Why Americans are so fat?

[Flatbutt1]

Well this is definitely one reason. OMG I'm not sure I could even fit all of this into my stomach!

Hardee's Unveils 920-Calorie Burrito
ST. LOUIS, Mon Oct 15, 02:36 PM




The people who brought you the Monster Thickburger and the 1,100-calorie salad are at it again — this time for breakfast.

Hardee's on Monday rolled out its new Country Breakfast Burrito — two egg omelets filled with bacon, sausage, diced ham, cheddar cheese, hash browns and sausage gravy, all wrapped inside a flour tortilla. The burrito contains 920 calories and 60 grams of fat.

Brad Haley, marketing chief for the St. Louis-based fast-food chain, said the burrito offers the sort of big breakfast item normally found in sit-down restaurants with an added advantage.

"It makes this big country breakfast portable," he said.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

That's madness. I think it should come with its own defibrillator.

[Gogar]

All those Qdoba/Chipotle burritos we all enjoy so much EASILY top 900 calories.

That said, they're not sausage/gravy/egg calories.

[p911dad]

A big reason is folks just do not eat at home anymore. Everyone eats out, or get takeout for dinner. You can control what you put in the pot, but you take what you get in a restaurant(I use the term loosely). So, too much fat, sugar, everything. So, you and yours get fat butts. No secret there.

[Scott R]

It's sad that they have to disclose these numbers, I have no idea what the calorie count on things like these are, because I know better than to eat it in the first place.

[on-ramp]

60 grams of fat ? how much saturated and trans fats ?

[pwd72s]

Two kinds of food. Food that is good for you...then there is food that tastes good...

[Scott R]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Two kinds of food. Food that is good for you...then there is food that tastes good...

Not really, you just need to broaden your healthy selections.

[74-911]

A big contributor to the fat nation is the portion size. We seem to believe that quantity is more important than quality. Read recently that todays McDonalds Happy Meal has more fat/carbs/etc. than the typical adult McDonald meal serving was 30 years ago. Please note, I am not implying that the words McDonalds and quality are in any way related.

Also, in the 50's and 60's, when you bought a coke or other soft drink your choices were pretty much 6 or 10 oz bottles or perhaps a 12 oz. can. Most today seem to start at 16 oz and go up from there, i.e the 44 big gulp or whatever it is called... plus many people seem to consume 2 or 3 a day if not more. That a lot of fructose.

[HardDrive]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

Two kinds of food. Food that is good for you...then there is food that tastes good...

Sounds like this ol.......errrrr....well seasoned dog needs to learn some new tricks.

There is great food out there that taste great, and it not horrible for you.

Problem is that Americans have a sad history of making absolutely tasteless garbage, then eating because they are on some kind of health kick. Its as if its not enough for it to be good for you. Its almost like some kind of catholic guilt thing. If it tastes good, it must be bad for you. Only through suffering can you be healthy.

The wife is from India, and she's a vegitarian. The food she makes taste fantastic. And it not all veg. She makes chicken tikka masla that is AWESOME, and its no chock full o' butter either.

[pwd72s]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

Sounds like this ol.......errrrr....well seasoned dog needs to learn some new tricks.

There is great food out there that taste great, and it not horrible for you.

Problem is that Americans have a sad history of making absolutely tasteless garbage, then eating because they are on some kind of health kick. Its as if its not enough for it to be good for you. Its almost like some kind of catholic guilt thing. If it tastes good, it must be bad for you. Only through suffering can you be healthy.

The wife is from India, and she's a vegitarian. The food she makes taste fantastic. And it not all veg. She makes chicken tikka masla that is AWESOME, and its no chock full o' butter either.

You're probably right...my problem isn't food really...it's just that I'm figuring out that 64 years on this planet is probably enough. Damn, life gets tedious, doesn't it???

[Evans, Marv]

Paul,
If you're in that age category, you can remember that a hamburger at McDonald's was 15 cents, cheese burger was 18 cents, a coke was 10 cents, fries were 15 cents. Of course they were the were the standard unfancy ones they have now that cost something like $1.35. I don't remember anybody eating 4 or 5 of them back then like they probably would now.
By the way, I don't think 64 is time to give it up.

