Obesity is a problem both sides of the ocean . Looking at stats from UK and America
It’s a problem in general really
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I’m on one Mups … and as a rule the Americans on there do as much bashing of their own countries faults as we do on here about British politicians or social problems.
I quite like reading their views as on their own territory they don’t feel the need to ‘defend’ or patriotically strut about singing ‘God Save America’ …
They can Brit bash at times … but that was the point I was making earlier. If you’re in the minority on any forum you tend to be a little sensitive or defensive if only because you are outnumbered.
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Zulu, what an interesting career! I have been deep diving into the biochemistry of metabolism lately, and find it fascinating. For example, the play is between genetic transcription/translation - and critical micronutrients and hormones is incredible! (For example, I just read about how Wilson’s disease is a genetic defect that results in the buildup of copper in the brain and liver - which can cause liver failure, weight loss, and debilitating psychiatric symptoms.) The chemistry of eating is fascinating. Could it be that as we have fortified more foods, while nutrients by removing them in processing, we are fouling up metabolism in some way? Do genes drive the the hunger hormones, leptin and ghrelin in certain groups of people (think Pacific Islanders with the highest obesity rates) more than others?
In the video on the government’s intervention on diet, claims of Eisenhower’s program impact on weight trends also perfectly coincided with his mass program to build highway interstate system throughout the US. As road miles have increased, so has our weight. With those road miles came more cars, more restaurants, more (and bigger) grocery stores, bigger refrigerators, and bigger incomes. How much of our weight gain is biochemistry (food processing and metabolism) and how much is environmental (convenience, advertising, social pressure)?
Who knows! All I know is that could use a snack about now 
.
Most kind of those of you who voiced concern that the topic might be offensive 
. No offense taken. Good thing. If my feelings were more hurt, I might salve my broken heart with those chocolate chip crisp cookies sitting in the pantry right now. 
. (Now that will blow some minds on both sides of the pond - crisps, cookies, chips… 
)
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I’m not saying everyone who owns a mobile phone or has central heating is obese Muddy. You are missing the point. I’m saying that in those days food took a large part of your earnings and now it doesn’t. Nobody would have been able to own a mobile phone or central heating in the fifties even if they had been available. Just like nobody took foreign holidays either. Food was high on the list of priorities, but now it comes somewhere below owning a smartphone or buying movies off netflix. Like I said…money has lost it’s value, people get paid too much, and there is far too much credit…
That’s is the most illogical answer .
Poor people are the most likely to be obese .
They are often not working at all so won’t have plenty of money .
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I give up…
Is anybody really poor now Muddy, when they wear all the designer clothes with a smartphone tucked inside their back pocket and weigh 20 stone?
I have not seen a 20 stone person wearing designer clothes lately if ever .
Can you recognise designer clothes?
They might well come from primark…
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Putting my Pedant Hat on, may I suggest that it is for the Consumer to decide what to put in one’s gob?
The sellers are just tempting the consumer to buy from them and make the portions part of the argument!
You don’t live in South Yorkshire (obviously) do you Muddy…
Thank The Lord no
Born in Lancashire ( where the great are born ) 
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Hey OGF…that sign is “ man made” 
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So is God pauline…
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He told me you were gonna say that…
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I’ve never been to America but my neighbour went a few years ago.she is about a size 18 and always worries about her weight. She said she felt positively skinny out there especially when she went into stores and saw the sizes that things like jeans went up to!
My son went for work purposes and all his hotel expenses were paid. the waitresses kept asking him if he was sure that was ALL he wanted for breakfast because he just chose something like toast and bacon and tomatoes. He said even at 8 am people had their plates piled high.
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Driving everywhere likely contributes. When we went to Texas in the late 80s we were told that we shouldn’t go for a walk to town because people would think we are weird. Everyone drove everywhere. We did go for a walk and it was a strange experience.
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“all you can eat” buffets were very popular last time I was there. Also so many people have take out for dinner instead of doing their own cooking. Ordering popcorn at the cinema they had a special dispenser to pour about a gallon of melted butter over it. Delicious but it all adds up.
Having said that I was driving past KFC and McD’s on Sat evening last weekend and there were queues of traffic for the drive through. Clearly the habit is also taking off over here. Unbelievable that a family meal would be replaced with junk food. Deep fried chicken has to be one of the least healthy food options.
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The clutch a coffee cup doesn’t help either why does everyone feel the need to buy coffee can’t they go to the shops without a huge paper flagon of coffee in their hands?
Then there are the huge boxes of donuts ( I thought only American detectives ate these ) 
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Our US friends had coffee and doughnuts at the office for breakfast. I thought it a very decadent start to the day.
But in terms of coffee they were just saying yesterday that having three cups = longer life.
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It might but if it’s 90% milk that rather defeats the purpose .
Adult humans have no need to drink milk at all !
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