Fat places $2tn burden on world economy, says McKinsey report

[vanisleflamesfan]

I don't think this is such a complicated issue. When I was a kid, P.E. was mandatory every day. Then the neo-cons convinced everyone that education was too expensive and cut things like mandatory P.E.

I believe that Alberta recently went back to mandatory P.E. but it will take a few years before those children are once again in the habit of daily exercise.

[Devils'Advocate]

P.E. is great. Getting exercise is great.

This video even shows that in a school where P.E. first thing in the morning improved academic results:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULciZ8jSgHA#t=486

But it doesn't help fight childhood obesity. You can't out-exercise a bad diet.

From Dr. Freedhoff's blog (weightymatters.ca) on Thursday:

I'm all for well designed PE classes to help children both develop and accumulate physical literacy and to improve their school based attention and behaviour. I'm also all for increasing recess duration and frequency and lifting school yard safety restrictions. But if you think that simply adding more PE to school is going to have a tremendous impact on getting kids these days to be more active (or lose weight), there's a growing body of evidence that suggests that it won't.

[Devils'Advocate]

I have been doing some reading and listening to the videos that Thor posted earlier (I converted them to mp3 and listened while running the track on Friday).

I'm not sure where it sourced from, probably the videos, but somewhere in there I heard that there are more scientists working on selling more food than there are scientists working on obesity research. So, scientists working in a lab to make their food more addictive outnumber scientists studying obesity.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Devils'Advocate

I have been doing some reading and listening to the videos that Thor posted earlier (I converted them to mp3 and listened while running the track on Friday).

I'm not sure where it sourced from, probably the videos, but somewhere in there I heard that there are more scientists working on selling more food than there are scientists working on obesity research. So, scientists working in a lab to make their food more addictive outnumber scientists studying obesity.

Oh come, that's a hell of a reach. Every "food scientist" who isn't researching obesity isn't by default trying to make food more addictive.

[Thor]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Oh come, that's a hell of a reach. Every "food scientist" who isn't researching obesity isn't by default trying to make food more addictive.

I don't know if you watched those documentaries, nor have been following what BBC has been doing the last 3-4 years covering this side of the issue, but this is a massive problem.

They don't see it as making food more addictive, they see it as making the food highly desirable, hyper stimulating food. This is more profitable, more repeat sales, more regular sales, and unfortunately for a % of the population like with all things addictive.

Now there is a distinction to be made here, private companies which hire scientists are doing the work of making their food more stimulating, manipulating the key 3 ingredients, sugar, salt and fat in order to get the desired result.

While in public sector food science is all over the spectrum, as you would expect. What is undeniable is the private investment in food science is massive in comparison to the public, food companies and their sales are massive so that should surprise no one.

[ranchlandsselling]

Any recommended movies?

[Thor]

Michael Mosley has been doing some outstanding ones, he's a well respected MD and these all relate the an overlying problem with obesity, pleasure and pain is a big one if you read any of the neuroscience research on obesity, this is a huge part of the problem.

[Johnny199r]

I used to live in Northern Manitoba. A doctor I would see used to visit the surrounding reserves. He was very blunt with people and told them that they were all too fat. They didn't take too kindly to his bluntness and he was banned from going back to these reserves.

I live an active lifestyle. I love going biking, hiking, like to play tennis, go to the gym, shoot hoops (I'm a 31 year old lawyer). Most people I know arent very active. Going to the gym will never work out for someone if they feel it is only a chore as opposed to embracing it as part of a lifestyle.

When I hear the ladies in my office go on about the diet they're on, I just kind of roll my eyes. Try to eat better and exercise regularly. There's no point in doing anything you wont be able to stick with long term (like some fad diet). You have to permanently change your lifestyle.

[indes]

Just reading this thread caused me to grab fruit veggies and yogurt for food all day at work. Doing my part! (Not fat but not fit either)