[the]

It's the restaurants' fault.

[livi]

There is an interesting aspect in this that IMO is not completely clear cut.

Yes, in the great USA everything is BIGGER, better and faster. You refer to restaurants and fast food chains that serve portions that are absurd in terms of calorie count and fat content. Not wise in a public health perspective of course, but then if that is what people will buy - that is apparently good business.

Now, the question is, why do people buy and eat these crazy meals ? Is a large part of the population still ignorant of the fact that it is extremely hazardous to ones health ? Don´t they care ? Is it they same as with smoking - the risks are well known but for some reason that do not stop people from smoking ?

Finally, where should the 'state' move in with interventions and frankly legislate against the worst aberrations that cost the society a lot of money in terms of disease related costs ? Or should the society reason that each to his own and if you are stupid enough to do it who cares ?

[onewhippedpuppy]

Markus, you're missing one important part of American culture. Nothing is ever anyone's fault.

In our great land, nothing is your fault. So if you eat McDonalds daily, weight 300 lbs, and require a triple bypass, it is of course McDonald's fault. As Americans, we have the God given right to do whatever the hell we want, and not be responsible for it.

I say let Darwin sort it out. If you eat fast food daily, become a fat disgusting slob, and die of a heart attack, who is to blame? If people are too damn stupid to make good decisions, they should be responsible for the results. Of course, that will never happen with wonderful people like Hillary around. I'm sure she would be happy to make liposuction and gastric bypass fully covered under her health care plan.

I personally do my best to avoid fast food, grilled cheese at home tastes far better. However, I do occasionally partake in a bit of Chipotle. 1300 calories of heaven!

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by livi

Now, the question is, why do people buy and eat these crazy meals ? Is a large part of the population still ignorant of the fact that it is extremely hazardous to ones health ? Don´t they care ? Is it they same as with smoking - the risks are well known but for some reason that do not stop people from smoking ?

All of the above.

But also there are many places in the US where healthy alternatives are difficult to find. So if you need to grab some lunch - junk food is often the only option.

We got so tired of eating crap when travelling in the US that we finally bought a couple of very fat guides to "Healthy Eating in the US" and always take a GPS. That way when we're on the road we can program in the nearest recommended restaurant with some healthy food - and actually plan our route around these.

Most of the restaurants we have found this way have been excellent - but are invariably located in some place where we would never have otherwise come across them.

[frogger]

Originally Posted by livi

Is a large part of the population still ignorant of the fact that it is extremely hazardous to ones health ? Don´t they care ? Is it they same as with smoking - the risks are well known but for some reason that do not stop people from smoking ?

Yes on all counts.

Sure, let Darwin sort it all out, although the overall costs of health insurance to eveyone in the US are impacted to some degree by additional health issues associated with obesity. I also dislike the impact on public transportation and airlines. Charge the fatties double fares!

[Mo_Gearhead]

QUOTE: 'I don't remember anybody eating 4 or 5 of them back then like they probably would now."
__________________________

That brought back some memories.

In Springfield MO in the 1960's there was a Hamburger place called Don Lo's sold six burgers for a buck! Course they were about the size of a fifty cent piece!

Always wondered ...where they aquired those little buns!!???
Munchkin land?

[Scott R]

I'm thin, in fact a marathon runner, and I compete in weight competitions as well. I came from the "other side" lost over 100lbs to get where I am today. Sure it's hard work, but you learn to love it from another aspect. The food is great when it's done right, and I get to eat seven times a day. I haven't had fast food in six years, and I don't miss it. In fact when I pass by a drive through line I almost feel sad for those people.

Now on another note I had a co-worker ask me how I "do it," I told him diet and exercise. He said, "I can't do that, love the junk food, I'll wait for a miracle pill."

[sammyg2]

It has nothing to do with a burrito, it has nothing to do with portions, it has to do with personal responsibility.

PEOPLE EAT MORE CALORIES THAN THEY BURN.

it isn't hardee's fault, it isn't dunkin donuts fault, it is the fault of the pigs who eat too much and don't excersize.
No company should be blamed or ridiculed for offering us choices. We should be blamed for making bad ones.
I am overweight and it is my fault and no one elses. See? that didn't hurt at all.