By COGwriter
The Western World in general, and the United States of America, in particular, have major problems with obesity.
Obesity is a multi-factorial problem, with many causes. Some are environmental, some are social, and some are personal. How serious a problem is obesity? Does it have personal and societal costs?
Have scientists connected the consumption of modern packaged 'foods' to the rise of obesity? What about other diseases?
Does the Bible teach anything about obesity? What should you eat? (There is also a related YouTube video titled Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.)
Reports from various scientists and governments point to problems with obesity.
In the USA, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) put out a report titled Vital Signs: State-Specific Obesity Prevalence Among Adults — United States, 2009 that had some disturbing findings:
Background: Obesity is a costly condition that can reduce quality of life and increases the risk for many serious chronic diseases and premature death. The U.S. Surgeon General issued the Call to Action to Prevent and Decrease Overweight and Obesity in 2001, and in 2007, no state had met the Healthy People 2010 objective to reduce obesity prevalence among adults to 15%.
Methods: CDC used 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey data to update estimates of national and state-specific obesity prevalence. Obesity was calculated based on self-reported weight and height and defined as body mass index (weight [kg] / height [m]2) ≥30.
Results: Overall self-reported obesity prevalence in the United States was 26.7%. Non-Hispanic blacks (36.8%), Hispanics (30.7%), those who did not graduate from high school (32.9%), and persons aged 50–59 years (31.1%) and 60–69 years (30.9%) were disproportionally affected. By state, obesity prevalence ranged from 18.6% in Colorado to 34.4% in Mississippi; only Colorado and the District of Columbia (19.7%) had prevalences of <20%; nine states had prevalences of ≥30%.
Conclusions: In 2009, no state met the Healthy People 2010 obesity target of 15%, and the self-reported overall prevalence of obesity among U.S. adults had increased 1.1 percentage points from 2007…
Alternate text: … A total of 33 states had obesity prevalences >25% in 2009, and nine of those states had prevalences ≥30%. In contrast, 28 states had prevalences <20% in 2000, and no state had a prevalence of ≥30%. (http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm59e0803a1.htm?s_cid=mm59e0803a1_w)
The obesity rate was highest in states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Oklahoma, etc. States like California were in the 20-25% range.
Some believe that the obesity situation in the USA will likely get worse:
The number of obese adults, along with related disease rates and health care costs, are on course to increase dramatically in every state in the country over the next 20 years, according to F as in Fat: How Obesity Threatens America‘s Future 2012, areport released today by Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF)…If obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, by 2030, 13 states could have adult obesity rates above 60 percent, 39 states could have rates above 50 percent, and all 50 states could have rates above 44 percent….If states’ obesity rates continue on their current trajectories, the number of new cases of type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease and stroke, hypertension and arthritis could increase 10 times between 2010 and 2020—and double again by 2030. http://www.sacbee.com/2012/09/18/4830720/adult-obesity-rates-could-exceed.html#storylink=cpy
U.S. obesity rate to hit 42 percent by 2030: study
English.news.cn 2012-05-08…
(Xinhua) — Almost 42 percent of the U.S. population could be obese by 2030, according to a study released Monday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The findings suggest the U.S. healthcare system could be burdened with 32 million more obese people within two decades. Action is needed to keep rates from increasing further, said researchers from Duke University, RTI International and the CDC.
By the most current obesity statistics, 35.7 percent of American adults — 78 million people — and 16.9 percent of U.S. children and adolescents — 12.5 million kids — are obese, meaning their body-mass index is 30 or over.
60% obesity in 13 states and at least 44% in all 50? That is horrible. Some think the USA already has a 60% obesity rate:
April 3, 2012Obesity- Americans may be more overweight than we think according to a new study that says doctor’s use of body mass index (BMI) underestimates just how bad it is. Researchers say about 4 in 10 adults whose BMI places them in just the overweight category would actually be considered obese if their body fat percentage were taken into account. Currently the BMI threshold for obesity is 30 but should be lowered to 24 for women and 28 for men, the study reports.CBS News - 3 April 2012America may have a worse weight problem than anyone thought…”Roughly 30 percent of Americans are obese,” based on their body mass index (BMI), study author Dr. Eric Braverman, president of the nonprofit research group, the Path Foundation in New York City, told HealthDay. “But when you use other methods, closer to 60 percent are obese. We call BMI the ‘baloney mass index.’”
So, if the weights are characterized differently, the USA (and others) have a higher obesity rate than most believe.
Of course, it is not just those in the USA that are overweight. Here are several other reports:
July 27, 2013
Nearly 30% of adults are overweight in New Zealand Authorities...New Zealand has one of the highest obesity rates in the developed world, with nearly 30% of people overweight…(South African chef 'too fat' to live in New Zealand. BBC, July 27, 2013. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23475583 viewed 08/19/13).
Canada faces child obesity epidemic: Aglukkaq
Montreal Gazette – 27 February 2012
Canada is facing an epidemic of childhood obesity, with more children being diagnosed today with high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes and other healthconditions once seen only in adults, Canada’s health minister warned Monday.”Today, more than one in four young Canadians is overweight or obese, with rates even higher among aboriginal people,” Leona Aglukkaq said at the opening of a federal-provincial summit on healthy weights in Ottawa.
U.S. News & World Report - 26 August 2011
Obesity-related diseases and health care costs will soar as a result, according to the report published Aug. 26 in The Lancet.Already, the U.S. and U.K. obesity rates are the highest among the 34 member nations of the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD), the study said.
August 19, 2013
One of the most comprehensive studies tracking the health of Australians has released findings that paint a disturbing picture of the nation's battle with diabetes and obesity.
The AusDiab study was funded through a National Health and Medical Research Council grant and followed 11,000 Australians for 12 years.
Researchers found the incidence of diabetes remained very high, with almost 270 adult Australians diagnosed each day, and people aged 25-34 were gaining more weight than other age groups...In line with previous trends, obesity levels continued to rise.
The report found that the average gain in waist circumference over the 12 years of the study was 5.3 centimetres and it was greater in women than men. (Long-term study finds Australian adults increasingly at risk of diabetes and obesity. ABC. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-08-19/australian-adults-health-status/4894924)
- Australia is currently the fourth most obese advanced country in the world, after the United States, Mexico and New Zealand
- According to the OECD report, 28.3% of Australian adults were obese in 2011 – up from 21.7% in 2000
- Australia also ranked 19th place in terms of overweight children in developed nations
- Obesity costs the Australian government billions in healthcare funds and reduced productivity rates each year Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development
Wendy Brownell…a pre-school teacher and mother of three, has struggled with her own weight for much of her life. She wants it to be different for her children, but things like fast food and advertising don’t make it easy.
“My children and other children know the symbols for things like McDonalds and Coca Cola and Cadburys before they are two years old,” she said.
“The truth is junk food is cheap and easy. With fast-food restaurants you don’t even have to get out of the car, let alone buy food and cook it. It has just become such a part of our culture.”
Around the world, Australia projects the image of a sporty, outdoorsy place full of fit people and open spaces.
