In a nut shell, the
rest of the world does not consume the amounts of non-foods to the extent
that the general
American populace does. The simple act of reading labels and choosing not to eat
ingredients that are unpronounceable would already be an excellent start.
North Americans are
victims of being relentlessly marketed to. Like no other culture on Earth, the American media
bombards the American public with product pitches aimed at the most
vulnerable and to urges that are hard to deny. The young are targeted to get
them into a life long habit of consuming what is little more than nicely
packaged garbage. Some of this garbage is physical, some of it is emotional
and some of it is mental. It seems that a nation that is so willing to turn
its children into the prey of corporate interests will at some point have to
pay the price; and it is finally showing. Obese children is likely just the
tip of the iceberg. If their bodies are so out of shape it is likely that
their hearts and minds are not too far behind.
In addition to this,
what has come to be regarded as acceptable foods are often foods that are so
processed that their packaging likely has more substantive food value than
the food itself.
Consequently, between
fast foods, convenience foods and processed foods laced with additives, the
average North American person consumes empty calories of foods that
are often deliberately rendered addictive through their additives. The
result is people who have voracious appetites who are drawn to eating foods
that satisfy their palates but due to the complete absence of nutritional
value these foods are not satisfying their bodily needs. The resulting hunger these
people feel is very real.
This relentless cycle
produces obesity of historic proportions. That it took nearly two to three
decades to recognize this very obvious problem is in itself astounding and
very telling of the Health agencies in place to protect the public interest.
Often sugars, wheat,
carbohydrates and fats in general are often and universally blamed. One
never, ever, ever, hears anything about the additives in foods on the news.
Genetics are blamed!
But, clearly to proclaim that genetics are at fault is to deny that this
obesity epidemic did not exist 30 - 60 years ago and is therefore
unscientific.
Even though everyone
has a personal stake and responsibility in maintaining ones own health the
blaming of someone's genetics is to deflect the responsibility from foods
and their additives solely onto the shoulders of the individual.
Personal choices are
usually at the bottom of being overweight, however, when the choices being
offered as safe and edible are in reality a "trap" to make a person addicted
to them there is a clear problem as the deck is stacked not in a persons
favor.
