The South wasn't right, but they are fat

[baghdad_bush]

ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- The South tips the scales again as the nation's fattest region, according to a new government survey.

More than 30 percent of adults in each of the states tipped the scales enough to ensure that the South remains the nation's fattest region.

Colorado was the least obese, with about 19 percent fitting that category in a random telephone survey last year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The 2007 findings are similar to results from the same survey the three previous years. Mississippi has had the highest obesity rate every year since 2004. But Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana have also clustered near the top of the list, often so close that the difference between their rates and Mississippi's may not be statistically significant.

These are the 10 states with the highest levels of adult obesity, according to a 2007 survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

1. Mississippi, 32.0 percent
2. Alabama, 30.3
3. Tennessee, 30.1
4. Louisiana, 29.8
5. West Virginia, 29.5
6. Arkansas, 28.7
7. South Carolina, 28.4
8. Georgia, 28.2
9. Oklahoma, 28.1
10. Texas, 28.1

Source: Associated Press Why is the South so heavy? The traditional Southern diet -- high in fat and fried food -- may be part of the answer, said Dr. William Dietz, who heads CDC's nutrition, physical activity and obesity division.

The South also has a large concentration of rural residents and black women -- two groups that tend to have higher obesity rates, he said.

Colorado, meanwhile, is a state with a reputation for exercise. It has plentiful biking and hiking trails, and an elevation that causes the body to labor a bit more, Dietz said.

Obesity is based on the body mass index, a calculation using height and weight. A 5-foot, 9-inch adult who weighs 203 pounds would have a BMI of 30, which is considered the threshold for obesity.

CDC officials believe the telephone survey of 350,000 adults offers conservative estimates of obesity rates, because it's based on what respondents said about their height and weight. Men commonly overstate their height and women often lowball their weight, health experts say.

"The heavier you are, the more you underestimate your weight, probably because you don't weigh yourself as often," Dietz said.

Overall, about 26 percent of the respondents were obese, according to the study, published this week in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

A different CDC survey -- a gold-standard project in which researchers actually weigh and measure survey respondents -- put the adult obesity rate at 34 percent in 2005 and 2006, the most recent years for which there are data.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/diet.fitness/07/17/obesity.states.ap/index.html

[Taverner]

1. All that friggen meat

Also - if you're poor, it is harder to buy healthy food.

[aspergris]

5. meat does not make you fat

to much food makes you fat.

It is harder to buy nutritious food when you are poor, UNLESS you are willing to do the prep and cook from scratch fwiw.

I lived in the hood half my life. Staples like 50 lbs bags of brown rice, eggs, chicken liver, etc. were hella cheap.

Gotta shop smart. Shop S-Mart

[DesertFlower]

9. brown rice is healthy.

however, most people prefer white rice.

actually eating brown rice and beans is healthy.

[aspergris]

18. yes

brown rice has a much lower glycemic index, and way higher nutrient/calorie ratio.

as a former hawaii resident, you had to practically hold people at gunpoint to get them to eat brown rice there - the culture is ALL about white rice.

my staples are cruciferous vegetables (especially in the form of homemade napa cabbage kimchi), eggs, liver, brown rice, etc. which are all pretty cheap.

can still get 60 eggs for $5 which is $.05 an egg.

3 eggs and some brown rice is a rather healthy meal.

Add some tomatoes and brocolli from my garden, and I got a cheap nutritious meal. under $.40

my new york steaks otoh. can;'t grow those in the garden.

[DesertFlower]

32. i eat lots of vegetables and brown rice.

very seldom eat meat. for protein, i take a protein drink which gives me 55 grams. i do eat cage free organic eggs. i can get a dozen for $2.29 at trader joes. i don't eat any dairy. i use rice milk for cereal which is also organic. trader joes' carries a lot of organic foods and their prices are great.

some of the chinese restaurants are now offering brown rice.

we also have few mideastern restaurants where i can get felafal. i know there deep fried, but they are low in fat and very high in fiber.

when i want "comfort food" -- fried chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, green beens with bacon i go to the Cracker Barrel. that only happens every few months.

