Submitted by Darth_Kahuna t3_119g1t5 in science
Zestfullyclean87 t1_j9mqk63 wrote
Reply to comment by attackADS in Obesity can cause changes in the brain similar to Alzheimer's by Darth_Kahuna
Totally, nothing wrong with more education. But like a lot of things, if you want a real push, unfortunately it’s gonna take a lot more than that. We have to look at our culture and understand why we continue to engage in these eating behaviors despite negative consequences. I don’t have much of a solution there
attackADS t1_j9mt7e4 wrote
The why tends to be because the government simply incentives/subsidizes unhealthy, addictive foods, which keep foods that make people fat easily accessible, cheap, widespread, and very addicting. See high fructose corn syrup.
Not to be too simplistic, but the why we are fat is directly tied to modern American capitalism/food manufacturing being in bed with the federal government and keeping us fat and sedated rather than well nourished.
Educate enough people on those truths and maybe we can change the system.
PaurAmma t1_j9n6zum wrote
It's also a question of time. If you are working three jobs to break even, you may not have the time to cook your own food.
attackADS t1_j9n7r71 wrote
Which, again, is a direct consequence of large capitalism being in bed with the federal government and creating a society in which millions of civilians have to work 3 dead end jobs just to make ends meet and the only food options presented to them are unhealthy, ultra processed, over subsidized meals.
Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9oa0w1 wrote
78% of American society is overweight/obese w 43% being obese. 142 million Americans are not working 3 jobs, 80 hours a week thus causing them to be obese due to not having the ability to find time to cook. We find the time to do what is important. Once I started valuing my health I found the time to cook healthy meals despite working 50hrs a week w two young children. The avg American works 34 hours a week in total and the avg American is obese. The avg American has the time, resources, and ability to consume healthy foods if they choose to.
sweepinganhyzer t1_j9ojeu8 wrote
You can't individual choice your way out of systemic problems. If 78 percent of the population needs to change something, that requires a systemic response.
Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9okvzn wrote
You spoke nothing to my point and hand waived it away wo a rational rebuttal. You cannot say ppl do not make healthy choices bc they do not have time to do so due to working 80+ hours a week when < 5% of the population does this, >50% of the population works < 35 hours a week, and > 40% of the population is obese.
What to eat and how much to eat is a personal choice. Education can be done at the population level and is advisable, but, unless you are advocating a totalitarian answer where the government stipulates what you can or cannot eat or picks/chooses what is affordable and what is not, at the end of the day, it is personal choice.
Also, saying "78% of the population experiences this thus it is a systemic issue" is false. I live half the year in France and half in the US (duel citizen). France has ~10% obesity. Is it a personal choice issue in France and not systemic? At what point does it become systemic and why? What do you believe is a personal choice?
sweepinganhyzer t1_j9oo2e2 wrote
The regulatory climate on food is drastically different in Europe vs. America. Access to quality healthcare is more prevalent in Europe. Additives and ingredients commonly used in American food manufacturing that are designed to make foods more addictive are banned in Europe. Portion sizes are smaller. The type and frequency of advertising by the food industry is more heavily regulated. The financial incentives and subsidies given to the food industry are also different.
There will always be some amount of the population that is overweight for a myriad of reasons, and I'm not saying that individual choice has no impact. However, pretending that 78% of the population is just lazy and lacking will power is not going to fix this issue.
Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9oqht4 wrote
Did I say anyone was lazy or lacking willpower? I believe there could be more education, better regulation of additives, better regulation of ag, etc. etc. etc. There are EU/European nations w high and growing rates of obesity despite having all the aforementioned healthcare access, regulation, etc. The UK, Poland, Spain, Malta, and Ireland all have over 25% obesity rates and are growing.
It is a multivariate issue that, at the end of the day, rest on personal choice of individuals. It's like voting for a racist; there are many factors that go into why someone would actively support a racist, but, at the end of the day, each citizen is personally responsible for the vote they have cast. At the end of the day, each person is responsible for the consumption choices they make. It's your body, your health, and your life.
Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9o9m3w wrote
This is something that I hear often and 99% of society is not working so much they never have the time to make healthy meals. I have this challenge to anyone who says they do not have the time: Open the utility which tells you how much time you have spent on your phone the last week and on which app. See how much time you've spent on social media, gaming, drinking booze, smoking weed, driving to get food, etc. etc. etc. Every single time ppl who look at their phone alone show dozens of hours on it casting TV shows, social media, and gaming each week. I too thought I didn't have the time and learned that 99% of us have time to do the things we value. The person working 80 hours a week is an outlier.
Zestfullyclean87 t1_j9odooz wrote
I would argue that it’s easier to track your calories if your food is packaged.
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