There are now more overweight people than malnourished people in the world.

[lord_jamitossi]

Source (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4793455.stm)

Apparently, worldwide, there are around 1 billion overweight people and 800 million starving. This, supposably, is because the "weight epidemic" is ballooning while the number of hungry people is very slowly dropping. This could be interpreted as a good thing, but I think it's rather another case of the rich getting richer on the back of the third world. I've seen articles on this in a couple different magazines and everyone seems to have fairly different points of view.

Everyone seems to repeat what the linked article says, it's mostly because people are getting less exercise and because access to food in most countries is getting easier and easier. I think it's pretty dumb how we've let this happen. Some people will be quick to say that we could just take the excess of our food and help support the countries where the hungry people are, but we all know this won't happen. Dumping our excess food there does nothing but hurt the livelyhood of the farmers in the said countries.

I think this article just very neatly sums up the state of the world today. We need to take better care of ourselves.
Now, what are your opinions on this?

[Cloral]

Everyone should bike to work like me!
OK, so I know that isn't possible for a lot of people. But people tend to drive everywhere now, instead of walking or biking to near locations. Part of this is due to the way cities get designed nowadays, with large commercial centers that are placed far apart. Still, people could drive less, and at the very least spend less time in front of the tv.

[Masamune]

I walk just about everywhere. Even if where I need to be is a town over. And I'm still fat. :P

[MacWeirdo42]

Walking everywhere is great... Except when it's the middle of winter and it's -20 without wind chill - then I take the bus. Doesn't guarantee that you'll be skinny (as Masamune pointed out), but then again, surely it'll make you in better shape regardless, and I'd rather be a little overweight and in shape than skinny and out of shape (as nonsensical as that may sound).

I'm surprised nobody's suggested the obvious solution - we start feeding the fat people to the starving people. It'll take care of both problems (well, until the starving people become fat from eating fat people).

[Arth99]

I'm surprised nobody's suggested the obvious solution - we start feeding the fat people to the starving people. It'll take care of both problems (well, until the starving people become fat from eating fat people).

Interesting plan :tongue: But, there will be too many fat people. :O
Anyway, i bike to the Station, then after train, walk to school. It's better than getting a lift. People are too lazy these days >_> <_<

[Eckels]

much of the problem goes beyond simple gluttony. (Though that is most certainly america's problem)

Many nations of the world - that traditionally hunted and gatherered until very recently (In the past 20-40 years), have started to be introduced to processed foods. This simple transition alone, changes the well-established diet of a culture, resulting in more people becoming overweight. It's not because of overeating. It's more a result of a quick change in lifestyle and the body not being able to process the complex carbohydrates, sugars, and chemicals present in regular processed foods.

[moocow]

I'm surprised nobody's suggested the obvious solution - we start feeding the fat people to the starving people. It'll take care of both problems (well, until the starving people become fat from eating fat people).

I don't want to be ate :(

[Jigglysaint]

What's even more distrubing, and this is somthing that was recently found out in Canada, is that somthing like 9% of parents with obese and overweight children don't even know their kids are fat.

I have been overweight for a while now, at least 10-15 years. My parents. however, did know I was fat, and the best they did was to at least help by trying to feed me proper food. Unfortunatly I have some psychological issues reguarding food. For starters, I feel that I should be allowed to have junk food since everybody else does. It seems unfair that some skinny loser gets to drink like 5 bottles of pop a day, never gains a pound, while I am supposed to watch every single thing that comes into my mouth. I got pissed, and I revolted, and I am even fatter than before, and I have wasted thousands of dollars on junk food.

After seeing my own behaviour, I have to say that I really can't advocate plumpness. Good food, excercise, and supportive parents is what's going to fix the epidemic. Ostricising and pressuring children and denial is what's going to make ti worse. Fat kids need to know that it's worth it to lose weight, but not to the degree our body obsessed world demands.