Young Americans too fat to fight »
Posted by: jovial 1 year ago104 Comments Report this Story
AN EPIDEMIC of obesity could have serious consequences for America's economy and its ability to defend itself, according to a leading politician.
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jovial1 year ago
Is the problem really that bad? I think it is. Looking around the shopping centers where people congregate today. I see more obese people than when I was a youth in this country. What's in the food?
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jerryskid11 year ago
Fat, dumb and happy. Americans are "high" on junk food. Oh, but it tastes soooo good.
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saintetienne1 year ago
No it doesn't. It tastes like sh*t. It's phony, chemical-tasting and usually a grease-bomb.
Vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, oatmeal - - does anyone eat these anymore? Apparently not. Then everyone cries for "universal health care" to pay for their clogged arteries, heart disease and diabetes - all number one killers.
Health care should be limited to people who actually care for their health. Everyone should have to go to periodic checkups to make sure their cholesterol level and weight are within a healthy level. If it's not - no health care until you return to those levels. Perhaps then people would eat better and care for themselves - so the rest of us don't have to.
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GregD1 year ago
Yes it really is that bad. Our diets are complete crap and the processed food companies have had a hand in it.
Marketing to children should be banned and nutrition labels should be overhauled.
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Blackacereturn1 year ago
It's the same food, but when you were a lad you had less indoor games to play you went out and you ran all day sometimes. Today the parents stick the kid by the TV and call that parenting.
Get their little fat asses out and about make them move.
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dunkirk1 year ago
Start tracing back to when schools started cutting back on phys-ed to save money. AND look at how much phys activity kids get today. When I was growing up it wasn't uncommon for a group of us to get together and play basketball or softball (16" variety the game of "real" men :)). But today a lot of diamonds and courts are all restricted access, taken by leagues.
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ETproductions1 year ago
Isn't it odd that the richer we have gotten as a nation, the less we can afford for our people, our children. What's wrong with this picture?
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KSUmarksman1 year ago
Now some districts don't even let the kids run and play at recess in fear that they will get "effed up" on the playground and the parents will sue :(
Tell you what, back in the good old days we had precious little supervision on the playground. We played hard and sometimes got hurt, but usually just dusted ourselves off and took the pain as a lesson not to be too stupid in our playing. And nobody's parents sued because of skinned knees and bruises!
These good old days were not back during the Vietnam era, but in 1993-5. That's how fast public schools are going downhill :( :( :(
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LOCKNLOAD1 year ago
..KSUmarksman......Same for America's youth in the depression 1930s and the war years of the 1940s and 1950s...America's youth were much more lean and fit.....from K-1 to Senior High School....no doubt about it...in Marine Boot Camp at Parris Island, SC...the overweight minority got to eat at the...'rabbit table'...for 2 months: carrots-lettuce-tomatos, collared greens-ocra, etc....I guarantee you, most porkers lost at least 20 lbs.
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gamahuche1 year ago
Diet, sedentary lifestyle - especially for example playing virtual games instead of outdoor games - are obvious factors, as is needing a car to get wherever you have to go.
There's a huge difference between US and most European teenagers - though the latter vary considerably from country to country.
We walk everywhere locally and take public transport for longer journeys - usually to go roaming.. Not needing to own a car is paradoxically a very liberating experience.
Our beer is the best in the world so that DOES need a bit of balancing!
About fighting, I don't know..
Maybe it could be an advantage to be able to squash the enemy!
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jordan111 year ago
Diet, sedentary lifestyle - especially for example playing virtual games instead of outdoor games - are obvious factors, as is needing a car to get wherever you have to go.>>>>
Parents can't send their younger children out to play any more. When I was a kid, we left the house in the morning, came home for lunch, and left again until dinner. We played, walked for miles, slid down hills on waxed cardboard, played kick the can, rode our bikes for miles and miles, went to the local school to play baseball....but we didn't have too worry about predators. Now parents have to set up play dates, drive the kid there, and pick the kid up. And when they are there, they have to hang out in the house or near a supervising adult. Add to that no physical education, & it's no surprise kids are fat.
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jordan111 year ago
I'm not seeing it that much here, with kids anyway. And when I do notice it with kids, they are WAY overweight. Three times in the past few months, I've watched obese mothers and their obese children at grocery stores. The cart is filled with junk. Chips, ice cream, soda, pasta, white bread, hamburger, cookies, sweet cereals....it makes me so sad for the kids. The states with the highest obesity rates are the states with the highest poverty rates. Good food...fru... wheat products.....are expensive. It costs more to eat a healthy diet. This is a good link to the data on states:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/29645.php
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saintetienne1 year ago
You'll eat to anything.
That's the problem - people look to food to solve all their problems, rather than dealing with them in more constructive ways, like exercise, social activities, volunteering their time, reading more, taking up hobbies, attending cultural events... the list goes on and on.
But let's forget about all that and run to McDonald's, then come home and plop in front of the TV for four hours.
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researchanalyst1 year ago
I'm not sure the military will take you if you're obese. Most of the time they tell you what you have to do to pass the basic physical. I know they won't keep you if you can't keep the weight off. The times when you could be really fat in the military are over.
I blame how they fix school lunches, and how parents take their kids to McDonalds. Not that the pizza places aren't as bad. School lunches are basically to get rid of the surplus food like wheat anc cheese. That the government buys from farmsrs.
Did anybody see the news piece about that fat kid a few years ago who was 5 and weighed over 100 lbs? Kid wanted a pizza, they bought it. 2 big macs, ditto. It was well, he's hungry or he'll throw a tantrum. Kid was a Michelin man.
