting a little exercise.

 

[caboverpete]

not a lot to add except that i agree with alot of what jr bullit is saying. starting almost 1 year ago exactly i cut out nearly all complex carbs, high fructose corn syrup and other processed foods from my diet. i also cut back on the sheer amount of food i consumed and i have lost 60lbs.... now you have to be a fat f*** to lose 60lbs and still look normal, which i do. so i was officially a fat f***. my life and attitude have turned around since i made the change.

I have a 2 1/2 year old son and I am doing my best to alteast severly limit the quantities of crap he consumes.... but then again only a cold hearted bastard would deny their child an oreo or some m&m's.

 

[binary visions]

<snip>
or are we just fascinated with constantly improving the quality of our life without doing the work necessary.

<snip>
nothing advocating simply improving the quality of the food you eat and getting a little exercise.

That's a whole other rant, though I suppose the two are probably related - simply the sheer laziness of most Americans. I see it every day here at work - overweight women (mostly) complaining about not being able to lose a pound despite all the diet products/fat free/sugar free they consume. It's always the easy way - "if it's fat free, I can eat as much as I want!"

It takes a lot of work to lose weight if you're not prone to being thin. A major lifestyle change. The problem is, only one in a thousand people seem to have the discipline necessary to do it.

One woman, who was morbidly obese, must have lost over a hundred pounds in the past year. She looks great now. She wears normal clothes, people don't have to move out of the way for her in the hallway anymore... Simply amazing. It's too bad that it took her developing diabetes for her to realize what a terrible thing she was doing to her body and make the changes necessary. She said it was the hardest thing she's ever done in her life, harder even than quitting smoking. She brings her lunch every day, goes for walks twice a day, and has exercise classes three times a week.

 

[BigHit-Maniac]

Nothing to add... just found this article funny
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6661381/

ROFLMAO

That's some funny ****....




The thing I don't get though... is why the **** is HFCS & hygrogenated oils in EVERYTHING in this country? Why do they feel they have to add this edible GARBAGE to everything? You go to europe, and there's NONE. You go to mexico & canada... and there's NONE of it.

WTF is up with this fat-filled country?


It's sooo pathetic.

 

[clancy98]

ummm.... I'll take a leetera cola...

 

[punkassean]

They use hydrogenated oils because they are cheap to produce. The process of hydrogenation makes oil thicker and better suited to foods. Basically it makes cheap oil into olive oil property wise. It's all about the dollar man.

There are lots of PHO's in Mex. food All the Bimbo brand products etc are bleached white flour and PHO filled. We have destroyed their eating habits as well.

Luckily their is a big push to reduce this crap right now. Manufacturers are learning that people want healthier foods. There are more and more products showing up at stores with "Trans Fat Free" labels etc.I just shop mostly at Trader Joe's because it's cheap and healthier and then hit farmers market and if I do have to go to Safeway or wherever I always scrutinize the label.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

They use hydrogenated oils because they are cheap to produce. The process of hydrogenation makes oil thicker and better suited to foods. Basically it makes cheap oil into olive oil property wise. It's all about the dollar man.

There are lots of PHO's in Mex. food All the Bimbo brand products etc are bleached white flour and PHO filled. We have destroyed their eating habits as well.

Luckily their is a big push to reduce this crap right now. Manufacturers are learning that people want healthier foods. There are more and more products showing up at stores with "Trans Fat Free" labels etc.I just shop mostly at Trader Joe's because it's cheap and healthier and then hit farmers market and if I do have to go to Safeway or wherever I always scrutinize the label.

True - but why is there a need to put High Fructose Corn Syrup in everything?

When you go across the border into Canada, it has none of that. The food purchased in Japan, none of it. Would it really ruin Spaghetti Sauce all that much to leave the sugar out of it? What about chicken noodle soup? Or 100% fruit juice? If I go to the healthy section of my uber all natural hippy food store I can find products that don't contain this...

My rule these days is if the label contains fructose, fructose corn syrup, sugar, high fructose, or any other words that are the equivalent of sugar, and the food is not intended to be sweet, then I simply don't buy. I'm also finding that sometimes it's about the equivalent cost wise to simply make all my food. Today's lunch is a homemade roasted lamb barley stew.

