Originally Posted By trekkeruss << is an extra cupcake or twinkie worth that more to you?>> It's not always about junk food. My sister is overweight too, and she is one of those people who spends more on groceries because she will only eat organic and natural foods. Her weight issue is mostly because she doesn't exercise or do anything active.
Originally Posted By mstaft I do not know anyone who makes 100% healthy lifestyle choices- this is more than just being overweight. Stressful jobs and relationships, lack of exercise, alcohol consumption, and unhealthy sexual activity are just a few areas where we humans struggle and make choices. I am 20 lbs overweight, so I am not throwing stones here, No one is perfect and living 100% healthy.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 I don't feel, as someone who has struggled with my weight for the past dozen years, that obese people (especially morbidly obese) should be abused, looked at with disdain or anything like that. BUT ... when I see a 400-pounder chowing down on a triple Whopper (hell, even a regular one) I will look ... likely with disgust on my face. I have watched one relative die horribly due to illnesses brought on by morbid obesity and I have another one who will in the future, just a matter of time. At some point, you need to look at things rationally. I am 25 pounds overweight and that doesn't even get a glance in the USA. Two decades ago, most people here would say I was fat (if I had been 25 pounds overweight then). It's hard to have sympathy for a morbidly obese person when they won't change their eating habits and lifestyle (and in some cases, have surgery to shrink their stomaches). I wouldn't look at an alcoholic drinking a beer and think, 'well, that's cool.' So I won't look at a morbidly obese person consuming mass quantities of food and think, 'well, it's their life, they have no choice.' It's all BS. At some point, you either change things or you get sick and die. But let's not fool ourselves and anyone else. A food addiction can ruin your life just like an alcohol addiction, drug addiction, porn addiction, video game addiction, Internet addiction etc ... and to act like individuals have no choice is absurd. Being 5-5 and weighing 450 pounds isn't just not healthy, it's an outward sign of mental illness.
Originally Posted By smeeeko I can't believe I was able to read this entire thread. I thought the way the question from the initial poster was wrong and had nothing to do with the actual topic title "is WDW getting HUGE?" What they meant to say was are WDW *GUESTS* getting huge and I would say no, not really. AMERICA has gotten huge. I am one of those people. When I was in the army it was hard for me to keep at weight under 130 and I did a LOT of excercising and weird diets and tried to starve myself to get or at least keep the weight off and when I got out, I immediately gained 10-20 lbs within the year. Keeping weight off and doing it properly is hard for people even when they are trying. I'm not sure when all the huge portions got as big as they are but it seems whenever we go someplace like L&L and order one item off the menu to split we are given that "is that all?" sort of look (depending on the location). The portions in restaurants and chains are so big you can easily split a meal between 2 adults.. and it's the same at Disney. I saw some little kid being fed full size adult sandwhiches at the Kringla bakery.. I couldn't believe her mom didn't at least slice the sandwhich in half for her or offer to split it or something. She had her own sandwhich as did the entire family and those weird looking cake things. These weren't fat people either but I'm sure they are on their way with habits like that.. but that is ASSUMING a LOT. It could be this is there one big SPLURGE and they don't eat like that at home. Who knows?? Not ME. The only comments I want to say about the guests at WDW is that you get a broad swath of the American population at WDW. I see more pregnant ladies at WDW than I see in an entire year in general. I see more folks with amputations, overweight people, skinny people, people with glasses, people who are bald, people with big families, people without families, drunk parents, pushy people, people who change their kids diapers in public on the benches (and on the food trays) I see older folks with canes, and newlyweds on their honeymoons. There's a sampling of EVERYONE at WDW. Including my mom who is still incredulous that adults without kids go there.. and *shock!* have fun! =) I see a lot of stuff at WDW I don't see anywhere else so yeah, I'm babbling but if you see fat people at WDW (including myself) well.. DUH!
Originally Posted By Boardwalkbum However you choose to live your life as an adult (obeese, somewhat overweight,slim, emaciated) is an individual choice which I respect. Having said that, when I see people with extremely overweight children I get angry. Take away the chips-a-hoy, turn off the PS3 and make them go outside and play. Unless its some kind of glandular problem, I think its inexcusable.
