A big fat crisis -- stopping the real causes of the obesity epidemic | Deborah Cohen | TEDxUCRSalon

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. We're told that if we are overweight, it's because we can't control ourselves. Personal responsibility has been cited as a cause of obesity over and over again. If that were true one third of America should be considered irresponsible. Deborah Cohen debunks this myth and provides the real causes of the obesity epidemic and how we can stop them.
Dr. Cohen is a physician and Senior Scientist at the RAND Corporation and is the Principal Investigator of several studies on the intersection of the built environment and health. She is the author of the new book "A Big Fat Crisis-the Hidden Forces Behind the Obesity Epidemic-and How We Can End It" and the co-author of the book, "Prescription for a Healthy Nation-a new approach to improving our health by fixing our everyday world". She is the lead researcher on several studies investigating ways to change the environment to reduce the burden of chronic diseases.
About TEDx, x = independently organized event In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@kenmarriott5772]

We are in an impulsive society. Use of credit cards, of eating, of smoking, watching TV.

[@kizarumelon2477]

LIFE IS GOOD LMAOOOO

[@ccburro1]

And drinking too much alcohol and “medicating” with alcohol.

[@kenmarriott5772]

​@@ccburro1 Luckily I never drank at all much and question now why It ever would make sense. She has a good point about food marketing. Regulation may not be the way. Personal responsibility can work if you take only a sandwich to work and eat a simple diner at home.

[@ccburro1]

@@kenmarriott5772 If people are drinking too much and becoming dependent/alcoholics (they may not realize it) to relieve boredom, loneliness, shyness/social anxiety, regular anxiety, depression, that’s bad news. Best if people address the root cause of the problematic drinking. Some well-thought-out regulation (ideally pilot tested in a state) needs to be considered because, even though it is an individual choice, it is addictive and one person’s problematic drinking/alcoholism also often negatively impacts their family (domestic violence, lost jobs) and society (DUI accidents, reduced economic output, homelessness).

[@oscarosullivan4513]

Battle of the Bulge

[@seattlegrrlie]

Standard portions would be amazing. I'd love to go out to eat and not be served a giant, 1,000 calorie salad. I just wanted lunch

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Buy a side salad and tip well.

[@kandayuu5246]

Take the rest home then you don't have to buy dinner.

[@kameronicole]

Make your own food

[@JOHN----DOE]

@@kandayuu5246 Salad doesn't keep.

[@bobweiram6321]

Typical American demanding that they be cuffed and then beat their chests about how much freedom they have.

[@daniellemarie1299]

The sugar lobby will NEVER let this happen. Too monied and powerful. The alcohol industry didn't have near as much power in the 1920's.

[@margaretdennehy2280]

Danielle Marie k

[@bingus516]

And take a look at coca cola stocks, or any other junk food stocks. They are very sought after in the stock market today, and most politicians invest a lot of money into these businesses. We have slim to no chance at changing people's minds when their money is on the line.

[@maxilove2learn782]

For me personally, draining the "food swamp" would help relieve stress over seeing this fake food that stimulates my appetite. Fake food everywhere I turn can be exhausting. Eliminating this visual harassment would be extremely helpful for children. Dr. Cohen has suggested enormous helps in tackling the obesity epidemic with public solutions.

[@MissMoontree]

Imagine having stores that only sell fresh fruit, small seperate bakeries, fish and meat stores. Or even just supermarkets that greet you with fresh fruit

[@Juggaletify]

Not only is it the sugar, salt, and fat that make us unconsciously crave certain foods, but its also big corporations such as fast food companies.

[@kt1pl2]

I really liked your idea of standardized portions at restaurants.

[@markd6838]

Sounds like communism

[@dpreeper]

Great talk with some really interesting points and suggestions. But I think the point has to be made, that taking personal responsibility is still important. It is simply not enough.

[@mayowalewis7709]

Agreed. Among other things this was one major issue I had with this otherwise well put together talk

[@BankruptGreek]

it's not easy, I cant say which system is best but for example I ve seen the US labels on products alongside the European labels. The US label showed different calories. Or I am not sure of this, but have you flipped Mcdonald tray paper? Does it list calories for every food? or is that EU law?

[@dpreeper]

@@BankruptGreek I'm not the best person to ask about that. I can't remember the last time I ate in a fast food restaurant. Going to restaurants is just not something my family does very often and I easily could have missed (or forgotten) that detail from previous visits.

[@BankruptGreek]

@@dpreeper I see, I rarely go to mcdonalds it's only a friend of mine that showed me it because he goes there from time to time

[@susanmartin7467]

The speaker is right. I am much like her father and accomplish anything I put my mind to. Why can't I get my weight under control? I can lose 50 pounds by white-knuckling it but I can't hold on and keep it off. I am exhausted from the relentless junk food advertising and the lack of healthy meals away from home. No matter where I look I am bombarded with junk food in my face. Every store counter top, every gas station, the bank, the hairdresser, the gym, the health food store even! There are billboards every 100 yards when I am driving, at least one fast food place on every block, even every grocery store shoves it in my face right when I walk in the door. I have to wade through all the crap to get to the raw food section. Then when I get to the checkout there awaits more crap. When the junk food cartels scream at me at every turn no matter where I go or what I am doing it wears me down until I am just too tired and hungry. If I do get safely home with my bags of raw food and lock the door behind me, the reprieve is momentary. I can't even turn on the tv or open my mail without it being there too. There are no less than 400 eateries in the area where I live and NOT ONE is even close to healthy. Sadly, because raw food doesn't keep as long as the packaged and processed stuff, I have to go more often. So freakin' tired of this battle!

[@szililolabu]

I was hoping she would mention that the whole low fat diet is a lie and makes you fat. Eating saturated fat is delicious and satisfies. ...more than all the pasta grains carbs that we are told to eat. And since it satisfies, you are no longer hungry, cravings are reduced and weight gain is controlled.

