I travel for work quite often and the first thing I notice whenever i land in a city West of NB is that people (especially young women) are much slimmer than the ones in NS. What the hell is going on in this province? 19/20 women are fat. Is it that we have lower social norms than the rest of Canada? Parents need to step up and teach their kids the importance of proper nutrition. It is not healthy for someone in the early teens to be 15-20 pounds overweight. If you don’t believe me drive by your local high school this fall and you’ll see how bad the problem is. Time to eat less NS – you are killing yourselves.
—Lay off the fast food
This article appears in Aug 20-26, 2009.
Thats because most of these young women get pregnant at an early age to get welfare, then have 10 more kids and by that time they are as big as ever walking down the street in a pair of black tights with no underwear and no bra and a skimpy shirt smelling like they havent bathed in years.
It’s not even close to 19/20 women are fat, more like 6/20, but we are bigger than the average.
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005…
Overweight is one thing, morbid obesity is quite another – I cannot understand how in the fuck someone can get so goddamn fat that they should be wheeling their tits and massive guts on a flatbed cart. What makes me positively sick is that most of these undisciplined lard tubs wear clingy clothes, defining the cascading rolls of blubber while panting for breath like a winded mountain goat. Their total lack of self control makes me want to kick them in their double globe arses but I’m afraid I’d never retrieve my foot.
And here are a couple more fun ones:
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005…
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-620-m/2005…
Well, the links between obesity and poverty have been pretty strong, maybe it has something to do with our less than stellar economy and accessibility to healthier food and activities. We don’t exactly have a history of being a wealthy province – and I’m not saying that’s the main reason, but you’re speaking as if we all just have lower standards and don’t know the difference. Plenty of people here suffer from eating disorders too.
I don’t even know where to begin on the first response. I think ignoring it best.
– – –
Even though we are paying almost double for groceries since Hurricane Juan, buying less does not appear to be making us thinner–in fact, we seem to be putting weight on as noted by the OP. It has been my feeling that this is due to the changing of many families diets to more affordable foods. Kraft dinner, Mr.Noodle, Punch (instead of juice) and such horrible items have been appearing in cupboards more as staples rather than convenience food. Vegetables, whole grains, fish/chicken and such healthy items are not often an option for those on fixed incomes. This type of diet not only affects weight through consumption, but it affects weight through lack of energy.
Regardless what people think, when a child is complaining of hunger, a mother wants to take care of the immediate need, even if that means having to put aside the long term effects. She can feed the child healthy food every meal for two weeks or she can feed the child more Krappy food every day.
Same applies to the elderly, people with disabilities and the many people who are just slipping from middle ‘class’ into the low-income bracket.
Poor diet consisting of cheap superstore processed food that is entirely sodium and empty carbs (i.e. sugar) would be a start.
Traditional foods such as fish and chips and other greasy pub food would be another.
Poverty. Strongly correlated with obesity as people with less money eat more fast food. Not just for financial reasons though.
We are a couple of healthy weight who dont eat processsed food or fast food at all. We eat meat once or at the most, twice per week. We both work 50+ hours per week. We cook all our own meals and buy most of our groceries at the farmers market. Our weekly food budget for two people is on average $150 or about 7 trips to KFC.
And we excercise. But obesity is diet diet diet diet and then excercise. The amount of excercise required to burn off ONE honey cruller is astounding. You are far better off to not eat the donut. Thermodynamics wins again!
having a little extra here and that while wearing PROPERLY fitted clothing is one thing, but to have to wear a fucking mumu because you’re too fat to fit into anything, or if you found your size you could not get it on anyway because you’re too fat to bend at any joint is just disgusting…..
and there are THOUSANDS of extremely overweight children around here….not only the prego teens, some are as young as 2…..i know kids 1/4 of my age that weigh more than me….it should be considered child abuse, child endangerment …….anything but it should not be allowed…..
