Obesity over the years (it's not a pretty picture!)

All but 4 in the two highest categories? No, I see 7 states in the 3rd category, plus Hawaii with no data. You need to look at the map full-size!

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Wow, space-cadet moment on my part - I had been playing with that map full-sized for awhile so I have no idea what I was thinking. Thanks for that belavrana!

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Does anyone notice that prior to 1985 Americans were of average weight? What happened since then?

I would venture to say that the high carb/low fat advice peddled by the American medical establishment is to blame. I personally started gaining weight in 1991 as well eating a "healthy" low-fat diet. Eating this way made me hungrier so I reached for more low-fat foods. Removing fat from your diet also removes a critical factor for satiety.

I believe it is more important to watch your carb intake. It is also equally necessary to note that since the 1980s corporations have increased employee workload exponentially. With the advent of email, cell phone, and blackberry, employees are essentially tethered to their job 24/7. Given the massive outsourcing of manufacturing, customer service, accounting and tech jobs to Third World countries, most Americans experiencing job insecurity choose to do all they can to hold onto their jobs (and healthcare if provided) - even if that means not taking all their vacation days. All this work stress added to the cost of raising a family makes it difficult to find the time and money to go to the gym and forgo comfort junk food (oftentimes the only reward that their budget and schedule allow).

Did nearly 2/3 of Americans suddenly turn into lazy gluttons lacking self-control and willpower? I think not! People from around the world who come to the US also start gaining weight - regardless of their background and "willpower." And when they return home, they start losing weight eating normally - NOT by zealously counting calories.

So we as Americans need to pressure our lawmakers to implement policies that effectively support good health in this country: 1) Subsidize affordable fruits and vegetables (instead of bankrolling corn syrup production). 2) Send a clear message to the American people that low-fat is NOT the way to go. Instead we need to be vigilant over carb intake. 3) Mandate federal vacation days for all Americans like in Europe - Germany, France, etc have at least 25 vacation days (in addition to holidays). 4) Pass UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE so that all Americans can receive preventive care and avoid debt. 5) Make sure every American can take at least 1 hr lunch break - By eating lunch as the main meal and a small dinner, you can instantly lose weight.

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weight gain since 1985??? Duh.... that is about when Computers hit the market and everyone started SITTING. Even the TV has not kept people as stationary as the computer has.

What keeps you tuned in on the TV as they keep repeating the same tape all day long when they try to convince you that they have the most up to date news.... or, the vast amount of re-runs TV is getting as bad as top 40 radio.... after about 4 hours, you have heard and seen everything they have to offer you.

The computer on the other hand....... Where does it end???

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It's the affect of the various presidential administrations. When Bush got in office, 9/11 hit, jobs plummeted and war started caused people to not seek out physical activities out of fear and depression. So people started eating more to soothe their anxieties and probably was the only thing they could afford to enjoy themselves after a lot of people lost their jobs. Don't forget, the more impoverished you are the fatter you will usually become because junk food and refined boxed and canned foods last longer as more practicality and are cheaper than raw fruits and vegetables. Then people had to eat out more and cook less when they had to work more than one job just to make ends meet.

When our economy gets back to a healthier status then our healthy bodies will return with it.

In some other countries, less refined foods are sold. And they aren't made more expensive than refined boxed or canned foods where people can't afford to eat healthy.

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Does anyone suspect that the addition of high fructose corn syrup to our diets, in every imaginable product consumed since 1985; having a decernable effect on the general obesity epidemic? Think about it, we used to drink far less soft drinks. Consume products that had actual sugar, not this chemically altered non-food product that is: high fructose corn syrup. Just a thought as to another piece of the proverbial puzzle. Thank you for reading!

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