[@zxyatiywariii8]

+Susan Martin It really is a "bombardment", I agree! Recently I was sitting in the waiting room for my regular doctor appointment, and the TV was turned to a nice, educational children's program, but almost every single ad was for junk food. The children's magazines had ads for more junk food. Some of the children were even sitting right there in the waiting room munching on junk food that their parents had brought with them; and thus all the other parents and children couldn't even get away from trash food while waiting to see the doctor. We routinely only wait for 10 -- 20 minutes in the waiting room at this particular clinic; yet too many people believe they can't even last this long without ingesting trash. And across the street, there are fast-food drive-throughs, and convenience stores with huge signs advertising "SALE!"s on more trash. It's like a psychological minefield for many people; and for children especially.

[@leeandbeahinton]

+szililolabu "saturated fat"means dead animals...Delicious?

[@szililolabu]

+Lee Hinton Yes dead animals are delicious. I am fairly certain at least 99% of humans agree with me. Don't you find sausage steak bacon ham fried chicken to be mouth watering?

[@zxyatiywariii8]

+Harry Mann I love this comment, 100% agree!

[@generalhealthy4512]

Clearly, no one is shoving food into our own mouths, but, the complex influences on hunger and choice, both internal via hormones, dopamine/pleasure, and conditioning, and external via family, friends, social norms, etc. often make the healthy choice a very very difficult choice and an act of revolution and self-alienation. And, when conditioned to salt, sugar, and fat...just damn NOT tasty. And even more sadly, 9 successful rejections of horrible food (per week) can be ruined with just 1 or 2 breakdowns. I believe that many are winning many battles, but losing the war. And, for all those that say the government shouldn't be involved in our food choices, THEY ALREADY ARE!! Clearly, we have a government subsidized unhealthy food environment. While tobacco, burgers, and cheese are made CHEAPER...good nutrition is ignored. There are virtually no subsidies for strawberries, melon, and blueberries. We subsidize cheap calories (no matter how unhealthy)...NOT cheap nutrition. That is a core problem in our society. When it's cheaper to fill our kids' tummies with nutritious food than horrible food, we'll be on our way to a healthier society.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Yes - but to be more precise, out tax dollars subsidize cheap carbs.

[@flatearth9140]

FASTING WAS THE ANSWER FOR ME !! IT WORKS LIKE A CHARM !! 18/6 METHOD !! CHECK IT OUT !

[@LenoraForest]

Thanks. I loved this. Nothing wrong with stacking the deck to help people get healthier.

[@Gonzeaux7]

The problem isn't always how much we eat, rather it's what we eat

[@howardlangton7982]

Usually though it's a combination of both. Even if all you ate was mostly junk food, if you stopped eating once you felt full you probably wouldn't get obese. You may get slightly overweight though

[@nicksakalarios]

This is an excellent and original analysis of the problem. Thanks Deborah Cohen!

[@michaelboucher9659]

I'm obese and I am also completely irresponsible...

[@kenmarriott5772]

I was borderline on obese side until I discovered intermittent fasting.

[@purplealmondwellness8903]

She makes good points....HOWEVER...I still say people have to take responsibility for themselves. Just because you get a large portion at a restaurant, doesn't mean you have to eat it all...it's called a DOGGIE BAG/TAKE OUT BOX!!! No one is sitting at the table with you forcing food down your throat. Eat half of it and take the rest home. Teach your kids (and yourself) that they can't have that candy at the register. Learn how to shop properly...stick to the outside perimeter of the grocery store, where the produce, meat and dairy are located. Don't go into the middle, and you won' t be tempted to buy the junk. We don't need regulations, we need to teach people how to eat and live properly.

[@boremir3956]

No. People 70 years ago did not take more personal responsibility than they do now. Yet obesity was barely a problem. The only thing that has changed is our environment and the way food is produced and advertised. People really need to read studies on how the human mind is easily influenced by the environment. Companies have done extensive studies on how they can get people to eat more food. Humans are far less in control of their own actions and desires than we think. We need to educate people on that and protect them by adjusting the environment that has been changed for the worse by these companies and our own governments. The root of the problem really is that profit above all is what matters, and that causes so many issues on so many levels.

[@tommcelheney1683]

She's just the best! As an alcohol drinker, I am fascinated by her story. I've got the alcohol weakness. and I see from her lecture that folks who have the weakness for food don't really stand a chance in today's food swamp against our evolutionary urges. I would have been a mess in the early 19th century. I am smiling from ear to ear over this idea. ...But it's morning, so I'm smiling soberly.

[@marzymarrz5172]

The best approach and thesis I’ve ever seen on this subject.

[@alineneuropsicologa4919]

How many times have I endured buying sweets throughout shopping but succumbed at the cashier. By the time I'm paying for my groceries I'm tired and I've used up my will power to resist (yes, will power is like muscle, it gets fatigued). Every single time I've given in I felt awful! Would love to get some help and not have the foods I'm trying so hard to reduce intake being shoved at my face at all times! Even when I'm just buying tampons!

[@carlineadah7469]

Aline Freitas if you’re still looking for help, I’d love to. Do you have WhatsApp?

[@TheDtfamu89]

I had to figure out how to navigate food and exercise. In other words, how many calories I should eat on a sedentary day versus a day when I exercised. How many days a week should I exercise and what my macro nutrients should be. I really really had to educate myself because this is a country where you are presented with a huge array of food choices on a daily basis...you actually learn how to navigate all of it... And many of us struggle during the learning process and never figure it out. When you finally do, it's liberating.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Does any other animal need to 'count calories'? If we eat the diet we evolved to eat, then we will naturally eat what we need, and no more. Sugar, starches, and chemicals additives like MSG throw off our bodies' natural ability to seek and eat what it needs, and no more.