[HughMoran]

31. I was surprised to find that brown rice is not that good of a food

I had always thought it was a decent food, but it's still a carb with relatively high glycemic load and it's very inflammatory which is death for me.

Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked (1 cup)

Glycemic load 22 (100 per day max. target)

Inflammation factor -161 (moderately inflammatory) (50/day max)


White rice is worse, but not that much worse. Brown wins out when the analysis is looked at closer, but I personally avoid rice at all costs as it's not a good food.


Rice, white, medium-grain, cooked (1 cup)

Glycemic load 29 (100 per day max. target)

Inflammation factor -184 (moderately inflammatory) (50/day max)

This is a great website BTW - it really opened my eyes - http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5710/2

[DesertFlower]

34. i don't have a problem with carbs.

then again, i don't overdo it. thanks for the website. i bookmarked it.

[aspergris]

36. yes, it is definitely a carb

it's rice for pete's sake.
fwiw, i sometimes to some extent seek out inflammatory foods (and arachidinoic acid).

i mentioned this in another post.

it's all part of the inflammatory response ot training.

if i was sedentary, i'd avoid them

i avoid NSAIDs for the opposite reason.

[HughMoran]

40. Of course - we all have different needs

I was speaking kind of generally based on the indexes from the website, but if I didn't have heart disease in my family and if I didn't suffer from arthritic pain due to swollen joints, I would surely give it a second look - there are only so many food choices after all!

Funny, I avoid NSAIDs due to the severe acid reflux issues I've had in the past - though they work wonders on my joints. I hate life sometimes - so many catch 22's.

[aspergris]

43. yes

eating for performance and for health intersect but are not necessarily the same thing.

also, NSAIDs really suck for a # of reason. I know people who chomp them down like peanuts, and they are just a bad idea to get hooked on.

[MullenBank]

99. I love that movie

n/t

[DesertFlower]

6. that is true. nt

[exothermic]

10. Healthful food. Healthy food would still be alive.

:evilgrin:

[aspergris]

25. cue Animal House

OTTER: Vegetables can be really sensuous,
don't you think?



No.



Vegetables are sensual



People are sensuous.



Right. "Sensual." That's what l meant.



My name is Eric Stratton. They call me Otter.



My name's Marion.
They call me Mrs. Wormer.



We have a Dean Wormer at Faber.



What a coincidence. I have a husband
named Dean Wormer at Faber.



You still want to show me your cucumber?

[Lorien]

55. Yep. As the author of "the omnivore's dilemma" says "eat real food, mostly

plants, and not too much of it". A simple prescription for a good diet. The poor end up with little more than heavily processed, starchy foods full of high fructose corn syrup because that's what they can afford. Also, here in the South most men seem to believe that eating fruits and vegetables (other than potatoes) is "feminine", and that real men eat beef and pork (often heavily salted) as often as possible.

[aspergris]

61. I call (somewhat) bullshit on that

You can afford healthy food even if poor IF you are willing to do the prep

I lived in the hood for years. I saw how people shopped.

Plenty of poor people loaded up on heavily processed prepared foods vs. the staples that are cheap(er) and way more nutritious.

Yes, fresh produce can be a bit expensive.

But brown rice, liver, legumes, eggs, stuff like that is very cheap

frozen concentrated orange juice is reasonble, and as cheap or cheaper than sunny d, which is much more commonly bought

etc,

[Lorien]

63. When I lived in the "hood" (in a very poor family's basement

which was just bare concrete walls and one light bulb) all I could afford was Ramen noodles and bananas and oatmeal-sometimes Mac and cheese. My mother is into the voluntary simplicity lifestyle these days and she eats a lot of brown rice, legumes, yogurt and cottage cheese, etc. and doesn't spend much at all to stay healthy-but it still costs more per calorie than Ramen noodles. There's poor and then there's near homeless, and the near homeless diet does lead to malnutrition.

[aspergris]

67. yes

I agree that stuff like ramen noodles are about as cheap as you can get on a dollar/kilocalorie basis.

My point was that there is a behavioral aspect as well.

Btw, knew a girl named Lorien once. On Martha's Vineyard.

Parents were big Tolkien fans apparently.

