Are we all 'skinny challenged' compared to the world?

[Chili327]

Excellent advice! Reminded me of these:
You Tube Page - Mrs. Frazzled
(I follow her on instagram, but it was easier to link the YouTube page.)

Haha, i never watched her before but "Got it, Got it" had me rolling. lol

 

[Hisgirl]

OP here.

I read an interesting article stating that physicians were uncomfortable bringing up a patient's weight. They were afraid to offend the patient.

Well..to that I would say that I wish my doctor HAD had a talk with me. I remember going to see him and asking him what these odd little puffy lumps were on my legs. He was strangely quiet.

They were FAT. Just lumps of fat! I wish he had said "It's fat, and you're gaining weight and increasing your chances of diabetes and breast cancer!" Which I did get diagnosed with a couple years later and one of the risk factors is weight. How I wish someone had been honest with me. I only had 20 extra pounds but I was eating brownies and fried chicken and ice cream. My breast surgery went well but if I put on even 5% extra weight my risk increases. No one is talking about that! I needed to hear that.

My friends from the UK weren't being rude. They are both gentle and kind. They were genuinely mystified why everyone in our view was obese. When I looked around that was all we saw. Even the children. They weren't being judgmental. They were stupified as to the body sizes of everyone in our area.

They eat very healthy, loads of vegetables and no processed foods. And they are quite thin.
I'm sure our processed junk diets are just growing us up and out. I wish the US had some stricter quality standards

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

They eat very healthy, loads of vegetables and no processed foods. And they are quite thin.
I'm sure our processed junk diets are just growing us up and out. I wish the US had some stricter quality standards

I just don't understand comments like this. The government doesn't need to make you eat loads of vegetables and no processed foods. You are welcome to do so at any time. It's the same with soda or juice....if you don't want it then don't drink it. You're responsible for what food goes in your body. I don't need the government to tell me what I can and can't eat or drink.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I think it has to start at home. There’s a lady I watch on IG, I think she’s only 21 or so and she has four kids. She makes videos about feeding them, and they’re pretty impressive. They’re simple meals, with a good variety of foods, pretty well balanced, and appealing. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, she shows them all. In the background you can hear the kids happily playing - that’s often commented on. I think she’s a good role model for feeding kids today. Watching her, I know it can’t be easy. But she takes the time to shop and cook and provide tasty foods that have a variety of nutrients and fiber in them, etc. All the kids get the same thing, and they’re learning to appreciate different types of foods. I really enjoy her videos.

 

[Karin1984]

I just don't understand comments like this. The government doesn't need to make you eat loads of vegetables and no processed foods. You are welcome to do so at any time. It's the same with soda or juice....if you don't want it then don't drink it. You're responsible for what food goes in your body. I don't need the government to tell me what I can and can't eat or drink.

The government can control how much sugar etc they allow in products.
The government can control bans like free refills (as some EU countries have).
The government can control unhealthy foods being advertised to kids. (Lots of talk in my country about this)

The government doesn't stuff it down your throat, but there are things the government can do to help.

Your brain loves fat and sugar. Your brain will do a lot to get that pleasure center reactivated over and over again. If a government helps reduce getting access to it or being exposed to it, you can benefit from it.

There was a British tv show called Secret Eaters. One section of the show is experiments with food. Everyone says "kids don't want to eat fruit / healthy things".

The experiment: at a school during lunch they put up free fruit cups in the cafetaria. In one group they put it far away and the kids need to make an effort to get the free fruit. The other group had it in a convenient place. The group who had easy access to it took, I think 2 or 3 times, more fruit than the other group.

People want to eat the right thing, but they need help. It is not as easy to say "Oh, just don't eat it", when it is everywhere around you.

To make a cultural change, which you need, you need the help of governments and companies.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I just don't understand comments like this. The government doesn't need to make you eat loads of vegetables and no processed foods. You are welcome to do so at any time. It's the same with soda or juice....if you don't want it then don't drink it. You're responsible for what food goes in your body. I don't need the government to tell me what I can and can't eat or drink.

Well when even healthy food in America contains a lot more artificial ingredients then in Europe, it is the America Government, ie the FDA which is controlling what you eat.