My chubby coworkers have a tendency to hover around the microwave when I cook to see what other oddities I'm eating and go "ewww" that doesn't sound good...after going ..."that smells good..whatcha eatin today jen?"

 

[punkassean]

I don't know as much about corn syrup but I think it is cheaper than using something natural to sweeten. I also think the reason a sweetener is in pasta sauce or whatever is because the non-organic fruits and vegetables being used in those products are waaay under-ripened and bloated with water so they need something to make it taste decent.

Cheap meats are injected with saline to add bulk and weight. I read a scary article about that recently. Some company was injecting pork and beef byproducts into chicken and doing so in a manner that it was virtually undetectable.

Your story about coworkers is all too familiar! Luckily now I work in a small office with only three coworkers who are all close friends.

 

[BigHit-Maniac]

Yeah... about the HFCS... it's so damned bad that they even add it to WHEAT BREAD.

It completely defeats the purpose of wheat bread...

I remember going to Germany.... I seriously lost 25 pounds in 3 weeks... from doing nothing but eating their food, and walking everywhere. I came back and NONE of my clothes fit! It was great!


But nooooooooooo... stupid America... has to put HFCS in *everything* and then put hydrogenated oils in everything. EEEEEWWW BAD.

 

[Snacks]

Cheap meats are injected with saline to add bulk and weight. I read a scary article about that recently. Some company was injecting pork and beef byproducts into chicken and doing so in a manner that it was virtually undetectable.

How do you know this? I'm not saying I don't believe this, but do you have a news source or link for this information.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

Hey wow, this just came out in time for the thread:
http://www.comcast.net/News/HEALTHWELLNESS//XML/1500_Health__medical/853b359e-5ebb-4aa1-ae00-c6a2b68f1cb7.html
Hardee's Monster Burger Creates Uproar
Tue Dec 7, 5:03 AM
By JIM SUHR, AP Business Writer

ST. LOUIS - At 1,420 calories and 107 grams of fat, Hardee's Monster Thickburger couldn't escape notice in these diet-conscious times. Or the jabs of late-night talk show hosts.

Just a day after the Monster's rollout Nov. 15, Jay Leno quipped on "The Tonight Show" that the megaburger "actually comes in a little cardboard box shaped like a coffin." On David Letterman's "Late Show," an actor playing the chief of Hardee's corporate parent, CKE Restaurants Inc., in a sketch clutched his chest, then keeled over when asked of any health risks of a burger that size.

Media outlets from Japan, Spain, England, France and Australia have reported about the Monster.

"I don't think any of us anticipated anything like the media uproar we've seen," says Andy Puzder, the real president and CEO of California-based CKE.

But the word-of mouth advertising, coming on top of a new ad campaign, has had just the impact the company wanted. People have just had to try the Monster. All of it.

"You can certainly say it exceeded all my expectations," Puzder said of sales, although he declined to offer specifics.

The fuss is all about a super-supersized burger _ two 1/3-pound slabs of all-Angus beef, four strips of bacon, three slices of cheese and mayonnaise on a buttered sesame seed bun. The sandwich alone sells for $5.49, or $7.09 with fries and a soda. The combo packs more calories and fat than most people should get in a day.

A Monster Thickburger bought by a reporter Monday at a St. Louis Hardee's was presented appealingly enough, wrapped neatly in light paper and standing a whopping 2 1/2 inches tall inside a box. But the double-pattied behemoth, bought as part of combo with French fries and a drink, stretched the mouth and stomach, too much for the reporter to absorb in one sitting.

Hardee's timing is interesting; McDonald's, Wendy's and other rival fast-food giants are offering salads and other lower-calorie fare. But Hardee's appears comfortable staking its future _ at least near-term _ on gargantuan burgers.

Hardee's already was offering five sandwiches with 1,000 calories or more, and eight overall that have more calories than what was once the big-burger standard _ the 560-calorie Big Mac.

