FYI: The US is Fat

[balzonia]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/02/us/coast-guard-raises-assumed-average-weight-per-person.html

Interesting article in the NY Times about the US Coast Guard having to up the average weight of passengers when determining passenger loads on boats/ships. The old average used by the USCG was 160lbs. per passenger and the new average used is 185lbs. which directly affects the number of passengers a vessel can carry. Fewer passengers = less income.

The Stats According to the CDC:
Measured average height, weight, and waist circumference for adults ages 20 years and over

* Men:
Height (inches): 69.4
Weight (pounds): 194.7
Waist circumference (inches): 39.7
* Women:
Height (inches): 63.8
Weight (pounds): 164.7
Waist circumference (inches): 37.0

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/bodymeas.htm

[jeremyp]

I'm big, but apple s haped.

[Friar]

CDC figures indicate it's a big problem in Red States (Indiana used to be #1 I don't know if that's still the case). They--RS-- go 14/15 (worst rates).
Since there are poverty correlations to go with fat/obesity it isn't funny and deserves greater early attention.

Weight (pounds): 194.7
Waist circumference (inches): 39.7
- 30 lbs, - 6 in's to the good.

[Marlow]

If anyone ever doubts that the USA is not in an obesity epidemic, just invite them to go to Wal-Mart any evening . . .
Especially if it has a McDonald's in it . . .

[gm]

CDC figures indicate it's a big problem in Red States

WTH are the "Red States"? Is that CommieLand? Is the CDC recognizing new entities?

[Marlow]

CDC figures indicate it's a big problem in Red States

WTH are the "Red States"? Is that CommieLand? Is the CDC recognizing new entities?

Wiki can tell you: A Red State is a state where a majority voted for the Republican candidate in the last Presidential election. Here ya go:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... 08.svg.png

or were you being disingenuous . . . ?

[gm]

No, just expressing my dismay/disgust at the continued deployment of that ridiculous concept (red state/blue state). FFS, if you mean poor southern states, just say that and keep the political posturing to yourself.

[lonewolf]

Just curious. I guess I was not paying attention. I am aware of the current connotation but when/why/how did "red" change from being associated with " left/liberal" to "right/conservative"?

[Per Andersen]

Just curious. I guess I was not paying attention. I am aware of the current connotation but when/why/how did "red" change from being associated with " left/liberal" to "right/conservative"?

I have wondered about that too but I'm sure glad Democratic voters in America are not called "red" voters.

But "Blue" would never have hurt the GOP the way "Red" would have hurt the Dems.

It's better this way

[Pego]

Just curious. I guess I was not paying attention. I am aware of the current connotation but when/why/how did "red" change from being associated with " left/liberal" to "right/conservative"?

IIRC, sometime in the 80's somebody started designating the GOP-voting states as red and Dem as blue. I don't think I ever heard rational for it.

[tafnut]

IIRC, sometime in the 80's somebody started designating the GOP-voting states as red and Dem as blue. I don't think I ever heard rational for it.

NBC's John Chancellor does have the distinction of creating the idea of using colors to represent the states won by presidential candidates in presidential elections. For the 1976 presidential election Chancellor suggested to his network's engineers that they create a large electronic map of the United States and place it in the network's election-night news studio. If Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate, won a state it would light up in red; if Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, carried a state it would light up in blue. When ABC began using a color scheme four years later, it reversed the colors because "Republican" and "red" both began with "R," and its scheme eventually became the standard for all networks.

Happy New Year!!

[Pego]

IIRC, sometime in the 80's somebody started designating the GOP-voting states as red and Dem as blue. I don't think I ever heard rational for it.

NBC's John Chancellor does have the distinction of creating the idea of using colors to represent the states won by presidential candidates in presidential elections. For the 1976 presidential election Chancellor suggested to his network's engineers that they create a large electronic map of the United States and place it in the network's election-night news studio. If Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate, won a state it would light up in red; if Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, carried a state it would light up in blue. When ABC began using a color scheme four years later, it reversed the colors because "Republican" and "red" both began with "R," and its scheme eventually became the standard for all networks.

Happy New Year!!

Welcome back .

[lonewolf]

IIRC, sometime in the 80's somebody started designating the GOP-voting states as red and Dem as blue. I don't think I ever heard rational for it.

NBC's John Chancellor does have the distinction of creating the idea of using colors to represent the states won by presidential candidates in presidential elections. For the 1976 presidential election Chancellor suggested to his network's engineers that they create a large electronic map of the United States and place it in the network's election-night news studio. If Jimmy Carter, the Democratic candidate, won a state it would light up in red; if Gerald Ford, the Republican candidate, carried a state it would light up in blue. When ABC began using a color scheme four years later, it reversed the colors because "Republican" and "red" both began with "R," and its scheme eventually became the standard for all networks.

Happy New Year!!

Apparently the same rational applied to my hearing aids. The right ear aid is red, the left ear aid is blue.
Howsomever, I am cynic enough to suspect the real reason was, as Per suggests, to avoid Democrats being assigned the traditional liberal/commie color red.

[gh]

No, just expressing my dismay/disgust at the continued deployment of that ridiculous concept (red state/blue state). FFS, if you mean poor southern states, just say that and keep the political posturing to yourself.

on that map, aren't there more red states above the Mason-Dixon line than below it?

[tafnut]

No, just expressing my dismay/disgust at the continued deployment of that ridiculous concept (red state/blue state). FFS, if you mean poor southern states, just say that and keep the political posturing to yourself.

on that map, aren't there more red states above the Mason-Dixon line than below it?

In 2008 blue meant northeast quadrant, west coast, and odd ducks like Fla, NM, & Col.