I object to the “I’m too poor to eat healthy” argument. Its the combination of being too lazy to cook/think of healthy alternatives to a box of fish sticks and fries (not to mention exercise), and the impatience of people these days that’s making them overweight. It may be cheaper to go get McDonalds at lunchtime for one person, but treating the family to a fast food meal is no where near cost efficient. For the $7-$9 you pay per meal, you’re looking at close to $40 for a family of 4. Even if it’s only $30, you can make a damned good and healthy meal at home, with leftovers. You can make a stirfry with meat and rice for 4 for less than $20, or a pasta dish, or BBQ. But people are too lazy, and think they need to have a meal in their gut within 30 mins of being home. So they grab fast food on the way home, or order a pizza, or throw some processed crap in the microwave and call it supper.
What about spending less time in front of your PC/MAC and more time moving. Try walking instead of taking the bus or asking for drives. The fatties I mean not you 🙂
PAS, you hit the fat fucking nail on the fathead. With a little imagination, you can make a shitload of good home-cooked meals using cheap staples – being poor is a copout – these human skintanks are just too fucking lazy to get off their blubberball arses to do something as degrading as peel a few potatoes and carrots. Pretty soon you’re going to start hearing about 13 or 14 year old kids with hardening of the arteries and it’s all because these fatties are uncontrollable pigs who are always on the lookout for an easy fix. I hope they all fucking implode and save our health care system a ton, pardon the bun…I mean, pun.
PAS, you should do the math on your estimates bases on a family of 4:
$20 per meal supper (meat, vegs. and starch) x 30= $600
$10 maybe for lunch x 30 = $300
$5 (unlikely) for breakfast x30 = $150
Total= $1050 per month x 12 months = $10,600 per year
Drinks and other food items, personal care and everything one buys at the grocery store not included. Not to mentions rent, utilities and clothing (no luxuries).
$10 per hour net x 40 hr. per wk. x 50 wks. = $20,000 per years.
Do you spend over half your income on providing 3 square meals per day?
IknowIknowIknowpickmepickmepickme!!!!!
The reason people are fat (in NS and everwhere else)… is…because… (((drumroll)))
They consume more calories than they burn.
Not enough Billy Ocean and dancing to Billy Ocean. That’s what the problem is.
*struts to Carribean Queen then steps*
I spend $800 a month for a family of four (one’s left home) and we have plenty to eat because I budget, look out for good deals and make most things from scratch instead of buying prepared, processed garbage.
I still say they’re lazy fucks.
HKM on HRM – that’s assuming it’s a single-income family. Many (most?) households these days are dual income. Not many people can afford to raise a family of four on one income.
Also, your estimates seem high to me. We make plenty of healthy dinners for under $20. A loaf of whole grain bread, or high-fibre cereal with some fat-free milk makes a healthy breakfast, and certainly doesn’t cost $5 every day.
why so FAT?
excessive car culture and a plethora of drive-thru fast food chains, maybe?
and that’s just for starters
Head of the class qwerty…as always.
And that’s different here from any other place, How? Every other city has a plethora of cars and drive-thrus.
As someone who has recently taken nutrition in his own hands – and subsequently lost a significant amount of fat – I can tell you that it’s 99% poor nutrition choices. And when I gain a few pounds, I know that I ate some shitty food and too much of it. Genetics definitely play a part, but overall, it’s ALL DIET. Take a look at the grocery store and see what people are buying; Fat people buy shitty and processed food. Healthy people don’t. It’s as simple as that.
Most of my healthy meals can be put together for 5$, which is cheaper than a fast food meal. Steaks, even sirloins, are often on sale. The only real expense is chicken which has gone up in price in the past few years (it also use to go on sale much more often).
Life is yours. You chose to be fat or healthy. Stop making excuses.
Legumes are cheaper than dirt. (Literally. Especially that fancy-schmancy Ontario dirt.)
Exactly. It’s all about choices and taking responsibility instead of being the eternal victim.
Fast food for 4 still costs more and that’s my point.
Based on 2 big mac meals (6.99), and 2 kids meals (3.49), $25, same for lunch since it doesn’t get any cheaper. And it might get slightly cheaper for breakfast, so we’ll say $18.
