Congratulations Americans

[Chris Whitten]

You have been surpassed in the weight category by Australians.
With 26% of Australians obese, there are a higher percentage of people unhealthily overweight in Australia than anywhere else in the world.
This is a nation with generally benign weather and a proud history of sporting accomplishments.
???

[NY Frank]

Hmm, I'm surprised.  I thought we were the undisputed champions
of being overweight.

[with me helping the stats along]

;)

[Dave Heim]

Having just returned from my every-other-year-or-so trek to Walt Disney World, I was once again amazed at the girth of so many people at the parks. 

In every theme park, on every Disney bus, at every attaction, on every day there were many people (including a couple entire familes) riding around the parks in rented Disney ECVs (electric convenience vehicles).  Many of these folks, seemed to have no other signs of physical ailment other than being obese.

[Bart Elliott]

Many of these folks, seemed to have no other signs of physical ailment other than being obese.

Unfortunately many of these people are the ones that NEED to be walking!

In regards to Australia, is there an increase in unemployment, sickness, stress, etc. The parts of the USA that I see the most obese is typically in areas of poverty and/or low income. Then again, if that were the only regions with obese, how can they afford to visit Disney Land/World.

Very sad to see so many overweight people.   :(

[Matt Self (Gaddabout)]

I'm one of those overweight Americans, clinically obese. It's interesting. In times of plenty I've been able to lose weight/maintain weight, but the last six years have been brutal financially, and I've added 150 lbs. to my 6' frame.

It comes down to one thing: Soft drinks. They not only replace calories I usually get from veggies and healthy snacks I buy when I have the money, the replace the energy I no longer get from having a gym membership (somewhat necessary where I live where it will be upwards of 115F/46C by 5pm today). Otherwise I consume more quality protein and eat more than 3 times the amount of leafy green vegetables the average American consumes. You don't want to know how much Coca Cola you have to drink to add 150 lbs. while eating a sensible diet.

I'm fairly certain I could draw a map around the world and show you the longer Coke/Pepsi have infiltrated the region, obesity is directly related.

[Dave Heim]

. . .  I'm fairly certain I could draw a map around the world and show you the longer Coke/Pepsi have infiltrated the region, obesity is directly related. . .

I can believe it.  I've cut out almost all soft drikns and I'm seeing weight loss without any other major changes to my diet or routine.

[dogxray]

very interesting, my weight loss came from dropping dairy products from my diet. Milk, butter, margerine, cheese, ice cream. I replaced them with soy milk or other vegetarian products. Dropped 30 lbs in 2 months. I don't drink soft drinks.
Read an interesting article on corn sweetener in soft drinks and other foods used instead of sugar. thats the real cuprit
it's a bit of a read but good to know
http://www.westonaprice.org/motherlinda/cornsyrup.html

[Matt Self (Gaddabout)]

I can believe it.  I've cut out almost all soft drikns and I'm seeing weight loss without any other major changes to my diet or routine.

Here's the dirty little secret: People who drink diet soft drinks are 41 percent more likely to be obese than people who drink anything else -- including regular soft drinks. This has a lot to do with mental/emotional issues (i.e. I can have a Big Mac because I'm drinking diet coke), but it also has to do with the way the body processes sweetener. Scientists are just beginning to understand it. For example, they're discovering artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose still have a negative diabetic footprint. This is why there's a big push by the soft drink companies for the FDA to approve stevia, a natural sweetener with zero diabetic impact.

Drink water and enjoy a soft drink like you would an occasional desert.

[Chris Whitten]

Yeah, soft drinks are deadly (literally) especially the corn sweetener they use.
Low socio-economic factors as well as depression and lack of education are what I see here. My local McDonalds and KFC are packed with families at the weekend.
Most kids call into the same fast food outlets on their way home from school on weekdays.
I see obese families queuing up at the Krispy Kreme counter at my local mall.
As you can see, much of the temptation has been imported from America.
However, on a couple of recent trips to the USA, I found healthy options were not that hard to find. Harder to find in Australia I think.
This has been building in Australia for many years I think.
The economy is quite healthy, although there are people in need as in most countries.
It's just an obsession with fast, cheap food and a lack of ownership for the health issues that afflict you if you live your life this way. My partner nurses them and they are still quite clueless - family bringing into hospital packs of cigarettes and take outs from the local McDonalds.
By the way, I think the Aussie government were truly shocked when they heard about this health report.
By the way (2), I'm no stick insect. I'm bordering overweight too.
I think I know what I should and shouldn't be eating.
And I'm not in denial that the four cheese pizza I eat at one in the morning is one minute on the lips, a lifetime on the hips.