[Popol Vuh]

98. Hi Lorien

The funny and ironic thing is: all that beef and pork these so-called manly men eat produces vascular clogging plaque which can result in less blood flow to produce an erection. So I guess the more fruits and vegetable eating men are more masculine than the less potent meat and potatos eating men.

LOL.. :)

[Zhade]

92. Nope - high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils...

NT!

[cobalt1999]

2. That's because we have the best food down here.

Who can get fat on Colorado granola?

Down here we have fried chicken with gravy, collard greens, corn bread, black eyed peas, sweet potato pie, fried okra, and moon-pies.

:)

[DesertFlower]

4. you're making me hungry.

i allow myself that kind of food once in a while.

[Aviation Pro]

8. Come on down y'all and try our elk, buffalo and venison....

...that's good eatin'.

[aspergris]

26. i ate a fair amount

of elk jerky when i lived maui.

good stuff. The horns were a little crunchy, but... :)

[tridim]

19. Granola is a miracle food, everyone should eat it.

It's pretty cheap too if you make your own. I load my recipe up with antioxidants and Omega-3 fatty acids.

[cherokeeprogressive]

47. Catfish 'n hushpuppies. mmmmmmm

[BlooInBloo]

91. I miss the catfish.

[mrs_p]

93. agreed!

i have yet to find good food here in colorado other than buffalo. i miss my northwest salmon and seafood. but, as a grad student, it's not like i can afford good food anyway!

[nam78_two]

3. Is that right? Wow I am surprised Michigan is not in the top 10

I lived in Michigan for a long time and from my observations I would have assumed MI would be in the top 10.

[Pavulon]

Correlate with income...

your income and healthy meal options in BFE miss. are not as vast as Greenwich, CT.

Food for thought.

[aspergris]

13. contrarily

your ability to GROW healthy food in BFE are often quite good, and it's sad how few rural people take advantage of gardening for their own food

I live in suburbia USA, yet have a rather large garden in our backyard. I gotta give props to my wife who designed it, but we get a LOT of very cheap and nutritious produce compared to what it would cost at the store, that is also nutritionally vs. calorically dense.

Gardening is a cultural thing, and sadly too few people are brought up to enjoy and participate in growing their own food. few things are more empowering to your health than being able to take personal responsibility for your food by growing it from soil, air, and water.

[Pavulon]

16. True but WIC

is not accepted at Whole Foods. If it was you could not feed a family on it.

I live in the south and eat well and exercise because of family history.

Low income families do not have access to farmland.

[aspergris]

20. whole foods

is rightly referred to as "whole paycheck", because it is pretty expensive

and farmland is any plot of dirt that you can plant in, which is pretty much ANY plot of dirt in the loamy south.

plenty of low income families have YARDS, which is where we grow a fair bit of our food. it's not farmland.

again, it's a cultural thing. people who weren't brought up to appreciate and participate in growing their own food - generally don't

[Maddy McCall]

94. No they don't. Why don't you come south and see how the poor live.

They live in tenements, housing projects, and low-income apartments, just like anywhere else in the US. These don't have yards that housing managers will allow to be tilled.

Very very few Section 8 recipients are able to rent houses for the little bit that they are allotted.

And when you're working two shifts--8 hours at the convenience store, then 8 more at Burger King--and you come home and tend to children, you don't exactly have much time left to plant and tend to a garden.

Rural areas in the south are much like rural areas anywhere else...the wealthy have moved to suburbia/the country, and have left urban areas to the poor. Just because you're available to live in suburbia, where land to till is plenty--it doesn't mean that southern poor people can afford the same thing.

[AlCzervik]

7. time for a beer run, can't have popcorn without it.

:popcorn:

[aspergris]

11. oh god. BMI here we go again

"Obesity is based on the body mass index, a calculation using height and weight. A 5-foot, 9-inch adult who weighs 203 pounds would have a BMI of 30, which is considered the threshold for obesity"

which is of course also absurd.

Fwiw, BMI is a proxy used to (allegedly) measure obesity. Obesity is a measure of FAT not muscle, yet BMI does not distinguish between the two

as long as the population doesn't have a large percentage of outlier athletes, it works reasonably well as an aggregate reading, but does discriminate against athletes, specifically strenght athletes.

