FDA Smaller portions

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,197885,00.html

I can't believe this crap.... The rest of us shouldn't suffer while the fat people can't stop themselves from eating that much.

Another article pointing out the irresponsibility of some people. The government is considering this since people can't control their own eating habits.


Today, 64 percent of Americans are overweight, including the 30 percent who are obese, according to the report. It pegs the annual medical cost of the problem at nearly $93 billion.

Definitely a problem. But don't charge me more for food because someone else is overeating.

it doesn't bother me that they are wanting places to down size the servings. i always just eat half the meal or whatever and save the rest for lunch the next day at work. that i way i only pay for one meal but get two out of it. i will agree though that serving sizes at restaraunts are getting out of control.


one little question about the stats above and you may not have the answer. does the 30% of obese people come out of the 64% of overweight people? or is the 30 from the entire population?? i realize that being obese is also overweight but i was just curious, and am in a little bit of an analytical mood.

it doesn't bother me that they are wanting places to down size the servings. i always just eat half the meal or whatever and save the rest for lunch the next day at work. that i way i only pay for one meal but get two out of it. i will agree though that serving sizes at restaraunts are getting out of control.

one little question about the stats above and you may not have the answer. does the 30% of obese people come out of the 64% of overweight people? or is the 30 from the entire population?? i realize that being obese is also overweight but i was just curious, and am in a little bit of an analytical mood.
So it may cost you more to eat - because if they downsize the servings, you'll be paying the same price for your lunch but will only be getting one meal out of it.

The 30% comes out of the 64%.... 64% of Americans are overweight, and almost half of those are obese.

Obese defined:

A person has traditionally been considered to be obese if they are more than 20 percent over their ideal weight. That ideal weight must take into account the person's height, age, sex, and build.

Obesity has been more precisely defined by the National Institutes of Health (the NIH) as a BMI of 30 and above. (A BMI of 30 is about 30 pounds overweight.) The BMI (body mass index), a key index for relating body weight to height, is a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by their height in meters (m)squared. Since the BMI describes the body weight relative to height, it correlates strongly (in adults) with the total body fat (http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3394) content. Some very muscular people may have a high BMI without undue health risks.


While the BMI is accurate for many, it isn't for everyone as noted above. "Ideal" weight put out on tables isn't accurate for some either. Bodyfat percentage is the best way to go about measuring the degree of obesity.

It's not necessarily the amount that is eaten, but rather the sedentary lifestyle that makes people fat:


Your shape is affected by body fat percentage because muscle tissue is more compact than fat - a balloon containing 1lb of muscle tissue would be smaller than a balloon containing 1lb of fat!

So a woman, 5' 6" tall weighing 140lbs (10 stone) who does regular muscle enhancing exercise, will have a lower body fat percentage, and look slimmer, than a woman of the same height and weight who doesn't exercise and therefore has a higher ratio of body fat.
So the idea of reducing portions is flawed; the strategy should be to instead change the sedentary lifestyle to a more active one.

very nice post above. people just need to get off their booties. i park far away in the parking lots, not only cause it makes me walk farther, but also so no one dings my car. i also take the stairs to work, climb 6 stories. i try and incorporate it all into my daily routine.

restaurants shouldn't be dictated to on what size portions they have. it's part of their style and have you ever chose one restaurant over another cuz that meal you wanted a smaller portion, or maybe you were starving and wanted something bigger?

the government should instead be educating the people on how to make the right decisions about food and diet for themselves, not just doing it for them.

restaurants shouldn't be dictated to on what size portions they have. it's part of their style and have you ever chose one restaurant over another cuz that meal you wanted a smaller portion, or maybe you were starving and wanted something bigger?

the government should instead be educating the people on how to make the right decisions about food and diet for themselves, not just doing it for them.


But that's the problem, (most) people don't get off their asses and do stuff to get exercise. The idea of exercising has been around since... dirt.

We were taught how to exercise in grade school, middle school, highschool and even college.

If they can't figure it out and put two and two together... then down sizing food portions seems logical.