[@ShatteredEquilibrium]

The analogy is almost perfect, but in fact food is EVEN MORE potentially dangerous than alcohol because of how delicious it can be, no alcoholic drink can match the taste of, say, chocolate or ice-cream.

[@lindamull9137]

+.ENGLISH PROFICIENCY Oh a Kahlua and cream or a pina colada can do it for me!

[@JOHN----DOE]

And you can quit booze cold turkey. Doesn't work for food.

[@jasonsignor7237]

I agree, that addressing this on a policy level is important. But that will be difficult, and one small change at a time. Not saying it’s not important or can’t happen. Even more so, better education about health, healthy eating, and exercise is crucial. And especially so in the US states where there is the most obesity, in the south eastern states.Tailoring health education to states’ various needs I think is crucial. I do disagree about personal responsibility. We can never remove personal responsibility from the equation, because that still is a huge part of it. I know for me, when I got serious about my health, and I made the decision to learn about health and exercise, start eating right, and exercising regularly, consistently, that’s when I begin to change.

[@doggiesarus]

I usually only shop around the periphery of the store. The center of the store, where the boxes and cans are is nothing but sugar.

[@gabrielgagne3850]

Teaching how to change habits in eating, at home, personality ect in school should be taught. Gives people power to be who they truly want to be. Takes small changes in a consistent way Love this women’s perspective

[@osttante4131]

Than students would learn what healthy food looks like, but they were served junk at lunch at school. That needs to change.

[@pokelover02]

She made some fantastic points! I'm just surprised she didn't mention the correlation between income/race and obesity as well as the impact of food deserts on poor communities.

[@kennybob3096]

Stopped at 2:39 where she puts up a slide with PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY and a X through it.

[@Anthony_in_Bloomington_Indiana]

Doctor Robert Lustig talked about this concept of - personal responsibility - in one of his talks on sugar. He asked who started talking about personal responsibility? It was the tobacco companies, in the early 1960s. They were trying to get out of their responsibility for giving people lung cancer. They were saying - If you want to smoke cigarettes, it's your choice. It's not our fault if you get lung cancer.

[@residentjess]

Excellent point. And we see that now, where personal responsibility is used to let these corporations off the hook. Even though, they know that their junk food is meant to be highly palatable and addictive.

[@skadi6750]

I totally dissagree with restrictions in availability, but it is true by regulating marketing we could do a lot. They should not be able to manipulate with our brains.

[@k2l6nator]

isn't that the american dream though?

[@oscarosullivan4513]

@@k2l6nator Your spot on

[@gargibhattacharya9973]

Thank you..

[@melovescoffee]

Homecooked, unprocessed is the answer for me. The food industry will not do a thing. Their paycheck depends on it. It's time to stop crying for daddy government. They have skin in the game, obviously. As in every one of their fingers stuck in some kind of industry because they litterally *are* the industry. I have turned my back on it! I really feel it is a personal responsibillity if we want to get out of this predicament. It does take unimaginable amounts of selfrestraint in the beginning. You can definitely practice that. Practice every day until it becomes a habit. You are changing a habit, you are changing your tastebuds. Start cooking, start shopping outside isle only, ignore all else. I can have anything i want, as long as it's not processed. I frequently get hungry and decide i'm now going to get that mocha pie and eat the whole thing. Once i'm there, i get distracted by all the fresh fruit and produce and often come home with that instead because my habit is now so engrained, i can't even picture myself eating that pie and i wander back and forth through the candy isle, suffering from choice overload, cringe, then bolt right back to the big juicy pears and snack cucumbers. I was just hungry for actual nutrition. That's what it is. Recognise that! I do not view these things as foods that will make me happy anymore. My tastebuds have changed. I now crave a hearty bowl of fresh vegetable soup. I can whip that up in the same time i would demolish a packet of crisps. Fantastically engaging. Wonderfully rewarding. Try overeating on fibre laden, vegetable stuffed, balanced meals. Good luck to you! Take back your health. It's still yours.

[@ameliaamy8019]

Already lost 4 lbs. Definitely noticed that you MUST take this 30 mins before meal for maximum effectiveness. I have been seeing weight loss every morning with Weightloss Green Store Tea.

[@d.lawrence5670]

Unfortunately, unless you're growing your own food, all the ingredients in the "home cooked" food you bought at the store are influenced/determined by big business.

[@melissafrye2466]

melovescoffee i luv u!

[@lindseyw860]

@@d.lawrence5670 when you say home cooked are you refering to the ready made stuff like soup and sauces?

[@carrollhoagland1053]

Thank Dr. Cohen ... but you forget one thing, these foods are engineered to give us what we want ... and this mechanism has produced Hyper-palatable Foods ... which stimulates the same dopamine pathway as Cocaine = Sugar = Addiction = Dopamine or Opioids ... (ref Dr. Pamela Peeke's work) much of this is driven by the addiction to "Less Bitter" and "More Palatable" foods, hence "Sweeter" and "Less Fiber" ... very hard to break that trend since most believe it is "Normal" ... but just from the local news you can see the effects of opioids on society ... we do not eat too much, just the wrong foods ... 70 Going On 100

[@bingus516]

First off, congrats on making it so far in life! And I think you've got a great point here. I think if we were looking to put engineering to a better use, we should use it to create better crops and healthier food options. We have the power to do this already, technology would let us do it easily. The problem is that businesses think more of what they want than what we want. Not all businesses, but mostly giant corporate groups that run essentially off our addictions.

[@oscarosullivan4513]

How old are you

[@heredianna2496]

I would say Americans eat too much too often of the wrong "food". Any foreigners moving to the US always speak about the HUGE portions. It's known everywhere outside the US that if you go to the US you will struggle to finish your plates and even American childre will eat more that foreigners adults.

[@serenarossi8480]

But alcool IS everywhere.Though not everyone is addicted.Food is everywhere.Not everyone is binge eater though. So what? Food industry and advertising surely play a big part, but at the end, the individual has the choice.