I weigh 218 right now and am 5'10, so am well into the "obese " BMI category. Yet, my bodyfat is much lower than the average male - currently around 11%

surveys don't take us outliers into account since they ASSUME that weight = fat.

BMI also slightly skews in favor of what we refer to in the strength trade of "skinny fat" which are people with such ridiculous paucity of muscle, that their relatively low weight belies the fact that they are actually possessing a higher bf level than average.

you see this in small framed sedentary couch potatoes a fair bit.

this does not deny the fact that the south IS full of fat people. They frigging fry everything under the sun, drink lots of sweet tea, etc.

[flvegan]

12. Based on the Body Mass Index? Means it's a shit study.

That's it, that's all.

Could also mean that the South is all bodybuilders.

[aspergris]

14. see post 11

note that the most accurate method of BF measurement is autopsy. That is rather inconvenient though :)

[flvegan]

24. I'll believe one of these studies

when all the subjects are tested using immersion.

[aspergris]

29. that's an extremely accurate method

even a skilled person at calipers- it's less accurate. although calipers are good to show relative change WITHIN a training regimen, getting an absolute # is not that accurate.

[City of Mills]

15. What is the bigger factor? Diet or exercise?

I'm curious...is it too hot to go outside and exercise regularly? I would think there would be more obese people here in the northeast with the cold, long winters. Do people in the south drive everywhere? Is the food just that much richer? I'd like to hear some opinions on this.

[aspergris]

28. diet... here's why

first my bona fides: former personal trainer (i have trained dozens of people to meet fat-loss, muscle gain, performance goals), longtime competitive strength athlete.

second... some caveats: some people are genetic freaks. they can eat whatever they want, not exercise, and never gain an ounce of fat. i know some freak athletes who can LOOK at a barbell and gain muscle. What i am saying does not apply to freakazoids, or to the extremely rare person who is fat solely through the fault of disease or metabolic disorder. they are extrmeely rare.

diet and exercise in COMBO are synergistic. however...

if one had to CHOOSE, it's diet that is most important. if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. period.

and when it comes to losing weight, it's not JUST calories (Although that is primary), it's also hydratio, sleep, phyto/micro nutrients, EFA's, etc. that can play a big part.

it is not conceptually difficult to eat well, lose fat, etc.

it is hard in practice, because most people don't want to deal with discomfort, most people have a hard time changing lifelong bad habits, most people lie to themselves over a # of years in letting themself get fat, etc.

[DesertFlower]

38. you are absolutely right.

i've been eating healthy for over 25 years. i've been preaching to my husband, family and friends about it for that long, but no one wanted to listen.

my husband is eating a little better the past few years, but he has a long way to go. my sister diets and exercises and loses the weight and then she goes back to her old ways and gains the weight back -- the same with my niece (her daughter). you not only have to change the way you eat -- you have to change the way you think about food.

if you eat a healthy diet, then every month or so, you can splurge and eat something that's not good for you.

[aspergris]

42. that is so true

especially the "way you think about food" thing.

as a longtime athlete, I think about food as fuel, as a performance additive for my body. sure, i supplement some (some amino acids like glutamine and taurine, some fish oil, etc.) but it's mostly FOOD.

people eat for many reasons - when they are sad, when they are bored, because it's served to them, etc. etc.

and food is so closely tied to pleasure, comfort, etc. that how we eat, and the foods we choose become a huge part of how we view ourselves and how we deal with the world

that's VERY difficult to change, and ultimately only the individual can make that change for themself.

it is very hard to change ANY behavioral habit, and food is no different. you are right though, that ONCE it is changed, and really gets ingrained, it becomes a part of the new you.

