You are absolutely right. Overindulgence is not the only reason for this epidemic. Economics are a significant factor. As I said, those people in affluent communities who are  thin do not deserve to be morally congratulated. It is much harder for the poor and middle class to stay in shape. Much harder. The middle and working class of America have faced a major downturn in fortunes. The globalization of our economy has hurt.  We have lost a way of life. Americans have more televisions and electronic games, but less time to live in a normal and healthy way.  Again Americans need to say: Our health is being destroyed. We’ve lost the ability to sustain a sane way of living.

  

They need to say, No! Giving our industry to the rest of the world has hurt us. Opening our labor market to more immigrants than we can reasonably accomodate has hurt us. Equalizing the labor market so that both men and women expect full-time jobs throughout adulthood has hurt us.

 

As I said in my intial post, if people believe social factors are making us ill, they need to say so. I do not agree, however, that overindulgence and this desire for ease are not part of the problem. I’ve seen too many people give in to it. Convenience itself is addictive and convenience foods are highly addictive. It will take a measure of will power to overcome their destructive hold on us.

 

You raise an interesting point about newer medications. It is very possible that some people are being made ill by newer drugs. It is for the individual and for God to judge whether someone has neglected their own health (and again, fastidiousness or over-attention to food is also a form of indulgence.) Someone who is overweight because of illness deserves a clear conscience. But the way we approach our physical health, as a culture and as individuals, is absolutely a moral issue.

 

  

Yes, I do believe there is also a disconnection from food.  But I also believe that more people are sick these days because of the toxins in our air, food, and bodies.  Unless you (not you personally) are wealthy, it is almost impossible to consume pure, organic foods that would enable the body to heal.  Many people have dreams of moving to the country and growing their own food but for these times, I think these dreams are unattainable.  And let’s not forget that even if they chose food in it’s “unadulterated and unprocessed”  manner they are still laden with pesticides (especially produce) and other ills.  The food and drug manufacturing process is really harming us but I don’t see what the solution might be as their only goals are monetary.

  

 Laura writes:

   

Speaking of toxins in our bodies, Americans consumed sixty 12-ounce cans of soda per person in 1942. The number rose to roughly 600 cans annually by 2005. See this report on the scourge of “liquid candy.”  The author proposes a modest tax on soda to discourage consumption.

 

Soda has been marketed heavily and serving sizes have increased astronomically, but  no one has forced Americans to drink this stuff, which typically contains 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce serving. Americans see themselves getting fat and yet keep on drinking soda. One study showed that for each additional serving of soda consmed by a 12-year-old in a single day the risk of obesity increased by 1.6 times. Schools continue to sell soda in vending machines despite widespread complaints about it.

I just want to say, I completely agree with your observations about people needing to cook more of their own food, cut back on soda and use common sense when it comes to food. 

As for those with medical conditions, well, I am 5’6″, 38, a mother of two and I weigh 128-131 lbs. I gained about 40 pounds with each pregnancy and lost it all. I also have a medical condition, diagnosed at age 34, called Hashimoto’s Disease. It is the most common cause of hypothyroidism and it is an autoimmune disorder. It is known for causing weight gain and many sufferers use it as an excuse for not losing weight or even for gaining weight. The condition is controlled with medication I need to take for the rest of my life. 

I keep the weight off by by being very careful what I put in my mouth. It is that simple. I can’t afford organic everything, though I do buy organic fruit and meats when the prices are good. I could be thinner, but I am not unreasonable and I think I would be setting myself up for a problem (perhaps another autoimmune disease) if I stressed my body with a stricter diet. I never consume soda and eat only low-fat dairy, supplementing my diet with calcium and vitamin D per doctor’s orders. I am a homemaker and cook nearly everything I eat from scratch. My husband is well within a normal Body Mass Index weight and both of my children are in the 50th percentile for weight, and close to the 75th percentile for height. I do avoid high fructose corn syrup as much as possible, but it is in a lot of foods.

I think there is too much attention placed on the overweight. They are always “trying to lose weight” and expect some attention every time they exercise a bit or lose some weight. I quietly lost all my postpartum weight with a strict calorie reduction and people said I was “lucky.”  My metabolism is slow due to my condition and nothing about any weight loss I accomplish is due to luck but I go about my business and do not discuss my weight. I keep my weight down for my health. I think many people use the weight issue as a means to hide from their other problems and an excuse for not doing things. I also think too many women work all day and don’t plan for supper time so they just pick up anything on the way home. I see it when I go to the grocery store at about 5 p.m. The women getting out of work shop a lot differently than those who shop at 11 a.m. They spend a lot more on food, use fewer coupons, buy all kinds of junk and they tend to be far less patient with their kids. They also look very tired, which I am sure does not lead to good food choices. 

I had a friend who “could not”  lose any weight. She talked about it constantly, commented on how thin I am, etc. She claimed she was not eating a thing. We became Facebook friends and I was shocked at the number of times she commented on there about what she was cooking, how hungry she was, what she had for dinner and the like. She was obsessed with food and did not even realize it! I finally got bored with all the food and weight talk and dropped her as a friend. I have a very overweight relative who is the same way. Every time I see her, she says she is “starving”. Now, she really does not look that way, but if she gets a bit hungry, we have to stop somewhere for her to eat, even if it is a donut. Heavy people need to learn it is okay to be a little hungry. The food will always be there. If they could tolerate a little hunger, they could lose weight faster. They key might be to find other interests in life besides food, cooking, and so on. 

I think there needs to be more discussion in this country about weight. Someone ought to be studying the slimmer folks (especially those over 35 or 40 who have been thin all their lives) to see what we are doing right, not the heavy ones to see what they are doing wrong.

From what I can see, they are doing everything wrong and just don’t want to admit it.