But experts say unprecedented affluence along with a culture of convenience, growing portion sizes and an increasingly sedentary lifestyle have made one in two Australians overweight and turned the country into one of the fattest in the world…
And a study by the State of Victoria Department of Human Services predicted in 2008 that without effective intervention, 83% of men and 75% of women would be overweight or obese by 2025. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26131403
Cost of obesity 'greater than war and terrorism'
November 20, 2014
Obesity is now reaching "crisis proportions" according to a new study.
The McKinsey Global Institute said it cost £1.3tn, or 2.8% of annual economic activity - it cost the UK £47bn.
It suggests that it is about the same as smoking or armed conflict and greater than both alcoholism and climate change. http://www.bbc.com/news/health-12127521
So, many are obese, and the trend in the Anglo-Saxon nations does not look good. And it is not just the Anglo-Saxons:
November 20, 2014
Obesity is now a threat to the world economy to rival war and terrorism, according to a new report published Thursday.
Taking together the costs of healthcare, of lost productivity and other spending needed to mitigate its impact, consulting firm McKinsey reckons the annual cost of obesity fat now tops $2 trillion, or 2.8% of global economic output. That compares with an estimate of $2.1 trillion for war and terrorism, and for smoking, and is way ahead of alcoholism ($1.4 trillion), illiteracy ($1.3 trillion) and even climate change ($1.0 trillion).
The report is the latest evidence of the spiralling costs of unhealthy lifestyles that combine low levels of exercise (often due to desk-based jobs) with a taste for fatty and sugary foods. And while the problem may have originated in the U.S. and other rich economies, it is now firmly entrenched and growing fast in many countries that are, by most standards, still poor.
The U.N.’s World Health Organization estimates that over one in three adults was overweight in 208, while more than one in 10 was obese. Twice as many people worldwide live in countries where more die from being too fat than from being undernourished. The most frequent causes of death include heart disease and type-2 diabetes. McKinsey estimates that almost half the world’s adult population could be obese or overweight by 2030 if current trends continue. http://fortune.com/2014/11/20/fat-the-2-trillion-burden-on-the-worlds-economy/
But how serious a problem can that be to the health of the obese?
Notice some news items related to a 2013 report in the American Journal of Public Health:
Obesity appears to be deadlier than experts thought, according to a new study in the American Journal of Public Health. While previous estimates put the mortality rate of obesity at around 5 percent, researchers from the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York City found that the death rate is actually closer to 18 percent – meaning that nearly 1 in 5 obese people will die of obesity and associated conditions such as heart disease and diabetes…
{There are} nearly 78 million obese adults in the United States – and this study shows that the problem is worse than experts thought.”Obesity has dramatically worse health consequences than some recent reports have led us to believe,” study author Ryan Masters, PhD, a research at the Mailman, said in a statement. “We expect that obesity will be responsible for an increasing share of deaths in the United States and perhaps even lead to declines in U.S. life expectancy.”
The obesity rate in the United States has been steadily rising since 1990, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 1990, no state had an obesity rate over 19 percent, but by 2010, no state had an obesity rate below 20 percent. It’s a worrying trend, said Stacy Brethauer, MD, a specialist at the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute for the Cleveland Clinic. http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/obesity-kills-1-in-5-four-times-what-experts-thought-4555.aspx?xid=aol_eh-news_18_20130812_&aolcat=HLT&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D359301
A third of Americans (36%) are obese, which is roughly 35 pounds over a healthy weight. Obesity puts people at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other diseases. Pinpointing obesity-related deaths is an evolving science as researchers use different statistical models to come up with estimates…Roland Sturm, a senior economist with the RAND Corp., a non-profit research group, says that although obesity has an impact on mortality, he doesn’t believe it’s three times previous government estimates. He says that obesity’s biggest toll may be on long-term health and raising health care costs. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/08/15/extra-pounds-obesity-death/2660165/
So, premature death and diseases are associated with obesity.
But there are other problems:
Cancers tied to HPV and obesity on the rise in U.S., says report
7 January 2013…
Among men and women, there were reported increases for cancers tied to obesity, such as those of the kidney, pancreas and uterus (the latter, of course, for women only)…
This year’s report contained a special feature section that focused on cancers related to HPV. Human papillomavirus is the most common sexually transmitted disease in the United States, according to the CDC. There are more than 40 types of the virus that can infect the genitals of males and females, and most people who become infected don’t know they have the virus. The virus can be spread via oral, vaginal and anal sex.
The new report found increases in rates for HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer (throat cancer) among white men and women, in addition to rises in anal cancer rates among white and black men and women. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57562527/cancers-tied-to-hpv-and-obesity-on-the-rise-in-u.s-says-report/
Although there are multiple factors in the increase of obesity, the HPV-increase is almost entirely because of participating in sex out side of marriage (by at least one) and anal intercourse (Leviticus 18:22; 20:13)–both of these are biblically prohibited.
But both of these seem to be on the rise. Various cancers are affected by obesity and/or processed foods:
Sweet snacks 'link to bowel cancer'
Fizzy drinks, cakes, biscuits, crisps and desserts may increase the risk of bowel cancer, according to a new study.
Scientists looked at factors including diet, levels of physical activity and smoking in Scottish bowel cancer patients.
They reported links with some established risk factors of colorectal cancer - such as family history of cancer, physical activity and smoking.
They also identified new factors including high-energy snacks.
The study, which used data from the Scottish Colorectal Cancer Study, was said to be first of its kind to find a positive link between bowel cancer and a diet high in sugary and fatty foods...
The study, which was published in the European Journal of Cancer Prevention, was funded by the Medical Research Council, the Chief Scientist Office and Cancer Research UK.
Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death in the UK after lung cancer. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-23308455
More children are becoming severely obese:
'Severely obese:' 5 percent of US kids, teens fit risky new category
...It appears that severe obesity is the fastest-growing subcategory of obesity in youth,” write the authors in the report published in the journal Circulation.
Worse, when children get that big, it’s difficult to help them lose weight with traditional tools of diet and exercise, or even with drugs and surgery.
“Once this problem gets so severe, there’s no turning back, or there’s no turning back easily,” said Dr. Thomas Inge, a co-author of the paper and director of the Center for Bariatric Research and Innovation at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “People don’t like to hear that and they don’t like to know that.”
Severely obese kids have higher rates of weight-related disease, including type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, with complications such as high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries. Previous research has shown that obese kids as young as age 10 can have the arteries of middle-aged adults...
The new statement calls for increased research into behavior modification, drugs and surgeries targeted to the heaviest kids.
Even better, health officials agree, would be to start early, limiting fast-food, sugary soft drinks and too little exercise, all habits that contribute to the 2.2 percent of preschoolers who already fall into the new category of severe obesity. Many parents are in denial about their children's weight, studies have shown, but they need to act early, well before kids reach adolescence. http://www.nbcnews.com/health/severely-obese-5-percent-us-kids-teens-fit-risky-new-8C11109058
Intellectual development seems to be affected by obesity:
September 3, 2012
There’s a scary new study showing that obesity can hurt kids’ brains…obesity is bad for kids. It increases their risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, orthopedic problems and a whole bunch of other health problems. But what this study in the journal Pediatrics is talking about is different: it’s talking about effects on the brain. Researchers looked at 49 adolescents with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome, a consequence of obesity when you use other methods, closer to 60 percent are obese….The kids with metabolic syndrome had more trouble with arithmetic, spelling, attention and mental “flexibility” than the ones who didn’t have metabolic syndrome. Even more frightening, the researchers saw actual changes in their brains, in the hippocampus (which plays a crucial role in memory) and the white matter (which passes messages through the brain). http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/health/mdmama/2012/09/obesity_is_bad_for_kids_brains.html
Obesity can cause many problems. I should add that obese parents tend to have a higher percentage of obese children as well. Parents need to set the right example for their children.
