Obesity in America: Who's to blame?

I'm sure everyone out there has heard the statistics, and some of them are pretty alarming. No matter which way you slice it, obesity in American adults is on the rise, and obesity's prevalence in children is even more cause for concern. I was just curious, what does everyone else think is causing this?

Personally, I think it's a combination of factors (most things in this world are, aren't they?). You've got people growing up with unhealthy lifestyles, who then pass it on to their children. Feed a kid fried foods and plop em' down in front of a TV while you go do something else, for example. Then there's the concept of portion control, which seems to be disappearing as fast as the next McDonald's can pop up. Ultimately, though I think the root of the problem is peoples' relationship with food (eating when stressed, etc.)

What do you guys think? Who, if anyone, is responsible for obesity in America?

Obese adults: a combination of portions and the price/availability of unhealthy foods.

Obese children: parents' fault.

People are always trying to pin the blame on outside factors...

The only thing to point the finger at is genetics and eating too much.

Obese children: parents' fault.

Vyse_The_Daring

The abundance of food advertising and association of food with happiness. Plus, fast/junk food is easily accessible and fairly cheap, so many people will choose it over healthier foods.

On Supersize Me, in the segment where Morgan showed various pictures of faces to some young children, Wendy and Ronald McDonald were more recognizable than Jesus and George Bush.

he is:

and so are they:

A little of genetics, eating way too much, not getting much exercise.

For children pretty much the reasons I said before but I partially blame the parents as well.

Who is responsible? Um...the people who are fat are responsible. If they are children, their parents are also partly to blame. I grew up back when obesity wasn't this big of a deal and I received nutritional education at school. I'm not fat.FragStains

Thats easy, its George W Bush's fault. Hes responsible for everything in the world thats bad.

No way is it an individuals fault for being fat, its not thier fault they eat too much.

I dont know who to blame but i know how to fix it....:) this vid will explain everthing!

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=32316

The obese person.

Outside sources of course share some of the blame, but it's the individuals responsibility in the end. No one forced the obese person to eat to that extent, they chose to do so.

I say obesity itself is due to lack of exercise. It's been known that exercise with a poor diet may lead to an unhealthy heart but not necessarily obesity.

Lack of movement/exercise is to blame. The food is a contributing factor but not the reason.

[QUOTE="Vyse_The_Daring"]

Obese children: parents' fault.

cell_dweller

I don't think you should count out my first point either, though. Unhealthy foods are usually much cheaper than healthy alternatives.

If you are fat, its your own fault.

While the creative legal system in the United States can find a way to fault nearly anyone else for your own stupidity, unless Ronald McDonald is at your house cramming Big Mac's down your throat with a meat mallet Se7en style you really can only blame yourself.

[QUOTE="cell_dweller"][QUOTE="Vyse_The_Daring"]

Obese children: parents' fault.

Vyse_The_Daring

I don't think you should count out my first point either, though. Unhealthy foods are usually much cheaper than healthy alternatives.

Just an example.

[QUOTE="cell_dweller"][QUOTE="Vyse_The_Daring"]

Obese children: parents' fault.

Vyse_The_Daring

I don't think you should count out my first point either, though. Unhealthy foods are usually much cheaper than healthy alternatives.

You got it a bit, but I also blame the convenience of fast, unhealthy food. People being lasy and people without control of their diets.Premier1101

balderdash!!!

There is no where I have been in Canada or the United States were you could not make healthier choices, perhaps not "healthy" choices but there are certainly better options at nearly every fastfood joint around.

Even if McDonalds is the only place within a 100 mile radius of your home or office to get food, you don't have to cram a double Big Mac with large fries with a jumbo coke down your word hole.

Ive done about 3 papers on this topic in high school and college. If Fat People accept the way they look then they should also accept being called fat.CoreoVII

Maybe some more fat jokes are in order to make people embarrassed about the way they look.

Ive done about 3 papers on this topic in high school and college. If Fat People accept the way they look then they should also accept being called fat.CoreoVII

I'm sure everyone out there has heard the statistics, and some of them are pretty alarming. No matter which way you slice it, obesity in American adults is on the rise, and obesity's prevalence in children is even more cause for concern. I was just curious, what does everyone else think is causing this?

Personally, I think it's a combination of factors (most things in this world are, aren't they?). You've got people growing up with unhealthy lifestyles, who then pass it on to their children. Feed a kid fried foods and plop em' down in front of a TV while you go do something else, for example. Then there's the concept of portion control, which seems to be disappearing as fast as the next McDonald's can pop up. Ultimately, though I think the root of the problem is peoples' relationship with food (eating when stressed, etc.)

What do you guys think? Who, if anyone, is responsible for obesity in America?

ColonelWilks

theres certainly a rise in unhealthy food, but our big issue is the fact that people are moving around a lot less than they used to.

Its the parents and the governments fault. The parents set bad examples and the government allows cheap fatty food in to the schools.

Thats easy, its George W Bush's fault. Hes responsible for everything in the world thats bad.

No way is it an individuals fault for being fat, its not thier fault they eat too much.

zim001

Haha, nice.

[QUOTE="Premier1101"]You got it a bit, but I also blame the convenience of fast, unhealthy food. People being lasy and people without control of their diets.cosmostein77

balderdash!!!

There is no where I have been in Canada or the United States were you could not make healthier choices, perhaps not "healthy" choices but there are certainly better options at nearly every fastfood joint around.

Even if McDonalds is the only place within a 100 mile radius of your home or office to get food, you don't have to cram a double Big Mac with large fries with a jumbo coke down your word hole.

fast food is the cheapest and most available food in the country. People choose places that can eat quick and cheap. America is about living in the fast lane, fast food is incorporated in that. People have a choice to eat healthy, but choose not to for time, flavor, and price.

Everybody is to blame.LosDaddie

lol.

In that case, I'm responsible for obesity then.

I blame coporate American, and the government for not controlling every single aspect of our lives. No, I am kidding.

I blame the people. You know it will make you fat, and unhealthy, so why eat it?