Originally posted by ianpickeringNow I'm sorry, I'm gonna come out with it now: you don't like Americans much do you?
Is it true that recently many American sports stadiums have had to widen the turnstyles because more and more people are becoming obese and were getting stuck in them? (This must be true because I read it in the Times newspaper)
Your points are all valid enough, but you're not going to get much of a transatlantic audience while sounding so blantatly prejudiced.
Rich.
Originally posted by fearlessleaderI don't think that's true. I remember reading a study which said that the US had the 2nd highest percentage of overweight people, but I think it was less than 50%. (anyone care to guess which country had the highest percentage?)
i wouldn't be suprised, americans in general are fat.
Originally posted by richhoeyJust testing out your sense of humour. The ability to laugh at yourself is the sign of a mature and confident population. Come on - the Americans have given the world many great things, but fast food isn't one of them. The fact that most major cities in the world have a Mcdonalds is an outrage! Don't you agree?
Now I'm sorry, I'm gonna come out with it now: you don't like Americans much do you?
Your points are all valid enough, but you're not going to get much of a transatlantic audience while sounding so blantatly prejudiced.
Rich.
Originally posted by richjohnsonThe Australian Institute of Health and Welfare estimated that 3.3 million people in Australia are obese, and 5.6 million merely overweight, making a total of nearly nine million. Australia's population is just over 19 million.
I don't think that's true. I remember reading a study which said that the US had the 2nd highest percentage of overweight people, but I think it was less than 50%. (anyone care to guess which country had the highest percentage?)
Among men, 58 percent were too fat, it said.
Paul Magnus, the institute's medical adviser, said Australia risked following the path set by the world's fattest nation, the United States.
"In terms of obesity and overweight we are now at the point where the US was in 1995," he said. "We shouldn't allow ourselves to go down the same path."
We here in Britain should not laugh. Although the Americans do currently have the biggest obesity problem in the world, Britain is coming in second and catching fast. If nothing is done soon, by roughly 2010 over half of all under 16s will be obese to the point where it seriously damages their health. Quite frankly, this scares the crap out of me. But what is to blame? Fast food? Computer Games? Lack of exercise? High salt and sugar contents? As with most things it's probably a combination of all these things.
The most interesting article I have read regarding this was in The Times a couple of months ago, and highlighted the "class" differences concerning weight. The gist was basically during Victorian times being of a portly nature suggested that you were wealthy enough to afford more than enough food than was ctually necessary (i.e. the middle classes), whilst poorer people only had enough food to keep them going. Nowadays, however, the most unhelathy foods are often the cheapest - i.e heavily processed with high sugar/salt contents etc - and it is mainly the "working" classes who purchase such foods and have weight problems. In response, the middle classes, in order to distance themselves from the lower classes, have adopted the view that they are wealthy enough and have the time/inclination to adopt a healthier lifestyle through purchasing fresh/organic food and paying for gym membership etc.
Not sure how true the article was, but it certainly provoked a few thoughts in the old grey matter
Mark
- Joined
- 20 Feb 02
- Moves
- 58336
Originally posted by richjohnsonSamoa?
I don't think that's true. I remember reading a study which said that the US had the 2nd highest percentage of overweight people, but I think it was less than 50%. (anyone care to guess which country had the highest percentage?)
Originally posted by richjohnsonFirst instinct was Italy because they love their food, and being fat is more acceptable. But no. 1 is probably one of the small islands where obesity is still seen as a measure of your wealth & importance.
I don't think that's true. I remember reading a study which said that the US had the 2nd highest percentage of overweight people, but I think it was less than 50%. (anyone care to guess which country had the highest percentage?)
~60% of the population is overweight, and a large portion of this is obese
you'll probably find that the other 40% consists of people with eating disorders, an addiction to excersize, or below the poverty line & can't afford enough food to get fat.
Worrying? No. There's always something that society does to excess that is health detremental. At the moment the most common is overeating, but there is over drinking, smoking, working which still harm us but are on the decline (or less of an incline) because they are unfashionable. After the next generations see how many people have had shyte (& short) lives due to obesity it'll come under control again, just in time for the next unhealthy excess to take over.
i'm called skinny. but for my height, i'm about the weight i should be...
and scotlands got the highest rate of heart disease in the world. not surprising really, when you think of all the 12 year olds i know that smoke, and the number of chippies that my friends eat...*cough* jacko *cough*
but the real question is...why? why do they eat all these chippies, and the english people don't etc?
- Joined
- 20 Feb 02
- Moves
- 58336
Originally posted by geniusWhen I lived in Scotland you always had a Sausage Supper if you were pissed when the pub closed, I think in England there are more alternatives - none of which are particually healthier, but lets face it given the choice in England its a Donner or a Curry. Also Scottish chippies cook in lard, although tastier, especially on steak pies, is a far unhealfier way of cooking than in the south of England where they use oil.
but the real question is...why? why do they eat all these chippies, and the english people don't etc?
Andrew
Originally posted by ianpickeringIt is easy to laugh at one's self... but that has nothing to do with someone a thousand miles away slinging crap.
Just testing out your sense of humour. The ability to laugh at yourself is the sign of a mature and confident population. Come on - the Americans have given the world many great things, but fast food isn't one of them. The fact that ...[text shortened]... ies in the world have a Mcdonalds is an outrage! Don't you agree?
P-
Originally posted by ianpickeringagreed! but let's not forget most major cities have many mcdonalds and let's not forget the burger kings, wendys, kfcs etc
The fact that most major cities in the world have a Mcdonalds is an outrage! Don't you agree?
the real outrage though is that people continue to accept this sort of stuff, partly because of the 'convenience' and partly because of the enormous propaganda campaigns behind them (that dwarf even the political ones). and of course, if you speak up you can get sued - eg the mclibel case http://www.mcspotlight.org/case/ 😲
well, i suppose it is one way to remove all political boundaries and misguided nationalistic fervour and unite the planet in the utopia under the golden arches 😀
in friendship,
prad
Originally posted by ianpickeringOf course I agree! But then I'm not American. I'm from Birmingham (and I'm not talking Alabama here).
Just testing out your sense of humour. The ability to laugh at yourself is the sign of a mature and confident population. Come on - the Americans have given the world many great things, but fast food isn't one of them. The fact that most major cities in the world have a Mcdonalds is an outrage! Don't you agree?
Your persistance just amused me, that's all.
Rich.
Originally posted by belgianfreakForgive me if I've understood this wrong, but are you saying that people who are not overweight must have eating disorders, addiction to exercise, etc?
~60% of the population is overweight, and a large portion of this is obese
you'll probably find that the other 40% consists of people with eating disorders, an addiction to excersize, or below the poverty line & can't afford enough food to get fat.
If so, that is just wrong.
I used to think I was normal to skinny (6ft/1.83m and 65kg/10st) but if 60% is overweight, I guess being overweight is now normal...