Why are so many people overweight?

[Deathknightish]

Not everybody can blame genetics and problems with their metabolism.

I eat fast food like 4-5 times a week, and on top of that lots of snacks and soda, basically I never think about what I put in my mouth, and I'm not even slightly overweight (77 kilos on 179 cm). I'm also 31 so I've reached the age where the metabolism "apparantely slows down".

Do people constantly have their hands in a bag of crisps, or a spoonful of icecream, or what?

I just don't understand how people can let themselves become so big when I'm such a lazy fuck, who don't even go to the gym, who manage to stay healthy.
In before someone mentions that my insides probably are rotten to the core. Nope, had my biyearly health exam last month and all of my tests came out perfect.

[breadisfunny]

Not everybody can blame genetics and problems with their metabolism.

I eat fast food like 4-5 times a week, and on top of that lots of snacks and soda, basically I never think about what I put in my mouth, and I'm not even slightly overweight (77 kilos on 179 cm). I'm also 31 so I've reached the age where the metabolism "apparantely slows down".

Do people constantly have their hands in a bag of crisps, or a spoonful of icecream, or what?

I just don't understand how people can let themselves become so big when I'm such a lazy fuck, who don't even go to the gym, who manage to stay healthy.
In before someone mentions that my insides probably are rotten to the core. Nope, had my biyearly health exam last month and all of my tests came out perfect.

i don't believe you.

[Boricha]

'Cause McDonalds.

[Deathknightish]

i don't believe you.

I mean, you're right. I have a strained neck and back that I will probably have to go to the gym to fix, from too much sitting by the computer, but all of my blood results came out perfect.

- - - Updated - - -

'Cause McDonalds.

I eat at McDonalds or Burger King twice a week, then once a week it's time for pizza and once or twice a kebab roll.

[Unholyground]

Life has become too easy is the simple answer.

[cuafpr]

assuming your diet is true you are the exception and not the rule, most people that eat like that in their 30's would rapidly gain weight. consider yourself a genetic winner and stop hating on others

[Yunru]

Well there is a very easy thing to point at.

ENERGY DRINKS

And also companys making fat bad, while sugar is 10 times worse.

[Xirrohon]

assuming your diet is true you are the exception and not the rule, most people that eat like that in their 30's would rapidly gain weight. consider yourself a genetic winner and stop hating on others

^Pretty much this

[GrinningMan]

Sedentary lifestyle with shitty processed foods and sugary soda drinks.

I blame college debt and shitty music choices.

177 lbs 6'0" here, could probably stand to lose 5-7 lbs.

[Seiken3]

assuming your diet is true you are the exception and not the rule, most people that eat like that in their 30's would rapidly gain weight. consider yourself a genetic winner and stop hating on others

Had to log in to second this. Myself I could lose some weight, and I have friends who eat like elephants but still are thin as a stick.

[Jibjub]

Food good. Moving bad.

[Socialhealer]

Well there is a very easy thing to point at.

ENERGY DRINKS

And also companys making fat bad, while sugar is 10 times worse.

This huge factor, you can eat trash fast food a lot, i know i do, I guess i'm another "genetic winner"? but you know what i drink? flavoured water 24/7 i don't touch any sugary drinks at all, and when just 1 can or bottle of fizzy can easily contain 30-40 grams of sugar, double that for 2 cans/bottles. It's easy to see where people can gain weight, hell even if they drink coffee or tea with a couple of spoons of sugar in, then they drink that 8 times a day that's what another 60-80 grams of sugar they're getting that i'm not.

Add all that up over a week and they're drinking half a kilo of sugar, that's insanity.

[XangXu]

I’ll tell you one thing. When I went to Utah a few years ago, I was constantly surprised at just how BIG and fatty American restaurant portion sizes were.

Also, all the hotels I stayed at offered nothing in the way of fresh fruit in the morning and it was always fucking waffles, bacon, and biscuts and gravy (wtf).

So when Americans ask “why am I so fat?” it’s like they aren’t even aware.

For example, I was watching a TYT podcast yesterday and they were talking about what they had for lunch. One guy had TWO sandwiches with meat in it.

TWO... for lunch

Fucking wake up

[Thage]

assuming your diet is true you are the exception and not the rule, most people that eat like that in their 30's would rapidly gain weight. consider yourself a genetic winner and stop hating on others

Probably this. I have less than stellar eating habits, but I go to the gym and pool to keep in shape and at least try to moderate the worst of it in favor for healthy alternatives. A lot of people don't have that sort of time, and that's exacerbated by the price of healthy, fresh food versus how much a quick trip to McDonald's or throwing a microwave dinner in said microwave costs (and again, time is often a factor here; many families don't have the time to cook dinner from scratch and have everyone sit at the table, and that's not just poor people).

And yes, some people just don't care. No skin off my nose there.

[Themerlin]

Not everybody can blame genetics and problems with their metabolism.

I eat fast food like 4-5 times a week, and on top of that lots of snacks and soda, basically I never think about what I put in my mouth, and I'm not even slightly overweight (77 kilos on 179 cm). I'm also 31 so I've reached the age where the metabolism "apparantely slows down".

Do people constantly have their hands in a bag of crisps, or a spoonful of icecream, or what?

I just don't understand how people can let themselves become so big when I'm such a lazy fuck, who don't even go to the gym, who manage to stay healthy.
In before someone mentions that my insides probably are rotten to the core. Nope, had my biyearly health exam last month and all of my tests came out perfect.

I dunno....

The result of a lifestyle and food habits that dramatically changed over 200 years.

First of all, more food, people live longer, people get fat.

Think of something like corn syrup being placed into everything to "balance" the taste. These mostly European descendants have only been subjected to it for a mere 55 years. It was at that point that we started mass producing various sugars.

During that time the population of the US, from being 23% Obese in ~1962, became 63% Obese by 2008.

I dunno...

[GrinningMan]

Well there is a very easy thing to point at.

ENERGY DRINKS

And also companys making fat bad, while sugar is 10 times worse.

Oh probably. If I cut energy drinks out I'd probably be close to my goal weight within 1-2 months.

[Acelius]

Unhealthy food is tasty, cheap and accessible.

Also people are lazy.

What's so bad about microwave dinner? They have the amount of calories they contain on them. Just don't overeat.

Processed food tend to be less healthy than if you were to make it yourself. Calories aren't everything.

[Dakhath]

I would have put money on who made this thread when I saw it on the main page, but it turns out they're the first one who responded instead.

That aside, its still a dumb question. People are lazy and don't make healthy choices. The average American, while not the best metric for fitness these days, walks less than half of the recommended steps a day that the American Heart Association recommends. Couple that with our super size meals, and it's not hard to see why it's a probably for the US. As far as other countries go, I imagine its not all that different.

[Independent voter]

Taking in too many calories.

I'm serious.

I recently lost 25 pounds and I had a hell of a time doing it. The secret is to start living the lifestyle of your ideal weight right from the start. If you're 200 pounds and 175 is your ideal weight, start living and eating like a 175 pound person from day 1 and never stop.

You'll be surprised but living the lifestyle of your ideal weight might mean eating 3/4ths as much food, maybe even less.

[Ghostpanther]

Life has become too easy is the simple answer.

This is a big part of the reason.

And OP, things are more likely going to change for you when you get older. Or suffer from some injuries and such, which can reduce your level of activity.