Still, the company has plenty of competition when it comes to big-calorie sandwiches. According to the corporate Web sites of the larger fast-food chains, the Double Quarter Pounder with cheese at McDonald's has 730 calories and 40 grams of fat, the Burger King Double Whopper with cheese (1,060 calories, 69 grams of fat), and the Wendy's Classic Triple with cheese (940 and 56).

"Not every product has to be aimed at the health-conscious," Puzder said, noting that since the introduction of the Thickburger family in April 2003, sales for the 2,067-restaurant chain have risen steadily.

Though CKE fell to a loss in the second-quarter ending Aug. 9 _ given charges for settlement reserves and debt refinancing _ the company said sales at its Hardee's and the Carl's Jr. chains rose in the four weeks ended Nov. 1 for the 17th straight reporting period.

Edwin Depke, 80, a retired box company worker who has long loved the Thickburgers, was won over by the Monster at a St. Louis Hardee's.

Calories schmalories, he said.

"They're big and thick, with all the trimmings," Depke said. "You don't have to worry about all bun and no meat."

"They're really good. Eat one, and you don't have to worry about another. It's a meal."

Still, many have questioned Hardee's approach at a time when airlines say America's growing waistlines are hurting their bottom lines, costing them more in fuel.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based advocate for nutrition and health, dubbed the Thickburgers "food porn," the Monster "the fast-food equivalent of a snuff film."

"At a time of rampant heart disease and obesity, it is the height of corporate irresponsibility for a major chain to peddle a 1,420-calorie sandwich," the center said.

Lighten up, others say.

"Let the food puritans say what they will," the Star Tribune of Minneapolis said in an editorial. "There's nothing really wrong with counting the occasional juicy burger among life's simple pleasures."

"The promotional campaign has relied so heavily on humor that it seems possible to take the Monster Thickburger itself as kind of a goof on the fast-food industry's belated and rather lame, lawsuit-driven trend toward healthier menu choices," the newspaper said, asking "does anyone who savors a good green salad really think McDonald's or Subway is the place to go?"

Chase Squires, a St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reporter, tried the Monster Thickburger and found it "kind of mushy," opining in a column Nov. 23 that there were healthier food options. Holiday air travelers, he suggested, should go lighter on the airlines and "have a stick of butter instead. That has only 800 calories and 88 grams of fat. We could always wrap it in bacon."

Puzder has the stomach for such dissent.

"We want Hardee's to be known as the place for big, juicy, decadent burgers," he says. "Every time (comics or critics) come out with something, it helps us advance the impression of the brand. This all helps."

 

[Toshi]

"Let the food puritans say what they will," the Star Tribune of Minneapolis said in an editorial. "There's nothing really wrong with counting the occasional juicy burger among life's simple pleasures."

"The promotional campaign has relied so heavily on humor that it seems possible to take the Monster Thickburger itself as kind of a goof on the fast-food industry's belated and rather lame, lawsuit-driven trend toward healthier menu choices," the newspaper said, asking "does anyone who savors a good green salad really think McDonald's or Subway is the place to go?"

Chase Squires, a St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times reporter, tried the Monster Thickburger and found it "kind of mushy," opining in a column Nov. 23 that there were healthier food options. Holiday air travelers, he suggested, should go lighter on the airlines and "have a stick of butter instead. That has only 800 calories and 88 grams of fat. We could always wrap it in bacon."

i'm with the "lighten up" crowd. sounds like that 80 year old guy was the kind to snarf two big macs anyway. now he just has to eat one burger to satisfy his daily beef-parts quota.

 

[Snacks]

"Let the food puritans say what they will," the Star Tribune of Minneapolis said in an editorial. "There's nothing really wrong with counting the occasional juicy burger among life's simple pleasures."

I agree, there is nothing wrong with the occasional indulgence in ‘bad’ food, but how many American’s really know the meaning of moderation?

 

[Silver]

True - but why is there a need to put High Fructose Corn Syrup in everything?

Sugar tariffs. It's cheaper.

(I love sugar coke...the stuff here just doesn't taste right. One more reason to leave the US periodically )

 

[binary visions]

Holiday air travelers, he suggested, should go lighter on the airlines and "have a stick of butter instead. That has only 800 calories and 88 grams of fat. We could always wrap it in bacon."