But society, including various celebrities, have been found to confuse the matter:
Pro athletes such as Peyton Manning and Serena Williams are often paid big fees to endorse a whole range of products. Now, a new study has found that the majority of the foods and drinks such athletes endorse is calorie-laden and unhealthy.
Researchers at the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at Yale University compiled a list of endorsement deals for the Top 100 athletes in the U.S., based on BusinessWeek’s 2010 Power 100 report. Of the 512 brand endorsements that same year, 122 were for food and beverage brands.
The researchers found that of the 62 food products high-ranking athletes endorsed, 49 were high in calories and low in nutritional value. Of the 46 sports drinks, sodas and beverages the athletes endorsed, for example, the calories in 43 of them came entirely from sugar.
The study, which will appear in the November issue of Pediatrics, also found that teens aged 12 to 17 were the demographic that viewed the greatest number of TV ads for athlete-endorsed food.
Study author Marie Bragg, a doctoral candidate at Yale, says it's ironic that the most-physically fit and well-known athletes often promote food products with high calories and low nutrition.
She says it's a combination that "sends mixed messages about diet and health." http://www.ctvnews.ca/health/health-headlines/study-criticizes-sports-stars-who-endorse-junk-food-1.1486694#ixzz2h8X16sr2
This report is not a surprise. Most people, star athletes or not, will sell out. This is not good as it is done to increase consumption of junk food, which leads to increased obesity.
Obese people also face day-to-day problems in their lives. Many activities are more difficult for them. They also tend to be a greater risk of employment discrimination, pay discrimination, and face a variety of social challenges greater than those of the non-obese population. Yet, various aspects of modern society encourage it.
While many realize that too much junk food can make one fat and increase risk for heart and diabetic diseases, a 2014 study suggests that it may also make one lazy:
April 9, 2014
A new study finds eating too much junk food doesn’t only make you fat, it may also make you mentally slower or less motivated. At least that seems to be true in lab rats.
For the study, published in the journal Physiology and Behavior, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles put rats on two different diets. Half of the rodents ate a healthy diet of unprocessed foods, such as ground corn and fish meal. The remaining half were given a high sugar, highly processed diet, similar to the junk food humans consume.
Within three months, the researchers observed remarkable differences between the two groups of rats. Mostly, they found the rats on the junk food diet were significantly fatter than the rats on a healthy diet. But the unhealthy rats were also less motivated, indicating that a poor diet had a serious impact on their tiny rodent brains.
When the researchers put the rats through certain tasks the differences become even more apparent. All of the rats were required to press a lever for a reward of food and water. The rats on the junk food diet were slower to act on the task, even though this reward system was clearly laid out and they knew performing the task would provide them with more food and water. The rats on the unhealthy diet took breaks that averaged around 10 minutes long, versus the healthy rats whose breaks lasted for about five minutes each. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/junk-food-makes-you-lazy-not-just-fat-study-suggests/
This is not a surprise. I have previously reported here about mental and other issues that overeating and junk food can cause. It should be noted that most sweets in the USA now also contain genetically-modified organisms (GMOs) and they may also be a factor in causing laziness and other mental issues.
The Bible is opposed to being lazy and warns of the desires of the lazy:
25 The desire of the lazy man kills him,
For his hands refuse to labor.
26 He covets greedily all day long (Proverbs 21:25-26)19 The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns (Proverbs 15:19).
15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl;
It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.
16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes
Than seven men who can answer sensibly. (Proverbs 26:15-16)26 You wicked and lazy servant (Matthew 25:26).
Consuming much junk food can increase the desire to be lazy and for more junk food. This is not good.
Notice also the following warning to the lazy:
24 The hand of the diligent will rule,
But the lazy man will be put to forced labor. (Proverbs 12:24)
There are more and more becoming lazy in the USA and its Anglo-Saxon descended allies. This will not turn out well for them–a time of forced labor (slavery) is coming (see Will the Anglo-Saxon Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves?).
It took a century, but the US Food and Drug Administration finally recognizes that the addition of trans-fatty acids to foods is dangerous.
November 07, 2013
U.S. regulators have moved toward eliminating artificial “trans” fats that are linked to heart disease from the nation’s food supply. The Food and Drug Administration has proposed prohibiting their use in food after a period allowing manufacturers to find alternatives.
Trans fats are mainly found in processed foods like margarine, frozen pizzas, and some desserts. Health authorities say they are responsible for 7,000 deaths and 20,000 heart attacks each year in the United States.
Consumer groups are applauding the announcement as a major step to protect public health.
The proposal will go through a 60-day comment period before being finalized.
Partially hydrogenated oils are the main source of trans fats, though small amounts are found naturally in some meat and dairy products.
The U.S. Institute of Medicine has concluded that there is no safe level of consumption. http://www.voanews.com/content/us-proposes-eliminating-trans-fats/1785886.html
The Food and Drug Administration on Thursday ruled for the first time that trans fats aren’t generally considered safe in foods, a sharp shift in policy that could lead to a ban on a substance blamed for contributing to heart attacks and strokes…
“While consumption of potentially harmful artificial trans fat has declined over the last two decades in the United States, current intake remains a significant public-health concern,” said FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg. She said further reductions in trans fats could prevent an additional 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths a year in the U.S.
Trans fats, also called partially hydrogenated fats or oils, are created when food-ingredient makers add hydrogen to vegetable oil to make it solid. The process, first used a century ago, extends the shelf life of certain food products, helping baked goods retain their flakiness and fried foods their crispiness. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303309504579183652200663132
Probably, the first commercial hydrogenated trans-fatty acid product was Crisco shortening, which was introduced in 1911. The scientist who developed the first partially hydrogenated fats, Paul Sabatier, won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry jointly with fellow Frenchman Victor Grignard in 1912.
I have long had concerns about these hydrogenated fat products. That is one of the reasons that I have always believed that butter was better for one’s health than margarine (although I should add that there are less trans-fatty acids in many margarine now than there used to be).
A university study points out another danger associated with the consumption of foods high in trans-fatty acids:
November 20, 2014
The health experts have strongly come in support of the reduction or removal of ‘harmful’ trans fats from processed food items as a new study has found that their consumption could impose adverse effects on the human brain, damaging the memory.
Trans fat, an artificially created unsaturated fat, is rampantly used in the processed food in order to improve their texture, flavor and most importantly the shelf life of a food item.
The study was conducted by the researchers at the University of California, San Diego. According to the study group, men who gathered excess trans fat were found to be at a higher risk of memory loss and other related troubles.
