U.S. panel calls for taxing sugary foods to curb obesity

[JohnR! 5,495]

We noticed that too in one of our trips when we believed we ate more than our share and still lost 5 lbs each in two weeks... We started paying attention to what we ate, and despite all the bread, butter, pasta and wine we consumed we realized that we ate far less than what we did back home, and took twice as long to do so at each meal.

It can be done and it takes some getting used to, and there are no side-effects.

Portion control is also a major part. It's amazing how much we eat when not paying attention, then when you start measuring servings to coincide with the nutritional labels, it's like wth is that little sampling? I was eating an easy 800 extra calories a day simply by oversizing my portions. It takes some getting used to, but now the smaller portions do fill me up.

[VOL 425]

What I have seen for obesity.

Ease of access to fast food. I remember graduating HS in early 80's, we would have maybe 3 out of 100 fat girls. Fast food wasn't readily available when I in my teens. Now of days so many fatties in their teens and early 20's.

I also remember going to PHilippines only a few years ago and even a modern city like manila all the chicks had coke bottle figures.

Now it seems like fast food is starting to spread to Philippines, McDonalds are being built in the last few years especially in the provinces, I have noticed the chicks are starting to get fatter as a whole, especially true in Manila.

I contribute fatness to process food and fast food and the poor quality that it is...

[Teddy B 17,252]

What I have seen for obesity.

Ease of access to fast food. I remember graduating HS in early 80's, we would have maybe 3 out of 100 fat girls. Fast food wasn't readily available when I in my teens. Now of days so many fatties in their teens and early 20's.

I also remember going to PHilippines only a few years ago and even a modern city like manila all the chicks had coke bottle figures.

Now it seems like fast food is starting to spread to Philippines, McDonalds are being built in the last few years especially in the provinces, I have noticed the chicks are starting to get fatter as a whole, especially true in Manila.

I contribute fatness to process food and fast food and the poor quality that it is...

Easy access to unhealthy foods coupled with low prices are definitely a huge part of the problem. Your mention of graduating high school in the early 80's as did I in 1981 made me think of my Mother not working and making us all healthier lunches to take to school. Nowadays in two parent households both parents usually work and there is no time for the parents to make lunch, even harder in single family homes.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Weight loss is not always simple becuase it requries education and the consequent understanding that our metabolism changes as we age and depending on our lifestyle. It is the quintessential example of personal responsibility.

We need to educate our kids on the dangers and risks of obesity, which if left untreated will place undue burden on others - be it in social cost or even financial costs due to higher insurance premiums.

The map below from 2010 shows an interesting picture, one which I beleve supports the notion that we need to address obesity early on in life and through education.

Like anything else, prevention is a lot easier than finding a cure. If there was one simple answer, there wouldn't be so many obese people around.

The tax idea is silly because it addresses one component of a multi issue problem. People will still get fat, and if they are taxed more, they'll probably have to buy even cheaper crappier food than they already do. If they are serious about reducing sugar consumption and feel the need to spend taxpayer dollars to do so, they should stop subsidizing corn and start subsidizing carrots and broccoli. That might make a difference.

[GandD 5,966]

I know people that "don't like the taste of water" and "don't eat green stuff"

[Dakine10 5,452]

Interesting side note is they also will remove dietary recommendations for cholesterol intake. Sausage and eggs for everyone!!!!

40 years of science down the tubes though.

[JohnR! 5,495]

I agree that taxing is not the solution either and there is little anyone, including the governemnt can do. The subsidies for corn these days have more to do with fuel than with food, but all the same, the FDA could and should issue different labels that should be applied to foods in general, in the same manner they classify drugs.

I think the market should regulate itself but it would be a good idea if we had labels varying in color for each classification so you'd know at a glance if you're buying something good or bad at the grocery store, restaurant, etc.

Calories alone and fat content don't do much anymore these days. Companies have reduced fat and calories from their foods by jamming as much sodium as they can into every portion. They always solve one problem by creating another...

Like anything else, prevention is a lot easier than finding a cure. If there was one simple answer, there wouldn't be so many obese people around.

