Vote in This Week's Poll: Why do you think southerners have more of a weight problem?
Monday August 4, 2008
In one of last week's blog entries, readers sounded off about the fact that the top ten fattest states happened to be in the south, with my home state of Tennessee sadly making it into the top three. There was some speculation about why southerners have more weight problems, but I wanted to get your opinion. Why do you think southerners are overweight? Is it the hot weather? The abundance of fried foods? My grandmother, who's lived in Nashville all her life, says, "No wonder we're all fat! Who can pass up a plate of good ol' fried chicken? And who wants to go outside when it's hotter than six kinds of hell?"
Indeed.
What do you think? Vote in this week's poll and leave a comment if you have some thoughts about how to deal with this problem.
Poll: Why do you think southerners have more of a weight problem?
1. Too many high fat, fried foods
2. Not enough hiking, biking and walking trails to make outdoor exercise more accessible
3. Hot, humid weather makes outdoor activity uncomfortable
4. Numerous rural areas are isolated from healthy lifestyle options like health clubs
5. Other - Please explain in comments
Comments
At 5:30 this morning where I live in Texas, it was 82 degrees with 72% humidity. This is before the sun has even risen!!! I normally run about 35 miles per week but in the summertime, forget it–my body can’t manage it
It’s the culture. Physical activity isn’t valued and “southern” food has never been the healthiest- especially since there are a lot of poor people living in the south. Texas for example has one of the lowest costs of living in the U.S., many people there probably work all day to survive which leaves them no desire to exercise, and not a lot of money to eat healthy. Education isn’t the best in the south either, which is probably where the stereo type of the dumb southener comes from. Of course, without good education a lot of people don’t even know how to eat or exercise correctly. The extreme hot weather during the summer discourages going outside for any reason. South Texas in August is so miserable that even the fittest person will break into a sweat just walking from thier front door to thier car in the morning.
It is just plain hot here for 5 months of the year. That is why I use a health club daily. It is NOT the fried foods–I have been to alot of places and they all have fried, fattening foods. But I know that in major northern cities there is good public transportation and things are nearby, so people walk alot more than we do in the South. We use our automobiles way too much here. With gas prices the way they are, that is going to change. I just wish our cities would be more diligent in creating good mass transit choices for their citizens.
I recently moved to Texas from Wisconsin and I have noticed that there are a lot more heavier people down here. I think that there are a few factors- Chicken Fried Steak is everywhere and seems to be a staple along with other fried foods, white procesed flours and other junk. I also think that there is a lack of nutritional education- at least in the smaller cities and rural areas. As far as the heat goes- yes it is hotter in the summer, but there the winters, fall, and spring seasons are nice year round so people really have no excuse.
Culture and attitude. After living in Ohio most of my life I lived for 5 years in West Virginia where people weren’t interested in exercising and felt that eating unhealthy foods and being large were signs of health and happiness. Most defended their ‘right’ to eat whatever they wanted because there was nothing wrong with being overweight.
I lived in central georgia for a year, and while pregnant, it was a HUGE pain trying to eat healthy. First of all, in the more rural towns, there is maybe one grocery store close by, so fresh fruits and veggies are either super-expensive, or not even available, and forget it if you want anything boneless-skinless. Then you have the issue of the nasty weather, i swear it was either storming really bad or really super hot and muggy, so going outside was always an issue. And last but not least, there is no health clubs ANYWHERE near you in most of the towns, so there goes that idea. But although these are all wonderful excuses, where there is a will, there is a way, no matter where you live.
…but I do have to say, i am very happy to be home in sunny California, with my gym just down the road and a farmers market 2 miles away, lol.
The South is “All You Can EAT”
If “All you can Eat” is not on the menu you are not in the south.
Almost everywhere is “All you can drink sweet tea”
“All you can eat country” is the south.
You forgot to give us one more option in your poll … “All of the above”. LOL But the factor that I think makes it all worse for the south is that the culture of the south is to be more independent, individualistic and, yes, contrary! (Not a criticism, just an observation.
) The south is less receptive to “outsider” help and advice. The single, simple piece of advice that an individual needs to consume fewer calories than they expend is either ignored or met with scepticism or distain when faced with all the unhealthy choices available at the grocery store or restaurants. Southerners are more likely doubt or ignore anything that does not originate in their own circle of friends and family. What protected their somewhat impoverished culture in the past is now, with relative prosperity, destroying it.