I posted a few videos comparing the UK and America foods, from the same companies. Not only are the portion sizes of American foods bigger, but they contain far more artificial ingredients than the UK food.

 

[GreatLakes]

I just don't understand comments like this. The government doesn't need to make you eat loads of vegetables and no processed foods. You are welcome to do so at any time. It's the same with soda or juice....if you don't want it then don't drink it. You're responsible for what food goes in your body. I don't need the government to tell me what I can and can't eat or drink.

Yes and no.

I agree that you need to be the change you want to see. While I think banning free refills of pop is good policy you don't need the government to do it, you can just not refill your cup or let your kids refill theirs. While I think certain processes foods in the US should have the same stricter controlled on Europe I also think anyone can do a little research and just skip those foods entirely. Is it harder? Sure. Every good thing in life is a little harder.

At the same time food policy would push towards more healthy options, better education, and easier to find recommendations for the population as a whole. That is societally but individually we have way more control over own own life and outcome than we give credit for. Throwing up our hands and waiting for "the government" to do it for us is just lazy.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

Yes and no.

I agree that you need to be the change you want to see. While I think banning free refills of pop is good policy you don't need the government to do it, you can just not refill your cup or let your kids refill theirs. While I think certain processes foods in the US should have the same stricter controlled on Europe I also think anyone can do a little research and just skip those foods entirely. Is it harder? Sure. Every good thing in life is a little harder.

At the same time food policy would push towards more healthy options, better education, and easier to find recommendations for the population as a whole. That is societally but individually we have way more control over own own life and outcome than we give credit for. Throwing up our hands and waiting for "the government" to do it for us is just lazy.

ok but here you go, direct comparison, of the same brand.

Yoplait Strawberry Yoghurt, what many would class as a healthy food, not fast food.
The Walmart one does not list strawberries, the Tesco one says 11% strawberries.
Same product, same brand, same company, yet very different ingredients.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/products/263767202


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yoplait-...wberry-Flavored-Low-Fat-Yogurt-32-OZ/10320962

 

[gmi3804]

ok but here you go, direct comparison, of the same brand.

Yoplait Strawberry Yoghurt, what many would class as a healthy food, not fast food.
The Walmart one does not list strawberries, the Tesco one says 11% strawberries.
Same product, same brand, same company, yet very different ingredients.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/products/263767202

View attachment 818032
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yoplait-...wberry-Flavored-Low-Fat-Yogurt-32-OZ/10320962

View attachment 818035

I wonder what the added sugar content in both of those is.

 

[White Cat]

Interesting to see people blaming the food that they are fat. Instead of themselves. And at time ,genetics.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

I wonder what the added sugar content in both of those is.

The Walmart one says
Serving Size 170g
Sugars 21grm 3%
Includes Added Sugars16grm

The Tesco one says
Per 125g Serving
Carbohydrate 16.3 g
of which sugars 15.6 g

 

[GreatLakes]

ok but here you go, direct comparison, of the same brand.

Yoplait Strawberry Yoghurt, what many would class as a healthy food, not fast food.
The Walmart one does not list strawberries, the Tesco one says 11% strawberries.
Same product, same brand, same company, yet very different ingredients.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/en-IE/products/263767202

View attachment 818032
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Yoplait-...wberry-Flavored-Low-Fat-Yogurt-32-OZ/10320962

View attachment 818035

That's exactly what I mean. Look at the ingredients, see if there is a difference in the US or internationally, and make a smart consumer choice.

Id argue that any yogurt with 16g of added sugar and Modified Corn Starch as one of the first few ingredients is like a flashing "don't eat me" sign.

For comparison this is the yogurt we buy:

https://www.chobani.com/products/yogurt/greek/nonfat-plain-cup

and we add real fruit to it and I like to add some flax and chia seeds.

 

[Bad Pink Tink 2.0]

That's exactly what I mean. Look at the ingredients, see if there is a difference in the US or internationally, and make a smart consumer choice.

Id argue that any yogurt with 16g of added sugar and Modified Corn Starch as one of the first few ingredients is like a flashing "don't eat me" sign.

For comparison this is the yogurt we buy:

https://www.chobani.com/products/yogurt/greek/nonfat-plain-cup

and we add real fruit to it and I like to add some flax and chia seeds.