The tax idea is silly because it addresses one component of a multi issue problem. People will still get fat, and if they are taxed more, they'll probably have to buy even cheaper crappier food than they already do. If they are serious about reducing sugar consumption and feel the need to spend taxpayer dollars to do so, they should stop subsidizing corn and start subsidizing carrots and broccoli. That might make a difference.

[Dakine10 5,452]

Easy access to unhealthy foods coupled with low prices are definitely a huge part of the problem. Your mention of graduating high school in the early 80's as did I in 1981 made me think of my Mother not working and making us all healthier lunches to take to school. Nowadays in two parent households both parents usually work and there is no time for the parents to make lunch, even harder in single family homes.

McDonalds was like a treat growing up. Or someplace we would pick for a birthday party. It was a rare occurrence. I walked over to a McDonalds last year when I was waiting for my car to get some work done. The smell of the place made me so nauseous that I didn't even eat. It would never cross my mind to take the kids there.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I know people that "don't like the taste of water" and "don't eat green stuff"

There is the ick factor - fish fornicate in water and birds poop on green stuff.

Except for the occasional beer or glass of wine, all I drink is water, black coffee, or unsweetened tea. All those soft drinks are too sweet for me, I just don't care for the taste.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Interesting side note is they also will remove dietary recommendations for cholesterol intake. Sausage and eggs for everyone!!!!

40 years of science down the tubes though.

That is because less than 15% of serum cholesterol comes from diet. However, I would still look at the amount of saturated vs unsaturated fat in the diet, and still avoid trans fat like the plague.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

McDonalds was like a treat growing up. Or someplace we would pick for a birthday party. It was a rare occurrence. I walked over to a McDonalds last year when I was waiting for my car to get some work done. The smell of the place made me so nauseous that I didn't even eat. It would never cross my mind to take the kids there.

It was a little different when they first came out. In 'n Out Burger has an uncanny resemblance to the early restaurants I remember.

[Teddy B 17,252]

McDonalds was like a treat growing up. Or someplace we would pick for a birthday party. It was a rare occurrence. I walked over to a McDonalds last year when I was waiting for my car to get some work done. The smell of the place made me so nauseous that I didn't even eat. It would never cross my mind to take the kids there.

Same here, when we were kids we were "lucky" if we got to eat McDonald's once a month. I've had the smell of some fried food places turn my stomach like that as well, it's also a clear sign that the oil in the fryolator needs to be changed. My working in the HVAC industry for over 21 years has given me the opportunity to see a lot of the restaurant kitchen exhaust fans and ductwork in most of the local joints. Some are kept nice and clean and some are so dirty that I wouldn't eat there if it were the last place on earth. Surprisingly enough the big chains are ususally the cleanest because corporate keeps them on a stringent maintenance schedule. the local Mom & Pop joints can be really dirty, but I've found the Chinese restaurants to be the dirtiest overall.

[Dakine10 5,452]

It was a little different when they first came out. In 'n Out Burger has an uncanny resemblance to the early restaurants I remember.

I think they used to have food there. At some point they switched to food-like products.

Edited February 20, 2015 by Dakine10

[khwaidee1 196]

A rather obese gentleman I was working with who had a plethora of health problems for a man in his early 50's, morbidly obese, HBP, high cholesterol (apparently not bad any more- too bad big pharma), diabetes, problems walking, low back stenosis, sleep apnea, made an interesting comment as he wolfed down some fast food, "that you don't see a lot of old fat people". Not sure he grasped his own irony but so true.

I went to high school in Europe in the late 70s. When returning to the states and flying into O'Hare and walking around, the size differential was huge even back then. Same experience after after attending university in Spain in the mid 80s, you rarely saw obese people and people walked everywhere and ate fresh food for almost every meal.

[Umka36 781]

I don't know, I guess it depends on where you live. Before my wife came here, she had seen news/movies portraying the US as full of obese people but when she came here she was quite surprised not to find many. US is also no longer the "fattest" nation in the world, it's actually Mexico. Personally I try to eat in moderation, or my wife complains how unhealthy I eat.