Only in Mississippi , we are no. 1 in both
catagories, half of us are too fat and the other half are starving. I have lived here
for 63 years and know a lot of overweight
people, but in those 63 years I have never saw one that was starving. I guess it depends
on who you ask.
its an all of the above deal. no real healthy places to eat by us,the weather can be unbearable at time(went for a walk today and could only last an hour),not enough access to health clubs,afford ability has been an issue here since many ppl are losing their jobs to overseas companies(bye bye factories and slow construction). our city is the only one in a 50 mile radius that has numerous trails for hiking,biking,running but security has become an uprising issue in our city as well. i have home workouts and plenty of indoor things to keep me busy and i rarely go out, i am the minority,but not everybody can be in the same position.
meant to say i rarely go out to EAT. i do go out most days when lots of ppl are out(strength in numbers LOL)
When I moved here in 1975, I was ridiculed for wearing shorts, eating ‘rabbit food’ and exercising, they said I was ‘wearin’ out my joints’…
Things have changed since then, but not much. Ignorance and narrow-mindedness still shackles the mainstream of Southern ideals.
The weather argument seems bogus. Cold and snow are as formidable obsticles to outdoor exercise as heat and humidity - yet you won’t find any northern states in the top ten. The abundance of fried foods and few health clubs seems equally bogus as the free market responds to consumer demands. People are what they choose to be.
Percentagewise, there is more obesity among blacks than among whites or Asians. There is a higher percentage of blacks in the south than in most other regions, so there is a higher average obesity percentage.
I don’t think the south has been bitten with the media that say, California has about being skinny. I think there is still a tradional way of life down there, and it’s just not as important, as say enjoying themselves. (who can blame them? I love my trips to the south, and the slower pace, and actually enjoying food etc)
I think a lot of it is culture, and what we put upon ourselves for self image.
I’m between a 2-4 size, and am totally freaked out about the thought of going to Las Vegas next week, and being seen a bikini. Why? cause it’s the standard that’s been put upon me by the culture I live in.
I think its just cause no one cares. no one really cares here in korea so yeah
Thank you Bruce & Samantha(& others)
for your common sense thoughts.
While those up north & on the coasts
like to stereotype Southerners as a
bunch of dumb lazy hicks show their
true colors…and their ignorance, I
would agree that the possible reasons given for southern obesity
IS “all of the above”…and then some. It IS partly the cultural
differences…and I wouldn’t trade
those for the snobbery of the rest
of the country. Oops, sorry. Didn’t
mean to negatively stereotype the
rest of our fine…and “fit”(?)
country.
I grew up in the South and was over weight as a child and young adult. It took me into my late 30’s and early 40’s to shed the extra pounds. When I look at the differences, it’s more food oriented than anything else. Growing up it was all about comfort food in my house. 80% of what we ate was fried and had some sort of a gravy. While it tasted great and brings a lot of great memories, especially with grandparents, it was horrible for our bodies. Morbid obesity runs in my family and it’s no surprise why. It took getting out to fully understand and make permanent diet changes. I RARELY eat anything fried these days.
I moved from the south and more people in the north have health problems!!!
I recently moved to Tennessee from Texas and I found that people think it is too cold up here to go outdoors!
I think one reason might be because it isn’t a popularity contest in slower, rural type places. Here in So. CA. everything is a trend and everyone is in competition and has to jump on the bandwagon. When there is less competition and more independent thought, exercise and fitness can get pushed to a lower priority. Just an opinion.
It’s psychological and cultural. I grew up in Alabama but moved away to Ohio after college. When I visited a month ago, I couldn’t believe how big the women were and how little they seemed to care about their size. It’s ok to be big in the South. There’s no pressure to be thin and actually you’re made fun of if you are thin.
Everything included in that list is just an excuse that Southerners sometimes use for why they’re overweight and obsese. There are less fattening foods available. If there are no gyms in an area, there are stores that sell workout equipment. Even if people can’t afford equipment, there are low traffic areas and parks where people can walk or run. Where there’s a will there’s a way. In the South, there just isn’t a will.
there breast fed till 21
It’s socioeconomic. Heat has nothing to do with it. There are a lot of hot areas where people keep themselves fit. Lack of personal pride and ignorance has more to do with it.
Food is better down south!