But most people are not like that, they see strawberry yoghurt in Walmart and dont even realize that there are no strawberries in it. Most people are not thinking or caring about food in other countries. They see Yoplait Strawberry yoghurt, its a known brand , its yoghurt so therefore it must be healthy right???

Most people are not looking at ingredient lists on foods.

 

[GreatLakes]

But most people are not like that, they see strawberry yoghurt in Walmart and dont even realize that there are no strawberries in it. Most people are not thinking or caring about food in other countries. They see Yoplait Strawberry yoghurt, its a known brand , its yoghurt so therefore it must be healthy right???

Most people are not looking at ingredient lists on foods.

That is just laziness, or willful ignorance, then. We have the entirety of the world's knowledge in our pockets, use it for something meaningful instead of cat videos and meme generators.

The front of a package is just marketing, it's the back of the package with real information. That is akin to reading just the headline of a story which is designed for grabbing attention and neglecting to actually read the content that is below it.

ETA: I see some people that wait for "others" to solve their problems. Anyone waiting on the government to fix things falls in this category. I see others that take control of their own circumstances. They will generally have more success in life. My experience has been those with an internal locus of control are more successful in every aspect of life.

 

[gmi3804]

But most people are not like that, they see strawberry yoghurt in Walmart and dont even realize that there are no strawberries in it. Most people are not thinking or caring about food in other countries. They see Yoplait Strawberry yoghurt, its a known brand , its yoghurt so therefore it must be healthy right???

Most people are not looking at ingredient lists on foods.

Many people see “yogurt” and think, “I’m eating healthy,” without thinking of all the refined sugar in their healthy fruit-filled treat.

I swear, there’s sugar in just about everything here in the states. Everything refined and/or processed, that is. But sitar is what keeps people coming back for more, as noted above.

 

[JLTraveling]

I'm probably going to get flamed, but that's okay...good preparation for the new board. But as a naturally very thin American, I have definitely noticed an increase in average weight throughout my lifetime. Why? Clothing sizes. I've been about the same size since I was 15. Then, I was a size 2-4 at any store. I also wore a lot of vintage clothing, where I was typically a 6. Now I've been sized out of half the stores, and when I can find something I'm a 0 or even a 00. My mom always felt like she struggled with her weight, but until she got sick and went on Prednisone, which is known for causing major weight gain, her heaviest was 135...and she was 5'9". So I have definitely noticed Americans getting heavier as a whole throughout my life. Why? Don't know. Probably everything that's been addressed in this thread. But it's a real phenomenon and I understand why people from another country might be curious.

 

[TippyThomas]

I've personally never viewed fruit yogurt as a healthy food choice. Of course one look at the label confirms that. Hard to believe the average person wouldn't look at that and see the same thing, but maybe I give other people too much credit.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I've personally never viewed fruit yogurt as a healthy food choice. Of course one look at the label confirms that. Hard to believe the average person wouldn't look at that and see the same thing, but maybe I give other people too much credit.

Fruit yogurt here in our home is a dessert or a snack but it’s not something I view as healthy. As an American I know our healthiest food is our unprocessed food. That’s not yogurt

ETA Maybe I should say our healthiest food are the LEAST processed foods. I live in NJ though...The Garden State. We kind of know when our wares have crossed over to the dark side.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I don’t agree that nobody looks at food labels. I think there are plenty of people who do. I do. And I teach my cardiac patients about reading labels, as they often have to watch sodium content of food items as well as serving sizes, and carbohydrate content if diabetic. I remember this being taught in Health classes when my kids were in school, too. The question is, whether people pay attention to it.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

I don’t agree that nobody looks at food labels. I think there are plenty of people who do. I do. And I teach my cardiac patients about reading labels, as they often have to watch sodium content of food items as well as serving sizes, and carbohydrate content if diabetic. I remember this being taught in Health classes when my kids were in school, too. The question is, whether people pay attention to it.

Yeah I’m not sure why anybody that doesn’t live here thinks that most fo us don’t read the labels our country and many parents have worked so hard to make visible and accessible on every product so we CAN make safe and healthy choices