Most Albertans overweight or obese: report

[taco.vidal]

Im posting this news here for now and will comment later when I have more time. I will try to be helpful. Im hoping this doesn't turn into a discussion about the validity of BMI as there are people who need help and arguing about BMI being invalid for bodybuilders doesn't help anyone.

When I look around my office today, these numbers seem to be in the right ballpark. I think people are often unaware or even in denial about their weight problems. Obese people think they are merely overweight and those in the overweight range think they aren't.

http://globalnews.ca/news/2137345/mo...-obese-report/

EDMONTON — Six out of 10 adults in Alberta are overweight or obese, according to a report released by the Health Quality Council of Alberta.

The number is 3.7 per cent higher than the national average, which found half of Canadians are carrying around more weight than they should. But some health experts say not everyone can access weight management resources.

[Passe La Puck]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/mobile/health/...nger-1.1099470

[CroFlames]

Thanks NDP.

I win.

[White Out 403]

the alberta advantage.

[peter12]

I wonder how Albertans stack up comparatively in their consumption of so-called luxury foods; red wine, red meat, CAKES?

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by taco.vidal

Im hoping this doesn't turn into a discussion about the validity of BMI as there are people who need help and arguing about BMI being invalid for bodybuilders doesn't help anyone.

I think people are often unaware or even in denial about their weight problems. Obese people think they are merely overweight and those in the overweight range think they aren't.

Thanked for both. So many people with their head in the sand.

In regards to the second point, I think people here keep looking at the average North American weight and say, Hey I'm totally (just "slightly" over) average. But the that comparison is already against an average that is already way too fat. It's a self fulfilling prophecy of increasing weight and obesity.

Travelling around the world, you can easily see how Canadians and North Americans skew so much fatter.

[blueski]

Long live free health care! Thanks Social Credit Party.

[mrkajz44]

Cue the: "my relative eats whatever they want all the time and are skinny as a rake" comments.

Managing your weight is 90% self-control. Be aware of how many calories you are eating and how many you are burning based on your activity level.

On the topic at hand, I always thought this was just a "fat age" and in 50 or 100 years or something everyone would look back and think about how big people were in older generations. The trend just doesn't seem to be reversing though - maybe the fat age is here to stay.

[GP_Matt]

Society seems to have shifted to revolve around food.

If you want to get together with coworkers the options seem to be, grab a coffee, go for lunch or grab a beer after work. I don't know if it used to be different or if people just worked more physical jobs. You also see unhealthy food brought into the office on a regular basis. Our office often has donuts that everyone walks past, cakes in the afternoon and the front desk usually has chocolates or some such snack. It is all hard to avoid. I keep thinking of grabbing a veggie platter or something the next time I bring food into an office but haven't yet.

[blankall]

Now that I'm in my mid thirties I've definitely seen lots of people let themselves go. Seems like a general lifestyle thing. People gain an extra forty pounds or so and then tell themselves they'll start working out or better later, and dropping twenty pounds is no big deal... They'll do it later though.

[peter12]

I gained 35 lbs in my last job. Mainly due to working in a lot of northern communities where the only place to eat at odd hours was the Tim Hortons. Since moving back to Calgary, I have started biking, working out more, but as other posters have said, there is this awful foodie culture whereby everyone always has to have the best, most delicious things in massive quantities. Beer all the time, delicious going out to eat all the time.

After turning into an eating machine, it is hard to resist, and turn back the cycle!

[undercoverbrother]

50% of you people are fatties.

[wretched34]

What makes it even worse, is that it's not just adults that are skewing the scales of normality, child obesity is at an all time high too. For example, my 5 year old son, was big at birth, in the 95 percentile for length, and 90th for weight. As he aged, his height remained at the higher end of the scale, while his weight dropped dramatically, at his last check up, he's in the 92nd percentile for height, while he's in the 35th percentile for weight. His doctor flat out told me there is absolutely zero concern, and in fact, he is perfectly healthy, and to completely ignore the weight scale, as it is so skewed by obesity. I find it incredible, that by age 5, he can be one of the tallest kids in his age range, but well below average for weight, and it's noticeable every day when I drop him off and pick him up from school/daycare, he towers over his peers, but the majority have a tonne of weight on him.

[polak]

Give me your food, you fatties.

[Flash Walken]

Originally Posted by peter12

I gained 35 lbs in my last job. Mainly due to working in a lot of northern communities where the only place to eat at odd hours was the Tim Hortons. Since moving back to Calgary, I have started biking, working out more, but as other posters have said, there is this awful foodie culture whereby everyone always has to have the best, most delicious things in massive quantities. Beer all the time, delicious going out to eat all the time.

After turning into an eating machine, it is hard to resist, and turn back the cycle!

That must've been hell on your wardrobe.

Do Albertans work longer hours than other parts of Canada?

I would imagine Alberta, especially calgary, has a large portion of it's working population that are sitting at desks, likely for long hours.

Calories help keep you going and it's a big part of the lifestyle now. Double Double in the morning to get you started, a few beers afterwork to get yourself back down. Rinse and repeat with a BBQ on the weekends.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

60%+ of you people are fatties.

fyp

Originally Posted by wretched34

What makes it even worse, is that it's not just adults that are skewing the scales of normality, child obesity is at an all time high too.

Not North American but it reminded me of this. I heard he stopped smoking but then turned to junk food.

Spoiler!

[peter12]

Originally Posted by Flash Walken

That must've been hell on your wardrobe.

Do Albertans work longer hours than other parts of Canada?

I would imagine Alberta, especially calgary, has a large portion of it's working population that are sitting at desks, likely for long hours.

Calories help keep you going and it's a big part of the lifestyle now. Double Double in the morning to get you started, a few beers afterwork to get yourself back down. Rinse and repeat with a BBQ on the weekends.

Yes, actually it was, but thankfully, as a man primarily working in the field, I just wore boots, jeans, and sweatshirts all the time.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by GP_Matt

Society seems to have shifted to revolve around food.

If you want to get together with coworkers the options seem to be, grab a coffee, go for lunch or grab a beer after work. I don't know if it used to be different or if people just worked more physical jobs. You also see unhealthy food brought into the office on a regular basis. Our office often has donuts that everyone walks past, cakes in the afternoon and the front desk usually has chocolates or some such snack. It is all hard to avoid. I keep thinking of grabbing a veggie platter or something the next time I bring food into an office but haven't yet.

Yep, and God help you if you refuse any of the crap that gets passed around. I think it's even worse if you're someone like me, who's in better shape than most people in the office. If you say no to a donut, you instantly get people rolling their eyes at you and making snide comments about how you don't even need to watch your weight. I think it's the same pattern of cognitive dissonance that makes poor people think that wealthy people who don't spend lavishly are cheap, as opposed to recognizing that part of being wealthy includes controlling your spending.

[Northendzone]

i was all over this story like 6 out of 10 albertans would be on a piece of cake......

i am not sure the math in this story works as it says 6 out 10 albertans are either fat or even fatter than fat compared to the national avg of 5.

isn't 5 * 1.037 = 5.185 which is a real stretch to round up to 6?

anywyas, could me as one of the 6 in 10 - but i am big boned

[Luder]