[@donaldreitsma6419]

Obesity is not an underlying cause of heart disease, etc... Some people (about 20%) are metabolically healthy. Obesity is caused by insulin resistance (store fat) and leptin resistance (not having a full feeling) and is one of the conditions under metabolic syndrome of which you need at least three. I agree that we are swamped with food everywhere we turn. It's mostly junk loaded with sugar and other cheap carbohydrates as well so makes us sick and even hungrier. A big problem is empty plate syndrome as well - FINISH WHAT's on your plate even if you are full. This has to stop as well.

[@bingus516]

This reminds me of something I heard from Arnold Schwarzenegger. "If you want to be healthy, make sure that every calorie you eat will be burned".

[@heredianna2496]

Plenty of country tell to finish your plate but do not suffer from such high rate of obesity...

[@JOHN----DOE]

A red herring argument. Bottom line is, the same thing that causes obesity causes heart disease and diabetes: eating the wrong stuff. Eat right for your health and a lot of the weight (though not all--you're permanently reset your body) will go away.

[@stephen5147]

Excellent points.

[@tubesurfer007]

We need junk food cards and alcohol cards. Limit all of that to a weekly allowance. Too many obese and drunk people around.

[@howardlangton7982]

Yes sir! Drunk people are especially a problem because they cause a major disturbance to the general public

[@AspieOperator]

That's a bit much

[@quinn.0]

we should make murder illegal, that way nobody would be killed anymore

[@evamurray4229]

The argument has merit. Draining the food swamp, regrettably, will not work because of the powerful food lobbies.

[@nadinabbott3991]

Think big tobacco. We are starting to see a paradigm shift sugar is addictive. Tobacco also fought it. It starts with all of us. We all need to become activists with school boards, and Congress and it will take time.

[@JaneAtwellRobinson1825NY]

@@nadinabbott3991 it can work, though, over time... New Zealand is entirely forbidding new smokers with new laws over time - look it up. It's all possible.

[@pmw3839]

Very clear. Well done.

[@northerncalifornia1969]

"If people could control their own weight, why wouldn't they?" >mfw academics assume that every human is as rational and forward-thinking as they are

[@flatearth9140]

LAZY !!!

[@AnimMouse]

Is not "every" human, it's "most of the" humans. Ever wondered why a majority of humans are law abiding instead of commiting crimes? Assuming that most of the humans are rational and forward-thinking is backed by statistics, and that's why we use it when taking about large scale populations.

[@chrisj197438]

This idea that all overweight people eat too much and sit around all the time is based on medical philosophy over a hundred years old. No two people are the same. Why doesn’t she explain how it is some people can eat the same things and amounts with no exercise and stay at a “normal” weight. After years of struggling with my weight and doctors blaming any ailments I suffered from on my weight being told I needed to eat healthier and exercise I finally went to an endocrinologist a friend knew. He with a blood test and further examinations determined my thyroid was below normal function (after previous tests indicated “normal” range. He also found that my testosterone was low (again previous tests indicated “normal” range) and the root of it all was my pituitary gland not functioning correctly. He started me on meds and testosterone therapy and did regular blood work. Within 6 months I had lost 90 pounds (no change in diet or exercise) and any issues I had previously were not bothering me anymore. I slept through the nights, plenty of energy, I truly felt 20 years younger. He gave me my life back. Unfortunately as he explained insurance companies pressure doctors not to pursue testing the way he does because of the expense involved. He is independent and operates as a private pay doctor. I pay out of pocket for my treatments. I spend anywhere from $5K-$8K a year on it. To me it is money well spent. To insurance companies it is cheaper to let people be unhealthy and die an early death. Sure some people are overweight from their own doing but there is a large number of people like myself who genetically have things wrong that no amount of diet and exercise will fix. It’s no accident that doctors and insurance companies blame every overweight person for their own weight issues. My suggestion is if you’re struggling find a private pay doctor that will find the real reason for your weight.

[@Mgc3270]

Now we live in Candy land!

[@erin1209169]

This is the best TED Talk on the topic. 1000%

[@sharinaross1865]

Overconsumption and Portions. I don't understand why restaurants portions changed so drastically over the years.

[@jessicatribbett218]

This is amazing. The best and most persuasive argument for changing our food supply to combat obesity. The daily “recommendation for added sugar is 25 mg for women and around 30 for men… a single serving bottle of soda has more than that

[@harrysprot9592]

Or instead of regulations which the industry will find ways around or lobby against just promote health education to avoid insulinogenic foods which are the true cause of obesity. Alcohol isn't banned and is freely available but I rarely drink because I am aware of the negative consequences not because I can't find any...

[@raymondnicolajr.7323]

interesting concept.

[@kenberry8504]

She lost me as soon as she said that personal responsibility is not a factor in obesity.

[@jsmariani4180]

It's one of the many factors what could end the epidemic. Of course if junk food is your only option (food desert), it's a big problem.