Works out to $2040 a month, or $24480 a year, and that’s if you have small children eating kids meals, wait until they’re older and want big macs, then it’ll cost you even more. Add the gas to the store everytime. And that’s if you don’t supersize, and 6.99 isn’t the lowest you’ll pay for a combo.
Actually…. Wasn’t there a woman in the states who was charged w child abuse because her son was obese? (She was “normal” sized)
@Bro Tim – but not like the maritimes, where the car (and drive-thru) culture is larger (per capita) and quite firmly entrenched.
Tech, do you have any stats to support that statement? Any figures on the number of drive-thrus per capita? Because I’ve travelled to many places (mainly in the US) that seem to have waaaaaaaay more drive-thrus than we do.
didn’t i read/hear somewhere that Nova Scotians are THE ‘sickest’ group of Canadians, compared to all other provinces? apparently, we are above the national average for people on medical leave, long-term disability, and so on.
why am i not surprised…
@Bro Tim – i thought we were talking about CANADA, not the US
ooops, make that @Jennie, not Bro Tim
I didn’t see anywhere that we were solely talking about Canada, so I assumed it was fair to make North American comparisons.
FYI Tech, not everyone who relies on a vehicle is a selfish, lazy, environment killer. Some people have no choice.
no ‘stats’, Jennie… just my anecdotal observation, having lived in several major canadian cities that have *much larger populations* than halifax, but apparently not as many cars & drive-thrus.
one does not have to be a statistician to make a casual observation about the large number of cars on the roads here, and the litany of drive-thrus that accomodate them.
Thank you, Jennie, my point exactly. It’s not like my 55 year old wrinkly ass would be just croaking to jump on a mountain bike to pedal 25 kms. during a fucking snow storm.
i mean, there’s a friggin Tim Horton’s drive-thru on practically every corner, and if that’s not fattening junk food, i don’t know what is.
I N A C T I V I T Y
I live in the same city as the fat kids so by most of your arguments should I not be fat as well. As qwerty noted calories burned v.s. consumed. No scientists needed to see that kids today are less active than even 10-15 years ago. Poor diets can’t be only reason..and income has nothing to do with it because the kids in more affluent neighbourhoods are fat as well. Statistically speaking though people who earn more and have higher education tend to be healthier as a result of better choices and availability to more options for both diet and exercise.
TTFN, stop obfuscating the issue… we’re talking about NOW, not winter time. and a bike can easily be used for 3 seasons.
btw, stop making excuses for not getting your 55yr old fat arse on a bike, instead of driving IT in your car. if other (fit) people your age can do it, then what’s your excuse? try slinging your mega-tits over your shoulders if they are that much of an encumbrance when you ride.
My centre of gravity is fucked because of those sweet ol’ chestpuppies.
I agree, played hockey today and one of the guy’s dads was out and was 65 and in better shape than most the 20 somethings…impressive. When asked what he does to stay in shape he simply said walking every morning and night for 35 years plus one activity per day. 5 kids and he managed to stay active.
I agree that the equation is a simple one – it’s all about calories in versus calories out.
I also agree that we need to encourage physical activity whenever remotely possible. A family friend (who is a doctor) once said to me “If exercise was a pill, I’d prescribe it to everyone I know”. We need to get moving. As often as possible.
I also realize that Halifax – the city – where many of us work, eat, play, shop, etc. is a peninsula. It’s almost an island. Unless we move up, there’s not much more room for people to live close to where they work, eat, play, shop, etc. So because of our geographical circumstances, many people are forces to live well outside the city. A lot of people simply can’t strap their kid on their back, jump on a bike, and pedal the 25 km it takes them to get to daycare then work. The transit system isn’t exactly accessible/convenient for a lot of these people either.
My point is, you seem to have an irrational anger towards anyone who drives a car. Yes, cycling is great. I take my bike to work whenever I can. However, cycling doesn’t make you morally superior to someone who’s just trying to navigate the rat race.