Beatrice A Golomb, study lead investigator and a professor of medicine at the University of California in San Diego, said, “Consumption of trans fat has been associated with higher body weight, heart disease and more aggression. I have always asserted that while trans fats raises the shelf life of foods, they reduce the shelf life of people.” http://www.americaherald.com/trans-fat-rich-junk-food-not-good-for-your-memory-study/21058/
Having trouble remembering things lately? Maybe you’re eating too many trans fats. Found in many fast foods, trans fats are already known to be bad for the heart. But they may harm your memory as well.New research found that some young to middle-aged men who ate a diet high in trans fats had various health issues, including memory problems.
Margarine, snack foods, coffee creamers, some refrigerated doughs, frozen pizza and baked goods like doughnuts can be loaded with trans fats. These fats pack a double-whammy when it comes to cholesterol, according to the Mayo Clinic. They’ve been found to raise "bad" cholesterol (LDL) and lower "good" cholesterol (HDL).
The study authors pointed out that trans fats can have a negative effect on cell energy. Trans fats are “prooxidant.” That means they create oxidative stress, which can damage cells and tissues. Oxidative stress is thought to contribute to heart disease and cancer. ...
Trans fats are manufactured artificially. They are intended to extend the shelf life of foods. They keep oils in a solid form at room temperature. The US Food and Drug Administration is taking measures to limit the amount of trans fats in food.
Dr. Golomb told dailyRx News that she advises people to eat "foods," not "anti-foods."
"I confine the term 'foods' to substances that feed cells the nutrients and antioxidants they need to function and remain healthy," she told dailyRx News. "I use the term 'anti-foods' for those artificial substances, including industrially produced trans fats, added to [edible] products that are prooxidant or otherwise adverse to cell health and function.” http://www.rxwiki.com/news-article/high-trans-fat-consumption-may-lead-memory-decline-young-and-middle-aged-men?utm_content=buffer64bdc&utm_medium=social&utm_source=plus.google.com&utm_campaign=buffer
For decades I have warned people about "anti-foods" such as margarine.
Back in the 1970s, I recall a discussion with someone who was attending the old Worldwide Church of God. I told him that butter was better than margarine and that margarine actually turned black when it was being made. He thought I was probably in error, so he wrote a manufacturer of margarine. The manufacturer confirmed, in writing, that yes, margarine did turn black while it was being processed. Once he got that confirmation, he switched to butter.
While some natural foods contain small amounts of trans fats, the hydrogenation of vegetable oils came about from a USA researcher who got a patent on it over 100 years ago. This caused the consumption of trans-fatty acids to skyrocket and has caused many health problems.
A 2013 study confirms what most of all have long realized:
According to...the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 11.3 percent of daily calories consumed by adults in 2007 through 2010 came from fast food…
While the percentage of calories consumed through fast food dropped dramatically as people grew older, there was still a significant correlation between heavier weight and the amount of fast food being consumed. Obese people had the highest percentage of fast food making up their diet.
In the 20 to 39-year-old group — which had the highest percentages of fast food in terms of daily caloric consumption — obese individuals took in on average 18 percent of their daily calories from fast food. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57570549/cdc-11-percent-of-adults-calories-come-from-fast-food/
So the obese, on average, get nearly 60% (18/11.3) more of their calories from ‘fast food’ than the non-obese.
Fast food probably contains, on average, more chemical additives than non-fast food, and certainly more than organic non-processed foods. Chemical additives have been suspected to be a link to obesity as have fats and certain other items many Americans eat.
As far as chemicals, notice the following reports from 2012 and 2013 respectively:
Deepening the mystery surrounding the health effects of bisphenol A, a large new study has linked high levels of childhood and adolescentexposure to the industrial chemical to higher rates of obesity— in white children only…Compared with children and teens with the lowest apparent exposure to the ubiquitous chemical, those with the highest exposure were roughly 2.5 times more likely to be obese.
But upon further analysis, the researchers found that for African Americans and Latinos, the link was so small it could have been a statistical fluke. And for young Caucasians, the association strengthened: Compared with white children with the least BPA in their urine, those with the most were six times more likely to be obese, the researchers found.
Bisphenol A is a chemical agent widely used to protect aluminum food cans from corrosion and to strengthen plastic bottles, toys and containers. In recent years, alarm has grown among consumer groups and public health officials amid mounting evidence that BPA readily accumulates in the body’s fat stores and can disrupt hormones that play crucial roles in sexual development, energy use and fat deposition. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci-bpa-obesity-20120919,0,3018132.story
19 August 2013
Are chemicals in food packaging making children fat? Experts warn they expand waistlines and increase the risk of diabetes
- Urine levels of one type of chemical, used to soften plastic, were tied to a higher risk of insulin resistance among teenagers
- Another study group linked bisphenol A, or BPA - used to line aluminum cans - to obesity and larger waists in young people
- Researchers advise not washing plastic in a dishwasher and throwing it away once its old or etched
'Clearly unhealthy diet and lack of physical activity are the drivers of this epidemic … but increasingly environmental chemicals are being identified as possible contributors,' Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a pediatrician from New York University, said.
He and his colleagues analysed data from a nationally-representative health and nutrition survey conducted in 2003 to 2008, which included urine and blood tests for 766 adolescents aged 12 to 19.
They found urinary levels of one particular type of phthalate, known as Di-2-ethylhexylphthalate (DEHP), were closely tied to a teenager’s chance of having insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2397059/Are-chemicals-food-packaging-making-children-fat-Experts-warn-expand-waistlines-increase-risk-diabetes.html#ixzz2cQQ8e3kn
As the above report suggests, hormones do play a role in obesity, and chemicals in foods and/or food packaging may be a factor. It has long been known that low thyroid hormones and excessive estrogen can be factors in weight gain.
Some have speculated that processed foods, chlorinated water, and/or fluoridated water can contribute to low production of thyroid hormones.
As far as excessive estrogen goes, in the USA estrogen-like hormones have long been given to meat-animals in order to plump them up faster, and higher amounts of those type of hormones have been found in various meats (including poultry). Furthermore, it should be noted that animals that people eat are not 50:50 male to female animals. Almost all chickens are females (most males are killed shortly after birth as it takes more feed to add a pound to a male chicken than a female one). Additionally, with beef, people either eat the female cow or the castrated male (called a steer)--thus there is not the same natural hormonal balance in most meats that would tend to happen in nature, as opposed to modern farming techniques.
While many have felt that artificial sweetners were the answer to obesity, they are not. Actually, the problem of obesity has increased as artificial sweetners became more widely available. Furthermore, those sweetners have their own risks.
A 2013 study suggested that the artificial sweetners that many people tend to rely on are dangerous:
Many people feel that using artificial sweeteners instead of sugar is the healthier choice. But, researchers are now saying the opposite may be true.
The American Heart Association suggests that people should avoid added sugars, which are sugars and syrups put in foods during preparation, processing or right before consumption. Sugar intake has been linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome, which includes risk factors for heat disease and stroke.
The AHA and American Diabetes Association said in July 2012 that artificial or non-nutritive sweeteners could be a good option to help people reduce calories and added sugars from their diets. In turn, you may even lose some pounds with these kinds of sweeteners — as long as you weren’t making up for it later in the day by eating more sweets, which some studies have showed.
