US slips down development index

[Cancel 2016.2]

When you are poor you try to buy what you can to fill up your family. The cheap processed food is easy to buy ,fix and fills you up. It is expensive to eat healthy in the US.

That is a load of crap. I can give you healthy inexpensive meal examples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has more to do with people choosing to eat shit because it is fast and convenient than it does with the price of food.

My breakfast every day costs less than $.50 and it is GOOD for me.

 

[evince]

Because a great many people do not eat healthy AND those same people tend not to exercise.

Look at CO. We tend to be the fittest state in the nation year in, year out. Yet we have exposure to the same processsed/fast food crappy McDonalds etc... that the rest of the nation does. So why are we so much fitter than a lot of the nation? Because of the mindset of the people of the state perhaps? More awareness of the benefits of eating healthy coupled with exercise?

granted, we have access to a LOT of outdoor activities that are good for you AND are fun.... which has a lot to do with it. That coupled with great weather means we win.

CO RULES BABY!!!!

what is the ratio of poor people in your state?

It seems to me CO has kind of a yuppy image?

 

[uscitizen]

That is a load of crap. I can give you healthy inexpensive meal examples for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It has more to do with people choosing to eat shit because it is fast and convenient than it does with the price of food.

My breakfast every day costs less than $.50 and it is GOOD for me.

as I said lazy. But yes the rushing around for the wrong reasons is a factor. A bunch of puppets responding to their strings being pulled.

 

[uscitizen]

what is the ratio of poor people in your state?

It seems to me CO has kind of a yuppy image?

I posed a story on that about a month back. Actually Colorado's image is very deceptive.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

what is the ratio of poor people in your state?

It seems to me CO has kind of a yuppy image?

There are poor people in every state desh. It is not just the poor that are obese in this country. The obesity spans all spectrums.

This state is fit because it is filled with people who enjoy getting outside and hiking, biking, rafting, skiing, boarding, running or going to parks for volleyball, basketball, tennis etc.... This state does not tend to attract those that sit on their ass and doing nothing all day.

 

[uscitizen]

The obesity / income link is a statistical fact in the USA.

 

[evince]

Maybe food stamps should be a program where the people are given certain foods from any store with their vouchers.

Healthy food like beans ,rice , vetables , fruit and the like?

 

[uscitizen]

Maybe food stamps should be a program where the people are given certain foods from any store with their vouchers.

Healthy food like beans ,rice , vetables , fruit and the like?

we used to have that, it was called commodities. but the retail merchants wanted the money to come thru them so we went to food stamps.
All boils down to profit.

 

[Damocles]

Maybe food stamps should be a program where the people are given certain foods from any store with their vouchers.

Healthy food like beans ,rice , vetables , fruit and the like?

When I suggested that long ago on politics.com, I was told it was cruel to make them use stamps even, that they should be able to get a loaded visa with my tax dollars on it for them to spend. That the embarrassment factor on using the things was just horrific, and that only a Republican could suggest such an awful solution.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

Maybe food stamps should be a program where the people are given certain foods from any store with their vouchers.

Healthy food like beans ,rice , vetables , fruit and the like?

I have no problem with limiting what food stamps can buy. To be honest I am not sure what restrictions there might be on them (if any).

Personally, I would make sure they cannot buy alcohol, tobacco products, fast food etc...

Bottom line though, obesity is not a problem found only in the poor.

 

[uscitizen]

I have no problem with limiting what food stamps can buy. To be honest I am not sure what restrictions there might be on them (if any).

Personally, I would make sure they cannot buy alcohol, tobacco products, fast food etc...

Bottom line though, obesity is not a problem found only in the poor.

They cannot currently buy tobacco, fast foods, etc.

they can however buy heatem and eatem junk food and such.

 

[Damocles]

I have no problem with limiting what food stamps can buy. To be honest I am not sure what restrictions there might be on them (if any).

Personally, I would make sure they cannot buy alcohol, tobacco products, fast food etc...

Bottom line though, obesity is not a problem found only in the poor.