I tell people there are no bad foods. there are only bad diets. iow, a big mac is not a bad food. a big mac every day is. a couple of week , especially for somebody like me that eats 3k + calories a day, is not a big deal.

there are a few food elements though that are actually BAD - transfats comes to mind. other than that, even saturated fat is not ipso facto bad. in fact, too little saturated fat causes lower testosterone in men, and makes them (especially if they are athletes) more prone to injury.

each meal is a microcosm, and each day a "bigger cosm" so to speak.

over the course of the day what DID you eat? make a conscious decision to THINK about what you're eating.

i've also found that many people who tend to overeat, tend to eat a lot of relatively bland foods. if you up the FLAVOR, you can get satisfied (to some extent) with less quantity.

you can pound down bland food in mass quantities and not even think about it.

if you stock yer fridge with tons of tasty, nutritionally dense and calorie sparse foods, then its also easier not to eat the high calorie, nutrient sparse foods. find stuff you like and eat that.

some things i like are kimchi, pickles (but if you have issues with sodium be careful with these), miso soup, etc.

[DesertFlower]

44. we keep dill pickles in the refrigerarator.

sometimes at night if i'm hungry i'll drink a cup of organic chicken broth. its about 30 calories.

[aspergris]

46. pickle juice

is also a decent source of salt. it's kind of a poor man's gatorade. if you are very dehydrated, drinking a little pickle juice ALONG with plain water will speed absorption

[DesertFlower]

48. thanks. that's a great idea. nt

[Progressive_In_NC]

54. I am dealing with a nutrionist now and I can't eat all the food she wants me to

I am 6'5" and weigh 362 lbs at 32 years old. I spent about six years travelling full time and eating in restaurants and working 16 hour days and it put 170 lbs on me. Two weeks ago I weighed 375 so it's coming off fast to me.

BUT the nutrionist wants me to eat 3600 calories of healthy foods a day. That's about 26 gallons of salad :). I'm eating six times a day and it's working. In addition I am playing full-court basketball half an hour a day and doing the elliptical for 45 minutes. That is six days a week.

The sleep and hydratio thing is killing me. In order to get 9 hours of sleep and get to work by 7 am I need to be in bed by 9.

It is doable though, it just takes a lot of work.

[Lorien]

58. It's great that you're sticking to it

eating six times a day IS hard-especially with modern schedules. And finding the time to prepare that many healthy meals (especially salads) ain't easy either. I think that much of America's weight problem revolves around our schedules as much as it does our lack of activity and the affordability of healthy foods.

[aspergris]

60. good on ya

One day at a time. One of the keys is finding a health, nutrient rich food that you really like, and that's easy to prepare.

One huge plus that dieters (and strength athletes) have these days is an incredible variety of lowcarb/no sugar foods (i am a diet coke FIEND), reasonably tasty well mixing protein powders, easy availability of supp's like fish oil, etc.

[DS1]

17. Air conditioning

[bemildred]

30. And the need for it.

Exercising when it is 90 and 90 is self-abuse of the worst sort.

[jus_the_facts]

33. I'll give up my a/c down here when you give up your heater up there...

:P

[Yupster]

83. I think you're close to the answer

I grew up in NYC and we were all outside all of the time no matter how hot it was - children and adults too.

Why?

Because we didn't have air conditioning and no matter how hot it was outside, it was a lot worse inside. Starting about age 10, the neighbor kids slept out in my backyard in a tent many summer days. Fun times.

Now schools cancel recess because it's too hot outside.

Why are we fat?

Computers, cable tv and air conditioning are my culprits.

[trof]

21. Every time I go to town, somebody kicks my dog around.

If they don't quit kickin' my dog around,
I gonna quit goin' into town.

[Captain Hilts]

22. Low income and black citizens have higher obesity rates than wealthier and whiter. nt

[SoCalDem]

23. Air conditioning, TV, fear-of-crime, fast-food, poverty

Take your pick..

Adult obesity has its roots in childhood..

In the 50's children played outside all day.. there was not a lot of A/C, few tvs, no fast food joints.. Kids wanted to be out of that hot house, off riding their bikes and playing.. They were lean kids, burning off the "comfort food" the were fed..

Fast forward...

Even the poorest of the poor, have access to all the cheap fast foods they can eat, everyone has TVs.. Fear of crime, and absent parents lead to children being cooped up inside most of the time, phoning friends, instead of getting on their bikes and going to see them..to get a bike-riding group together..

Kids are bored, so they eat & watch tv or play video games.. Left to their own devices, most kids will not fix themselves a fresh salad with low-fat vinagrette... they grab a bag of Doritos or fix frozen Pizza..

