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heavy question
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schwa



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 10:15 pm    Post subject: heavy question Reply with quote

Whats with the western propensity to overweight anyway? On a one-off level I have sympathy with the sufferer but its so widespread now. The korean mindfix is not far off the mark -- those white folk are portly. Not just north america -- a contingent of oz & kiwi visitors last night were like a 'big is beautiful' convention. How come the excess poundage? It wasnt always so ..
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waterbaby



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 10:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rolling Eyes
Do we really have to go through this again?

Jaderedux did a wonderful and humorous post a while ago called "Confessions of a Former Fattie" and while a lot of people loved it and accepted the humour of her "confession", some turned it into quite a nasty attack.

Oh well, here we go, another thread about fat foreigners. Sigh. Sad
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HardyandTiny



Joined: 03 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 10:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Most likely it's the dairy products in the diet.
Actually East Asians are gaining weight more rapidly than, for instance, people who live in North America.

Your question brings up an interesting subject...are Australians westerners?

By the way, have you been to Guam or the CNMI? Whoa, not there ya got some heavies!
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HardyandTiny



Joined: 03 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 10:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

waterbaby wrote:
Rolling Eyes
Do we really have to go through this again?

Jaderedux did a wonderful and humorous post a while ago called "Confessions of a Former Fattie" and while a lot of people loved it and accepted the humour of her "confession", some turned it into quite a nasty attack.

Oh well, here we go, another thread about fat foreigners. Sigh. Sad


I keep seeing this type of inconsiderate post throughout this discussion board.
Some people have only recently joined this board and certain topics are not old to them. If YOU are no longer interested in a topic please refrain from posting negative comments about other people's choice of subject and move on to a different post/subject.
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waterbaby



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 11:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

HardyandTiny wrote:
waterbaby wrote:
Rolling Eyes
Do we really have to go through this again?

Jaderedux did a wonderful and humorous post a while ago called "Confessions of a Former Fattie" and while a lot of people loved it and accepted the humour of her "confession", some turned it into quite a nasty attack.

Oh well, here we go, another thread about fat foreigners. Sigh. Sad


I keep seeing this type of inconsiderate post throughout this discussion board.
Some people have only recently joined this board and certain topics are not old to them. If YOU are no longer interested in a topic please refrain from posting negative comments about other people's choice of subject and move on to a different post/subject.


There is something called a search function here you know Rolling Eyes

Anyway, can't believe I'm about to write this utterly obvious statement as you seem to have missed the point of a discussion board... but ... I have just as much right to post my opinion here as you. But hey, thanks for the advice Wink
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Circus Monkey



Joined: 10 Jan 2003
Location: In my coconut tree

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 11:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

schwa,

Actually, there are extremes in America. There are the very fit and then there are the overweight. Diet is one part but lack of exercise is another.

CM
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HardyandTiny



Joined: 03 Jun 2003

PostPosted: Sat Jun 07, 2003 11:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

waterbaby wrote:

There is something called a search function here you know


Yes I know, but that function does not spark interest and tends to leave a new post to an old subject less likely to get response.

I understood your message exactly for what it was-a complaint.
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 12:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm with Waterbaby. On the old board - with its limited archive (like, a month) we kept watching the same damn topics go by month after month, year after year. Now we can do something about it. Why keep saying the same thing? If you have something new to add, stick it in the old thread and join the conversation already in progress. If not, what's the point? Like seeing your name on the monitor?

Quote:
Whats with the western propensity to overweight anyway?


It's not just a "western propensity" any more. I toured around Seoul this afternoon and discovered that there are 2.6 million overweight Korean boys waddling around this city (yes, I counted), every last one of them sporting "Be the Reds!" t-shirts, or those black and white "What?" t-shirts.

You think Koreans are skinny? Maybe they used to be. Open your eyes.
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Cedar



Joined: 11 Mar 2003
Location: In front of my computer, again.

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The sedentary lifestyle, the early 20s change in metabolism and the crappy diet of instant ramyun and Western fast food are rapidly changing the shape of Koreans. They just haven't realized it yet. As they start hitting that 19-23 (adjusted for Korean age) metabolism shift, they bulk out much like Western people, since they are often now eating similiar foods and spending too much time playing on the computer and studying and very little in the local schoolyard kicking around a ball.