Originally Posted By jonvn "I don't feel...that obese people (especially morbidly obese) should be abused, looked at with disdain or anything like that." I do, but then, I feel that way about everyone. "However you choose to live your life as an adult (obeese, somewhat overweight,slim, emaciated) is an individual choice" It's not really a choice. People have basically no control over their weight except for very short term effects. Obesity levels in this country have plateued, according to a recent study I mentioned in World Events. Much like they don't really know why rates went up so much, they're not sure why it has plateued, either.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy I don't generally take too much notice about the relative size of people around me, but I did find my jaw dropping constantly during my most recent trip to WDW -- the shear number of morbidly obese people there was beyond anything I've ever experienced before. During my entire trip I just kept feeling so bad for these people. It was a real downer. I was rehearsing my CPR steps in my mind because I was certain someone was going to go into a cardiovascular emergency at any moment. I found it all to be very depressing.
Originally Posted By barboy "Much like they don't really know why rates went" We do know why--- it may not be provable, testable or socio quantifiable but everyone of us knows why. Our biologies have not changed in 35 years but our lifestyles have. Since the 70's we have seen: more dependence on fast food noticeably larger rest. food portions refillable soft drinks and breads drive throughs--- now people don't even have to expend energy leaving their cars to get 500 calorie french fries at Jack N Box, lumber + 80lb cement bags at Lowe's, coffee at starbucks or even taking vows in Vegas. kids playing video games kids driven to school kids driven everywhere kids in strollers(I'm not sure if these numbers are higher than a few years back...I'm just not too sure here) Did I mention kids driven everywhere and they play videos? 1,000's of new or fully realized mass automation or devices which limit expending physical energy and movements like a reliance on escalators at malls instead of stairs, tv remotes(before even the lazy had to get up just to turn the channel), things like jetways at airports position us right at plane entry instead of walking up(and down) mobile stairs, even today's bikes are geared to limit exertion of energy.
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <<But let's not fool ourselves and anyone else. A food addiction can ruin your life just like an alcohol addiction, drug addiction, porn addiction, video game addiction, Internet addiction etc ... and to act like individuals have no choice is absurd>> Okay let's look at each one Internet - have it disconnected Video Games - Sell them Porn - Well getting rid of the internet may help that/stop buying it Drug/Alcohol/Smoking - Stop using So that is the easy answer - but of course nothing is that easy and most would need outside help to stop these... Food Addiction is much harder to control than any other addiction as you can't stop eating - and it may be the eating that is killing you...Even with outside help you still have to eat - so comparing a food addiction or obesity to a drug adict is like saying an anorexic just needs a sandwich...
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Okay let's look at each one>> Let's .. <<Internet - have it disconnected >> Not so fast ... most people NEED to use it for work. It is required. <<Video Games - Sell them>> Suppose you could. But what's to stop you from buying more? <<Porn - Well getting rid of the internet may help that/stop buying it>> Not really. This may shock you, but porn is also available in paper and DVD formats and quite popular I might add. <<Drug/Alcohol/Smoking - Stop using So that is the easy answer - but of course nothing is that easy and most would need outside help to stop these...>> Easy?!?! Have you ever tried to quit smoking? Or drinking? Or using? Your body becomes accustomed to having these items pumped in, and you can't just stop cold turkey ... although I have known people to so with smoking, but it wasn't easy. Or pleasant. <<Food Addiction is much harder to control than any other addiction as you can't stop eating - and it may be the eating that is killing you...>> No. Eating isn't killing these folks perse. Overeating to the nth degree and doing so on largely foods that are high in fats, calories and unhealthy ingredients are. I've said it before and I'll say it again, but when's the last time you saw someone who was a vegitarian from a young age be morbidly obese? No one grew to 600 pounds by eating salads and fruits. Burgers, fries, fried chicken, chips, Big Gulps, cookies, ice cream, pasta, etc ... those items are just some of the things when overeaten will add unwanted pounds to your bottom (line). <<Even with outside help you still have to eat - so comparing a food addiction or obesity to a drug adict is like saying an anorexic just needs a sandwich...>> That's a bit simplistic. People need to eat, but they don't need to eat 6,000-10,000 calories a day (the range of most morbidly obese people according to a study I recently read). The average adult should be able to survive on 1500 a day and 2,000-3,000 with exercise should be a healthy amount. When you can walk out of Burger King having had that many calories in one sitting as a 'normal' person, you can see how these places are not where anyone with a severe weight problem should ever be eating. Oh, and it's good to know that others are sadly seeing what I have been for the last decade ... I've never seen such a collection of people about to die due to their eating than at WDW. I have no real idea why, some interesting theories have been raised on this thread ...but I do know that it is spreading, a lot of those huge folks aren't from Minnesota or New Jersey or South Carolina ... they're from the UK. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but it's lunchtime!
