Obesity rate map of Europe

[vavavroom]

It comes down to discipline and self-control. In societies that cherish instant-gratification, people more easily abandon longterm goals like good health/lifestyle in exchange for tickling the pleasure center right now. Have a burger, fries, and a bucket of Coke every day and stand around the gym once a week. Get a Fitbit so it will count the steps between the couch, fridge, and bathroom for you. That'll work.

 

[sleepery]

So true !

Get a Fitbit so it will count the steps between the couch, fridge, and bathroom for you.

 

[97prizm]

It's a marketing scam. HFCS is no worse than sugar. Don't think that eating something with no HFCS is healthier for you.

Actually wrong. Hfcs causes much faster blood sugar spikes than cane sugar or honey.
"In fact, there are large amounts of experimental data supporting the claims that high levels of fructose in the diet can cause hyperlipidemia (high levels of fats — triglycerides primarily — in the blood), obesity and insulin resistance and may lead to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (for a good recent review, see [1]). A high-fructose diet is thought to cause hyperlipidemia (and probably visceral obesity) because fructose is preferentially “sent” to fatty acid synthesis and it also reduces the activity of lipoprotein lipase."

A number of years ago tests were conducted with lab rats. One group were given pellets sweetened with hfcs the other cane sugar. The rats who consumed the hfcs pellets had TWICE the obesity rate vs cane sugar.

 

[Pablo]

Actually wrong. Hfcs causes much faster blood sugar spikes than cane sugar or honey.
"In fact, there are large amounts of experimental data supporting the claims that high levels of fructose in the diet can cause hyperlipidemia (high levels of fats — triglycerides primarily — in the blood), obesity and insulin resistance and may lead to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (for a good recent review, see [1]). A high-fructose diet is thought to cause hyperlipidemia (and probably visceral obesity) because fructose is preferentially “sent” to fatty acid synthesis and it also reduces the activity of lipoprotein lipase."

A number of years ago tests were conducted with lab rats. One group were given pellets sweetened with hfcs the other cane sugar. The rats who consumed the hfcs pellets had TWICE the obesity rate vs cane sugar.

Excellent. That junk can only be digested by the same body organ that handles toxins.

 

[kschachn]

It was years ago when I read it, but I recall an article saying that splitting up the sleep cycle is better for heart health and general awareness and activity. Instead of sleeping 8 hours at once, sleep was broken up into 4 hours at night (1-5 am) and 4 hours in the afternoon (1-5 pm). I didn't dig deeper into it though.

NASA did studies on this.

 

[Leo99]

Actually wrong. Hfcs causes much faster blood sugar spikes than cane sugar or honey.
"In fact, there are large amounts of experimental data supporting the claims that high levels of fructose in the diet can cause hyperlipidemia (high levels of fats — triglycerides primarily — in the blood), obesity and insulin resistance and may lead to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes (for a good recent review, see [1]). A high-fructose diet is thought to cause hyperlipidemia (and probably visceral obesity) because fructose is preferentially “sent” to fatty acid synthesis and it also reduces the activity of lipoprotein lipase."

A number of years ago tests were conducted with lab rats. One group were given pellets sweetened with hfcs the other cane sugar. The rats who consumed the hfcs pellets had TWICE the obesity rate vs cane sugar.

Here is a human study that says they are equivalent:

Conclusions: Daily intake of 50 g carbohydrate from honey, sucrose, or HFCS55 for 14 d resulted in similar effects on measures of glycemia, lipid metabolism, and inflammation. All 3 increased TG concentrations in both GT and IGT individuals and elevated glycemic and inflammatory responses in the latter. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01371266.

 

[JHZR2]

It was years ago when I read it, but I recall an article saying that splitting up the sleep cycle is better for heart health and general awareness and activity. Instead of sleeping 8 hours at once, sleep was broken up into 4 hours at night (1-5 am) and 4 hours in the afternoon (1-5 pm). I didn't dig deeper into it though.

Citation? I thought consistent sleep was more important…?

 

[JHZR2]

Walk through an Asian grocery. Get past all the raw foods and fish, and there is soooooooo much sweetener, artificial flavor, and other garbage additives and artificial flavor stuff that kids love. Ugh.

It’s hard to avoid a sweet tooth.

 

[MrGraybeard]

I have doubts about the accuracy of the information after seeing who funded the research.

Turks and Lebanese are 30% obese? Not buying it. Syrians 25%? The country has been a war zone for years.

 

[Owen Lucas]

The activity inequality and economic inequality likely effect one another as a better economic status allows one to afford a healthier lifestyle, and that healthier lifestyle promotes higher confidence and self-esteem to be more successful.

I don't believe health (obesity) status is dependent on economic status. There's an agenda when it comes to the less fortunate and making excuses for them to pass the blame due to their lack of control, laziness, and poor decision making.

Smart people will eat healthy, just happens a lot of smart people also make good decisions, are not lazy, will educate themselves and bring more value to society thus making more money. You don't need be rich to be smart enough to eat a salad vs McDonalds.

Lower economic status people tend to make a lot of mistakes and bad decisions which is why they are in a lower economic status. Same goes for driving records and credit reports reflecting these poor decisions, who's fault are those?

afford a healthier lifestyle, and that healthier lifestyle promotes higher confidence and self-esteem to be more successful

Walking is free and veggies are cheaper than fast food, welfare covers both gyms and food, which is designed to help the lower classes out of poverty. Just happens they live on it forever, eat crap food, and do not exercise beyond walking to the bus stop. So now there are excuses that this is an economic gap, no it's a brain / willpower gap. You can't welfare or spend your way out of that hole.