[@Cherabreena]

+generalhealthy - I wouldn't go as far as to say people are losing the "war". It's all a matter of perseverance, education, motivation, consistency, availability, mindset, wanting to be healthy, etc. I used to be borderline obese and it took me a couple of years to get things straight, both physically and mentally and it took a lot of self-education, mindfulness, trial and error and awareness of what foods we are presented with and what alternatives there are and what I needed to do for myself. I am now at a healthy weight, a certified nutritionist and healthier than I've ever been, but I do have bad days once in a while, but I just get back up and keep going. I realize that not everyone is like me, but if you can find the right approach that works for you, then you're golden. I personally believe that to be successful, you have to do a complete mental overhaul and educate yourself about food and nutrition. You HAVE to prioritize your health and the health of your family. You HAVE to put everything in perspective; would you rather spend more money on nutritious foods and less money on convenience, snacks, cigarettes, whatever? If your answer is "no", then you need to evaluate the cost of saying no = possible illness, shortened life, terrible health for you and your family, etc. Is it then worth saying no? Is it worth saying yes to cheap crap which will damage your children in the long run? etc. Food is the one thing I will never, ever go on a compromise with, even if it's more expensive. Proper food is proper life and should not be down-prioritized. Ever. It doesn't have to be super expensive. Buy your beans, lentils, grains, plantbased starches in bulk. It's cheaper and way more filling than anything you buy in a fast food restaurant, and you will reap all the benefits. Yes, you can afford it, if you're smart about it and if it's available. If it's not available, go to your local grocery store and ask for more fresh produce. Make petitions. Speak up! Your grocery stores want to sell you the things you want to buy, and if more people stood up and complained about the poor food choices, then trust me, it's just a matter of time before they implement what people want to eat. But you need to be vocal about it; no one is able to read your mind, after all. Then go to the library. Go online. Join a community that values health, proper food, whatever. Try out new and healthy recipes a couple of times a week. Make a cooking club with your friends and family. Teach your children to cook from scratch. Make health fun and educational! Healthy food does not have to be bland or boring and after a relatively short while, your taste buds will adjust and cherish natural flavors. GIVE IT A CHANCE and run amok with spices. Experiment, adjust, repeat. :)

[@ShatteredEquilibrium]

+Cherabreena Her point is that if your environment was healthy in the first place, you wouldn't even have needed any perseverance, consistency and motivation, "trapped" in a cage with nothing but salad, you'd eat salad and never ever as much as hear about obesity.

[@Cherabreena]

I understand her point, but there is a difference from idea to reality. The reality is, that the environment is unhealthy and the reality is, that you have to make an active effort to change it from unhealthy to healthy, and that road starts with yourself. That's my point.

[@richardlawson6787]

erroneous comparisons...first off i dont drink or smoke..but every store i walk in has these products for sale..and every other tv commercial is an alcohol commercial...facts are facts...its a choice to open your mouth and force food down your throat..sorry but its totally personal responsibility...

[@AnimMouse]

So you are assuming that most of humans are irresponsible so that the obesity rates are increasing? You need to have some good statistics to back that up. BTW Alcohol consumption is going down, not so good to assume most of the humans are irresponsible.

[@quinn.0]

@@AnimMouse "most humans are responsible, they replaced one addiction with a different one"

[@yasuleone9856]

I like the idea about laws standardizing portions served by restaurants. I imagine restaurants having a calorie limit per menu item (including combo meals). A Taco Bell cravings box contains 75% of your recommended daily calories. I'd eat those in one sitting. She's right. We need a safer food environment.

[@maricamaas5555]

Safe Spaces... Like what SJW's are asking for... How about growing up and taking responsibility?

[@20SecondsOrLess207]

Or you could just eat healthy and exercise!

[@andrewmartsch]

We need to replace every drink with water and add natural growing foods into every meal.

[@jamesharless4235]

200 years ago, we did not have the clean water, many over used alcohol in old days, years back, due to dirty water!! so alcohol 200 years ago that we might been drunk not good example, However, we do need more regs on bad foods.

[@manon782]

One thing with the alcohol comparison doesn't work : we actually don't need alcohol at all to survive on the contrary of food...

[@trust1952]

Major flaw in her alcohol to food comparison. Alcohol doesn’t NEED to be consumed multiple times per day for survival. But let’s say you ban sugar or restrict it, people will just gorge on chips, fried foods etc. There is no government based fix, people need to learn and control it themselves. After 2-3 generations of obesity related deaths, the weak minded will slowly be weeded out at younger ages and the problem will self correct. Disclaimer: I work for a large sugar company and my focus is reducing government restrictions, this must be stated by law.

[@excellenceka]

You don't need to consume food multiple times a day. In fact, you shouldn't be consuming food multiple times a day. Your body is built to go long periods of time without food.

[@maricamaas5555]

We need not be drinking food.

[@Gemini_Rising]

Well, its now 2021, and the obesity epidemic has gotten worse. Her points are very true and would be helpful, but the food industry will never let this happen. Its about money for them, they dont care about our health. The bottom line is, we all will just have to be responsible for what we put in our mouths and how many calories we consume. It was hard for me to accept this, but because I know I will eat anything in sight, I no longer keep food around me.

[@Kevin_geekgineering]

that's the worst message one can give: "your obesity is somebody's else's responsibility, so you have no control over it, stay as you are and wait for others to change, may be one day that changes your situation as well then", THIS IS MY RESPONSIBILITY, I CHOSE TO EAT LOT'S OF BAD FOOD AND NO PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. I accept this to gain control over it, and do something, stop the helplessness of vicious loop, otherwise we are only just bunch of useless puppets

[@johnsoliz153]

I'm surprised putting warning labels on soda and packaged foods/beverages high in energy, sugars, saturated fats and sodium. They also should put marketing restrictions of unhealthy foods in child-targeted media such as the presence of children, characters, celebrities, athletes, toys, or school references

[@johnsoliz153]

This is the biggest epidemic in the world today and this only has 145k views. How pathetic that we're doing nothing to change the problem.

[@toppinzr3743]

Very good observations! Personal responsibility does matter, of course. But it requires that people have the spare time and the education to take charge of what they eat. Meanwhile, marketers are incessantly telling them to eat fattening food. It's difficult to get away from the propaganda. I was working out at a gym for awhile, and they entertained people working out on the elliptical machines ... with TV sets, which often would show ads with chocolate syrup pouring, etc. etc. ... And taking charge of what someone eats often requires that they deal with the fattening eating habits of people they're living with, as well.

[@jeannetteblanchard6324]

My "clean water" sits in a man-made lake for years after "cleaned," open to the elements and wild animals before coming through my tap. Maybe we should rethink "clean" water.

