Was making Americans fat and sick the plan right out of the gate ?

[ABikerSailor]

Read an article claiming that 70% of the military-age population is health-wise unfit for military service. Being too Fat is one of the main reasons

75% actually .
ZH .

Actually, out of all the people in this country who are military age eligible, only 30 percent are qualified to join. That is because of many factors, being overweight is just one of them. There are also those who are not qualified due to civil convictions, not being able to pass the ASVAB (and yes, there are those who want to join but can't because of scores. If you have a HS diploma, the minimum score is MUCH lower than if you have a GED for enlistment), those who are disqualified for medical conditions (asthma is a big disqualifier for many people, as well as flat feet) or other things. Being overweight is just part of the reasons people are disqualified. And, if a person is serious about enlisting, you can bet your ass that their recruiter will work with them to get them into standards. I was Head Classifier/LPO at a MEPS for my last tour before I retired, which is why I know these things.

 

[meaner gene]

Never put down to grand conspiracy, thought out, what can be instead put down to greed or stupidity.

This one is greed.

The food suppliers/companies found a way to super-produce cheap food and paid off the powers that be not to regulate it. That's it.

Actually from the chart it seems that the incidence of obesity started climbing rapidly starting around 1980. Which is when republicans brought in the era of deregulation.


Why Ronald Reagan Became the Great Deregulator
In the 1980s, the Reagan administration advanced the business group's ideas, reducing the budgets of the Environmental Protection Agency, the ...

 

[the other mike]

 

[multivita-man]

These are old charts going back to 2010..... anything newer than that is hard to find apparently.

View attachment 762880View attachment 762881
But clearly after 1980 is when it started.

1977.....
View attachment 762884
Any obese people in this photo ?

I really find old photos fascinating, because as this points out, there are far fewer obese people.

The biggest factor is the quality of our diet. Portion sizes are larger, and there's a lot more sugar, salt, and bad fats in our diet. People eat out more. They buy more quick and ready-to-eat meals. What's worse is that many of the foods that purport to be healthy still have a lot of bad shit in them - mainly sugar.

 

[braalian]

Dude.....you're the one questioning the intention of this thread..... I have no other motives than informing people here...... telling the truth ))))which means I'm a conspiracy theorist in this day and age (((((

What’s the truth?

People are fat because they eat poorly and don’t exercise enough.

No one could “make” us fat if they wanted to. Not one fat person was forced to eat anything against their will.

 

[MarathonMike]

These are old charts going back to 2010..... anything newer than that is hard to find apparently.

View attachment 762880View attachment 762881
But clearly after 1980 is when it started.

1977.....
View attachment 762884
Any obese people in this photo ?

The American food industry pushes unhealthy addictive foods to "hook" people on their products. This is to the delight of the medical-drug industry that must have a steady supply of sick fat people to keep them profitable.

 

[Blues Man]

These are old charts going back to 2010..... anything newer than that is hard to find apparently.

View attachment 762880View attachment 762881
But clearly after 1980 is when it started.

1977.....
View attachment 762884
Any obese people in this photo ?

When the factory food conglomerates own politicians what do you expect.

 

[Blues Man]

When the factory food conglomerates own politicians what do you expect.

Then of course big pharma has to supply all the blood pressure, cholesterol and type 2 diabetes medicine

 

[multivita-man]

There is a direct correlation with the advance of technology and people ultimately getting lazier.

I wouldn't say lazy, but less physically active as a result of our normal routine. People went from working on cars and doing heavy lifting in factories to sitting at a desk 8 hours or more per day. The latter isn't necessarily 'lazy' and may even work longer hours than 1970s factory guy, but 1970s factory guy burned more calories.

But more than that, he also was less likely to dine out, less likely to eat TV dinners, more likely to eat prepared meals, more likely to eat natural foods, and in smaller portions.

The American food industry pushes unhealthy addictive foods to "hook" people on their products. This is to the delight of the medical-drug industry that must have a steady supply of sick fat people to keep them profitable.