Originally Posted By gottaluvdavillains <<<Easy?!?! Have you ever tried to quit smoking? Or drinking? Or using?>>> Which was exactly my point - Nothing is easy but with these you do not need them to live !! <That's a bit simplistic> Exactly - to say simply stop doing what is bad for you is insane - With the exception of maybe some drugs you don't just wake up with a problem - If you are an alcoholic it isn't because you had a glass of wine the night before - Drug addicts - well for the most part don't smoke some pot and become addicted (never did drugs but I do understand some types are that addictive) Same with the smoking - Most addictions are things you choose to try and then become addicted to(no I don't mean you chose the addiction part) But you know the risks before hand - If you smoke it is highly addictive so if you start you know it's likely you will be an addict - Drugs the same... Alcohol, you never know when or who will be addicted to this, but if you drink you know you take this chance... Food is something you need - granted most eat more than what is necessary that is a fact - But just like the anorexic an obese person didn't just wake up one day and find they were too big - it's a process. People seem to think by telling someone who is bigger than they should be - to just not eat so much is the answer - doesn't know what they are talking about. Those who are morbidly obese can't just say oh okay now I understand - it's just not that simple - The real solution is starting when someone is young and helping them make the right food choices with the right portion sizes. I have 4 children - all very active - first is 18 and is average size for his height the next is 16 and is much heavier (about 50lbs too heavy) for his height. The younger two 11 and 9 are very slender. Now if you looked at my children you would think my second son just eats too much bad food and is lazy (by what has been said by others about heavier people) - The sad thing is the heaviest of my children is the best eater(no not the most food) he likes mostly healthy food and doesn't care for fast food or eating out. He pretty much only eats junk food if we are at DL or such and don't have better food. He only playes limited video games on weekends and walks approx a mile each way to school - He also takes all AP courses in school so once he does get home he has so much homework he doesn't really have time to do much else and at his school once you take 2 years of PE the state says you are done!! Oh yeah the oldest who is almost 19 and has a job and his own money lives on fast food and junk food and soda that he buys himself - so saying people who are fat are just lazy and eat too much isn't always the case - Look at my oldest he should be really fat - but because he has a great matoblisim....
Originally Posted By barboy But the food angle is only half of the reason why people are huge. A lack of movement or exertion is the other--- we for the most part have become a more sedentary people. Recently I was at Salt Lake City airport and I had a connection which required moving to another gate--- to get there one either escalates or hits the stairs right next to it. I was the only, absolutely only one to take the stairs and I got strange looks from the mass travelers as if walking up stairs is such a foreign thing to do. We are so damn lazy now that stairs have become an instrument for the emergency or inoperation of lifts. There are some very sizable folk out there who eat very little but basically don't move their bodies and there are some very huge families that exercise routinely but eat too much. And then there is the segment of huge who clearly eat too much and move very little.
Originally Posted By jonvn Yes, easy sounding answers that everyone "knows," but the fact is that almost no one can follow these simple sounding things, and that it's not really understood why things are happening the way they are.
Originally Posted By jonvn "when's the last time you saw someone who was a vegitarian from a young age be morbidly obese?" I know people who are vegetarian who are also morbidly obese. You can eat cake all day, be vegetarian, and be obese.
Originally Posted By Sport Goofy << almost no one can follow these simple sounding things, and that it's not really understood why things are happening the way they are. >> It's genetics, mostly. However, there are shifts in societal activities over the past century that have impacted how our gene pool is evolving.
Originally Posted By jonvn Genetics, or maybe epigenetics. It seems that depending on how your grandfather got food as a child has a bearing on how much you weigh. Odd isn't it?
Originally Posted By fkurucz FWIW, I have a nephew who used to be quite overweight. His dad got him to play soccer and he has slimmed down dramatically.
Originally Posted By barboy This whole business of "weight" is a total misnomer. When talking about obeseness volume/size relative to body height is far more telling of one's true physically outward condition since muscle--- a desirable--- weighs significantly more than fat, an undesirable. So to say one is over weight or weighs too much is way too simplistic and doesn't really address obeseness. I weigh 195 lbs. and I am 5' 11". I have a fairly powerful body but yet I outweigh some rather large, very out of shape people out there who weigh 170 - 190.
Originally Posted By jonvn People who have too much muscle can also have the same bad effects from having too much fat.
