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08/27/2001 Archived Entry: "27-August-2001 -- How America is Making You Fat"

How America is Making You Fat (Shape) -- "It takes determination to stare down a culture that wants you to be quiet, sit down and eat. To maintain your resolve, it helps to know how the food industry manipulates and profits from your cravings and how the society at large discourages an active lifestyle." (Comments: Great article. Seriously. Don't miss pages 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7!)

Replies: 5 comments

Hi co][nz

I think you got our comments wrong. But if you've been to Canada or if you are there and been to the States, there is in fact a GREAT deal of difference between the sizes... Not that Canada does not have any obese people, of course it does, just as every other country in the world, but I think that the American culture and the lifestyle just promotes it more.
You need to be REALLY health conscious here in the States or you can easily gain a few pounds due to the way of life.
As the article points out, everything is now so convenient for us that we are barely to required to use any energy and burn any calories, for many of our tasks. Working? In a chair all day typing away on a computer, or using the mouse, Shopping? Take the car walk only around the store... Walking? most of us don't have the time... At home? Remote control, La-z-Boys with fridges... etc.
I hope this clears any misunderstandings...

Posted by Berna @ 08/29/2001 02:59 PM EST

I'm glad to glean from "slender Francis'" comments below that Canada doesn't harbor overweight people and that obesity is an American problem. C'mon - did he read the article?

Despite the title, the overall point was the ubiquity of the problem. This same article could have been called "How Australia is Making You Fat". Or, heaven forbid, "How Canada is Making You Fat".

Let's hope that Francis doesn't take the same approach with his users - "F*ckin' Fat-thumbed, Click Deficient, Don't Get It Users!!!".

Good article. Thanks for the link, John.

Posted by co][nz @ 08/29/2001 02:04 PM EST

I have to agree with Francis on this. As a Canadian who now lives in New York, I have news. In Canada I wore a size 6 and when I came here and tried on a pair of pants at size 6 they practically fell down to my ankles.. I'm a size 4 in US standards. I thought that I'd been stressed and lost weight or something. Though the case is not so evident in men's wear, my husband used to be a large in Canada and is now a Medium here, which is a very difficult size to find here.. I couldn't see him behind a Large size t-shirt he tried on! :o)) It definitely made him feel better!

Francis, I really don't think that the tub sized drinks here will ever crawl into Canada, I really don't think anybody would buy them there. It's embarassing, I can barely get a grip on those cups with two hands! And when you go to Denny's, since this chain exists both in the States and Canada it's a good comparison. The platter sizes are considerably different. Most of the time I had no trouble finishing what I ordered in Canada, but here I have not been able to do that yet! Most of the time when I go out for lunch and get a sandwich, I eat half for lunch and half for dinner.. :o))

Posted by Berna @ 08/29/2001 09:14 AM EST

As I've said in my comment concerning clothing sizes, I can hardly manage to find pants that fit. I've got a waist line of 32, and my pants shopping experience always ends with, "F*ckin' fat-*ssed North American Ham Beasts!!!".

While I'm having a hard time here in Canada, I'm quite sure it's far worse in the States. Compare the MacDonald's between both countries. In Canada, McD drinks come in four sizes. Small, regular, large, and supersize. In the States, the small size doesn't even exist. And the supersize can only be described as a "tub".

I'm quite sure this is only temporary. Everything in the States tends to end up here. I will be seeing that tub quite soon. That, and cheese in a spray format.

Posted by Francis @ 08/28/2001 01:18 PM EST

An interesting article... but note that John recommended every page BUT page one! A better-designed layout wouldn't hide the best material on the later pages.

Posted by Dennis G. Jerz @ 08/28/2001 09:55 AM EST

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