If it is not fast food, or prepared food (no restaurant eating), and not alcohol they are free to use stamps on it.

They used to come into our gas stations and buy stuff like frozen burritos and chips. So long as they did not pre-heat the burrito we had to sell it to them.

 

[DigitalDave]

And instead of insisting on improvement we get the uber-baconed burger....

The baconator was a kick-ass burger from Wendy's.... damn I'm hungry again.

 

[Thorn]

I think that SF's comments have come closest to identifying the problem; it's lifestyle -- part diet, part activities -- that probably contribute the most to the differences in health.

There's a growing trend (long overdue!) in medicine to emphasize preventive medicine, rather than trying to fix things after they go wrong, which is where most of our health dollars go right now. When I lived in Canada there was a great emphasis on comparing ourselves to the far healthier (and more active) Swedes, who overall ate more natural, fewer processed foods and took part in all sorts of outdoor activities.

Barring unavoidable health problems (genetics, accidents, and the like) we have to take personal, daily responsibility for our own well being.

 

[Damocles]

The baconator was a kick-ass burger from Wendy's.... damn I'm hungry again.

Meat as a condiment. It is delicious.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

I think that SF's comments have come closest to identifying the problem; it's lifestyle -- part diet, part activities -- that probably contribute the most to the differences in health.

There's a growing trend (long overdue!) in medicine to emphasize preventive medicine, rather than trying to fix things after they go wrong, which is where most of our health dollars go right now. When I lived in Canada there was a great emphasis on comparing ourselves to the far healthier (and more active) Swedes, who overall ate more natural, fewer processed foods and took part in all sorts of outdoor activities.

Barring unavoidable health problems (genetics, accidents, and the like) we have to take personal, daily responsibility for our own well being.

amen. Granted, I do understand that is far easier for us in CO given our weather and access to the mountains. We can play outside all year whereas some states cannot do so as easily.

 

[uscitizen]

Thorn, I also think places like Colorado attract the more active people.
I think Colorado probably has a fairly high percentage of first and second generation inhabitants. Unlike KY and WVA which have families from colonial days here. Rural VA Seems to have a lot of heavies as well.

 

[Topspin]

Co prob has a high percentage of college grads.
THey are still fat as a state, there just the least obese by %.

 

[Thorn]

amen. Granted, I do understand that is far easier for us in CO given our weather and access to the mountains. We can play outside all year whereas some states cannot do so as easily.

That's so true, and though in terms of miles we aren't very far from you, in climate terms we're a world away. I'm beginning to find the summers really oppressive; luckily we have a pool and I can do laps at least. But in the winter we'd have to travel a fair distance to get in any cross country skiing (yes, I optimistically brought my skis! ) so it doesn't happen. I'm getting some more exercise trying to keep up with my border collie in the Agility ring.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

Thorn, I also think places like Colorado attract the more active people.
I think Colorado probably has a fairly high percentage of first and second generation inhabitants. Unlike KY and WVA which have families from colonial days here. Rural VA Seems to have a lot of heavies as well.

It definitely attracts those that are more active. Those that are not active tend to get bored here as they don't have as many people to play with.

It is also true that there are probably more transplants here than natives. Again, it is easier here, I do not deny that. But no matter where you live in the US... you can find physical activities that you can do. It is the mindset that matters. I think a part of it is getting over the idea that the only way to get in shape is to 'go for a run' or do something that you may not like to do. There is such a great variety that you just have to keep trying different things until you find an activity you LIKE. Once you have that it becomes a whole lot easier.

Another barrier that many have a problem with is the 'fast results' mentality. It does not happen overnight. The first couple of weeks getting back into an exercise regimen are typically going to suck as you will not recover as fast from workouts and you will typically be sore. The more consistent you get at working out, the easier they become.

Same thing with giving up the junk food. The cravings in the beginning are much harder and more frequent than they are once you purge your body of those types of food. I used to think I would die without several cans of coke a day. Now the only time I drink soft drinks is when they are lightly splashed in with my glass of Crown. For other people the vices will be different. For some it is candy, others Doritos or McDonalds Fries etc...