[Robyn]

Drink water. That alone is a huge help. Most people dont' drink enough water.
Eat real food, not prepared stuff.  It's cheaper and healthier.
Walk every day. Every day. You don't need to pay for a health club membership you'll never use anyway.

I knew one guy who lost around 30 pounds in one year just by doing tai chi in a class 2 times a week. He didn't change his eating habits or exercise outside of the class. Just did the tai chi class. When he saw the results, then he started bicycling and eating better.
Colorado is one of the fittest states in the nation, so it always surprises me to go somewhere else and see how many overweight people there are.

robyn

[Mark Counts]

I quit drinking soft drinks and I also quit drinking any and all alcohol. I wouldn't recommend the rest of this but my wife put me right in the middle of a divorce and since Feb. 24th. I went from 216 down to 181. I would say that leaving the Fosters Beer alone, made in Australia may have really made a huge difference ;D.
That and the fact that I have been walking about a 2 mile walk 4 or 5 times a week
at night.  No food after 6pm probably helped too.
                                            Nutty
                                   
                   

[Chris Whitten]

These are all good tips.
I'm not sure 26% of Australians are reading this.  ;)

Anyway, you's Americans are off the hook for the time being.

[amoacristo]

I am confused. I thought Americans had a 66% overweight percentage. I did a quick google search and found it to be 60%. That is way higher than 26%.

I would venture to say that in my area, the midwest, it is probably closer to 80% overweight. My dad does anesthesia for a living and has more overweight patients here than he ever had in Texas and New Mexico, where we are from. That certainly makes his job much more difficult as they are a much higher risk.

[Peppe]

For me, the easiest way to lose weight is to buy a new pair of jeans...I don't understand why ??? ::)

Otherwise, even though I'm relatively small, I've gone from 70kg to 65kg the last months, only by omitting Coca-cola from my diet (I used to drink 50cl almost every day). The phosphor acid is another thing - it is used to clean coffee-makers from calcium residue, so think of what it can do to your bones (and teeth!) :o In fact, phosphor acid and caffeine in soda pop was forbidden in Sweden until 1953, but then for some reason, it was not dangerous anymore :-\

[Paicey]

Being hypoglycemic its SO easy for me to stop and get a coke for a quick sugar lift after work. I avoid the double cheeseburger and fries, its the coke that calls my name to regulate my sugar levels. Deep down i know im setting myself up for the crash later but ill try to eat well when i get home. Im a week-end beer guy when im not playing but i dont drink it from sunrise to sunset. 7 brews and im done.

MY problem is grazing, ill graze 90 minutes after eating. Im 15 pounds overweight. Weaknesses?
Pizza
cheese popcorn
chinese food
avacado dip

[Chris Whitten]

I am confused. I thought Americans had a 66% overweight percentage. I did a quick google search and found it to be 60%. That is way higher than 26%.

I would guess that figure is for the adult population.
The 26% figure covers the entire population of Australia from babies to OAP's.
The overall percentage for the entire US population is 25%:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e3483a6-3f2b-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

[amoacristo]

I would guess that figure is for the adult population.
The 26% figure covers the entire population of Australia from babies to OAP's.
The overall percentage for the entire US population is 25%:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e3483a6-3f2b-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

Yeah, I think you are right about it being adults. I didn't think about that. I think the number of kids that are overweight has drastically increased as well. That is really sad.

[amoacristo]

To add to that, I am kind of torn with the fact that I think the parents of those kids should be in trouble. Not sure if I totally buy into that or not, but part of me does.

[Chris Whitten]

I think more help is a positive step, rather than penalising people.
One thing some pressure groups here have been trying to do is reduce or ban the advertising of unhealthy foods during children's television.
So far the government hasn't listened.
When I was a child, no school had a vending machine.
These days school vending machines, full of unhealthy snacks and soft drinks, are a major source of income that goes towards school books and building repairs.
Not only the students, but schools are addicted to them.
There are many issues to be thought about.

[Robyn]

I would guess that figure is for the adult population.
The 26% figure covers the entire population of Australia from babies to OAP's.
The overall percentage for the entire US population is 25%:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4e3483a6-3f2b-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac.html?nclick_check=1

I believe that the difference is the definition of "overweight" vs. "obese." These are 2 different things. I'd believe that 60-80% of our population is overweight, with 25% being obese. That makes sense.

robyn