I guess it doesn't bother me much, I'm not a huge eater to begin with.

true, a lot of people cant control how much they eat. but what about the 24 million people in the US alone that suffer from an eating disorder? 1 in 5 women have an eating disorder too. when the government mandates or suggests that restaurants decrease portions because people are too fat, what message does that send to people.

with you all being guys, i doubt most of you know just how hard it is to struggle with something like anorexia. for me it was genetic, my mom secretly takes diet pills. she thinks no one knows, but i found them on accident one day cleaning her bathroom. she excercises like crazy. i've been dealing with it for a few years myself, and it tears you apart... like i said, the government should be educating people how to eat right for themselves, not using a single mold for everyone.

We should tell these people about a diet that works VERY well.

It's called the "get off your ass and do something" diet.

Why should the rest of us, who get out and do stuff or have self control, suffer because you use a shovel and pitch fork to eat like a pig? I wish the lard ass would shut up.

Blaming the restaurants for making you fat is like blaming a chick for having a freaky pussy which causes you to prematurly ejaculate.

Im sure most of yall "Skinny" people dont do shit in terms of excersize

Im sure most of yall "Skinny" people dont do shit in terms of excersize
umm...why do u think we're thin? magic potions? no we actually go out and excercise. i seriously haven't watched tv in months and i couldn't care less, i doubt i'm missing anything anyways. i go play tennis, i go for walks, i go skiing *snow and water* i run up and down the stairs instead of walk. i also watch what i eat. if ur smart about it, the pounds will melt off.

when i go to a restaurant, i don't try and finish it all. just take it home for another meal. also, don't eat until you're full or feel like you're "about to burst". this stretches out your stomach over time, increasing how much you can eat before feeling full, which ultimately increases your calorie intake. not saying do what i did and starve urself so long ur stomach shrinks to the point where u can only eat a lot of small snacks thruout the day instead of meals, but like with everything, choose moderation.

Im sure most of yall "Skinny" people dont do shit in terms of excersize

I cycled 40 miles this week and worked at least 12 hours every day....what did you overweight folk do?

Good for you, i use to run 1.5 miles a day, and lift weights, and work regularly, didn't loose any weight
But then again are you going to tell me that every singler skinny person diets right, and exercises regularly? bull shit, i know at least 10 right now that eat what ever the fuck they want and dont gain a ounce

i know at least 10 right now that eat what ever the fuck they want and dont gain a ounce

Hate them now, but metabolisms slow down and they will put weight on.

You're right...I don't excercise at all and I just cracked 150 this week (heaviest I've been...ever). I don't know what it is, but I just can't put on weight for the life of me right now (for the record I'm 19, 5-8). I'm sure it'll change, but my dad is the same way. He's 6-2 and he's just recently cracked 200 and he's 47. Seems like something that runs in the family...it's weird.

Hate them now, but metabolisms slow down and they will put weight on.
noooooooo :banghead: i refuse... i'm perfectly content with my chocolate for breakfast. it's workin great for me.

noooooooo :banghead: i refuse... i'm perfectly content with my chocolate for breakfast. it's workin great for me.
Hahaha.....good for you.

Just remember that at about 25, then at 30, then at 40 your metabolism changes and gets slower. Exercise has less effect than it did, and food has more. So you have to make adjustments as you age to the amount you eat and the amount you exercise....or guess what? You'll get fat.


-edit-
And of course this entire discussion is based on food intake vs metabolism and exercise. There are those people with glandular conditions or some other disorder that can't help but put on weight - and this thread in no way applies to them or is meant as an insult.

i think it's stupid that the gov't is doing this for many of the same reasons. and i know a guy who would eat more than me, probably 1.5 or 2 times as much, and he weighed between 120 and 130, if that, and was aroun 5'10. i weigh about 190 right now and i'm around 5'8.5". I also work out twice a day 5 days a week for rowing, and i haven't lost weight since i started. of course i am slimming down but im putting on muscle.

the point is, different people have different metabolisms. the government shouldn't tell restaurants how much they can serve, they should educate people on how to eat properly. if anything, they should make certain fast foods illegal, i wouldn't miss them, because they're aiding this fattening country, well our fattening countries.