If the list would have included PEOPLE ARE JUST LAZY, it would have had my vote. I’m in the midst of trying to lose weight and anyone with an attitude of I want to lose weight can do it…you can walk anywhere…early morning or late evening because it is hot as Hades during the day…you can change your diet…there are farmers markets with fresh fruits and vegetables close by most of the time…the bottom line is if people want to get off their behinds and exercise OR change their eating habits, the will…if they are content being overweight and unhealthy there isn’t a poll, a survey, or a doctor who can say or do anything to change it…
smh @some of the comments. Funny how everybody can find something negative to say about the south, but for some reason ppl love coming down here. Ppl are starving all over the country so no thats not one. There are fast food restaurants all over the country and every other kind of restaurant you can think of. There is an obesity clinic in Ohio and im pretty sure other places as well, so why single out a few? We in the south take pride and comfort in our food and our way of life. If you think that a state can change the way you look, then there’s something wrong with you already. We love our food. We complain about the weather but we love it too. My grandfather was raised here in the south off of the same food for 98 yrs and never had a health problem. At the time of his death the only medication he was taking was a fluid pill. How about chopping it down to genetics. If obesity runs in your family, no matter where you plant your feet or lay your head, you’re bound to get it. Simple as that. Its about consumption. Just the same as with alchohol. Its not based on where you are. A lot of ppl have moved here from up north and other places. Why should we take the blame for their obesity?
to Dale #17 - im so tired of hearing Southerners say that Northerners stereotype them, you guys do it to us too ALL the time. I moved to TX from NY and got into an argument with a coworker, when telling his side of the story to the manager she sided with me and he actually said “but she is from NY”…. IGNORANCE!!!!… Anyway, as far as this particular discussion is concerned, my opinion is that its the culture and nothing more. Typical southern food is not exactly healthy, and if you are in the REAL south, not including cities, but the south is a real laid back place to be… thats why people love it. Its not the weather cause as someone mentioned earlier, 3 out of 4 seasons in the South are BEAUTIFUL!!! And to the person who DID blame it on the weather.. if you really believe that excuse, how about how cold it is up North? Its COLD in the winter and HOT and HUMID in the tail end of the summer but Northerners aren’t using their weather as an excuse.
In a word, ignorance. Many southerners don’t understand the unhealthiness of their food choices and life-styles, instead, disregarding statistics, they will tell you how their momma or daddy smoked and drank and ate deep fried grease smothered in sausage gravy and lived to be 90. It boils down primarily to an aversion to education. I live in rural Virginia and see it first hand daily
I think it is a combination of the heat, the fried food & sweet tea that is part of the culture and the lower income in the largely rural areas (there are a lot of them) that doesn’t afford them the access to gyms and better healthcare.
Could it be that Southerners consume more soft drinks? So much research lately has shown that soft drinks, even diet soft drinks, may me the single biggest contributor to weight gain. It would be interesting to see if there is any data showing soft drink consumption in each state.
Tell you what, put less food in your mouth, drink water, do some hard labor and shut your whine-hole. You’re damn right I smoke, drink, dip, and eat fried food. My biology teacher asked me this question once, and it’s what I’ve lived by ever since, “Do you live to eat, or eat to live?” I like to enjoy what I eat, but I don’t eat more than I need to survive. Oh, and, djc, I think you’re missing the point. Us Southerners have a true sense of mortality. I’m going to die. You’re going to die. We’re all gonna die. Why not enjoy life for every minute we have it? Cancer and heart attacks aren’t the only things that kill people, man, and I’d feel like a down right fool if I lived my life counting calories, avoiding second-hand smoke, and all that other crap just to die in a car wreck or job site accident. BTW, a true southerner takes responsibility for his or her own actions. Ask a fat person why it is they’re fat? “Hell, I jus love to eat, son.”
It’s our sense of mortality. We know we’re gonna die at some point, why not enjoy every last minute of it? Cancer and heart attacks aren’t the only things that kill. I’d hate to know I lived my life counting calories, avoiding second-hand smoke like the plague, and other nonsense just to die in a car wreck or job site accident. Eat what you need to live, don’t just live to eat.
If you put down on the South, just stay out. That’s all there is to it. You don’t understand us or our way of life. We don’t care what you think. We love every minute we’re given, and we could really care less what any doctor, scientist, or government official has to say. We live life OUR way. So what if we die a little early? Everyone does. When counting calories and avoiding second hand smoke grants you eternal life, let me know.
If you put down on the South, just stay out. That’s all there is to it. You don’t understand us or our way of life. We don’t care what you think. We love every minute we’re given, and we could really care less what any doctor, scientist, or government official has to say. We live life OUR way. So what if we die a little early? Everyone does. When counting calories and avoiding second hand smoke grants you eternal life, let me know.
The cosmopolitan areas of the South would probably stack up well against the rest of the country (which still is lousy), but the Suth’s large rural areas incorporate a lifestyle not prone to ‘thinness’. It is culturally negative to some degree to be too ’skinny’; and the food, temperature, humidity, etc., all combine for a perfect environment for obesity. Could the average Southerner stand to lose a few pounds, eat better, and exercise more? Sure. So could the rest of the old USA.