However, an opinion article published on July 10 in Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism reveals that artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose and saccharin may not be as good for you as you might have thought.
“It is not uncommon for people to be given messages that artificially-sweetened products are healthy, will help them lose weight or will help prevent weight gain,” author Susan E. Swithers, a professor of behavioral neuroscience at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., said in a press release. “The data to support those claims are not very strong, and although it seems like common sense that diet sodas would not be as problematic as regular sodas, common sense is not always right.”…
The study, which reviewed recent research papers, revealed that artificial sweeteners were linked to an increased risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Just drinking one diet a drink a day was enough to create a significantly heightened chance of developing one of these disorders, the researchers found.
Artificial sweeteners were also shown to activate different patterns in the brain’s pleasure centers that normally correspond to sweet tastes. This may mean that these products do not satisfy our sweet tooth as much as natural sugar. One study found non-caloric sweeteners made animals eat increased amounts of calorie-rich sweet tasting food. In the end, the animals exposed to artificial sweeteners gained more weight.
Other evidence showed that consuming artificial sweeteners often leads to weight gain. The authors believed the artificial products confused the body’s ability to regulate calories based on tasting something sweet.
Another study revealed a link between diet soda drinking and weight gain over time. For each diet drink the subjects consumed per day, they were 65 percent more likely to become overweight during the next seven to eight years. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57593133/artificial-sweeteners-could-lead-to-obesity-diabetes/
Background information from the research shows that people who regularly consume artificial sweetners show abnormal activation patterns in the pleasure centers of the brain in response to sweet taste. This suggests that these products may not satisfy desires related to sweet cravings. Animal studies previously conducted also showed that mice and rats given non-caloric sweetners have dampened psyiological responses to sweet taste. This desensitization can cause rodents to overindulge in calorie-rich, sweet-tasting food and gain weight.
Recent findings even suggest that artificial sweetners increase the risk for health problems to an extent similar to sugar products and may exacerbate the negative effects of sugar.
“These studies suggest that telling people to drink diet sodas could backfire as a public health message,” said Swithers, according to the release. “So the current public health message to limit the intake of sugars needs to be expanded to limit intake of all sweeteners, not just sugars.” http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/8065/20130710/artificial-sweeteners-really-healthier-sugar.htm
It has been my experience that artificial sweeteners are not healthy. The more people eat of them, generally speaking, the less they tend to eat real foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Oddly, years ago, the USA banned cyclamates (a type of artificial sweetener) because it was considered carcinogenic (could cause cancer), but allowed saccharin (another artificial sweetener). About the same time, Canada banned saccharin as a carcinogen, but allowed cyclamates. Neither sweetner is natural and people should avoid both of them in my opinion.
But what about certain more 'traditional' diets? Well a 2013 study concluded that the ‘traditional Southern diet,’ as occurs in the USA, greatly increases the risk of stroke:
February 8, 2013
Traditional Southern Diet Linked to Strokes: Are We Surprised?…
The study, conducted by a team of researchers led by Suzanna Judd, a nutritional epidemiologist at the University of Alabama, is the first large-scale effort to look at how a diet of fried chicken, bacon, ham and sweet teas can raise the possibility of stroke. Judd and colleagues medically assessed 20,000 patients aged 45 and older…Although previous research indicated that Southerners are about 20 percent more likely to have a stroke than people who live in the rest of the country, this study showed that the frequency of stroke was proportional to the consumption of a southern diet. In fact, people who ate Southern food six times per week had about a 41 percent higher risk of stroke, compared with people who just ate Southern food once per month. In addition, the study found that the diet accounted for 63 percent of the higher risk of stroke among African Americans, compared with white Americans. http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/4836/20130208/traditional-southern-diet-linked-strokes-surprised.htmEating Southern Foods Linked To Higher Risk Of Stroke
February 8, 2013…Researchers from the University of Alabama, Birmingham believe this is the first large-scale study that examines the connection between stroke and Southern foods. The items that the team of investigators looked at included bacon, fried fish, fried potatoes, fried chicken, ham, liver, gizzards along with sugary drinks like sweet tea…
“We’ve got three major factors working together in the Southern-style diet to raise risks of cardiovascular disease: fatty foods are high in cholesterol, sugary drinks are linked to diabetes and salty foods lead to high blood pressure,” noted the study’s lead researcher Suzanne Judd…
On the other hand, the team of investigators discovered that individuals with the highest consumption of fruits, legumes, vegetables, and whole grains had a 29 percent lower stroke risk than individuals who had the lowest consumption of these types of food. http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1112780214/stroke-risk-linked-to-southern-foods-020813/
Southern Diet Might Explain the ‘Stroke Belt’…
These differences in stroke risk were found even after the researchers took into account whether they smoked, exercised or had a history of heart disease.
It remains possible, however, that other health aspects — such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure — were different between these groups, either because they ate more Southern diet foods or because of other lifestyle differences that could have contributed to variations in stroke risk, Judd said.
The researchers also found that a plant-based diet could protect against strokes. The participants in the top three quartiles had between 15 percent and 26 percent lower stroke risk than those who consumed only fruits and veggies about once a week, Judd said. http://health.usnews.com/health-news/news/articles/2013/02/07/southern-diet-might-explain-the-stroke-belt?page=2
The results are not surprising. I would also add that in various households, the use of lard (from pigs) is often been traditionally used to fry foods like chicken. The high consumption of pork products (bacon, ham, and lard) that the Bible condemns (Leviticus 11:7-8); Deuteronomy 14:8), combined with the high consumption of sweets (that the Bible seems to warn about, cf. Proverbs 25:27; Isaiah 55:2 ) is dangerous and this study helps provide additional proof of that.
Of course, if humans followed biblical injunctions about not eating swine, there would be less of other health problems as well. (Pigs transmit a variety of diseases to humans, including potentially deadly ones–for more details, please see The New Testament Church and Unclean Meats and Pigs May Spread Deadly Ebola Virus). Pigs themselves may be a factor in some of the pestilences to come.
The USA itself has problems from eating too much of the wrong foods. Hopefully, those in other lands will also pay attention to this study and make dietary changes so that they can reduce their own risk of strokes and other diseases.
But the high use of antibiotics and certain other medical procedures may also play a role:
September 6, 2013
New scientific evidence suggests what or how much we eat isn’t the only factor affecting our weight. The microbes living in our intestines matter, too.
The results of this new study raise the possibility that probiotic bacteria may someday be added to diet and exercise to help fight obesity. (Bargana S. Gut Bacteria Might Contribute to Obesity. VOA News, http://www.voanews.com/content/gut-bacteria-might-contribute-to-obesity/1744615.html viewed 09/06/13).
The use antibiotics, for example, tends to deplete natural probiotic levels as do some other medical procedures. Processed foods can also play a role.
Traditional, low-termperature homemade yogurt, tends to help provide probiotics in the diet, but relatively few do that--and some who do include a highly sugared version which also can have negative effects on the intestinal flora.