Is it just me or has the Presidential election become even more polarized than ever, where people are more likely to elect 'labels' moreso than actual candidates?

[Master Po]

Good maps & stats here:

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

includes a slide show wherein you can watch the map of the USA grow fatter, from the late 1980s to 2010. (Too bad they don't have a 3D edition of this map...) As of 2010 Mississippi is the current national leader (34% w BMI @ 30 or higher). Twelve states @ 30% or higher. All but one (Michigan) in the 30% or more are southern or border-southern (Missouri, W Virginia). Of the states below 25% (BMI 30 or higher), most are in the West and NE. Colorado is the current "leanest" state, at "only" 21% @ BMI 30 or higher.

Also links at the bottom of the page to county-specific national maps for obesity and physical inactivity. Shows the distribution in a somewhat more nuanced way on the national map.

The map doesn't lie...we are fattest in our lower mid-section.

[Friar]

Wal-Mart any evening .

I recently got off the high horse and started going in the door (for several reasons). It's quite an experience: good/bad. Someone from NC tried to pay with a $ 1Million bill the other day which says something about the shoppers.http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/292369-man-arrested-for-trying-to-pay-with-1-million-dollar-note/

The reason the Red state thing is important --or not-- is that they may be less likely to promote good health ultimately resulting in higher incidence of chronic debilitating --costly--illness.
Why do people smoke more in Ky,WV ? Probably because it isn't talked about much. Or in the exception of--conservative-- Utah, it just isn't acceptable there.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150779/Smoking-Rates-Remain-Highest-Kentucky-Lowest-Utah.aspx#1

[tafnut]

Wal-Mart any evening .

I recently got off the high horse and started going in the door (for several reasons). It's quite an experience: good/bad.

I LOVE going to WalMart! You have no sense of reality if you don't go there at least once a month. That, for better or worse, is Downtown America.

[gh]

... Or in the exception of--conservative-- Utah, it just isn't acceptable there.
http://www.gallup.com/poll/150779/Smoking-Rates-Remain-Highest-Kentucky-Lowest-Utah.aspx#1

Never underestimate the power of social disapprobation. True story:

At the '89 NCAA in Provo a group of about 8 of us were looking for a place for dinner after the meet and the friendly guy sitting in the stands next to us touted a Mexican place in Orem, whispering conspiratorily under his breath, "you can get beer there."

So we trotted into the place and a fresh-faced young coed at the door said, "would you like smoking or non-smoking?"

Said I, as righteously as possible, "we're here for the track meet! non-smoking of course!"

So they plopped us down in the middle of the room and the server came over and said, "can I get you something to drink before you order?"

"A couple of pitchers of beer would be great!"

"OH! You want the smoking section!"

So we get marched out of the room under the gaze of some evil-eye mojo, go down the hall, make a turn, go down another hall... and enter a room where the smoke was so thick you couldn't see higher than 6-feet off the floor (slight hyperbole alert). And in the room was every biker in Western Utah I think. Most of whom who had brought hard liquor and were paying for setups.

We had two rounds of beer and when we asked for a third the server apologized and said, "I'm sorry, we don't have any more."

[TN1965]

If anyone ever doubts that the USA is not in an obesity epidemic, just invite them to go to Wal-Mart any evening . . .
Especially if it has a McDonald's in it . . .

The ratio of obese customers goes something like this.

Wal Mart > K-Mart > Target > Kohl's & JC Penney.

And Wal Mart has the narrowest aisles of all stores.

[Marlow]

So we get marched out of the room under the gaze of some evil-eye mojo

I KNEW she was bad!

[jeremyp]

So we get marched out of the room under the gaze of some evil-eye mojo,

Not to get off the subject gh but you and I chatted briefly at the meet. Anyhows I was at BYU in early 70's, living in Orem. To get beer was dicey. A friend of ours was "carded" by a grocery clerk and when she saw his BYU ID card she notified the authorities and a couple of guys from the morality police showed up at his off campus apartment and he was given a warning. Off campus students would be visited by these guys asking to look through the apartment for contraband (booze, cigarettes.) They tried that on our place once and my wife sent them packing with a few choice british cuss words (bloody was used quite frequently.)

[jeremyp]

Back to the subject. Interesting NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/01/magaz ... wanted=all

For years, the advice to the overweight and obese has been that we simply need to eat less and exercise more. While there is truth to this guidance, it fails to take into account that the human body continues to fight against weight loss long after dieting has stopped. This translates into a sobering reality: once we become fat, most of us, despite our best efforts, will probably stay fat.

It was almost as if weight loss had put their bodies into a unique metabolic state, a sort of post-dieting syndrome that set them apart from people who hadn’t tried to lose weight in the first place.

I know this is true for me. I'm at my high weight now, even though I exercise more now then I did when I weighed 15% less. But I'll keep exercising. Interestingly enough for me my waist line goes down when I work out but as I'm adding muscle I stay heavy. That's my story and I'm sticking with it.

I'm on a new plan now. Lose 5 pounds per quarter (year). I'm gonna sneak up on those hormones. Wish me luck.

[TN1965]

I went from 170cm/63kg at age 18 to 72kg at age 39. Then I decided to lose weight. It went down to 64kg in six months, and then continued to go down to 59kg a few years later. Now I have to eat like a pig to prevent weight loss.

I have never considered myself skinny or thin. But based on the CDC tables above, my current BMI (20.4) is lower than 95% of people in my age group. (Isn't the "normal" range supposed to be 18-25? How many people are "underweight"?)

A more shocking fact is that my waist (68cm) is smaller than 90% of teenage girls.