When schools have little or no phys ed, and they don;t get exercise out of school, just how DO they get rid of the calories? they Don't.

Fat kids grow into fat adults, who then end up raising fat kids..

Poorer people decades ago walked to bus stops and then did manual labor...they did not sit at desks answering phones, & looking at computer screens..

In families with both parents, there was often also a grandma or an auntie who stayed home with the kids and actually cooked real food (if Mom, herself was not at home).. There was a person who said.. "Don;t eat that, you'll ruin your dinner".. These days there are millions of kids at home who are "free-range" kids, grazing while parents are at work...with no adult there to stop them..and secretly , many parents are happy to not have to cook much when they get home..bone tired..

[DesertFlower]

39. you are so right.

i'm 66. when i was a kid we were always outside playing. even in the summer when it was hot (i lived in new york) we were out playing ball or jumping rope, etc. we would go inside to eat dinner and then it was back out playing again until dark or later. the streets were safe and at night people brought chairs out and sat outside. my mom cooked every night and so did my grandmother who lived down the street. we did eat ice cream in the summer. it was a treat, but we were so active that we worked the calories off. it was rare to see a fat kid back then.

[Hannah Bell]

27. Talk about ignoring the obvious.

The South is fatter because it's poorer. It used to be thinner for the same reason. West Virginia makes the list, not because it has a high black population (3.2%), but because it's poor. Virginia doesn't make the list because it's not, even though it's in the old south.

http://www.nemw.org/poverty.htm

Nothing to do with genetics or diet, except very indirectly.

[Quantess]

35. Apparently self reported.

"random telephone survey".

People tend to underestimate their own weight, especially if they're overweight or obese.

[Dukkha]

37. very surprised Ohio not there

This area is really fat. Particularly where I live which is a major fast food franchise test area, and as a result has more fast food restaurants per capita than anywhere in the US. Add that to frigid weather that keeps people indoors, and an increasing lethargic lifestyle and it makes us the 6th fattest city.

[Lorien]

64. Yep, I grew up in Columbus

people were a lot more active there in the 1970s because there wasn't many diversions there in town. If you wanted recreation, you went to Whetstone Park or Sharon woods-or maybe you headed down to Hocking Hills. These days when I visit people just want to eat out and go to the mall...and there are a LOT of shopping areas in Columbus now. The city sure has grown, and the waistlines have along with it!

[AllieB]

41. There's a correlation between poverty and obesity

If you look at the states with the highest rates of obesity, they are also among the poorest. It has to do with overconsumption of refined carbohydrates. Refined carbs like white rice, pasta, and ramen noodles are cheap and can feed a family inexpensively. Fresh vegetables and meats are expensive (and rising in price also).

[dysfunctional press]

45. and stupidity.

nt

[Iris]

49. yeah, I've never ever met a stupid thin person.

:eyes:

[AllieB]

52. Wow. How judgemental.

:eyes:

It must be nice to be able to look down on people because of their social class or weight.

[dysfunctional press]

53. aren't you the one who brought up a correlation between poverty and obesity...

i was pointing out that the same type of correlation generally exists between those in combination, and a lower level of education/intelligence as well.

[RoyGBiv]

73. Yeah, sure ...

There is a correlation between poverty and obesity; the poor have trouble buying healthy food, but in the good ol' USofA you can guy really shitty food for next to nothing, like bread sold by WalMart for 66 cents a loaf that has almost no nutritional value but has starch that turns into sugar that turns into fat.

There is also a correlation between *ignorance* and obesity. Those who are ignorant of what constitutes a healthy diet, of the fact that that 66 cent loaf of bread is poison ... they'll be fat too.

The word "stupidity" does not have the same connotative meaning, and I think you know that.

[dysfunctional press]

74. you seem like a very bitter and unhappy person.

i'll be sure to remember you in my prayers.

[RoyGBiv]

77. Thanks for your diagnosis ...

But it really doesn't help your lack of an argument.

[dysfunctional press]

78. you made my argument.

stupidity, ignorance- they both denote a general lack of intelligence, and i've alwyas found them to be pretty much interchangeable...and both of my thesauri show them as such.
my apologies if you have different meanings for common words to which i am not privy, and are thus offended by my usage; as i admit to not being fully versed in the working or un-workings of your particular psyche.
peace.

