New Fat Study Paints Ugly Picture Of Obesity In America (VIDEO)

A study released this week paints an abysmal picture of how America's obesity epidemic continues to boom.

Colorado is now the only state in the nation with an obesity rate of less than 20 percent of the population -- but just barely, with a rate of 19.8 percent, according to the study by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Those same numbers now considered the lowest in the country would have been the highest end of the scale just 15 years ago.

Watch:

Comments

[DavidMG]

01:39 PM on 07/11/2011

Anyone interested in finding fast or slow vegetarian/healthy places to eat should take a look at the new edition of “Healthy Highways: The Traveler's Guide to Healthy Eating.” It includes 2800 listings of healthy eateries throughout the US

[Sarah Glatz Huggins]

09:52 AM on 07/11/2011

Food addiction can't be cured by telling people how many calories are in something or changing the marketing. When an addict needs his or her drug, they will go to any lengths to get it. Food addiction is no less serious than drug addictions and should be treated as such. Rehabilitation should be considered. Seriously...do you think that telling people how much alcohol is in the drink or marketing drinks with lower alcohol content, or even making drinks with lower alcohol content cheaper will make alcoholics drink less. I think not. Same with food. Food addiction is an insidious disease and people should be treated accordingly for it - once people start to learn a new way of life, so will their children, etc.

[Tony Rovere]

07:19 PM on 07/10/2011

Does this surprise anyone?

We live a terrible lifestyle.

We eat awfully. We do not exercise. We take no time for ourselves.

And the saddest part is that these lessons are about to be visited, unfortunately, on our children.

Right now, 18%-20% of children under the age of 18 are obese. And people point to many reasons for this, such as advertising high fat foods to kids, spending time in front of the computer as opposed to going out to friends and socializing, etc...

But I have another reason...

The AWFUL role models they have to look at.

Do these kids see their parents taking the time to exercise? Do they see their parents eating right?

Of course not. And we wonder why we have a health care crisis in this country.

The solution to all of these problems is for parents to step up and be good role models.

Start to eat better, and your children will to...

Start to exercise, and your children will to...

Taking control of your health, and see how this country starts to lower its health care costs!

Warm Regards,

Tony Rovere
health-and-weight-loss-tips.com

[db025]

11:28 AM on 07/10/2011

When I first took my cholesterol in 1985 the guide was under 200. Today it's LDL less than 100 and HDL more than 33.

When I was in high school, 135# was acceptable weight for my frame. Today my kid is in high school, pumps iron, runs daily, and told by medical "experts" he is obese at 135#.

As long as people in lab coats who have never worked for a living (playing mad scientist is NOT work) tell us what is good and bad for us, they will never be satisfied. It's all about controlling your life.

And for what? They say "so you'll live longer and healthier," but what does that mean in the end? So some future "expert" can deny us medical care because we are beyond a "productive age" and a burden on society?

Screw these people! Live your life as you see fit. That's what they are doing. They want to control, that is how they see fit. You should be going to the river, beach, pool, and swimming, sunning, bbq-ing, and enjoying your life having fun as much as they enjoy their lives finding ways to make you feel bad about yourself.

[AgentNos]

02:20 PM on 07/21/2011

So...you think health experts telling us what could be bad for us, is trying to "control" us? No...it's called education. We can do what we want. They're just putting the information out there.

Just like they put out information about the dangers of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, second hand smoke, etc.

You may find this hard to believe, but the information out there is helpful..and it definitely saves lives. I've seen first hand, someone dying a slow painful death from lung cancer from smoking. It's devastating. If the warnings about smoking get the next person to never smoke, or quit, then it's all worth it.

[db025]

12:01 AM on 07/22/2011

I also have seen family and friends die in the most miserable and painful ways. When my grand dad died they said it was because he smoked and drank. That may have had something to do with it, as he did allow himself one cigar every evening as he had his two shots of homemade whiskey and his home brewed beer.

Personally, I think having worked in coal mines for more than 40 of his 93 years had more to do with it.

The fact that you choose to defend those who wish to run your life is living proof that you are already under their thumb. The "best known facts" change and they are changed by people who educate themselves beyond those in charge today. Reference the "expert" opinion on eggs in my original post.

The only "expert" that counts is the guy whose worst shot at 500 yards is a wart 9. All the others do is create mass confusion out of what should be simplicity.

[heldt666]

10:03 AM on 07/10/2011

If we can pass laws against second hand smoke why can't we pass laws against second hand fat? The laws against second hand smoke caused thousands to quit and more thousands to seek help in quitting. We put the spotlight on smokers and they became uncomfortable. If we put the spotlight on obesity maybe they will drop the excuse of "gland trouble, addiction, compulsive eating etc". People who care about their appearance and health should not subsidize bad behavior. All the whining and excuse making will not change the fact that overweight, in most cases, is a choice.

[slmshady1099]

12:32 AM on 07/10/2011

Actually contrary to the comments and through recent studies being fat is not a personal choice. In fact its been shown to stem from stress and its physical consequences in calorie/fat distribution. It was researched by a very good biologist Robert Sapolsky who currently conducts research at Stanford University. Its much to take in but its worth watching any of his lectures if you have the time.

