Come to America - Get Fat

[Kaiser]

A new study has confirmed what many immigrants to the US observed: when you come here, you get fat. Assimilation means joining the great melting pot in big BF%ages, health conditions, and other factors. We have some of the best medicine available on the planet, yet we can't get initiatives to get a healthier population. Why is that?


from WebMD:
For Immigrants, America Is Land of Obesity

Weight Gain Sets in 10 Years After Moving to U.S.
By*Jeanie Lerche*Davis
WebMD Medical News
Reviewed By*Brunilda *Nazario,*MD
on Tuesday, December 14, 2004

Dec.14, 2004 -- After 10 years in the U.S., immigrants start to gain weight, according to a new study.

While immigrants are the fastest-growing segment of the U.S. population, little is known about weight gain among them. Immigrants typically come from countries where obesity is not the norm. But what happens after they emigrate to the land of fast food and traffic? Do they get any lifestyle counseling on diet and physical activity?

After all, "immigrants face more barriers to health care and are less likely to receive preventive health care than persons born in the United States," writes lead researcher Mita Sanghavi Goel, MD, MPH, a professor of internal medicine with Northwestern University in Chicago.

Her report on immigrant weight gain appears in the latest issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

It is based on a U.S. Census Bureau survey, which involved in-home interviews of 32,275 adults, including 14% foreign-born adults. It shows:

Compared with U.S.-born people, foreign-born adults had lower annual household income and education, fewer illnesses, and less access to health care.

Foreign-born adults were less likely to be overweight or obese than U.S.-born adults. However, they were often more sedentary than U.S.-born people -- a primary risk factor for weight gain.
8% of foreign-born survey respondents living within the U.S. were obese. However for those living in the U.S. for at least15 years: 41% were at normal weight, 38% were overweight, and 19% were obese. Among U.S.-born adults, 41% were normal weight, 35% were overweight, and 22% were obese.

Fewer foreign-born adults -- 18% -- got weight gain-related dietary advice from a doctor, compared with 24% of U.S.-born adults. 19% of foreign-born adults discussed exercise and weight gain with a doctor, compared with 23% of U.S.-born adults.

Ten years seems to be the threshold level -- the time when weight gain sets in, writes Goel. At that point, immigrants' weight problems are all too similar to the American profile. They're starting to become overweight and obese. Because they have less access to health care, immigrants don't get the counseling they need to avoid weight gain.

Diet and exercise counseling must take place during immigrants' early years in this country, she adds.


SOURCE: Goel, M. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Dec. 15, 2004; vol 292: pp 2860-2867.

[ODB]

I'm afraid it's our culture to over do everything. This goes from gas guzzeling vehicles to food available everywhere. It will take a huge change in our culture to fix this and we are not even starting.

[ODB]

Some sad stuff:
Obesity Trends

U.S. Obesity Trends 1985–2003
BMI > 30, or ~ 30 lbs. overweight for 5'4" woman

During the past 20 years there has been a dramatic increase in obesity in the United States. In 1985 only a few states were participating in CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) and providing obesity data. In 1991, four states had obesity prevalence rates of 15–19 percent and no states had rates at or above 20 percent. In 2003, 15 states had obesity prevalence rates of 15–19 percent; 31 states had rates of 20–24 percent; and 4 states had rates more than 25 percent.

The prevalence of obesity is depicted in a PowerPoint slide presentation format. (22 slides total, PPT - 6.7Mb)1
This presentation also available as a text-only Acrobat file.* (PDF - 717k)
The data shown in these maps were collected through CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS). Each year, state health departments use standard procedures to collect data through a series of monthly telephone interviews with U.S. adults. Prevalence estimates generated for the maps may vary slightly from those generated for the states by BRFSS as slightly different analytic methods are used.

[kuri]

Having lived in Japan I can say that Americans eat Waaaaay too much (tell us something we don't already know right?). Seriously, every single Japanese I know upon visiting the States comments on how huge the portions are at restaurants, and how poor the food is in general.

I agree.

The increase in average hours worked, the increase in how many of us are on our asses in front of a screen, and successful lobbying and marketing by the fat industry = a nation of porkies.

[gruckiii]

I gained somewhere around 10-15lbs when I was in The Netherlands for four months. All the nutrition info wasn't always there so I wasn't sure what I was eating [img]smile.gif[/img] . I was rolerbladeing for about 2 hours a week and walking a lot too.

It's possible to eat like crap in any country, it is just easier to do so in the U.S. Fast food is way too available here compared to Europe. We also have been misguided to an extent by the food paramyid and the fad-fitness, fad-diet industries. I think we need to refocuse on quality over quantity for cheap?

[ODB]

I find that I get back to a good weight whenever I watch my portions. All you can eat bars are the devil. I ate a bit much over the holidays but I'm getting back to smarter eating habits and I'm about to start winter training for the spring races.

[Kaiser]

To echo kuri, while it's possible to eat like crap in any country, when you order food in Europe and Asia, the portion sizes are MUCH smaller. They just don't have the gut busting burgers and fish tank size drinks that we do - even in American fast food franchises over there. Frankly, I'd bet we're the only country in the world that has a 64 oz Big Gulp size drink.

What's shocking to me is that, even though I am aware of the problem, I rarely actually notice it, except when people from out of the country are visiting. When you 'see' it through their eyes, it is pretty shocking.

[gregl515]

As my wife says, this country makes it cheaper to be fat. It is more expensive and just plain more work to eat healthy. But it is worth it.

[gruckiii]

Originally posted by Kaiser:
I rarely actually notice it, except when people from out of the country are visiting. When you 'see' it through their eyes, it is pretty shocking.

I notice it every time I go to the grocery store..