Americans are consuming too much ultra-processed 'foods':
March 10, 2016
More than half of all calories consumed in the U.S. come from "ultra-processed" foods, which can contribute to serious health complications like obesity and heart disease, new research finds.
Ultra-processed foods are products that contain several manufactured ingredients that are not generally used when cooking from scratch, including natural and artificial flavors or colors, sweeteners, preservatives, and other additives.
These are often used to imitate the taste, texture or other qualities of natural foods, or "to disguise undesirable qualities of the final product," lead study author Carlos Augusto Monteiro, a professor in the Department of Nutrition, School of Public Health at the University of São Paulo in Brazil, told CBS News.
"Different from processed culinary ingredients -- like salt, table sugar, vegetable oils, and butter -- and from processed foods, like cheese and simple breads, ultra-processed foods are hardly part of a diet based on minimally processed foods and freshly prepared drinks, dishes and meals," he said. "Instead, they are manufactured and marketed to replace those foods, drinks, dishes and meals."
Some examples of ultra-processed foods include mass produced soft drinks, sweet or savory packaged snacks, packaged baked goods, chicken or fish nuggets and other reconstituted meat products, and instant noodles and soups.
These foods are worrisome because they are generally high in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium, which contribute to a wide range of health problems including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. These foods have also been linked to an increased risk of certain cancers. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/ultra-processed-foods-calories-american-diet/
There is a lot of questionable items that Americans eat and many are not good for them.
The Bible itself warns about obesity, getting fat, and excessive eating.
Notice some of what Moses and Jeremiah wrote:
15 You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger. (Deuteronomy 32:15-16)11 “Because you were glad, because you rejoiced,
You destroyers of My heritage,
Because you have grown fat like a heifer threshing grain,
And you bellow like bulls,
12 Your mother shall be deeply ashamed;
She who bore you shall be ashamed.
Behold, the least of the nations shall be a wilderness,
A dry land and a desert. (Jeremiah 50:11-12)
God inspired the prophet Isaiah to write:
2 Why do you spend money for what is not bread,
And your wages for what does not satisfy?
Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good (Isaiah 55:2).
But Americans do not often eat what is good. And they eat a lot of white bread, which is really not real bread as it has had the wheat germ and other natural components removed. This makes an inferior product which then is sprayed with synthetic B vitamins and other “nutrients” to “fortify” it. If you notice “B vitamins” added to “fortify” refined grain products or in so-called “natural” vitamin supplements (like thiamin mononitrate, thiamin HCL, folic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, cyanocobalamin), realize that these are basically petroleum derivatives and are not the same form of vitamins that are actually found in real, natural, food.
But most Americans consume the synthetics and refined grains.
The other problem is that Americans eat too much. The Bible warns against this:
18 “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, 19 then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. 20 And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ 21 Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear. (Deuteronomy 21:18-21)
20 Do not mix with winebibbers, Or with gluttonous eaters of meat; 21 For the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty (Proverbs 23:20-21)
Yet most Americans, including those I speak with in Southern California, simply do not believe they eat too much. And this includes many overweight ones.
But notice that the Bible warns against eating bad foods and eating too much. And also notice that at least two curses are associated with this. Curses of destruction and poverty.
Poverty and destruction will come to the peoples of the United States. And, likely, famine as well (Matthew 24:7-8) before the start of the Great Tribulation–a time of trouble for the USA and its Anglo-allies.
Notice something else Isaiah and Jeremiah were inspired to write:
6 Therefore the Lord, the Lord of hosts,
Will send leanness among his fat ones;
And under his glory
He will kindle a burning
Like the burning of a fire. (Isaiah 10:16)28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’ (Jeremiah 5:28-29)
Famine and food shortages are coming. As is the end of the USA and its Anglo-descended allies. National repentance, which does not seem likely at this stage, is the only hope. But individuals themselves can turn to God. And although obesity is a multi-factorial problem, all who are overweight, even the irreligious, can eat less and make better food choices.
Obesity and diabetes are not the only problems caused by eating too much process foods.
The World Health Organization released a report about increasing cancer rates:
February 04, 2014
The World Health Organization is warning of a global "tidal wave" of cancer and says that by 2035, around 24 million people will have the disease...
What can we do about it?
Experts say the good news is that we can all take straightforward steps to cut risk.
About 30% of cancer deaths are due to the five risks: obesity, low fruit-and-vegetable intake, lack of physical activity, tobacco use, alcohol use.
Smoking is the single most important risk factor for cancer causing over 20% of global cancer deaths and about 70% of global lung cancer deaths.
Cancer-causing viral infections such as HPV are responsible for up to a fifth of cancer deaths in low and middle-income countries. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-26031748
February 04, 2014
'World Cancer Day' is celebrated annually on 4th of February to deepen our understanding of this killer disease. This year the campaign focuses on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration that is to reduce stigma and dispel myths about cancer with the tagline, "Debunk the myths".
There has been enough research to validate that food acts as the most promising ammunition to fight the battle against cancer. Keeping in with this year's campaign we bring to you six common queries that are addressed by Dr Ashutosh Gautam, Clinical Operations and Coordination Manager, Baidyanath...
Three things to keep in mind in order to stay cancer free:
- Get to and stay at a healthy weight throughout your life.
- Be physically active on a regular basis.
- Make healthy food choices with a focus on plant-based foods.
2) What are the foods that up the risk of developing cancer?Some cancers like that of the stomach have a more direct relationship with food. Foods which should be consumed in moderation to avoid the incidence of cancer are -
- Processed meats such as bacon, sausages, lunch meats and hot dogs.
http://cooks.ndtv.com/article/show/world-cancer-day-2014-foods-that-prevent-cancer-478762
February 04, 2014
The cancer agency of the World Health Organization said in a new report that cancer cases are expected to surge 57 percent worldwide in the next two decades, leading to increased need for prevention techniques.
The World Cancer Report, released Tuesday, predicts what it says will be a "human disaster." It says new cancer cases will rise from an estimated 14 million in 2014 to 22 million annually within the next 20 years. Cancer deaths are likewise expected to rise, from 8.2 million a year to 13 million annually. http://www.voanews.com/content/report-cancer-rates-on-the-rise/1843906.html
So diet, smoking, and sexual immorality (which is what normally leads to HPV) are causes for cancer. I would also add that environmental toxins and pollution are also factors. The Bible says to flee sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Smoking also is against biblical precepts (see Should Christians Smoke?).
As far as diet goes, cancer is not the only problem that eating too much refined carbohydrates, such as sugar, can cause. Notice the following study:
February 3, 2014
We know that too much sugar in your diet can lead to type 2 diabetes and obesity, but what about your heart?
A study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine demonstrates a link between sugar added in meal preparation or processed foods and the risk of death from a heart problem...
Compared with people in the study who received only 8 percent of their total daily calories from added sugar, those who consumed 17 to 21 percent increased their risk of death by heart disease by 38 percent. The statistic doubled for those who exceeded 21 percent of their daily calories in sugar. http://www.healthline.com/health-news/food-high-sugar-diet-tied-to-risk-of-serious-heart-problems-020314
February 3, 2014
Could too much sugar be deadly? The biggest study of its kind suggests the answer is yes, at least when it comes to fatal heart problems.
