tonight 12/8 watch abc at 8pm!

There's supposed to be this episode of Primetime showing how it may not be your fault that you're fat, that societal influences have a great deal to do with why we're so fat (as a country). It's called "how to get fat without really trying". Don't forget to tune in!! http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

[karezone]

I don't know the second part of Angels in America is coming on.

[JFemme]

Yeap...thanks for the reminder..I plan on tuning in..

[Country gal]

I'll probadly check it out. I love watching ABC primetime.

[cybra]

Thanks for the "heads up" Caramela, I'll be sure to tune in. I'm looking for anyone to blame for any poundage I may gain over the holidays http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Supergirl]

Thanks for the heads up http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[shandaMichelle]

I missed it! Can someone post a recap?

[Allandra]

There's probably a recap on the abc web site.

[Country gal]

I missed it. I was shopping for a new mattress.

[Supergirl]

It was basically about how government-subsidized foods are cheaper and those foods tend to be ingredients in less-healthy food selections. The main one they talked about was corn. They talked about High Fructose Corn Syrup & how it's unhealthy and is found in a butt-load of foods.

The second part seemed to be about how many advertisements are directed directly at children & these companies know that children will argue their parents down and throw tantrums at the store to get something they want. They also said that the advertisers know that the last thing that these parents want to do is argue with their children in a public place so they will give in.

They mentioned some other countries that have regulations on advertisements directed towards children. Like some can't advertise during children's shows at all. Some can't advertise to children under a certain age, etc. So in other words, that's why our children are becoming so obese...

It was really good & very interesting.

[Country gal]

So basically I didn't miss much.

[JaneiR36]

Oh, this show was REAL! They just kept grilling this particular young executive. Basically Peter was asking him, with all these commercials out there, isn't the message to eat, and to eat MORE food? The guy was like, no. Our message is to eat a balanced diet and exercise.

Moving on to exercise, I LOVED the part where they detailed how long you'd have to exercise to burn off certain foods! A 20 oz Coke was like 5 hours jogging. Burning off regular McDonald's meal with fries and soda would entail doing a particular exercise ALL day. I don't remember which one (exercise). The idea here is that the junk food manufacturers and advertizers are all too quick to shove responsibility right back to the consumers (where it rightly belongs, but as you can see, exercise alone won't help).

They even discussed how America has gotten FATTER since the manufacture of low-fat products began (more carbs and sweeteners basically replacing the flavors formerly provided by fat).

And what about the part about the FTC (Federal Trade Corporation) being threatened with dissolution when they proposed a cut-back in the marketting of food? Apparently, obesity is playing out exactly the way the war on ciggarettes did. America ignored it when the problem first came to their attention, but then it got REALLY severe in the next few decades and the Government had to step in.

One particular scene that touched me, though, was where the boys on the farm were packing corn into cardboard boxes. They were showing us that a significant portion of the population would lose employment if America actually started to eat less http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

This show was basically all the tid-bits you ever gathered about nutrition compressed into the most fun I've ever had watching a show about food http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif At the time, I strongly considered ordering the video or at least transcripts. That high has since worn off http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

[Tracy]

http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

A very amusing, but thought provoking review Jainy... http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thank you!

[Peachi]

I don't know for me this is very interesting but I think at THIS DAY IN AGE you can't blame corporations anymore. Blaming tobacco companies for cigarette addiction is one thing, if you were born in the era when information about it's side effect wasn't easily available.
But you can't do that these days...just like the judge threw out the case where that family was trying to sue McDonalds because their kids got fat..gimme a break!

Today there is information out there. YOu can go to the fast food site and get the nutritional information of the food you eat. Its common sense that that the more you eat, the bigger you will get. Now ofcourse there is the "hidden" fat that we don't see when we order a medium milkshake (720 calories mind you)...but hey, that's up to each person to become an educated consumer and learn about what they ingest.

I think the problem lies in the country that believes that bigger is always better. I mean thing in this country are made bigger than other countries (food portions, cars, streets, TV's)....so this idea of bigger is better or that "bigger is what they want" is definitely creating problems now.

Obesity in this country is based on a culture where people don't know when to stop.

Now on the other side of these is the more serious issue of those with hormonal problems that lead them to gain weight easily...but that's another topic.

