Just How Fat Are the American Youth?
Before I begin, I would like to say that I have no experience with Africa, South America, or Austrailia, so I can say nothing on the topic for those areas. However, I have been told that Chinese are increasing in weight, Japanese are very healthy, and Europe gets tons of exorcise (because it takes a 10 minute jog to get from London to Stockholm), and eats in moderation.
The media today doesn’t want you to feel good about yourself and those around you. The Today Show has featurettes like Top Ten Ways To Loose Ten Pounds In 2 Weeks and Why You Could Be Better. Mainstream media and television trys to convince you that todays children are horrible little devils. They make it seem that popular media — Eminem, Marilyn Manson, even Twilight — are causing havoc. They do this by making assumptions, and using small examples, like Boston Latin School vampires, to referance Columbine and anything else serious to add hyperbole.
Right now, I would like to address issues about child obbessity. “Studies” show that child obbessity has been leaping since the eighties. However, never, have I seen these studies sited, or have them show numerical values, only percentage increases. I would not like to link to studies, or referance news articles, I would like to just speak about my own experience.
I have only seen obese Americans on rare occasions. I go to a school of 2400 kids, and pass somewhere between 1,000 and 1,200. Of these 1,200 children I pass by daily, I would classify 3 of them as obese, and 10 of them as over weight. From this, I have difficulty believing the insane percentages that associations like NACHRI (National Association of Childrens Hospitals and Related Institutions) state.
I have seen the documentary “Supersize Me,” (I highly recomend it) in which a man only eats McDonalds for a month. However, I would like to take note of something from that movie: he GAINS very little weight. Several times when talking about this with people, they have told me, “go on the McDonalds diet! That will take care of your problems.” He gains only 30-50 lbs, which is not very much when talking about children of 260+lbs. The McDonlads diet destroys ones liver before they can gain enough weight.
The food industry is changing high-caloric foods’ formula, so that they can advertise how they have “Only 100 Calories” and “Low Sugar” or “45% less fat” and I am fed up with it. As I stated at the beginning, media doesnt want you to be happy with yourself. If you are lesser than you want to be, you will consume more products that claim to help you be greater. But no one ever wonders what the companies use instead of sugar and calories. Companies like Jell-o use artificial sweeteners and unhealthy chemicals to make them taste similarly to the old product. These chemicals are bad for all people, while calories and sugar are only bad for those who think that they need to be better.
IF YOU WANT TO LOOSE WEIGHT, BUY FROM WHOLE FOODS! BUY NATURAL FRUITS! BUY FOODS THAT MOTHER NATURE CAREFULLY HAND CARVED TO KEEP YOU HEALTHY, NOT THE ONES THAT THE COMPANIES MADE TO SCAM YOU!!!! Americans need to learn that cutting out 45% of fat is NOT a viable excuse to eat a 3 Muskateers bar. They need to learn that they need to change themselves before they can expect change from others. Meanwhile, people like me are tired of hunting down the unhealthy foods.
In summary, ladies and germs: I am frustrated with the irony of the food industry, and I have finally managed to rant about this onto the internet. Thank you, and good-bye