It doesn't take all that much extra sugar, hidden in many processed foods, to substantially raise the risk, the researchers found, and most Americans eat more than the safest amount...
"Too much sugar does not just make us fat; it can also make us sick," said Laura Schmidt, a health policy specialist at the University of California, San Francisco. She wrote an editorial accompanying the study in Monday's JAMA Internal Medicine.
The researchers focused on sugar added to processed foods or drinks, or sprinkled in coffee or cereal. Even foods that don't taste sweet have added sugar, including many brands of packaged bread, tomato sauce and salad dressing. Naturally occurring sugar, in fruit and some other foods, wasn't counted. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/study-too-much-sugar-is-linked-to-fatal-heart-disease/
Eating too much, especially processed foods and refined sugars, is a amjor health risk. As far as tobacco goes, you may wish to read the article Should Christians Smoke?
What should you eat? You should eat real food and be careful about your quantities.
2...Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good (Isaiah 55:2).
Notice the following news items:
How fruit and vegetables could make you more attractiveNew Zealand Herald – March 8, 2012If the fact that they’re nutritious isn’t enough to get you eating more fruit and vegetables, here’s some news that may convince you – they make you look good too.People who increased their intake were rated more attractive after just six weeks, UK researchers found.Scientists at St Andrews University in the United Kingdom monitored the food consumption of 35 people and took pictures of them over this period.Eating an average of 2.9 more portions of fruit and vegetables a day made them look more healthy when the rated by others at the end of the study, while an extra 3.3 portions enhanced their attractiveness. http://www.nzherald.co.nz/lifestyle/news/article.cfm?c_id=6&objectid=10790685You look good enough to eat
Wednesday 07 March 2012
Eating more fruit and veg can make your skin glow within a matter of weeks, according to new research.
The new study, by scientists at the University of St Andrews, proves that eating ‘five a day’ really is good for you.
The researchers hope that their findings, which don’t preach about long term health benefits, will appeal to the nation’s vanity instead.
The research, published today (Wednesday 7 March 2012), examined the impact of carotenoid pigments – orangey-red pigments found in fruit and vegetables – on skin colour.
The results showed that just two extra portions of fruit and vegetables per day created a detectable change in skin colour within six weeks…Poor diet represents a major source of preventable illness and death worldwide. The researchers say that 75% of people in the UK currently do not eat the NHS recommended “5-a-day” http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/news/archive/2012/Title,82727,en.html
It is not just "new research" that concludes this. Notice the result of some short-term "research" that happened thousands of years ago:
11 So Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 "Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you, and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king's delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants." 14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten days.
15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king's delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables. (Daniel 1:11-16)
I have long realized that people who do not eat enough fruit tend to wrinkle faster than those who average at least two servings per day (smoking cigarettes also increases wrinkling). And while the above study was only a short-term one, I suspect that a long-term study would tend to confirm my observations related to wrinkles here.
Eating more fruits and vegetables tends to fill people up more and decrease their consumption of excessive amounts of meats and refined carbohydrates–avoiding excessive amounts of meat (Proverbs 23:20) and eating less refined carbohydrates (cf. Isaiah 55:2, Proverbs 25:16,27) also seems to be something that the Bible advocates.
Here are a few other scriptures about food from the Hebrew scriptures (often called the Old Testament):
4 He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, And vegetation for the service of man, That he may bring forth food from the earth, 15 And wine that makes glad the heart of man, Oil to make his face shine, And bread which strengthens man’s heart. (Psalms 104:14-15)
27 You shall have enough goats’ milk for your food, For the food of your household, And the nourishment of your maidservants. (Proverbs 27:27)
2 “Speak to the children of Israel, saying, ‘These are the animals which you may eat among all the animals that are on the earth: 3 Among the animals, whatever divides the hoof, having cloven hooves and chewing the cud — that you may eat. 4 Nevertheless these you shall not eat among those that chew the cud or those that have cloven hooves: the camel, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 5 the rock hyrax, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 6 the hare, because it chews the cud but does not have cloven hooves, is unclean to you; 7 and the swine, though it divides the hoof, having cloven hooves, yet does not chew the cud, is unclean to you. 8 Their flesh you shall not eat, and their carcasses you shall not touch. They are unclean to you. 9 ‘These you may eat of all that are in the water: whatever in the water has fins and scales, whether in the seas or in the rivers — that you may eat. 10 But all in the seas or in the rivers that do not have fins and scales, all that move in the water or any living thing which is in the water, they are an abomination to you. 11 They shall be an abomination to you; you shall not eat their flesh, but you shall regard their carcasses as an abomination. 12 Whatever in the water does not have fins or scales — that shall be an abomination to you. 13 ‘And these you shall regard as an abomination among the birds; they shall not be eaten, they are an abomination: the eagle, the vulture, the buzzard, 14 the kite, and the falcon after its kind; 15 every raven after its kind, 16 the ostrich, the short-eared owl, the sea gull, and the hawk after its kind; 17 the little owl, the fisher owl, and the screech owl; 18 the white owl, the jackdaw, and the carrion vulture; 19 the stork, the heron after its kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. 20 ‘All flying insects that creep on all fours shall be an abomination to you. 21 Yet these you may eat of every flying insect that creeps on all fours: those which have jointed legs above their feet with which to leap on the earth. 22 These you may eat: the locust after its kind, the destroying locust after its kind, the cricket after its kind, and the grasshopper after its kind. 23 But all other flying insects which have four feet shall be an abomination to you. (Leviticus 11:2-23)
Basically the Bible advocates eating real food (it does not consider unclean meats to be food) and not too much of it.
While overeating and obesity are major problems in the Anglo-lands and many other nations, the fact is that the overwhelming majority of Westerners do not consume the recommended minimum of two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables per day. Not only does consuming them help appearance, this also helps reduce risk for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.
Some believe that exercise is the solution to obesity. Yet, while exercise is important to good health and can help some in weight management, it is of itself not enough.
The Apostle Paul wrote:
7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come. (1 Timothy 4:7-8)
While I personally do normally exercise four days per week (which in my case are on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings), I recognize that there is more to weight management than just exercise. Actually, I have noticed that some who exercise will start to eat more than they did before and try to 'justify it' by saying that they exercise. Yet, if they want to lose weight, they need to be careful to not eat more (or very much more) because they are also exercising.
The Bible warns of a time called the 'time of Jacob's trouble' (Jeremiah 30:7). This is also the time of the Great Tribulation of Matthew 24:21.
What are the prophetic ramifications of obesity?
Well there are personal and societal costs that could have prophetic ramifications:
Obesity related health care can be costly
ATLANTA —
Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and asthma are all diseases associated with obesity, and the drugs used to treat them are costly.
Emory University Dr. Ken Thorpe has been studying obesity in Georgia for 10 years. He said costs related to obesity are in the billions.
"It adds about $700 per adult to the cost of health care every year," Thorpe said. "In the state of Georgia, obesity costs the healthcare system about $4.4 billion a year."
