Gosh Dont get me wrong sfeerikal, its a great place to visit and everyone we spoke to was very helpful and nice/friendly but it was a huge culture shock for me!!!

Im sitting here nodding my head agreeing with almost every post, I think the idea of "value" and "quanitiy vs quality" seems to be a big thing. I had never heard of free refills over here (Ireland) if you want a second glass of something you pay for it which stops you from drinking half a litre of soda before you realise it.

I travelled around Florida, and I have to say it wasnt only in the theme parks that I noticed a difference and actually everything seemed even bigger and cheaper outside of the theme parks!!!!

And as for the scooters I am a little more understanding the idea of carrying 200lbs, I hadnt really thought of it in that way and how hard it would be to get around if i had extra weight but it was really the general acceptance of obesity that shocked me most it seemed to be OK to be bigger, like I went to Italy last year to visit my bf's family and at my weight and height I was large and felt quite uncomfortable people seemed to live very healthy lifestyles and couldnt understand how you could "let yourself go".

At the end of the day it was just a huge culture shock, and im trying to get my head around it!

I agree with the opinion that it varies on geographic region. I live in NYC where there are so many thin, healthy people. The portions are generally decent sized, and there is an abundance of fresh, organic, local foods and restaurants that provide them. That is, if you can afford that kind of food. I used to be a social worker for the impoverished, mainly working in boroughs other than Manhattan. Obesity is a problem there because healthy foods are a lot more expensive and harder to come by. Also, there is a cycle of poor eating passed down generation to generation. In the U.S., health food is expensive if you don't live in an area where its locally grown.

When I go to Western Massachusetts to visit my parents, its a different story. It seems that everyone is overweight. Just this July 4th, we went to a park and I was amazed at how many obese people there are. Its sad because its a rural, farming area and there are so many fresh vegetable stands and local farms that provide milk and meat.

Original Post by jblarghp:

Yea, I recall hearing we have the highest rate of obesity. I remember reading somewhere that 60% of the population is overweight. 

I've only been out of the country once, and it was to Montreal. To be honest, I didn't really notice a difference. My friends that have gone to Italy always come back saying how skinny everyone is though.

USA #1. Ha! Eat that the rest of the world. Oh wait . .. oh yes, snack on our crumbs!

But seriously . . . when I got to the Middle East I was surprised that I could not fit into the XL clothes sold here. I also could not find pairs of shoes that fit. I was really happy when I bought a large shirt this past weekend, and I can actually get into smaller sized shoes because I do not need the extra, extra wides.

But you see some guys walking around here in their dish dashas that could be used as tents. Obesity is epidemic, may be culturally rooted and accepted but not contagious. It is typically cureable.

I live in Colorado where three of our cities end up in the top 10 healthiest every year  and rank as one of the lowest as far as % obesity and still see people  way too many scooters in the stores and the availability of fast food on every corner.

I think the people on this site should not be offended- you are here to make a change and get away from the bad habits that come so easily here.

It is very hard to buy produce- it is expensive and when it goes on sale it is gone or rotten... (or so it seems)

Even if you order veggies to replace fries here- you don't get very good ones and they are loaded with butter.

When I would summer in Italy- our entire family would drop lbs without even trying and it seemed like we were always eating- but it was always good stuff like fruit and veggies- even going out to eat it was like having a healthy home cooked meal- and forget about sitting around- everybody "walks off" big meals ... and going out to eat was to socialize- you would spend hours there, not like here where it is quick... def. a cultural thing...  it was very hard to try to keep up that lifestyle here and I packed on the weight

What is with Europeans and Florida?

Yeah, amusement parks do give a skewed view of Americans...we're not all overweight with mullets and fannypacks.

However, when I went to France and Italy last year, I was terrified I was going to put on a ton of weight because of the food options there, too. It's not like it was all healthy either.

I didn't gain or lose those three weeks, but probably because I walked like 7 miles a day!

When I was in Malayasia, however, I lost over 10 pounds because it was all rice, chicken, fish and fresh fruit. I did not see anyone remotely overweight in that country. And the fast food was so sketchy, I didn't touch it.

I think in America we need more eye openers as to how overweight we are. Dieting is a billion dollar industry, but we just can't help ourselves for the most part.

It's sad really.

Original Post by hawkeyegal:

Dieting is a billion dollar industry, but we just can't help ourselves for the most part.

There's a reason why they call it the "diet industry" and not the "lifestyle change" industry.  Fad diets have a vested interest in keeping the food status quo, because the more people that are overweight, the more often people will spend their money on the "program."  However,  real change in lifestyle and education takes away customers.

obesity is a huge problem here.  Food laden with high fructose corn syrup, soda treated like water, not candy.  I am a pediatric nurse, we have children at the age of 8 diagnosed with type II diabetes.  I have seen 4 year olds who weigh over 100 lbs.  250 lb 13 year olds in heart failure.  At my son's elementary school, I am not allowed to bring cupcakes for his birthday (sweets are not allowed) but they can serve nacho's (chips, ground beef and canned cheese) for lunch entree.  They have Physical Education twice a month!  But parents bringing cupcakes for birthdays is the problem!  I live in a school district where over 50% of the students get either free lunch and breakfast or assistance with lunch.  In research that I did for nursing school, one of the elementary schools nearby, most of the kids on the free lunch program state they only eat at school.  So if the only food they get is crap, what is there health going to be like.  The arguement that "we serve what the kids will eat" is bogus.  If the kid is only eating at school, they are hungry and will eat what is provided.  A small research study in another state found that in a school where 40% of the children were considered obese, 60% of the children on the free and assisted lunch were considered obese.  This is ridiculous! 