[@auntisthenes2754]

It is amazing how this opposition of "you are not responsible" vs "I fight(ergo I am responsible)" is wrong. Fight and guilt, really ? SO WRONG. Of course if you see it as a perpetual fight, you will lose. And feel guilty about it. The world doesn't care if you stay fat a few months or years longer. And it's not a fight. Do not declare war to your own body by doing something violent to it like eating only vegetables and fruits or only proteins to "jumpstart it" : it won't be able to assimilate the nutrients it needs even after you stopped the nonsense. Imagine it's a journey. So, to begin with, feed him what it needs by families of nutrients which happen to be more or less families of aliments. Do not think "carb", "fat","protein", calories...Peas/beans/etc do not bring you just carb: they bring nutrients and proteins, and will give you energy for a long time, so they are much more interesting than potatoes/pasta/rice/bread ( very careful with those if your job is not physically demanding!). Green veggies bring different thing that red/orange ones and so on... BUT if you do not listen to your body and give it time to adjust in order to learn to digest properly, you will lose those benefits. Take the time to eat and chew for the same reason. Your body, especially your bowel can't handle a revolution and get to new hard work and get it right at once, even if not processing greasy and sugary stuff will be a relief. You get the idea ? Be careful with processed products you don't know yet and see your junk food as an occasional treat, a little R&R in our crazy life that has to be appreciated properly. A little me time, or lovers'time, or family time . Definitely a pleasure time. Usually the "I want" phase doesn't last more than 15mn. So you had better eat properly and regularly to endure that bad time. Trick your mind by doing something else or putting something else in your mouth or belly and before you know it instead of having cravings 20 times/day, it will be 5 and you will be well on your way to discover that you find raw tomatoes or peppers sweet and truly appreciate fruits. You will eat more than your friends, yes, since what you need the most to get vitamins and satiety is made of water, and you will probably tend to eat more lean meat if you are an insatiable predator. But you will feel better. Fed and yet losing fat. Considering that stress disturbs everything (sleep, metabolism, social behaviour, mental balance) the more you focalize on something, the more you declare this state of war to yourself, which in turn pushes all your wrong buttons.

[@JoeMcKenzie888]

I love your thoughtful comment, thank you very much.

[@ADerpyReality]

There are regulations and while unhealthy stuff overflows many aisles it isn't the first thing you see. You see fruit and veg near/ in front of where you enter as that makes you feel confident in whatever you buy is 'good' even if your mind is fighting the 'maybe I shouldn't have this' part. The regulations is why serving sizes are all over the place in relation to the package making what you see and what you get grossly off. That is in Australia at least. Anyway it takes 12 hours until your liver is empty, though liver is just one of our major organs to me that means that if you eat more than 2 meals a day plus a reasonable sized to small snack you should be healthy. Sometimes you need an excess when you're exercising, pregnancy, weight gain or whatever increases the calorie requirement. If you have a sugar related issue eat something that burns slow or moderate or have small sugar based things like jelly-beans every few hours as you usually aren't greatly low blood sugar and do need to be increased but not by a lot. However if you don't exercise I think you should eat every 12 hours just at the same or less than a 'healthy' person at about 18 hours (6 hours empty) your body can start attacking organs, often regardless of your weight. Most people who claim to have sugar issues are eating by placebo and food energy isn't instantaneous. When you have the reactions of an addict you're probably that and misdiagnosing yourself as low blood sugar. You shouldn't faint after 4 hours without food and if you do consult a doctor and check for heatstroke which is more likely. Obviously when something is harder to digest and/or lower in nutrition regardless of calories you increase the harder it becomes to not eat more. Maybe I'm talking out of my ass, I'm not a doctor this is just an idea. While I'm talking though dietitians are more qualified (by having qualification and verification which a nutritionist does not need) than nutritionist regardless of how they make you feel.

[@davidthomas-ot4cl]

I totally agree. In McDonald's they force you to eat more by making the meal cheaper than buying things individually. I sometimes just want the burger, small fries and small drink but it's more expensive that way. Yes, I could pay more and get what I want but it goes against natural instincts. Also you may say well just throw the food you don't want away, but again that goes against natural instincts. The "system" is setting you up to eat more than you need or want. Think about vending machines, you are being set up to buy junk food when that is all they offer.

[@yurisonovab3892]

"Personal responsibility has been cited as a cause of obesity over and over again. If that were true one third of America should be considered irresponsible." I'd say that number still falls short.

[@flatearth9140]

WATCH WHAT YOU EAT !

[@maricamaas5555]

EAT BIG. FAST LONG.

[@maxwellschmidt235]

Personal responsibility has a role to play. Denying that is counterproductive. But it's also a public health crisis that markets aren't correcting. And they were failing to do so even before ACA. I think a tax on refined sugar would go pretty far toward solving the problem. If coke was costly enough to subtract 20 oz from the American diet per capita, per day, we'd be 25 lbs lighter per capita per year. That's enough bang for the buck to justify the intervention in my view.

[@kenmarriott5772]

I would never go to a restaurant that had small portions. But would take some home for later.

[@flatearth9140]

LOL OK FATTY !!

[@kenmarriott5772]

Agreed. Regulation is not the answer. If you don’t get started snacking all the time you’ll be alright.

[@lukedornon7799]

No, it definitely is a matter of personal responsibility, the truth is that all people are irresponsible about some things at least sometimes and the same is true of food. Any top-down regulation to try and control food always means reduced personal freedom. Alcohol is a in fact an excellent metaphor of this danger; does anyone really want to live in a world where we aren't allowed to buy ourselves fast food until we reach age 21?