[JaneiR36]

You're welcome, Tracy http://www.longhaircareforum.com/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[JaneiR36]

Peachi, I wholeheartedly agree... until you start to consider the latest "victims," Children! That's right. Obesity is becoming a huge problem with young children and they are also suffering from obesity related diseases like heart disease, high blood pressure, and Type II diabetes, (which a lot of us may know was formerly known as "Adult onset diabetes," but is now called Type II because kids are now getting it! KIDS!) Here in Georgia, I heard on the news a few months back that they now have to monitor the childrens' weight yearly, as well as take a Body Mass Index (BMI, basically weight to height ratio). Kids are getting TOO FAT.

So at this point, any talk about personal responsibility really cannot apply because kids are not really expected to be that responsible. Their parents can be held accountable for not teaching them healthier habits, but then the damage would be already done. SOMEBODY needs to step in.

According to the TV program, kids spend most of their money on food. Junk food. Junk food that is pushed on them during the "harmless" Saturday morning kids' programming, certainly without the express permission from their parents. The program compared this advertising to a sales person coming to your house, and saying, "I'd like to talk to your kids about such and such product, WITHOUT you present." It really gets me thinking, though. It's such a scary thought that almost every food item that is advertised is BAD for you. If adults have a hard time resisting this temptation, imagine what the kids have to go through.

[melvytx]

Janei how old are the kids you referring to? When I was a kid (5-15 years old when I didn't have income), I was only given $2/day for lunch money. The other 70% of the time, my parents were responsible for what I ate. You said that kids spend their money on junkfood so are you speaking of teenagers because most kids I know do not have enough money to go to McDonalds to buy themselves meals. Plus if they did, who would drive them to get the meals??? Like Peachi, I feel this is largely the parent's fault unless there is a medical condition. I'll admit that I did get trips to McDonalds but not several times a week. If I whined about it b/c I was brainwashed by the commercials, I would get a whooping b/c my mom did not play that tantrum stuff! I feel only after a certain age (maybe 15, 16) the parents are no longer responsible. But for a parent to blame commercials for making their 8 year old overweight, that is a bit ridiculous!

melvytx

[Peachi]

You can't really blame kids but as both Melv and Jane touched on, it has to do with parents. I was 9years when I came to this country and I got $5 a week from my mother. I went to McDonalds occasionally and yes I went to the chinese place to get some fried chicken and french fries but I KNEW my limit regardless, due to how I was raised. Something in me knew NOT to over indulge and eat like this every day. Infact, I didn't even have the urge to eat like this daily.
As for commercials, I saw them and they rarely influenced me because I knew my mother wasn't playing that and she was NOT going to buy me NADA. My mother was very strict in terms of not allowing us to WANT WANT WANT. She never bought us any toys, kiddie cereals or what-have-you. Yeah it was rough seeing other kids bask in the goodies but looking back, i am glad she did what she did.

[JaneiR36]

The kids they showed were like 7 or 8 or something. They actually had focus groups, specifically targetting kids. Like, would you try this product, why or why not. They talked about how the last thing parents want to fight with their kids about is food. I mean, you've got a host of other things you keep yelling to them about, food is just one of the battles some don't want to fight.

I know it sounds ridiculous to say don't advertise to kids, but there are in fact countries where no commercials are allowed during childrens' programming for this self-same reason. And in general, commercials targetting kids below a certain age are just not allowed. All were points raised by the program.

Yes it's definitely the parents' fault. But the kids are exploding and getting diseases. Right now the option is either to watch them get fat and keep blaming the parents, or for someone to step in and do something. Even adults may need protection from themselves. I mean, what percentage of the population really watches what they eat? How far does the epidemic have to go before they REALLY get help?

[cutebajangirl]

Well mel in certain places you don't have to be driven to Mcdonalds to get your junk. Combine that with both parents working and you have a recipe for disaster. In Mcdonalds in NY kids from 4th grade and up are there by themselves daily after school. As far as the internal limits that peachi mentioned it has already been proven by numerous studies that everyone does not have these internal limits or inhibition as they call it when it comes to eating. So these companies really are preying on children. It just so happens that if god forbid your parents aren't on top of you, you will be more usceptible to it. When I was growing up none of that junk was in my neighborhood and I rarely ate any fast food, but here in the Bronx it is readily accessable and once you see something everywhere it becomes acceptable. Leading of course to obesity.