I see the women who are really skinny (like I was) until they hit about that infamous freshman 15 period, then bulk out, and I also see a huge number of diet products and services directed at them. If these women don't learn to love exercise like many of the healthy Western women I know, they are going to be getting pudgier and pudgier.

Did you see the news about 3 months ago about how Asians BodyMassIndex is different from Westerners, and that a 115 pound 5'2 Asian woman might actually be 20% overweight? Different bone density and stuff like that, I guess. It was some huge scientific study though about how we'd all assumed Asian bodies could be judged like those of European stock and how wrong we were.

Anyway, as for why Westerners can be overweight, we all know about diet and exercise, but I'd like to point out that Western women also feel more empowered to be hefty if it suits them. A Korean woman who was 10 pounds overweight might (starvation) diet, the kind of independent Western woman who comes to Korea probably won't. She's more secure, she doesn't mind a bit of jiggle or a more pronounced curve. She's happy with who she is, not obsessed over every square inch of her body and more power to her!
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Korea Newfie



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Location: Newfoundland and Labrador

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 1:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The Lemon wrote:
I'm with Waterbaby. On the old board - with its limited archive (like, a month) we kept watching the same damn topics go by month after month, year after year. Now we can do something about it. Why keep saying the same thing?


I have to agree with HardyandTiny on this one. While the search option is useful for finding specific information, posting in threads which haven't been seen in months isn't fun! For example, that thread about having affairs with married Korean women ( Rolling Eyes ) was just dug up from February!

Unfortunately, suggestions to use the search sounds, to new users, a lot like, "Before you add your thoughts on this matter, read what our previous thoughts were. If yours are worthy, tack them on at the end of ours."

The Lemon wrote:
If you have something new to add, stick it in the old thread and join the conversation already in progress. If not, what's the point? Like seeing your name on the monitor?

While this is good in theory, in actuality is amounts to resurrecting dead threads, not ones which are in progress.

The Lemon wrote:
On the old board...we kept watching the same damn topics go by month after month, year after year.


What's the big deal about that? Why do regulars here find it so difficult to just read a post, realize you've seen/discussed it before, and move on? It seems there's always a post about how it's been done before and new users should search. As I said, the search function is helpful for those looking for info on something like a visa question, etc., but for general light discussion?
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waterbaby



Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Location: Baking Gord a Cheescake pie

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 2:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I retract my earlier comment in regards to this being "another thread about fat foreigners" as the replies to date to Schwas question have been balanced and not at all another hostile attack on "fat western chicks". I jumped the gun and condemned the thread before the posts began. My bad. My apologies to Schwa.

Korea Newfie wrote:
As I said, the search function is helpful for those looking for info on something like a visa question, etc., but for general light discussion?


I was responding to HardyandTiny's comment that she is tired of seeing "this type of inconsiderate post " (my rolling eye response at a repetetive topic that usually disintergrates into offensive posts).

I know that often old threads don't answer people's specific questions and if it's an old one that people have looked at before, they're probably less likely to check it out - then it's a good time for a new thread and often the thread does get taken off in a new direction and a lot of new info and opinions are posted which is great.

When HardyandTiny comes across messages such as "use the search function" on other posts, it's because often the same question HAS been posted numerous times before and sometimes the same question is on the same page Shocked We members take time out to write advice and look up information for people and when we have to write the same thing and read the same thing over again, it does get a little tiresome. I may be putting words in The Lemon's mouth, but I don't think either of us was referring to general topics or "light discussion" topics with a new spin that Korea Newfie referred to so much as the specific questions for which there are already answers for on this site.

I wasn't saying that Schwa should have done a search for this topic before posting it. I was anticipating a lot of nasty and upsetting posts again which hasn't happened. I hope it stays that way Smile
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schwa



Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 3:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

In fact I'm genuinely curious. Armed as we are with knowledge about the dangers of obesity, & lifestyle options such as lighter foods (or simply eating less) & fitness activities galore, a lot of folks are simply letting themselves go. Is copious grub some kind of anxiety relief or emotional comfort?