I pack my kids' lunch.  It is more expensive, but healthier. 

Another part of the problem is that we are in the second to third generation of all the parents at home working (whether they are single parent households, or dual income households).  Before you yell at me, both my husband and I work, so I am not preaching here, just observing.  My husband's mother worked, and he grew up on frozen dinners and boxed meals.  He doesn't know how to make a meal.  He can only reheat what has already been prepared for him.   We think that it is easier and cheaper to by a fat & salt laden frozen dinner than to make a meal.

This is a Fat American talking here, but doing my part to make a change.

Original Post by jevw:

My husband's mother worked, and he grew up on frozen dinners and boxed meals.  He doesn't know how to make a meal.  

Well, that's a matter of a parental choice, not the inevitable consequence of no stay at home parents.  Both of my parents worked, and while I did get my share of frozen meals and Kraft Mac n Cheese, I still had plenty of cooked meals, and knew how to make a fantastic meatloaf and baked chicken by the time I reached middle school.  I do realize that most parents don't take that option out of convenience, but there are options for them if they search them out.

I agree with previous posters that the prevalence of obesity is very geographical.  The San Francisco area where I live is pretty health conscioius, but when I travel to the South (Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia), people get *huge*!!  And no wonder: just try finding something healthy to eat while you're there - it's pretty damn difficult.  Everything is deep fried and drowning in butter or gravy.  Even if I wasn't concerned about calories, it tastes gross!!  There is a book you can buy at Amazon.com called "Healthy Highways" that lists where you can buy healthy food while travelling in the States, and I highly recommend it.

At my cousin's elementary school "healthy lunch" day, the lunch is chicken taquitos or vegetarian pizza.

..........

i'm not really offended by the statement that america is the most obese country because i know it's true, but i just don't seem to really see it. apparently i'm at a "healthy weight", but i feel like all the girls around me are soooo much tinier.

which is why i asked where exactly in the states she was. i've always lived in the northeast, and now i live in a college city, so maybe the fact that everyone is young and the fact that it's a huge walking city contributes to the lack of obesity? there are definitely people who are overweight, i just don't see 60% worth where i am at least.

Original Post by misspriss316:

At my cousin's elementary school "healthy lunch" day, the lunch is chicken taquitos or vegetarian pizza.

..........

 Geez, that's healthy??

I remember seeing a report on Dateline or 20/20 or one of those shows about a school district that gets healthy, organic lunches from someplace special and the cost difference between the healthy lunch and the other districts' "affordable" government-provided lunch was really negligible.

Haha that is hilarious! I live in Alberta, and we have a high obesity rate, but we also have a very high % of fit population. In my city, it is not uncommon to see 10-15 runners during my 5 minute commute to work at 5:30am.

I remember when we went to disneyland for a week 2 years ago and went to the Ihop across the street (it was my first ihop experience), and a fruit plate was the same price as the stuffed french toast (aka, donuts lol).

Unreal! I also noticed the free refills on drinks. In Canada we definitely don't have that. More people are moving toward organic goods. They won't eat much normal produce etc., let alone fast food.

Original Post by santonacci:

Original Post by bee86:

But what shocked me was number one the all you can eat buffets, free refills of fizzy drinks (but not water), Giant pretzels, HUGE portions as in enough for two people in one main course, everything including the people seemed to be bigger

Yeah - most people in the US have a skewed sense of portion size. 

 I go out of my way to tout healthy portion size in my house, I have a 5 y/o little girl, and I want her to be raised to pick healthy choices on her own.  So the bowls that we have only hold 1 serving of cereal, and we usually use smaller plates, etc.  If you finish something and you're still hungry, I encourage my daughter to choose something else for variety.

My BFF comes over, and complains about the size of my cereal bowls (which I went OUT OF MY WAY to pick) saying "don't you have any REAL bowls around here?".

I find when I go to a restraunt I need to just stick 1/2 to 2/3 of the food on my plate right into the to go container, because it's WAAAAAY too much food.

I am from the mid-west and we definately have a lot of obese people here.  Including children which makes me sick.  I HATE it when you see obese people riding around on scooters in the Wal-mart.  I used to work there and you see it all the damn time.  People want to claim that they don't know any better but I have a really hard time believing that.  A lot of people around here don't want to take responsibility for themselves.  It kinda sucks but I see it a lot and not just in diet, but in money management, love lives, kids, etc.  Its like everyone is looking to blame someone else.  I work in a factory at the moment though so my view is probably a bit skewed, although I see more obesity problems in office jobs.  Which I have also worked.  

What part of Ireland are you from? I am from Dublin and my family have homes in NY adn Dublin and I don't see much of a difference between the two places - at least not anymore. Maybe 10-20 years ago before Celtic Tiger things were different .... I think it's all "where you go" (as NY is riddled with as many super thin as mega obese) but I do agree the portions can be out of control here ......

"Eating huge meals, fried foods, etc was common for farmers because they worked all day and were famished at each meal - and eating traditions get passed down."

I live in Maine, and I have noticed a lot of people here gain and lose with the seasons. We have great produce and farmer's markets from about May through early November. In the winter, it's a different story; produce becomes sparse and sort of gnarly. In addition to this, lots of people do really physical seasonal work. Lobstermen, construction, landscaping, summer camp staff, and mail carriers; all of these people do heavy labor eight-plus hours per day, and burn off everything they eat. Come winter, the outdoor work wanes but eating habits don't change to accommodate this.

We only need to look good in bikinis three months out of the year. As a state, we'd probably pay more attention to weight if we didn't spend six months out of the year in sweaters. That and we love, love, love chain restaurants here, which are diet napalm.