Over 2/3rds of Oklahomans to be obese by 2030

[cvsooner]

Wow. I mean, just wow. Right there with Mississippi, if this study proves to be accurate.

http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/interactives/tfah.html

http://www.rwjf.org/en/about-rwjf/newsroom/newsroom-content/2012/09/new-report-finds-adult-obesity-rates-could-exceed-60-percent-in-13-states-by-2030.html

[8timechamps]

I always wonder about the term "obese". According to a standard BMI calculation, I am considered "overweight". I'm not even close to being overweight. I know they have to set parameters for the studies, but when I think obese, I think Discovery channel, worlds fattest man. That's probably a little unrealistic.

[Mississippi Sooner]

I always wonder about the term "obese". According to a standard BMI calculation, I am considered "overweight". I'm not even close to being overweight. I know they have to set parameters for the studies, but when I think obese, I think Discovery channel, worlds fattest man. That's probably a little unrealistic.

Agree. I'm 6'-4", and according to every BMI calculator I've seen, I'm supposed to weigh no more than 200 pounds. Well, I have pictures of me when I was in my early 20s and only weighed about 200 pounds. I looked like a stick figure.

[cvsooner]

I live out of state but when I return home to visit relatives I am always amazed at how unfit Oklahomans are since I left in 1979.

[marfacowboy]

lawh....well, I guess the cafeterias are doing a brisk business with meat and three's.
One of the basic problems starts with kid at home. And it's not just nutrition. It's playing outside. Get 'em off the damn gadgets and get their asses outside. I'd play outside all day and have to be forced to come in for dinner. Then again, I'm old enough to remember playing marbles and jacks.

[SunnySooner]

As someone who's lived all over, there's obesity EVERYWHERE in the US. Worse in southern states, especially those with high poverty? Yeah, but not by much. The Northeast, the Pac West, Florida, and HAWAII...Good Lowered, it was bad there 15 years ago, when I was there last, 5 or so years ago...it was worse.

It's not a surprise after so many years of humanity living with feast or famine that in times of constant feast, our "EAT!EAT!EAT!EAT!" genes don't know when to shut the hell up.

What's surprising, is in that same environment, as of now, about 40% of us are NOT overweight or obese. WHY?!?!? Didn't we come down from those same ancestors who so successfully navigated those feast/famine issues? How is it that 40% of the population, literally MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people are able to live around all of these same constant food triggers, and NOT eat too much? And don't tell me it's exercise and willpower...I never work out, yet I'm almost the same weight as in college, toward the lower end of "normal" for my 40+ years, and I have 2 kids. For me? I don't eat very much. At all. Not really on purpose, I just don't get that hungry, and I often have a hard time finding foods that sound appealing on a given day. I usually eat one "meal", 500 calories maybe, then 2 or 3 small snacks, often fruit or a granola bar thingy. And almost never any red meat, again not on purpose, I grew up on it. It just doesn't sound good to me anymore. My mother-in-law is even more this way, I look like an Amazon next to her, I call her a Keebler Elf. She weighs about 96 lbs. at 5'2", and often struggles to maintain even that. She doesn't eat much, either, unless there's fried catfish, then all bets are off.

So, my question is, why am I and millions like me like this, and why can't we isolate whatever that is, put it in a shot or a pill or a gene therapy and POOF! cure obesity?!?!? Is it all a conspiracy to keep us fat and sick, keeping Big Pharma and hospitals in business...mmm, I think not. IDK, maybe Monsanto is behind it all, that is an awful lot of corn and soy growing out there. No govt. $$ in broccoli, that's for sure.

Scientist types...theories?

[badger]

Scientist types...theories?
I'm not a science type, but I do remember reading somewhere that new diet drug approvals have been scarce lately.

As a nursing mom, I have a built-in mechanism to thwart the fatty for the next few months. After that, I will be chasing a lively Baby Badger everywhere. NP and I have already discussed cutting out the cable eventually, so if there's no TV to ground everyone, we'll probably be chasing Baby Badger everywhere :)

[MamaMia]

I'm 5'5 and wear a size 12 to 14. I sure wouldn't call that obese, but the height/weight chart on line does. :(

[cleller]

I'm sure glad I grew up in during a time before all this obesity hit. What a drag.

[C&CDean]

Dr. Pepper? Check. McDonald's Happy Meal? Check. Video games? Check.

That right there's your answer. We're starting them out fat early these days and it just continues on into adulthood. Junior won't eat his veggies? Shove some french fries in his face to shut him up - and make sure you get a 44-ounce Dr. Pepper to wash them down with.

[olevetonahill]

Dr. Pepper? Check. McDonald's Happy Meal? Check. Video games? Check.

That right there's your answer. We're starting them out fat early these days and it just continues on into adulthood. Junior won't eat his veggies? Shove some french fries in his face to shut him up - and make sure you get a 44-ounce Dr. Pepper to wash them down with.

Make em go outside to play and get yerass arrested for Child endangerment ? Check

[tator]

My opinion:

Food technology advances and more disposable income have made more convenient availability of foods that used to be a treat. However, with the extra availability, most people don't consider the fact that these things are not ok if consumed in excess. There's nothing wrong with eating McDonald's once a month. There's something definitely wrong with eating McDonald's 3 times a week. Society used to look forward to certain things as treats, ie: soda shop. Now society, in general, wants to be treated all the time.

There's also the shift in the average family's home life, where the breakfast and dinner table are not the gathering point that they used to be. Now we live such a busy lifestyle, that we just don't make time for that (most people).

[tator]

I don't think these things are unique to Oklahoma, though.

[Flagstaffsooner]

Its SF.com's fault.

I give you Olevet...

http://home.mchsi.com/~the_reaper/fat.jpg