Personally I live in the northeast. I grew up in a Jewish family, this means lots of starches, fatty meats and fried potato pancakes. We used to eat hardly any veggies. Most of it came from the fact that my ancestors were russian/polish, not a lot of veggies, so the traditional foods involved starch. They didn’t have money either veggies are expensive. Barley and wheat and bread were cheap. My dad eats saltine crackers with mayonaise, you know why, cause there were times that was all the food they had in the house.
I think what some people forget is that one of the reasons fried food started (i.e. Mozzarella Sticks or fried dough) is that when you have very little food, frying it in oil makes it more heavier, starches are cheaper and bulking up the veggies with a cheap batter coating and oil made it more of a full meal.
I think generally the reason that South fell into more obese is that healthy food is expensive. I can feed my family one box of mac & cheese as a dinner the cost is $1. A package of hotdogs cost less then a steak. Fresh fruit and veggies cost more then a box of cookies. Per capita most southern states have lower a income then their northern counterparts (naturally its not everywhere or everyone, just per capita, that’s overall). Therefore its not ignorance, its not the type of traditional food (although that doesn’t help at all), I think its the fact that its cheaper to feed a family junk food then it is to feed them a healthy meal. Face it a huge breakfast at Denny’s is $5.99, bacon, eggs, sausage included. A small breakfast consisting of fruit and yogurt from most places is the same cost.
Its the same reason the poor tend to be more obese, I can get a meal for a $1 at McDonald’s and the most expensive meal would be $5.99, I can’t cook healthy for that. PURE ECONOMICS.
In the end though we are all obese for the same reason, an abundance of food and less activity. When we used to go out and collect the eggs, make the biscuits from scratch, get the water and milk the cow all before we could even think to eat it, obesity wasn’t an issue. Once we could get these same foods easily and for the same money not even cook them ourselves, well there you go. We don’t need to be physically active and we still eat the same foods we did when we needed that much food. Overall, its the same problem in most of the nation. The state that came in on top as the “skinniest” is one of the highest income per capita, so buying more expensive food to be healthy is not a hardship.
FYI, I knew someone who quit a diet cause her food bill went from $50 a week to $250 a week, that’s a big difference and if you don’t have it, its almost a hardship.
I love the South and Southern traditions, no one should put down what they don’t know. Not only that you can’t classify a “group” as being a certain way, even if by location, they call that “prejudice”
Take your pick, A) It’s way too hot. B) Southerners LOVE their fried foods. C) The economy is in such bad shape that people have to choose between buying unhealthy foods that will last until pay day, or healthy foods & not having enough to last until pay day.
I’m a transplant to the south. What I see is portion size being the problem: they put huge amounts of food on their plates, eat very fast and eat it all. And then comes the huge portion of a very rich dessert, and it gets eaten to the last bite also.
The Bible Belt. The rest of the Country does not understand what a dry county is, but southern states are full of them. My Mom also from TN preached that “you don’t drink, smoke or chew, and you don’t date girls that do!” But church socials were the vice instead of bars. Church folk get together down there and eat. Their social scene is potlucks and church ice cream socials. Gluttony is just as bad a sin as being a drunk. Then add low education attainment, poverty, and all the other indicators of poor lifestyle choices.
Say what you want about the south, but I’m born and raised in Texas, I’m 6′3″ - 210lbs. of muscle and there’s plenty more just like me, and regardless if we know how to enjoy life down here and yall don’t one of these “big” southern boys will surely put you up tight north pansies in your place if we need to. But for all those that dog the south, where are all the jobs? where is the real estate market and economy doing the best? where is everybody moving? what is the only state with it’s own power grid? what is the only state that can legally fly it’s flag the same height of the U.S. flag? What it the only state that can seperate from the U.S. if the state goverment wanted to do so? What one state would devestae the rest of the U.S. if it did leave and make it’s own country once again? What state do all these other countries have to thank that they’re not a part of Mexico? What state has more armed forces than any other? What state has that country class to it where as yall would flip us off and pass us on the highway and we’d still stop 2 miles down the road and help you fix your flat tire even though you flipped us off? IF YOU ANSERED THE SOUTH THEN I WOULD ACCEPT THAT ANSWER BUT THE ACTUAL ANSWER IS TEXAS BABY!!!
that’s easy….look at the food - everything is covered, smothered, piled high and deep-fried! Covered in gravy or butter or just fry it up. What’s a vegetable? Nothing unless it has a layer of grease around it. And portions?? All you can eat, baby. Lots of buffet restaurants. Grab a plate and load ‘er up! Several times. And what about exercise? One-armed fork curls is about it. It’s too hot to bother so let’s just hang out on the porch swing or in the pool if you have one. Two final last thoughts… WINGS and BEER. C’mon South (or at least 70% of you down there)– correct me if I’m wrong. I see it every day. And the stats don’t lie.