i'm 5'10" an 145lb, i never stop eating but my wieght doesn't change, im no exercise freak either.

i dont think the gov't should restrict portion sizes, what about those who can take the food without the unpleasant effects?

personally, apart from glandular conditions, i think people only get over weight from a lack of self control. well, in many cases. i understand that some may have slow metabolisms but i honestly believe that it's majorly a self-control issue. like giving up smoking. i gave up by just stopping, sure it's hard but it can be done. it's all about willpower and control.

that's what doggybags are meant for...jeeze :rollseyes:

Now I have to go to restaurant, expect to get a nice 42 ounce porterhouse steak, and find out mashed potatoes dont come with the meal any more

i swear, people keep getting more stupid by the minute

Land of the free.

I really don't care because I think fast food, for the most part, tastes like shit. Besides, the portions have grown so large over the years anyhow. Who needs a 1,400 calorie burger and a 44oz soda? Someone asked what kind of message is this sending to people; it is saying you're a fat shit, why don't you stop stuffing your face for a second? The fact of the matter is that if you don't burn more calories than you take in then you're going to gain weight.

It's that simple.

Blaming an eating disorder, of any kind, on genetics is a freaking joke. It is all in your head it has nothing to do with genetics.

Honestly, would it hurt to downsize the average American portion? Whenever I go there I'm blown away by just how much food is given to me.

EDIT: Polygon has it 100% correct. Blaming genetics transaltes to you making excuses for being a lazy over-eating soft-cock pile of shit. Most of my family is more portly than normal, it even shows in my bone structure (Big boned and solid), but I still carry sweet Fuck all fat around with me simply because I exercise and can control myself.

So, I was discussing this with my family the other day, and it came to me... okay, so I don't usually eat all that I am presented with so I take the rest of it home with me...

but for those who can't manage to do this, what's to stop them from ordering an extra appetizer and dessert since they are "still hungry" from this new, smaller portion?

but for those who can't manage to do this, what's to stop them from ordering an extra appetizer and dessert since they are "still hungry" from this new, smaller portion?

Their wallets. :rofl: Anyway, I've noticed eating habits are changing often. I manage a deli in a grocery store, you should see some of the crap people buy. Cheese is loaded with salt and fat, really not good for you, and I sell tons of it along with the low salt low fat meats. What's the point? If you are going to blow it, do it right, don't complain that you can't loose the weight when your eating habits don't help. I'm 6 feet even, 210 pounds and can't drop any lower. What I have found is the more I go to the gym, ride my bike, ski, dive, do whatever, the weight I am carrying gets redistributed. The only problem I am running into with this is my thighs are to the size now that pants that fit are getting hard to find, not because of my waist but because of my quads.

this is crazy. this wont help anything at all. what they need to do is increase the price on those 'goodies' from the gas station with all thse candies for 25 cents. that is what they should aim at, not the adults since the adults ususally wont change for anything, but if u start out with the younger ones, then u could start to have a revolution. i personally dont see how this will effect me since i now eat 4-5 meals a day as im trying to put on more muscle and slim down some. spreading out your meals will make u not hungry. this alone will save the american people.

don't bother with changing prices, educate the kids in school and don't offer any bad snacks in school. instead of pizza days have something less fattening, instead of cookies, have cheese and crackers (no not white people). chances are that adults won't change their eating habbits, at least not on a large scale, so you have to get the kids to change. the problem is the culture we live in where everyone goes by "more is better", have a bigger house, more cars, huge yard, more food, all that kind of stuff. untill the culture as a whole changes their eating habbits the states will be known as a fat country.

don't bother with changing prices, educate the kids in school and don't offer any bad snacks in school. instead of pizza days have something less fattening, instead of cookies, have cheese and crackers (no not white people). chances are that adults won't change their eating habbits, at least not on a large scale, so you have to get the kids to change. the problem is the culture we live in where everyone goes by "more is better", have a bigger house, more cars, huge yard, more food, all that kind of stuff. untill the culture as a whole changes their eating habbits the states will be known as a fat country.