They sure do, and the increase in the rates of childhood/youth obesity is insane - a problem that could be addressed by providing healthy school lunches for all students of all grades. But "personal responsibility" lecturing and all that right wing bullshit.

 

[multivita-man]

What’s the truth?

People are fat because they eat poorly and don’t exercise enough.

No one could “make” us fat if they wanted to. Not one fat person was forced to eat anything against their will.

Yes and no.

Yes, it's each person's individual responsibility to look after their own health but obesity is really hard to reverse in adulthood, and most obesity starts in childhood, before children are really aware of the impact of their lifestyle.

 

[MarathonMike]

They sure do, and the increase in the rates of childhood/youth obesity is insane - a problem that could be addressed by providing healthy school lunches for all students of all grades. But "personal responsibility" lecturing and all that right wing bullshit.

Obsesity is an epedemic and childhood obesity is tragic. Like most things there is no single magic bullet that solves it. Kids eat what parents feed them. You don't fix it by making school lunches healthier. Michelle Obama tried that and the kids threw the crappy tasting lunches in the trash. Personal responsibility is not right wing bull shit. It is part of being a REAL American.

 

[multivita-man]

Obsesity is an epedemic and childhood obesity is tragic. Like most things there is no single magic bullet that solves it. Kids eat what parents feed them. You don't fix it by making school lunches healthier. Michelle Obama tried that and the kids threw the crappy tasting lunches in the trash. Personal responsibility is not right wing bull shit. It is part of being a REAL American.

Kids were not eating it, but the alternative is to eat the shit they want and then, well, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes happen, all at an increasingly young age. I think the solution is to try to find ways to make those meals taste better.

But I do agree that ultimately, schools can't fix what parents won't. Better education and public awareness of nutrition is paramount. That being said, a lot of parents are confronted with food deserts. If their time-saving and low-cost shopping options are limited to convenience stores, the kids are fucked.

 

[MarathonMike]

That being said, a lot of parents are confronted with food deserts. If their time-saving and low-cost shopping options are limited to convenience stores, the kids are fucked.

Food deserts are a problem in low income, high crime areas, for sure. Food trucks could help but might be dangerous for the drivers.

 

[initforme]

Parents who take their kids to fast food places are irresponsible.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

So you think people are fat because of a conspiracy?

Anything to absolve themselves of their personal choices

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

Food deserts are a problem in low income, high crime areas, for sure. Food trucks could help but might be dangerous for the drivers.

"Food deserts" exist because of the lack of morals of the inhabitants

 

[multivita-man]

Food deserts are a problem in low income, high crime areas, for sure. Food trucks could help but might be dangerous for the drivers.

Indeed, and that is the reason no quality stores want to go into these areas. There's a reason Whole Foods and Trader Joe's or even Safeway don't end up in certain high crime areas. For one thing the clientele's too poor, and then there's the issue of safety.

I almost wish that there would be a government-run store where people could just use their stamps and buy primarily healthy shit at low cost. I used to live in Pennsylvania, which had state-run liquor stores. Don't see why there can't be state-run health foods stores as well. Guessing Dollar General would throw a fit and scream that commies are taking over America, but if it were up to me and me only, and if I were a state-level dictator, I'd give these dollar stores an ultimatum: start selling healthier items at cost or we're building a state store that will undercut yours -- deal with it.

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

I were a state-level dictator, I'd give these dollar stores an ultimatum: start selling healthier items at cost or we're building a state store that will undercut yours -- deal with it

THIS is where we differ. Dollar General doesn't exist to make sure the poor make good food choices. If "the government" feels the need to provide reasonably priced HEALTHY food to people who won't eat it, it wouldn't be a problem for the dollar stores. If people wanted that food, they'd be selling it

 

[CarlinAnnArbor]

Let them starve

 

[multivita-man]

Let them starve

Armed robbery happens and the whole community deserves to starve?