Yes, Koreans are getting fatter too. Its a global trend, at least in countries that can afford doughnuts. My question: how come?
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crazylemongirl



Joined: 23 Mar 2003
Location: almost there...

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 3:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Schwa,
You also forgot to add in lifestyle. The 'modern' types of work require a lot of time with with ones but on infornt of a computer screen, add to that long hours and other time saving devices and we are doing far less physical activity then even a generation ago.


CLG
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The Lemon



Joined: 11 Jan 2003

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 4:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Unfortunately, suggestions to use the search sounds, to new users, a lot like, "Before you add your thoughts on this matter, read what our previous thoughts were. If yours are worthy, tack them on at the end of ours."

Only if you're one to assume the worst and search out negativity where it isn't.

You know full well I never implied any kind of value judgment of the "if yours are worthy" variety. If you feel like you want to add something to any discussion, go for it.

I *like* it when "dead" (no such thing really) threads are "resurrected" - we have new users all the time, and bringing out those old threads exposes those old ideas to new audiences. That's why we don't lock old threads.
*edit* - A good example of this is the "Freakiest Waeguk" thread from way back on January 29th, only two weeks after the New Board was launched. Someone recently added to it, and I'm sure lots of people are enjoying it now for the first time. What a waste if that person had merely started a new, identical thread.

And though we do "prune" 2-month-old threads from time to time, these tend to be time-sensitive and expired, like "will there be a war in Iraq?"

Quote:
We members take time out to write advice and look up information for people and when we have to write the same thing and read the same thing over again, it does get a little tiresome.

Not only tiresome, it's a waste of everyone's time to answer the same request for info again. But the search engine here takes some getting used to, and I don't fault new users at all for not looking up old February posts. So it only takes a second for us to look up the relevant thread, post a link, and lock the topic. If they have related follow-up questions, that old thread's a great place for them. The thread blips up to the top of the forum again, and future searchers will find all the information they need in that one thread.


Last edited by The Lemon on Sun Jun 08, 2003 5:29 am; edited 1 time in total
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desultude



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Location: Dangling my toes in the Persian Gulf

PostPosted: Sun Jun 08, 2003 4:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wish I could remember where I saw it, but I read an analysis that traced it to the former secretary of agriculture, under Nixon, Earl Butz. He resigned (I believe) under fire for racist comments.

Anyway, under Butz there were huge subsidies given to agribiz (not to be confused with real farmers) for corn production. The subsidies continue, and subsidize the production now of genetically modified corn.

The subsidized corn had lowered the prices for sweetener in the U.S., in the form of corn syrup, thus reducing the price of sweetened foods- which seem to be most everything theses days.

It also reduced the price of stockyard fattened (corn fed) beef. Corn is now used to feed everything, including farm raised salmon (red colored corn gives us that pretty pink farm raised salmon.) Corn fed beef is much higher in bad fats, and much lower in healthy fats, than grass fed beef, thus contributing not only to obesity but also to heart disease.

The beef and sugar laden diet of people in the United States is the culpret, according to the study, of their obesity. It led to the supersizing of everything corn- sweet drinks and beef, cookies, ad nauseum.

I remember Butz, mostly for his racism. But I also remember when McDonalds was a rare treat for working class (my family) people in the U.S.. Hamburgers were special- for an outing at the beach, steaks were for birthdays. Sodas were a rare treat- they were relatively expensive. Cookies and candy were also a rare treat, and relatively much more expensive than they are today. I hadn't put together the increased size of the soda at 7-11 with agriculture policy, but it does make real sense.

Food in the U.S. is cheap and not healthy, for the most part. People eat tons of pizza, and burgers, and drink tons of sodas.

Of course, you have to add in families in which both parents work, and cooking meals is out of the question- and no mother in law to prepare side dishes. And computers and televisions which act as babysitters for the children.

It is complicated. But it is real. Fly into the airport in Chicago, or Orlando. Look anyplace but the large cities on the coasts. Look at everyone but the wealthy and pampered. Its sad, but true, the United States is fat. And, ironically, those who represent the U.S. in the movies and media, are artificially skinny. Wierd.
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