Exactly Bro Tim. Everything that was stated here for reasons applies to the rest of North America. And, in spite of what is thought here, Nova Scotia is also not the welfare state of the world. Yet, if OP says 19 out of 20 women here are fat and Miles says more like 6 out of 20, and we split the difference, it is still approximately half of Nova Scotians that are fat. Are you telling me that half of NS’s are single, young, ignorant, lazy mothers on welfare?
Anyway, according to the recent study that was done on province to province cost differences (I am sure it must have been discussed here), the maritime provinces were paying almost double the amount for groceries compared tp the rest of Canada. Haven’t you noticed that since the study became public some months ago sustenance items such as milk, eggs, sugar and flour are coming available for lower prices? Our income is lower, woman still get paid less than men, men are not always contributing to the welfare of their children, and many other variables play into the reason for such stats.
That said, yes, there ignorance here. I often see people buying meat according to the price on the pack instead of dollars per lb.. People won’t even try such things as curried chickpea, never mind learn how to make it. They don’t know about concepts such as bulk buying, harvesting and preserving. Their are not aware that there are resources for low-income that will aid in recreation programs for children. But, this does not make them low-lives, only uninformed.
I nordic walk for an hour a day and have been doing so for the last five years. It keeps the weight off and no flat tires to worry about.
Exercise is great, but DIET is 90% – if not more – of your weight/fat/muscle.
And I see people living in the Quinpool area taking two cars to go work downtown. Most cars have one or 2 people in them. I leave on my bike and make it there faster than they do.
They’re also fat, and I’m sure unhealthy.
it’s simple – when calories taken IN routinely *exceed* caloric OUTPUT (which usually requires physical exertion), then you are going to gain weight, and eventually become FAT.
diet AND exercise are equally important, there is no ‘debate’ about this, it’s just a fact of being alive.
Jhey there are always going to be bad examples, like the people who live within walking distance but choose to drive. My point was simply that not everyone who gets in a car on a daily basis is a fat, lazy slob. Many people don’t have a choice. It’s the only way they can get to work, take their kid to daycare, pick up the groceries, and get to their suburban home.
There’s no excuse. I live on 150 to 200 a mth for grocerys, and that’s pushing it. I still manage to eat very healthy. I, for the most part, cut meat out of our diet to save a bit. As long as your creative you can do it. Its not easy and sometimes you do have to cut corners and eat crap, sometimes. Not enough to make you fat! As long as you get out and exercise, there shouldn’t be a problem. People seem content to let their kids and themselves sit in front of the TV all day. I think a big part of it is laziness.
Curry should be out-lawed, YUCK.GAG.
Bro Tim, I am surprised. Truly. Did you never travel to England during your service? Indian restaurants are everywhere. Curry is not a singular thing–it is as varied as dressings for salad. To say I don’t like curry because you had that yellow powdered stuff sprinkled over some chicken is like saying I don’t salads because the one you tried had blue cheese dressing on it.
bon i agree 100% with your comment, its true, you see all these over weight young girls walking around, looking like trash pushing a stroller with 8 kids, over weight as hell..its disgusting.
the ‘Bro’ probably doesn’t eat anything unless it tastes bland and banal (like himself) – and has ketchup on it.
Not to mention how encouraging it is to call someone a lazy fuck. I bet overweight teens love that kind of self-esteem boost.
what overweight teens NEED is a firm kick in the arse, and for their parents to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY – turn off their damn computers, game consoles, etc – make them go outside to get some good old fashioned exercise. ride a fricken bike, toss a frisbee around with some friends, play some baseball, go for a run, shoot some hoops, swim… anything other than sitting around and getting fat.
as my mother used to say when i was a sassy young lad… ‘get outside and blow the stink off ya’ (translation: go out a PLAY)
seems the only exercise kids get these days is via their keyboards and game controllers. ok not all, i do see plenty of young people using the skate park, so that’s encouraging. but HRM needs more skate parks and other recreational programs/facilities to encourage more kids (and adults) to get their fat arses MOVING.
oh, and stop busting our balls for having a bit of fun/exercise without the use of a helmet!