A big part is the parents fault. Poor eating habits. When I was a kid, there were very few obese kids. You ate at home, you didn't have coke in 12 ounce cans, let alone liter bottles. None of this super big gulp 42 ounce crap. Portions were smaller.
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Centinel1 year ago
I don't usually get involved in these areas of discussion but here goes. Trudeau has written two books touting conspiracy that the FDA, AMA, Big pharmacy and the food industry are behind this phenomenon.
I have read both and done some research on my own. I have found that in many respects he is accurate. Although, I have also concluded that it is not a widespread conspiracy. It just happened over time due to ignorance on the part of the consumer. If there is a culprit the most likely is big pharmacy. The most profitable industry in the world today.
If you get the chance to read Trudeau's books they have quite a bit to offer but maintain you skepticism. A conspiracy the extent of which he describes is beyond the capabilities of the human race. It would require the cooperation of so many rival industries and bureaucracies That it just does not seem possible.
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twangster1 year ago
Big floppy hip hop uniforms to hide their custard arse.
Looks like the army will have to re-equip with mini vans so the new recruits can fit behind the wheel.
funny how mini van windshields are the exact same slope/ angle as the gut of most of the people who drive 'em.
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dheg1 year ago
I don't know about now, but when I was in the Army, they knew how to deal with this, at least during basic training. We stood in line 10 minutes to get our food and we had 5 minutes to eat it. The drill sergeants were on our tail pushing us out of the mess hall. And of course we had tons of pt in between meals. The ones that were not losing weight got extra pt, sometimes in a poncho to make them sweat more.
As for kids now a days, the ones around my neighborhood all look pretty healthy. They seem to get a lot of exercise riding bikes, skateboarding, etc. If you are looking in mall, your perception may be skewed as those are the kids just hanging out and not doing much.
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evelyna1 year ago
I think it is nice he is concerned but the reason he is concerned is selfish.
I am sure because he is a politican he is supported by junk food lobbies.
If he would go to a veterans hospital he would see the injured from Iraq. I would rather the kids play video games instead of engaging in another wepuck war.
Any way, no worry to him-he wants people to buy their own insurance because he and his fellow politicans have drained ss dry and do not want people to know.
Just because people take off work sick, does not often mean they are so.
As a government employ he gets a lot of sick time and most are not sick when they take off.
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chevydog1 year ago
Is it any big news that civilian eating habits should eventually afffect the military? If I remember correctly, the war effort in WWII was hindered by the large number of men who were 4-F because of malnutrition rooted in the Great Depression.
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tryxilital1 year ago
Hey! Tell me how do we go from overweight children to loose knickers in one story? Possibly, if you immature people could stick to one subject sans berating females we might accomplish something. Have a great day!
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usdandy1 year ago
The rich diet that we intake is surely the culprit. We need to consume only healthy food and reject the junk foods. Exercise should be part of our daily routine.
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orrocsam11 year ago
clearly this is bush's fault. clearly.
the food isnt the issue, its how inactive kids are. When i was very young i ate like crap but ever had a weight problem because i was a swimmer. Now that im not doing jack anymore i cant eat all the junk food, otherwise i'll weigh 300 lbs.
these kids just have no motivation for sports outside of videogames. We've created a nation of mediocrity and its rather pathetic.
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Planeteer1 year ago
Living in an urban environment leaves little room for exercise because you have to take transporation to go anywhere. While there is plenty of food to go around. The food is being marketed as something for pleasure.
Colorado has the lowest obesity rate in the whole of United States. I suspect it is because of the mountains that people exercise more. May be there are other reasons.
We cannot go back to the days of the wild West when you had to work hard to make a living by the sweat of our brows. I wish we did!
I propose we buy land in Brazil, Africa, Himalayan mountains and Andes mountains and ship all those interested in healthy living by working hard there on the farm. It might be good for children!
What is life all about?
That might be the key question!
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anadaji671 year ago
I believe my state, MA, is just behind Colorado in low obesity rates, but I still can't walk around town without noticing how very vacant all the parks and basketball courts, baseball fields, etc, are. I was at the RMV about an hour ago, and the two parallel lines made it look like a football game was about to begin {that is to say, most in the lines were rather "corpulent"}
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GLMaria1 year ago
Isn't the saftey of our kids also a factor? On the news we hear about kidnappings and sexual preditors... When I was a kid my mom let us outside to play in the neighborhood without much worry. Now with my kids, I don't let them out unless I'm out, or if they do go out, I have the play in the backyard. They have a swimming pool and a trampline. I love the trampaline, it's fun and a good way to lose weight.
Anyway, my point is, there's a fear factor here that at one time we didn't have. If I lived in the city, I wouldn't let my kids ride their bikes or walk to the park on their own.
There's a combination of things going on, cheap junk food, parental fears, schools taking Physical ED programs and chucking them, video games (easy babysitter) TV....
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markmawn21 year ago
Maybe we can just build a human wall. It would be totally impenetrable. ;-)
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ghengisghan1 year ago
When I was growing up, there were no video games and you had to go outside during the day...only in for luch and maybe a snack.Games were physical but we never worried about being abducted either(Guys like that were 'taken care of')
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Hopefool1 year ago
I don't think it's just about junk food. When I visit the States the portions in restaurants are just too big. We share meals otherwise we would not be able to move. But to be fair the UK is catching up. Not with the big portions but the junk food troughing.
No easy solution that will not have the nanny state brigade shouting it's our bodies to do with what we like.
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pjupipjupi1 year ago
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tryinghard1 year ago
mmmm, I guess I'm too stupid to figure out why something that has to do with Huckabee's weight control is news. Other than he is a presidential candidate stating the obvious. I don't read anything about what is to be done about it. Dumb!
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