EXACTLY, get rid of the junk in schools, soda/candy machines, and at home so kids have a healthy start from the beginning. It gets worse when your raised on crap and get older, less active, and still eat crap. What happens when you graduate highschool, you no longer have to take gym and you start driving, if you were into sports your not going to be doing them as often unless you goto college and join up with it there. And shortly after that you can start drinking your calories and not doing any physcial activities like you did when you were younger, plus by 25-30 your metabolism slows down.

On the portions it is not really the typical portion your talking about in a real restaurant, the portions that are really bad are the fast food ones because they are loadded with calories and fat. How about the super big gulp or whatever, I saw a tv show with a overweight man w/ diabetes cause he drank a huge pitcher of soda for lunch everyday, and said they went through 2-3 bottles of soday a day, him and his obese wife. :screwy:

The other portions are for garbage and they are small, ever look at the recommend servings per a bag of chips or cookies its something like 6-8 chips or 2-3 cookies and there are probably 200 calories for those 2-3 cookies and 140+ for the 6-8 chips.

I'm 5'4", 120. I don't work out or anything, I'm naturally thin.

But I also don't eat much. I eat really small portions throughout the day. And I eat good food, no fast food or soda or stuff with a lot of sugar. Except chocolate. I eat a lot of dark chocolate.

I agree with all those that said we should focus on the eating habits of younger children, they're the ones that it's going to be easier to instill changes in.

I'm 5'4", 120. I don't work out or anything, I'm naturally thin.

But I also don't eat much. I eat really small portions throughout the day. And I eat good food, no fast food or soda or stuff with a lot of sugar. Except chocolate. I eat a lot of dark chocolate.

I agree with all those that said we should focus on the eating habits of younger children, they're the ones that it's going to be easier to instill changes in.


i get a gut feeling that you're going to be a great mom

i get a gut feeling that you're going to be a great mom

Don't know if I'm going to have kids, but thanks. I think if I do decide to, I'll be pretty good. There's too many ways to screw kids up nowadays.

i get a gut feeling that you're going to be a great mom
Is it yours?

Is it yours?

i'll explain that one...

it's all about being the Chris. not just any Chris, but the Chris...

I believe the intent of what the government is proposing is good when you look at the facts, though I'm not too excited about the idea of the government being envolved in the enforcement of this... 1) Its true...us Americans (as a whole) are amoung the fattest people on the earth. 2) Alot of unnecessary health care costs are directly related to improper diet. 3) (and I'm not %100 sure about us being number one...but we're al least in the top 5) Americans consume more sugar than any other nation on earth. 4) Portion sizes that Americans are eating ARE too big.

This all translates to having alot of obese Americans waddling around, and I don't say this to be insensitive...in fact, I was one of them. A 2 and a half years ago I used to weigh over 340 pounds, I'm 6'5" and hid it well (if that is possible)...but the fact remained...I was obese. I weigh 240 pounds now. I loss my weight by eliminating/severly limiting my intake of sugar and foods higher in carbs and simply eating less. I still have about 25 pounds to lose...which I hope to do by the end of summer.

IMHO...Americans as a whole, consume way too many foods high in sugar and carbs...and those are the things (when portion sizes get out of control) that make people gain weight.

^^^that and that now vegetables actually cost more since of hurricane katrina and weather and all that. crap food is cheaper, fills u up. that is what american people want, cheap food.

^^^that and that now vegetables actually cost more since of hurricane katrina and weather and all that. crap food is cheaper, fills u up. that is what american people want, cheap food.

Crap/cheap food is what american people want because it is satisfying to eat that crap, especially when you don't excercise. Doing so would alleviate the 'bad' feeling of not eating crap, but so would exercising regularly and not eating so much crap.

Just because the portion size is huge doesn't mean you have to eat it all, but that is not how most people think. The only time I gobble up the whole meal wherever, I don't eat meals at fast food restaurants maybe I'll grab a chicken sandwich if I'm starving, is because I haven't eaten all day for some dumb reason otherwise I'll eat my fill and take the rest home.