Okay Bon and Darksideroamer, I know that I will regret this, but I have a few questions:
If
“…most of these young women [who] get pregnant at an early age to get welfare, then have 10 more kids and by that time they are as big as ever walking down the street in a pair of black tights with no underwear and no bra and a skimpy shirt smelling like they havent bathed in years” (Bon)
are so
“disgusting” (Darksideroamer)
then
How is it that they are finding all these men to father their babies?
Why would they need welfare if they had 8-10 different men paying child support?
How do you know they are not wearing underwear?
And, how many of these fat offspring are yours?
techcafe–practical, reasonable, solution-based response. By the by: You? Sassy? No!
@HKM – i know, hard to believe, eh? i’m much more ‘mellow’ now. ;~}
Techcafe, you had me until the helmet comment. Kids SHOULD have to wear helmets when cycling and I would even say skateboarding.
Personal anecdote: My sister-in-law, at the age of 21, finished her university degree at a school in BC with the presidents medal for the highest academic achievement – out of over 4000 students. She was on the cover of the newspaper in that city.
That summer, she fell off a skateboard in front of her home. Spent a week in the ICU with a skull fracture and a brain injury. A year rehabing to get back to functional. Now she is “OK”, several years later. Except for debilitating vertigo that strikes unpredictably (think Lucille 2 – for Arrested Development fans…). But she still ‘aint the same as she was.
Of course these things only happen to OTHER people. Not me. But, in the blink of an eye things change and there you are, thinking: ‘Well isn’t this nice, I wish had of used some common sense and put on a helmet”
So easily preventable.
I’d just like to add that there are just as many fast food joints and even MORE tim hortons restaurants in Ontario (at least from what I observed — there would be a Tims on one side of the street than one directly across the street) and people aren’t as fat up there…so…
I blame donair.
It was the goddamn Brits that turned me off on curry. I think it’s the only spice known to the British military (all Branches). I enjoy food from just about anywhere, which is why Halifax is great. You can get just about any ethnic food going.
Tim, if you would like to try the real deal:
Go to the Hindu temple on Oxford Street this Sunday, enjoy their service (even if it is in Hindi that day, you can enjoy a different music style while you quietly meditate/contemplate/or simply relax), and afterward, they will serve you an authentic Indian meal. It is free, as they take turns sponsoring the meal each week (this way you have nothing to lose).
I haven’t been there for awhile, but be prepared for a traditional setting. Women and men sit on separate sides, and the men eat upstairs while the women eat downstairs, although it is not mandatory–couples can sit together. (Don’t judge here female readers, as the women want it that way. It is ‘their’ space, and it is the men who tend to their needs :).
It is buffet style so you can try a little of everything or skip anything you truly dislike. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or question what stuff is–the people are very friendly, helpful and eager for you to understand their culture. Oh, and you can come and go as you please– you can show up 10 minutes before service is over if you want–as it is a very relaxed and informal environment.
Don’t skip the homemade mango-lime pickle–it may be a bit much at first, but it becomes addictive :).
I guess you have never been to Saint John, NB if you think woman in NS are fat..
I guess you have been to Saint John, NB, if you think woman in NS are fat
I agree. I moved here in 2007, and people here are just fat and gross. Man tits everywhere….yuck. Cottage cheese legs on women with rolls hanging out…yuck. Put the freaking fork down people. And these fat people wonder why I make comments and roll my eyes at them. They disgust me. They should be refused free health care until they get on the treadmill.
I find it funny that when the “why are people so fat” topic comes up people are always quick to grill ( get it? ) the fast food places as the source of poor food. While fast food is shit food, people overlook the fact that there is just as much garbage available on grocery store shelves. I know lots of people who eat crap but THINK they are eating healthy.
I love being in the grocery story and watching the stuff people put on the belt. The food matches how the people buying it look about 95% of the time. The correlation is obvious between the food they are buying and how overweight they are or are not.
Its really not a mystery