Americans keep getting fatter – What a Shocker. So where do we go from here?

A story hit Reuters last week regarding the growing (ahem) trend of American obesity. Apparently that’s the “legacy” we’re leaving future generations… more and more fat asses, bigger pants, giant underwear, and slower mile times in High School gym class. Awesome.

From the article:

“Obesity rates continued to climb in the past year with 23 U.S. states reporting adults in their states are fatter now than they were a year ago  …  Obesity rates did not decrease in a single state last year …”

Well, you can probably guess where I blame the meteoric rise in these state-side waistlines (excessive carbohydrates). The modern American’s diet is virtually ruled by bread, pastries, and sugary processed foods, and this epidemic is part of the “end game” of that deadly obsession.

I’m not alone in this either – Gary Taubes wrote a whole irrefutable (and painstakingly researched) book on it (called Good Calories, Bad Calories: Fats, Carbs, and the Controversial Science of Diet and Health), and countless diet texts have been written showing exactly WHY this is happening… and still, no movement. We had a glimmer of a diet awakening in 2004 when suddenly low-carb items started appearing on chain-restaurant menus, and “low-carb” and “sugar-free” suddenly became en-vogue as marketing terms.

What was the end result. Nothing.

The sad fact of the matter is, they slowly started disappearing almost as fast as they materialized and we went right back to low-fat and low-calorie as the “healthy” choices for dinner. Well what the hell happened?

Did the “nutritional payola check” that the “dietary political gods” were given, bounce?

I honestly have no idea why it lost such steam in the American public’s eyes (and stomachs). Whatever it was, it made the whole campaign fleeting and had no long term impact. What I DO know, is that its going to take another such wave (at least) to try and make any dent in the numbers that are reported year after year (much like the above news story). Will it happen? At this point its un-clear. We need some more good, solid, double-blind studies done on it (to “prove” to dense nay-sayers taht it IS in fact better than the “standard diet” they’ve been pushing for decades) – and a whole PR marketing team in order to push the message home and hope its gets heard by those with open minds. (I don’t think Obama is any type of low-carber, so we won’t get much help there – besides, the produce and grain industry have had their hands in the political cookie jars for years)

Anyone reading this who has lost weight on this (or any variation of this) diet can probably attest to the fact that high-carbohydrate foods are the main cause of obesity as a whole. Not many people get fat by binging on steak 24/7, it just doesn’t happen. Our bodies won’t even allow it. We can, however, eat loads potato chips, high-carb beer, breads, sugary snacks and soft drinks galore – our bodies will happily store all that as fat, awaiting the long starving winter that will never come.

So officially, here is the start of my low-carb, anti-obesity “grassroots” movement. What to join? Maybe you already have. Get ready for your marching orders…

Whats the easiest and best way for everyone to “spread the word”?

Absolutely Nothing At All.

Just do the diet. Do it right. Lose the weight. People will notice and ask, and you can simply tell them – even if they laugh it off and call you crazy, you will have planted a tiny seed in their insulin intoxicated brains. I’ve seen it happen. Next time they’ll have a tiny sapling growing out of their ear as they eat their new favorite lunch : A full Turducken (hold the breadcrumb stuffing) wrapped in bacon. (Somewhere John Madden is nodding his chins in approval).

When asked why on earth are they eating such a “heart attack inducing monstrosity” by an random, low-fat, low-calorie brainwashed American sheep – what will they respond with?

“Why? Bathing suit season is coming up! That’s why!”

Information is like a Virus and “The Truth” is always Undefeated. It’ll always come up at the end.

Therefore let this grassroots anti-obesity campaign begin – we can call it “Health gone Viral”. I mean, that WAS the first social networking tool – you know, walking around and talking to people.

Related posts:

1. Bariatric Surgery: Weight-Loss Miracle or just a Hardcore Dietary “Enforcement Tool”?