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jayparkinsonmd:

T-Shirt Says to “Eat Less”

So Urbane Outfitters pulled this T-shirt from their stores due to cries from anorexia groups that it sends the wrong message. So let’s look at the numbers:

Prevalence of Anorexia = 1%

Prevalence of Obesity = 35%

Americans eat, on average, 3,790 calories a day. That’s nearly double what we should eat. Know how many calories you should eat.

I think it’s safe to assume that the US could stand to “eat less.” In fact, obesity kills more people than smoking. It’s a message the vast majority of us need to implement in our lives. Because remember, the kids today are expected to live a shorter, lower quality life than their parents. And that’s not due to anorexia.

UPDATE: So any time I mention anything on my blog about eating less/obesity, it tends to irk many people. A few people have commented saying “No, the US doesn’t need to eat less, we need to eat healthier.” So here’s the deal. If one person eats 5,000 calories of fast food a day vs. another person who eats 5,000 calories of food from Whole Foods, both will be obese. It’s simple physics. First, ensure you are taking in just the right amount of calories per day. Then, ensure those calories come from healthy, fresh, and whole foods.

We need to have a real dialogue about this issue of obesity. Our culture doesn’t want to talk about it for fear of offending 35% of the population. But the real issue is, it’s killing 35% of the population. Being sensitive, being too boring, or ignoring the issue won’t help us progress and solve this epidemic. So what does the conversation look like? We desperately need to have the conversation that obesity is bad for you, bad for our economy, and bad for the environment. 

UPDATE 2: Why did I post this?

I’m with you Jay. Americans eat giant plates of food because we are gluttonous pigs and we really need to learn how to save half for later. However, I’m a skinny bitch who eats like shit and sometimes even forgets to eat, so I’m the last person who should tell anyone with weight issues what to do. I would feel very uncomfortable wearing a shirt that tells people to “Eat Less.” People would probably throw food at me.

I think it’s a good message presented in the worst possible way.