At the turn of the century(1900)everyone who entered school could read by the time they finished.
Today in the U.S. there over 43 million functional illiterates who can’t read the label of a bottle of prescription medicine.
Public education is worse in the poor areas, prevalent in the south. In fact, it’s dismal in many parts of the south - like Mississippi.
A good education is necessary to be critical, to prevent being sucked-in by the constant bombardment from corporate advertising, a lot of which is to eat all sorts of unfortunately, delicious junk food. There is, after all, an an entire multi-billion-dollar industry working all time time geared to make you EAT MORE AND MORE!
The reason why the southeners are fat is the same reason why other people are fat. The women are too lazy, or they don’t know how to cook healthy meals. There should be some education about nutrition. There are lots of books on the subject and lots of free advice on the internet. It is cheaper to make your own meals at home. Stay away from the drivethroughs. A sack of potatoes a sack of rice, some fresh fruit and vegetables from the farmers market, a loaf of bread and a pound of cold cuts some hamburger and a chicken there you have enough food for sandwiches etc for a month.
Ignorance must truly be bliss.
In a restaurant in the South and order iced tea and they automatically put in sugar, without your requesting it, and they serve “fried pickles” as appetizers, then it is no wonder the South leads the nation in obese people!
It does’nt matter what we eat or how we live we’re all going to die sooner or later; so take the eperience of life and live it up —good or bad by sociatel standards if your genetically lucky to make it there and masturbate your sensory organs. Just don’t trample on another soul. And then you die like every one before you who pretended would never die…..
Could it be the slower pace of life in general? Though I might also attribute it to the combo of heat and humidity….
I have lived in south all my life. I run about an hour 6 days a week , before daylight, and it is hot and humid. but you gotta do it. For most down here, it’s just too much trouble . I’ll be 62 in a couple of months.
I’m from South Carolina but now live in So. California. I think one of the big issues is Tradition. Southerners value their traditions and this includes cooking like their mom and great grandmom. I don’t think eating patterns have changed much in the south but what has changed is 1) a more sedentary lifestyle (no more chopping wood and carrying water from the well) and 2) the HUGE amount of perservatives/harmones in foods today. Though we ate alot of pork, we used the raise the pigs and kill them ourselves (I know…and can u believe I’m only 30 years old, lol). Which is sooo different from the antibiotic/ hormone/perservative filled meat currently sold in grocery stores.
I’m from the country, where all green vegetables have to have fatback and bacon added…where they eat pork skins like people in California eat edamame. My family has eaten like that all my life and my great-grandma lived to be 95 adn my grand ma 80. I really think the additives they are putting in food are a big factor.
Also when I was young there were always chores: wood bring in for the fire, clothes to hang out, I was outside playing literally ALL day. This just doesn’t happen anymore…but ppl are eating more than ever.
It doesn’t help that the South has the BEST food in the world, lol. And being that theres a lot of poverty a .99 gravy biscuit that happens to be DELICIOUS is hard to turn down.
Lastly, while I do concede that people in the South do need to become health conscious…their is something awesome to me about the high level of self esteem among women down there. No matter what their size. Here in Los Angles there are beautiful, sleek bodies everywhere…but not a lot of joy, and certainly not alot of self esteem. I say people should live the happiest, healthiest life they can….and that may or may not include being a size 2.
Well said Jill.
I live in Georgia by way of Mississippi. I love fried food chicken,collards and cornbread. Nothing is better than Sunday dinner. We can enjoy our great tasting food we just need to exercise.
Southerners are just plain lazy.
The weather has nothing to do with it. People complain about the heat and humidity during the Summer. In that case, what about the pleasant temps we have during the winter? While the rest of the country is snowed in in january, we’re walking around in shorts. It’s the culture: people just don’t value their health here at all.
Go to any state in the us and all you see is fat people. America is plum full of hogs. Every time I go out - shopping, dinner, movies, etc everyone is obese. It is very gross. I live in Louisville KY and I am far from fat. 5′3 and 100 lbs. People complain they are poor and that is why they are fat. Give me a break - excuses. People are large because they are pure LAZY and eat whatever they want.