[@CR38CR38]

The problem with this, is everyone’s dietary needs and definition of healthy is different, restaurants want to make money so off course they’re going to advertise. Just like any other business, restaurants are required nowadays to include nutrition facts, what more do we need. Is someone going to come home with us and cook for us and tell us to exercise too. If our own health can’t be our fault, please explain to me, what is? When will something be the fault of an individual. I promise there is so much freedom in taking responsibilities for your action and claiming the control on your life. You won’t even be worried about the things you can’t control.

[@144Donn]

My question is: What happened to vanity?

[@g_r9567]

Risk is not the same as opportunity. "we don't want to restrict people's choices, we want to restrict businesses" Oh I get it.. So you want to tell the businesses they have to restrict our choices. My mistake. Choices are choices whether it's right in front of you or down the isle.

[@daveoatway6126]

Big Sugar spends millions on buying politicians to support the price supports and subsidies of sugar production. I agree that government policy should not dictate sugar use, but should educate and discourage sugar use. I would vote for politicians that reject sugar (and high fructose syrup) subsidies. Education and social pressure is the most productive approach - as was done with tobacco. But keep government regulations out of the mix - it have NEVER been the solution.

[@brianlieberth]

while I appreciate her pointing out that it isn't just laziness for some people, she has oversimplified the problem. We are a nation of over 300 million people and each of us that is overweight has their own story. For some, the reasons resemble drug addiction or alcoholism and the compulsion has to be dealt with. Others may just have never learned about nutrition. For those people some education can be the answer. What is apparent to me is that an all encompassing government program with bans and taxes on selected items won't fix it. I can tell you as someone who fits into the addict range if you tax my favorite food when I get in the frame of mind that I want it no tax will stop me. Figuring out where the obesity comes from and dealing with that on an individual level is the only thing that will help

[@DarkoFitCoach]

obesity comes from eating carbs. carbs release insulin, this increases hunger. restricting carbs on invididual level is best and next step is restricting carbs on national level, just as we did and she says with alcohol and many other harmful items.

[@DarkoFitCoach]

ofcourse i know the difference. but we dont need carbs. non essential Passion Gap

[@DarkoFitCoach]

Passion Gap sorry bro but we dont. carbs are nonessential for life. proteins and fats are essential. carbs no. good luck with learning!

[@DarkoFitCoach]

Passion Gap i eat only fats and protein, correct. lots of veggies too, with fiber. my body and mind thrive on it. thanks for asking

[@DarkoFitCoach]

Passion Gap yes they have VERY little carbs. i am on keto so i eat under 20grams of carbs per day, which is fair to say i dont eat carbs but yes you are right i do eat little carbs which is under 20 grams per day

[@VestigialHead]

SBS are about to show a program in Australia called "The Obesity Myth" It is a hospital program that is telling obese people that their weight is not there fault and it is genetic. I find this a scary road we are travelling. Doctors telling people they are not responsible for their weight is nuts. If it is genetic then why is it that you can take any obese person on the planet and put them on a strict diet and force them to do exercise and they will lose weight and get back to a healthy range. So if this is possible does it not mean that it is our responsibility? The obese people might be genetically disposed to gaining weight easier but they can do something about it. Instead of surgery which is a temporary fix that does nothing to get at the root cause they should be putting effort into changing their lifestyle. If you think I have this wrong then please explain it to me. I am open to changing my point of view when strong evidence presents itself.

[@flatearth9140]

YOU CAN CUT THE GENETICS EXCUSE CHAIN IF YOU BREAK THAT LINK BY HAVING CHILDREN WHILE BEING HEALTHY !

[@downbntout]

Her concept is not 'nanny state'. In every example the nutritionally poor choices were still available. Excess access isn't the only driver of obesity, but this would be a big help. Too bad Big Food is in bed with the Fed.

[@MrDavidLJohnston]

Drain the Food Swamp

[@stephendierks3359]

This is just another argument for the nanny state to create an additional regulatory environment. When the new food marketing regulatory environment is established, it is a safe bet that there will be junk food vending machines on every floor of their offices. Government regulation is not the solution for everything . . .

[@szililolabu]

Very dangerous thinking allowing the government to control food. These are the same arguments they used for alcohol prohibition. All the nice words like regulation rules etc are just nice words for using force when we disagree with a product. I recommend focusing on yourself rather than focusing on others.

[@rezarahman1576]

when food comercial is 50:1 than healthy commercial

[@KennTollens]

Obesity is not the cause of the problem, it is a symptom.

[@cwgaydon8355]

Can't control ones self or chooses not to. Food as put forth today is a drug.

[@sammiieboi91]

AMEN

[@joemunch58]

Her proposed solution is government regulation. Great. By the way, I'm reading that obesity doesn't cause diabetes. It's the other way around.

[@maricamaas5555]

Yes, big red light there...

[@JOHN----DOE]

But the food still causes diabetes. So it's moot.

[@JOHN----DOE]

chicken and egg

[@phillips8366]

I desperately want to believe that interventions as simple as this would be effective in reducing the obesity rate, but the fact is for the past 30 years ZERO nations have recorded a drop in obesity, despite implementing regulations similar to the ones presented in this talk. If we somehow restricted unhealthy foods on end-cap and point-of-purchase displays -- which is a big SOMEHOW because, as others pointed out, the sugar lobbyists would literally NEVER let it happen -- would we see a reduction in obesity or just a slight reduction in the sale of candy bars, like Chile did when they restricted the advertisement of certain foods? Don't get me wrong... Would it help? Yeah. Is it a step in the right direction? You bet. But would it actually reverse the obesity rate? Almost certainly not. But, again, that's beside the point. The sugar lobbyists have a majority of America thinking that a simple policy change like that would be Brave-New-World-level government interventionism, despite the fact that we do the same thing for alcohol. Just wouldn't happen.

[@JOHN----DOE]

Besides government policy, which is essential, the other essential piece in the puzzle is that we have to create a healthy-eating culture that's as social and cooperative as the eat-badly traditional culture of mass gluttony at holidays. Start with community outreach to demonstrate and teach simple, small, healthy meals. And to help individuals work out individual eating plans. And provide opportunities for social events involving cooking and eating healthy (including weight-controlling athletic activity). Until volunteer and family culture change--including the difficult realization that "food like momma made" is really, really bad for you--there will be little progress.