The future for Georgia doesn't look good. (Obesity related health care can be costly. July 22, 2013. http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/obesity-related-healthcare-can-be-costly/nYy4k/ viewed 08/19/13The Economic Cost of Obesity in America
The increased cost of obesity is greater than you think. Obesity is costing Americans; increase in health care costs, insurance premiums, use of gasoline, upgrades to hospitals, buses, trains, and lost productivity. The list goes on. Obesity has tripled since 1960 with 34% of the American population obese and 6% of the population considered morbidly obese (a body mass index of over 40).
Added medical costs $190 billion annually due to obesity related problems. Approximately 21% of U.S. health care costs...
Public transportation and public places such as buses, trains, and sports stadiums need to replace seating with wider seating to accommodate the increasing waist lines...Lost productivity costs U.S. employers $164 billion due to obesity-related issues. Increase sick days, absenteeism due to increased medical problems. (Judd L. The Economic Cost of Obesity in America. August 5, 2013. http://www.forextv.com/forex-news-story/the-economic-cost-of-obesity-in-america viewed 08/19/13)
The USA is already massively in debt and additional health care costs (as well as decreased productivity) will contribute to that. The Bible clearly teaches that a nation that is highly indebted will be taken over:
6 "Will not all these take up a proverb against him, And a taunting riddle against him, and say, 'Woe to him who increases What is not his — how long? And to him who loads himself with many pledges'? 7 Will not your creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, All the remnant of the people shall plunder you, Because of men's blood And the violence of the land and the city, And of all who dwell in it. (Habakkuk 2:6-8)
Notice military ones according to some secular sources:
Americans' love of cheesy fries and aversion to exercise are both well documented. But while everyone has heard about the effect of high-calorie living on health care costs and kids' waistlines, scholars and former military leaders say the obesity epidemic also poses real -- but too often overlooked -- problems for national security...
"You can't say it's currently crippling the U.S. military -- that's not true," Cawley said. "But it's a serious problem, and if we get in a situation that we have to rapidly expand the size of the military, then it's going to be a really seriously binding constraint."
Military weight maximums have ticked upward as the American waistline has expanded, but further loosening of standards (and belts) could come at a cost. A 2004 study showed that almost 80 percent of recruits who initially flunked their weight test didn't complete their first term of enlistment. That comes at a significant expense to American taxpayers, who must then pay thousands of dollars to train another recruit. (Overweight Military Recruits Still a Concern. July 30, 2013. http://www.military.com/daily-news/2013/07/30/overweight-military-recruits-a-concern.html?comp=700001075741&rank=4)
Retired military leaders say this generation is "too fat to fight"
(CBS News) Is obesity America's greatest threat to national security?
A group of retired military leaders seem to think so, given 27 percent of 17 to 24-year-olds in the United States are too fat to serve in the military. That's 9 million potential recruits.
In their new report dubbed "Too Fat to Fight," the nonpartisan group of 100 retired generals and admirals known as Mission: Readiness calls on the U.S. government to reduce the amount of junk foods available at schools in favor of healthier options.
"Being overweight or obese turns out to be the leading medical reason why applicants fail to qualify for military service," the group says in the report..Citing Department of Defense data that 75 percent of young Americans can't join the military because they did not graduate from high school, have criminal records or are physically unfit, the group of retired military leaders has set their sights on combating obesity.. (Jaslow R. Retired military leaders say this generation is "too fat to fight." CBS, September 25, 2102. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57520233-10391704/retired-military-leaders-say-this-generation-is-too-fat-to-fight/ viewed 08/19/13)
That is right. While it has not currently 'crippled' the USA military, obesity is a threat to the national security of the USA. And since Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand directly and/or indirectly rely on the USA for their national security, this is a real threat.
The prophetic ramifications of obesity are that destruction will come. The secular ramifications are that there will be massive health care costs (the USA is already over-its-head in debt), societal costs, and military costs.
Notice that the Bible tells of a blessing for eating good and problem for those that refuse to obey:
19 If you are willing and obedient,
You shall eat the good of the land;
20 But if you refuse and rebel,
You shall be devoured by the sword";
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 1:19-20)
Obesity will apparently be a factor in the elimination of the USA and its Anglo-allies as various scriptures suggest.
Those that do not think that this is possible should study the following articles with a truth-inquiring mind and an open Bible:
Anglo - America in Prophecy & the Lost Tribes of Israel Are the Americans, Canadians, English, Scottish, Welsh, Australians, Anglo (non-Dutch) Southern Africans, and New Zealanders descendants of Joseph? Where are the lost ten-tribes of Israel? Who are the lost tribes of Israel? What will happen to Jerusalem and the Jews in Israel? Will God punish the U.S.A., Canada, United Kingdom, and other Anglo nations? Why might God allow them to be punished first? A video of possible interest may be Will Will USA Spying Help the Beast Power?
Will the Anglo-Nations be Divided and Have People Taken as Slaves? Will the lands of the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand be divided? What about Jerusalem? What does Bible prophecy teach? Are there non-biblical prophecies that support this idea? Who will divide those lands? Who will end up with the lands and the people? Here is a link to a video titled Will the USA and other Anglo-nations be Divided and Their People Made Slaves? Here is a related item in the Spanish language ¿Serán divididas las naciones anglosajonas?
Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? Spain wants Gibraltar and Argentina wants the Falklands (also known as the Malvinas). Does the Bible give clues as to what will happen with these 'sea gates'? A related video would be Will the UK Lose Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands? A ver¿Perderá el Reino Unido a Gibraltar y las Islas Falkland (Malvinas)?
Canada in Prophecy: What Does Bible Prophecy, Catholic Prophecy, and other Predictions Suggest About the Future of Canada? There are prophecies that suggest involvement with Canada. And many are not positive about its future.
Protestant and Church of God views of the United States in Bible Prophecy Is the USA mentioned in Bible prophecy? Some Protestants say yes, while others say no. What does the Bible really teach? Learn the truth about this. There is also a video available: Is The United States Mentioned In Bible Prophecy?
Who is the King of the West? Why is there no Final End-Time King of the West in Bible Prophecy? Is the United States the King of the West? Here is a version in the Spanish language: ¿Quién es el Rey del Occidente? ¿Por qué no hay un Rey del Occidente en la profecía del tiempo del fin?
The end of the USA and its Anglo-descended allies is coming. There is no prophecy in scripture that I believe even hints that a country like the current USA will exist after the King of the North succeeds (cf. Daniel 11:39, which seems to be the only reference to the USA in that chapter, and shows its conquering and division). National repentance, which does not seem likely at this stage, is the only hope. But individuals themselves can turn to God. And although obesity is a multi-factorial problem, all who are overweight, even the irreligious, can eat less, try to avoid chemical additives, and make better food choices.
The end resutl of obesity will be that it will contribute to disaster to the Anglo peoples. Though individuals can make changes to improve their health, both spiritually and physically.
And while they do not like to believe this, almost all obese people need to eat less.
That being said, losing weight can be very, very difficult. But real Christians should believe the following:
13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13)
With prayer and proper determination, breaking away from being obese can happen.
Thiel B. Obesity, processed foods, and the Bible. http://www.cogwriter.com/obesity.htm (c) 2013/2014/2015/2016 0310
There is also a related YouTube video titled Eating Right, Eating Too Much, and Prophecy.