I know many people, including my self, that came from borderline poverty and we never were ashamed of being poor or let it bother us in anyway. It was motivational. We didn't always have batteries for our toys or have the latest things but it all turned out okay. My parents, mostly my mom, did the cooking and it was all healthy home made from scratch and on a tight budget. We never ate out. I can eat out every day now but I don't, I stick to horrible kale salads and bland lentil soups because I can see the future benefit.

Europe is definitely more equal society and that shows in health statistics.

Obesity is a function of calories in and genetics to a point. Exercise really doesn't make much of a dent.

How does equality make any difference here?

Europe being healthier has more to do with their culture of eating healthier and genetics. White people are not as genetically predispositioned to be obese as Latinos or African Americans, there are more white people in Europe. I bet if you proportionately transposed our Latino and Black obesity numbers into Europe you'd get a closer match to US obesity levels.

Eating healthy can happen at any income, even cheaper when the government pays for your groceries. One should understand that some people are more likely to become fatter than others when exposed to the same food. Evolutionary pressures of feast vs famine and ancestral diets are responsible for these genetics, not socioeconomic issues. This can be solved with willpower, which many can't handle, so they blame others.

Overweight & Obesity Statistics - NIDDK

Trends in overweight, obesity, and severe obesity for children, adolescents, and adults.

www.niddk.nih.gov

 

[y_p_w]

The few times I've been there it always seems that portions, especially protein, a lot smaller in Italy. This is in addition to the obvious fact that Italians still do a lot of walking/cycling.

That's the most obvious thing. I know a lot of Italians and they kind of marvel at portion sizes in the United States. The other thing is that culturally, it's not considered rude to not finish one's plate. If you're satisfied, there's not a guilt trip to eat more.

 

[edyvw]

I don't believe health (obesity) status is dependent on economic status. There's an agenda when it comes to the less fortunate and making excuses for them to pass the blame due to their lack of control, laziness, and poor decision making.

Smart people will eat healthy, just happens a lot of smart people also make good decisions, are not lazy, will educate themselves and bring more value to society thus making more money. You don't need be rich to be smart enough to eat a salad vs McDonalds.

Lower economic status people tend to make a lot of mistakes and bad decisions which is why they are in a lower economic status. Same goes for driving records and credit reports reflecting these poor decisions, who's fault are those?


Walking is free and veggies are cheaper than fast food, welfare covers both gyms and food, which is designed to help the lower classes out of poverty. Just happens they live on it forever, eat crap food, and do not exercise beyond walking to the bus stop. So now there are excuses that this is an economic gap, no it's a brain / willpower gap. You can't welfare or spend your way out of that hole.

I know many people, including my self, that came from borderline poverty and we never were ashamed of being poor or let it bother us in anyway. It was motivational. We didn't always have batteries for our toys or have the latest things but it all turned out okay. My parents, mostly my mom, did the cooking and it was all healthy home made from scratch and on a tight budget. We never ate out. I can eat out every day now but I don't, I stick to horrible kale salads and bland lentil soups because I can see the future benefit.


Obesity is a function of calories in and genetics to a point. Exercise really doesn't make much of a dent.

How does equality make any difference here?

Europe being healthier has more to do with their culture of eating healthier and genetics. White people are not as genetically predispositioned to be obese as Latinos or African Americans, there are more white people in Europe. I bet if you proportionately transposed our Latino and Black obesity numbers into Europe you'd get a closer match to US obesity levels.

Eating healthy can happen at any income, even cheaper when the government pays for your groceries. One should understand that some people are more likely to become fatter than others when exposed to the same food. Evolutionary pressures of feast vs famine and ancestral diets are responsible for these genetics, not socioeconomic issues. This can be solved with willpower, which many can't handle, so they blame others.


View attachment 209188

Overweight & Obesity Statistics - NIDDK

Trends in overweight, obesity, and severe obesity for children, adolescents, and adults.

www.niddk.nih.gov

ECONOMIC equality! I thought that is not necessary to mention in this debate.

 

[john_pifer]

Sugar is the real problem. Once you start consuming excessive amounts of sugar and insulin resistance begins, it's an uphill battle where the hill becomes steeper and steeper as the indulgence continues. Italians and most central Europeans consume very little sugar (by comparison) and also walk quite a bit more than us in the USA.

Italians average 5,296 steps a day compared to Americans at 4,774 steps a day. (Per 2017 data)

A bigger factor in obesity is the activity gap. The USA has one of the largest inequalities in activity among societal classes. Compared to the lower class, the middle class is +77% more active and upper class is +101% more active. The activity inequality and economic inequality likely effect one another as a better economic status allows one to afford a healthier lifestyle, and that healthier lifestyle promotes higher confidence and self-esteem to be more successful. For example, the USA and Mexico have nearly identical average steps per day (4,774 vs 4,692) but the US has a much larger activity gap reflective of a much higher obesity rate. Italy has a much smaller activity gap than the USA, on top of higher average steps per day, and thus their obesity rate is a fraction of ours.

RE: Activity gap:

I’ve found that this is true, at least, with regard to running.

I’ve been a distance runner for 20 years, and over the course of that time, I’ve run with a few different running clubs and groups, just running for fun, and also for training for races.

I’ve always noticed that running (both trail running, as well as road running) seems to be an activity that primarily counts those who are college-educated, and, especially, highly-educated professionals like doctors and lawyers, as participants.

Maybe it’s the fact that folks who are college-educated tend to work more in 8-5, M-F jobs, where they have the time to engage in multiple hours per week of running!

There’s also a subset of (primarily professional) folks who do “race tourism”. Going around the country, and, sometimes, even the world, doing marathons and triathlons.

I wish I had the time!

I’m just a blue-collar aircraft maintenance guy, so I dunno how I ended up choosing it as my primary sport!