The study concluded that stress levels were related to increased obesity and the likelihood of suffering from stress related illnesses ie: mental disorders, weight gain, diabetes, heart problems. It even found a correlation between stress and social standing or rank, after all we are currently in a hegemonic society. So it seems that our obesity epidemic may have less to do with diet but more from our stressful lives.

[heldt666]

11:00 AM on 07/10/2011

Hard to figure this one out:
Fat people eat and are stressed because they are fat.
If this professor Robert Sapolsky has lectures on the causes of obesity, how many obese people would be in the audience?
The act of bringing food to your mouth is a very conscious act, usually giving pleasure, normal people know when enough is enough.

[Alvarask]

02:39 AM on 07/13/2011

Wow. You a got a bit of a "judgmental" thing going on there...

[SW84]

08:52 AM on 07/12/2011

i searched Pubmed for this research and the only research paper that mentioned obesity was dealing with baboons and metabolic syndrome, nothing about humans

[lwothworld]

12:11 AM on 07/10/2011

Choosing an unhealthy life style is a personal choice. Those who choose to eat the wrong foods, smoke, use illegal drugs, abuse alcohol, etc. should not demand that those of us who work hard toward living healthy lives foot their medical bills. There should be a sliding scale as to how much financial assistance may be provided to individuals. The fatter you are, the less percentage of financial assistance you may receive.

[Alvarask]

02:43 AM on 07/13/2011

I think there should be a sliding scale on how much financial assistance you can receive if you're a judgmental SOB. Fortunately, neither of us are likely to get our wish. While there are a number of people out there who quite possibly don't give a damn about themselves and their weight, they are a distinct minority. The rest are people who did not CHOOSE to be fat...they merely suffer from the affliction of following the advice of the medical profession who know nothing about the subject. Conflating people who are TRYING to not gain weight with people who abuse drugs is irresponsible and incorrect.

[pjmducks6]

11:11 PM on 07/09/2011

Going through life fat, drunk and stupid....the American way of life!

[ellwood145]

11:09 PM on 07/09/2011

It must be jelly baby cuz jam don't shake like that
It must be jelly baby cuz jam don't shake like that
I'm in love I'm in love cuz my baby's so big and fat.

[UsedtobeAlongst]

11:02 PM on 07/09/2011

They must have been painting a picture of Michael Moore !

[rvheaney]

12:22 AM on 07/10/2011

Michael Moore OINK ,OINK

[jamesfnbond]

10:44 PM on 07/09/2011

What do mopeds and fat chicks have in common?.. There both fun to ride but you don't want your friends to see you on one.

[Mactan99]

10:43 PM on 07/09/2011

A problem with the number of fat people in America? NO, tell me it isn't so. The expains those little impact tremors I feel all of the time!

[jpatriot62]

10:31 PM on 07/09/2011

Probably start a fight with this one but the younger generations look weaker-etc-etc.

[heldt666]

12:32 PM on 07/10/2011

No fight with that. Younger people are weaker, no imagination [everything is planned for them], no outside life, unable to solve simple problems.
I try to get my teenagers to do simple things, it requires detailed instructions.
And they can't remember how to do it the next time.

[Heidi Dietrich]

05:42 PM on 07/10/2011

Well, if a child has no outside life, I would have to wonder what the parents are doing. When I was young, I had an outside life. We were always outside. I had marching band three days a week five days a week in the summer, park league in the summer five days a week, rode my bike around the neighborhood, was always skinny and remembered how to do things after I was taught once. We did laundry, cleaned the house, went to school, my sister was on the high school paper and the softball team. I was in orchestra and worked part time to put braces on my teeth. So, I wonder why aren't the parents kicking the kids outside to play? Or sending them to band and such? But then the kids in this age have to worry about pedophilia and things that never occurred to us when we were younger.

[jpatriot62]

08:07 PM on 07/10/2011

keep working with them. I can only speak for myself but you are the example for them.

[aphunkyphish]

10:29 PM on 07/09/2011

America got fat and will continue to be fat because times have changed and daily lifestyles are different. People eat out more (restaurant food) as opposed to home cooked meals, they eat processed,ready to eat prepared foods as opposed to wholesome natural food. America is fat because many of us call for service, rather than mow the lawn, clean the house, wash the family car. (The car that's driven everywhere instead of walking, even short distances-like to the gym or the nail salon). American kids are fat because they are in front of their computers or playing video games or texting while Mom and Dad are online or watching their favorite TV show.Kids do not get out to play as they did in summer from morning to night, for excercise. Little ones are in day care or "after care", not at play in the park, while Mom's at work. (But thank goodness for the safety of care centers for the Mom that has to work to survive in these times). Fast food, vending snacks, technology are all a part of the times that have changed. Even plain American zero calorie coffee changed to Mocha, Latte, Frappe. Not everyone in America went with the changes, but the ones that did got fat and will get fatter.

[jpatriot62]

11:05 PM on 07/09/2011

I was waiting for somebody to go a little distance with this. The change in culture does not look favorable to the younger generation. We wanted beter for our children-well there it is!

[jpatriot62]

10:25 PM on 07/09/2011

Self control-pride in your body- (SUBLIMINAL MESSAGES )-heredity-excuses. Bottom line is your choice.