I totally agree, it is very interesting.  Then again, it's not necessarily all that surprising.

Considering how humans evolved (again, to be relatively active and store calories like crazy), what do you think would happen with an absurdly abundant food supply and jobs that often require minimal caloric expenditure?

Plus, especially here in the US, marketers have gone all out to the produce the most fattening, delicious and *convenient* foods known to man.  Restaurants (both fast and slow) continually raise the bar on gluttony by trying to outdo each other with huge portions for low, low prices.

Lots of salt, (hydrogenated and saturated) fat, refined carbs and sugars...most of these foods are designed to ultimately make you want to snack again in a few hours and they do an awful job of giving you *sustained* energy.  There's also a TON of corn in just about everything we eat, which has it's own set of problems.

Obviously there must be some level of personal responsibility.  You can't (or shouldn't) sue anyone for making you fat.  At the same time, it can't JUST be responsibility issues that make Americans so much fatter.  For example, IMO, we're also a car obsessed culture overall, especially here in the suburbs.  People will drive to places that are a few minutes away.

Since moving from the city, I always feel strange crossing a busy street here...I bet some people think I'm poor or a really old looking kid!

At any rate, there are a lot of factors at play (yes, including genetics). But WRT kids, I do think it's critical to have gym classes in schools (even though I HATED them having been a fat kid), and that school lunches are usually a bunch of garbage. 

by Tom Hanc on 02/15/2008 11:52:40 AM EST

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