[@dimamatat5548]

I think to solve the problem we need to lower food production so there will be no surplus. Better to be starving than be obese!

[@delphinephinou8786]

Is she saying that this is not our choice to drink alcohol all day long if it is available everywhere ? And that we are not free to buy the food we need depending on how the supermarket is organized ? Are we all children ? What about very strict distribution of only healthy food to each family and no supermarkets or restaurants anymore ? Is it what she is asking for ?

[@thatcrazywolf]

I get the point but I still prefer to live in a free and fat country than a nonfree/ healthy country

[@liveforchrist1474]

Be saved and spiritually awakened in the name of Jesus! 😉🙏

[@MisterKorihor]

In the case of alcohol I'm not sure the cause of the decreased consumption came from regulation (or a top-down process). One could make a compelling argument that the regulations on alcohol occurred in parallel or after society had already changed it's attitude towards alcohol. That is, the decreased consumption in alcohol might have come primarily from a bottom-up process. One could make a similar argument with cigarette smoking. If that's the case, then we really do need to focus on changing people's attitudes towards highly palatable, processed foods--and not focus on the food industry. As a side note: I hate it when people talk about "food addiction"--as if all food is equally addictive. People are not addicted to carrots, broccoli, or plain oatmeal. People are addicted to highly palatable, processed foods and we should be clear that it's only SOME foods that people are addicted to.

[@margaretdennehy2280]

MisterKorihor

[@karenhorton148]

WOW! I’m 2mins in thinking “What a MAN!” Go Dad😀😉♥️

[@PennyBluebottle]

Don't they teach food science in school? When I was young we were taught domestic science and cookery.

[@windsofmarchjourneyperrytr2823]

Q: WHY is this audio SO sibilant??? All I hear are "Sss"es??

[@jimmoore1331]

Very disappointed at this point of view and found it to be a sad take.

[@bingus516]

Yeah, she did leave out quite a few good points I was hoping to hear. I will say that she did alright on the broad topic of it, but not the finer details.

[@Lovelandmedicalclinic]

interesting concept. Actually I think more public education and less corporate influence would accomplish the same thing without tramping on the rights of people.

[@andrewriley1053]

The short term effects of alcohol are much worse than over eating, drunk driving, unable to work, crime and fighting. These are why the sale of alcohol is so regulated.

[@rubygreta1]

I've been drinking for alcohol forever. I never get drunk. Please let me know what the short term effects it is having on me. Thank you.

[@andrewriley1053]

That shows you are being responsible Eric. Her point is people can't be responsible with alcohol or food so both should be regulated.

[@maricamaas5555]

@@rubygreta1 Robert Lustig explains the effects of alchol in SUGAR THE BITTER TRUTH. It is a toxin. Daniel Amen agrees: Alcohol destroys brain cells.

[@rubygreta1]

@@maricamaas5555 I'm calling total BS. But where is the video. I will watch it. Imagine, a glass of wine destroys brain cells. There are two reasons to avoid alcohol - you can't control yourself and drink too much, or you hate the taste. No other reason.

[@sizzla123]

"150 billion"

[@DGill48]

I'm sorry, but I don't want to provide an excuse for all those people who are so huge. An excuse is just a ticket to more overeating. You simply have. to. eat. less.

[@teslawillimon5900]

took me to 1:55 to know this lady is full of it, it is completely on the person.

[@kenmarriott5772]

I don't like the idea of restriction of sales. You need education of the people.

[@residentjess]

Lol Dude, obesity is an epidemic. Education is not enough. At the very least, fast food should be regulated.

[@kenmarriott5772]

@@residentjess banning alcohol and drugs doesn’t always work, although overeating is an addiction.

[@maricamaas5555]

Taking responsibility to 'eat less, exercise more' is not the answer... What one eat, how often and how much fasting one incorporates additional to some regular exercise; combined with deep breathing; getting enough deep sleep, sun exposure and grounding; spending time in nature; protection from toxins and EMF's; learning how to manage chemical, emotional and physical stress, prayer & meditation... All these foctors play a role in moving into a direction of ease - away from disease. When it comes to obesity and other eating disorders, unresolved childhood- and other complex trauma, and medications also play a huge role. Another contributor is the plague of Feminism. Tearing women away from their homes; luring them into abandoning their children; this in order to have careers and pay taxes - like men; this is causing untold misery and brokenness. In homes with absent fathers and exhausted single mothers (married to the state) nutritious cooking hardly exist. The government already babysit and educate, why not also feed the children whatever they decide is best? It was no coincidence the nanny state decided to do away with home economics education... We are frogs getting cooked.

[@esthersuleiman3079]

So much wisdom in your words.

[@Jefferdaughter]

Good intentions, and some good points raised here. Industrial agriculture, subsidized by tax dollars, has been pushing simple carbs - sugars and starch (which is just sugar molecules linked together) - for more than half a century. Then food production and preparation was largely taken over by the 'food industry'. Neither cares about health. When we want to keep any other animal species healthy, we make sure they get the diet they evolved to eat. But we seem to have forgotten what we were made to eat. 'Paleopathology and the Origins of the Paleo Diet' by Dr. Mike Eades reveals the results of using CSI type techniques to examine ancient human remains, including mummies, and the effects of different diets on health - here on KZbin.

[@Magnulus76]

"personal responsibility" is the shield that agribusiness and the processed food industry hides behind, all the while they work to make their unhealthy foods more addictive.

[@mohammadibrahimshaikh6908]

people actually know the sugar like alcohol is bad for them but they still consume these things back in those day they did not know that alcohol was bad for their health at least leave food out of politics