"As long as you live under my roof you'll do what I do and believe what I believe! Now butter up that bacon!"
~Homer

 

[clancy98]

seriously tell us (or me) more about what stuff in Canada they don't put sugar in... I seriously had no idea! Thats so strange!

 

[-dustin]

woah, $5.55 large pepperoni pizzas at Little Ceaser's just a block away. that is so deadly during finals.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

seriously tell us (or me) more about what stuff in Canada they don't put sugar in... I seriously had no idea! Thats so strange!

The tenor of your sentence makes me think you're being sarcastic. I use Canada as an example because it's close to home and I'm there frequently and can do direct comparisons between what's in the Superstore up there and my local grocery stores.

If you're not being sarcastic...sorry.

 

[Jr_Bullit]

woah, $5.55 large pepperoni pizzas at Little Ceaser's just a block away. that is so deadly during finals.

I remember those days - finals, pizza, coffee, and a big bag of M&Ms. Mmmmm - so tasty and so...well...addictive at 2am over a history paper

 

[narlus]

I remember going to Germany.... I seriously lost 25 pounds in 3 weeks... from doing nothing but eating their food, and walking everywhere. I came back and NONE of my clothes fit! It was great!

i hear you, only unfortunately i've gone the reverse. since moving back from ireland, i bet i've gained 5-10 lbs in the last 3 months...haven't changed my eating habits really, but this country is so damned reliant on a car it's crazy. i hardly ever walk in my day to day activities anymore...it's sad.

 

[biggins]

mmmmmm just finished a double whopper with cheese no lettuce tomato or onions. no fries or soda however. the funny thing is that i walk to lunch. if a coworker goes to burger king for lunch they usually drive there. its under a 1/4 mile. pull out of the parking lot into heavy traffic, wait 3 light cycles to make a u-turn. wait 3 light cycles to turn onto the road that BK is on. wait in the drve-thru then park as close to the building as possible when they return.

 

[dan-o]

i hear you, only unfortunately i've gone the reverse. since moving back from ireland, i bet i've gained 5-10 lbs in the last 3 months...haven't changed my eating habits really

Narlus, same thing happened to me after moving back from EU but I got back to normal pretty quickly through riding and not eating processed crap, which is much more prevelant here than overseas.

 

[-dustin]

i didn't care to start a new thread about this so i'm posting here...

in a class i'm taking that focuses on American culture, we read Fast Food Nation. as part of a pseudo-assignment, some folks are asked to comment on the readings and such. 90% of the people who commented focused on McDonald's' serving of unhealthy food, making people "Mcfatter" (the whole Mc___ thing was used way too much in these write-ups; McFatter, McNation, McFat, McWorld, McShutthe****upitsnotfunny). god damn that's annoying. their comments make is seem as though McDonald's is forcing us to eat their food. we apparently have no control over where we eat...we all give in to McDonald's' subliminal messaging. one person went so far as to say "you run the risk of poisoning yourself". no ****?

 

[LordOpie]

their comments make is seem as though McDonald's is forcing us to eat their food.

true, but I think the point of the books and movies is to point out that there's a form of chemical dependency on that type of food between the fats and salts and such.

 

[Changleen]

And whenever you go past a McDs that's open, there's ALWAYS a bunch of people in there.

 

[Changleen]

It was pretty amazing to me when I lived in the US the amount that food generally is tampered with. Not only HFCS which is indeed in nearly everything in the US and nothing in most other places in the world, but here are a some other things which were 'different' from my Euro norm:

1) Meat with stuff injected in it. OK so when you buy chicken breast or steak, or anything like that in the US in most any normal store there are 'ingrediants' on it. WTF? The rest of the world just cuts up the animal and sells it. I recall reading with horror what had been injected into chicken breasts especially. Not only that but it's 'normal' to feed beef growth hormone, and to raise chickens so that they're all meat and no bone. When I buy fresh chicken here, the bones are chunky and strong. I've 'accidentally' bitten through chicken bones in the states.

2) Pasta and other wheat based products. Again with an ingrediants list as long as your arm! I understand adding Iron and a couple of vitamins for pregnant women (although no-one else does it) but that's not all. I don't even know what half the other stuff is.

3) Bread. Bread should not last 7+ days. It's wrong. Nice bread lasts for a day or two tops. It's almost a living product. Good french bread starts togo stale after just a few hours. What have they done to it to stop that happening? I'm not sure I want to know.

And I was also suprised at how much Soda people actually drink. 2 x 64oz cups a day? How can that be healthy? 'Oh, it's diet' - yeah because Aspartine is great for you too!

It really doesn't suprise me that Cancer is so prevalent these days with the amount of crap we put in ourselves.

 

[beestiboy]

Another point I think the McDude was trying to point out was that McD's is huge, feeding millions of people all the while knowing it's food is horrible for you. Kinda like cigarette companies.

But is it McDonalds job to provide us a healthy alternative??? If you live in america even the poorest of neighborhoods and you dont know that Fast Food and Cigarettes are bad for you...shame on you and your parents.

When I go to taco bell (I personally boycott McD's way before supersize me too!) I know the food I am about to ingest is not by any stretch of the imagination good for me. None the less I enjoy the taste and at times it is convienient. I try to limit fastfood to 2-3 times a month but sometimes it just doesnt seem like there is another alternative.(i know there is but im lazy so there!).

 

[LordOpie]

It was pretty amazing to me when I lived in the US the amount that food generally is tampered with. Not only HFCS which is indeed in nearly everything in the US and nothing in most other places in the world, but here are a some other things which were 'different' from my Euro norm:

1) Meat with stuff injected in it. OK so when you buy chicken breast or steak, or anything like that in the US in most any normal store there are 'ingrediants' on it. WTF? The rest of the world just cuts up the animal and sells it. I recall reading with horror what had been injected into chicken breasts especially. Not only that but it's 'normal' to feed beef growth hormone, and to raise chickens so that they're all meat and no bone. When I buy fresh chicken here, the bones are chunky and strong. I've 'accidentally' bitten through chicken bones in the states.

2) Pasta and other wheat based products. Again with an ingrediants list as long as your arm! I understand adding Iron and a couple of vitamins for pregnant women (although no-one else does it) but that's not all. I don't even know what half the other stuff is.

3) Bread. Bread should not last 7+ days. It's wrong. Nice bread lasts for a day or two tops. It's almost a living product. Good french bread starts togo stale after just a few hours. What have they done to it to stop that happening? I'm not sure I want to know.

And I was also suprised at how much Soda people actually drink. 2 x 64oz cups a day? How can that be healthy? 'Oh, it's diet' - yeah because Aspartine is great for you too!

It really doesn't suprise me that Cancer is so prevalent these days with the amount of crap we put in ourselves.

QFE

(quote for emphasis)

Especially HFCS... just evil.

 

[narlus]

definitely agree on the US bread. it's alien.

 

[Echo]

we all give in to McDonald's' subliminal messaging.

Not all of us.

 

[narlus]

Not all of us.

you just wait for the McTofu w/ XTREEM sprouts.

 

[Pau11y]

I think I eat at McDs about once a year, just to keep the hormesis (I think that's the word...bigger return w/ a small bit of negative input vs. strictly good input...).

Edit: yup, hormesis: "An effect where a toxic substance acts like a stimulant in small doses, but it is an inhibitor in large doses." (dictionary.com)

 

[reflux]

I think I eat at McDs about once a year, just to keep the hormesis (I think that's the word...bigger return w/ a small bit of negative input vs. strictly good input...).

Edit: yup, hormesis: "An effect where a toxic substance acts like a stimulant in small doses, but it is an inhibitor in large doses." (dictionary.com)

I eat it about once a year just to keep it real. Do you remember those McDonald's commercials earlier this year where they had street ballers eating Quarter Pounders and proceeding to 'ball? Yeah, that's when I realized I hadn't been keeping it real.




Seriously though, when there's NO other option available I'll eat the sugar cookies, but everything else at McDonald's makes me feel ill.