[Kajsa]

82. They are not synonymous.

ignorance,

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignorance

Main Entry:
ig·no·rance
Pronunciation:
\ˈig-n(ərən(t)s\
Function:
noun
Date:
13th century
: the state or fact of being ignorant : lack of knowledge, education, or awareness

no mention of lack of intelligence.


stupidity,

from- stupid,

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stupid

Main Entry:
1stu·pid
Pronunciation:
\ˈstü-pəd, ˈstyü-\
Function:
adjective
Etymology:
Middle French stupide, from Latin stupidus, from stupēre to be numb, be astonished — more at type
Date:
1541
1 a: slow of mind : obtuse b: given to unintelligent decisions or acts : acting in an unintelligent or careless manner c: lacking intelligence or reason : brutish

---lacking intelligence.

I have known intelligent people who are ignorant in certain areas
such as compassion and understanding of others.

[dysfunctional press]

85. you may want to inform moissure roget- he seems to think they are.

nt

[Kajsa]

97. ---?---

QuestionAll (1000+ posts) Sat Jul-19-08 08:16 AM
Response to Reply #73

78." you made my argument.

stupidity, ignorance- they both denote a general lack of intelligence, and i've always found them to be pretty much interchangeable...and both of my thesauri show them as such."

--- this is your quote.

[dysfunctional press]

103. you're exactly correct...

what you seem to fail to realize is that there are other sources for discerning the meaning/usage of words than your particular dictionary.

expand your mind, expand your world.

peace.

[Kajsa]

105. Pick ANY dictionary and find the

definitions of

Ignorance-stupidity.

They will differ.

Finding the true definitions of words is not a grey area,
it's precise.

Your denial of such does not make it so.

[RoyGBiv]

84. You're being obtuse n/t

[dysfunctional press]

86. in your opinion...

which i don't hold too highly...:hi:

[RoyGBiv]

87. Okay, here's the thing ...

You made an off-the-cuff asinine comment about Southerners being stupid because you thought it was funny to denigrate Southerners. A few people pointed out you were being insensitive and prejudiced, and I pointed out you were using a connotatively insulting word improperly.

That's how it went.

Now, if you want to stick to that, okay fine, I don't care other than to make sure your ignorant commentary on the word "stupid" is seen for what it is.

I really don't want you to hold my opinion highly. I'd consider that an insult in fact.

You're aware, of course, that you convinced no one enough to bother to suggest had you had anything intelligent to say, so have fun with that.

Ciao.

[dysfunctional press]

96. the post i replied to was not about southerners...

it was about the correlation between poverty and obesity- the post even suggested looking at the states with the highest rates of obesity- and the last time i checked, wisconsin and michigan aren't in the south.

despite what you apparently seem to think the south hasn't cornered the market on poor fat stupid ignorant people. yet.

[fascisthunter]

100. oy vey

[RoyGBiv]

71. Yeah that's it ...

Sounds strangely familiar. Who said something like this ... who was it, who ...

Hmmm ...

[dysfunctional press]

75. who?

:shrug:

[RoyGBiv]

89. Phil Gramm

Not the precise words, but their meaning.

You can stand back all aghast all you want, but you and everyone who has read this knows perfectly well you're denigrating the poor and uneducated.

So deal with it.

If you want to be a lampoon artist, go somewhere else. Here, we don't cater to that kind of condescending bullshit.

[Catherine Vincent]

50. It's all black women's fault the South is fat.

:eyes:

[dysfunctional press]

79. revenge is a dish best served artery-clogging. and deep-fried.

ancient wisconsin parable.

[ecstatic]

80. Yeah I noticed that fun fact they tried to slip in

Unless they offer actual statistics on what percentage of the population black women represent then I'm not buying it.

[carlyhippy]

51. hmm...BBQ briskit, fried catfish, fried okra, pecan pie, sweet potato pie

fried chicken, mashed potatos with cream gravy, chicken fried steak, fried green tomatoes, fried yellow squash.....oh yeah, the house wine of the south, very sweet tea.....

Give me my food, let me be fat...

[Thothmes]

62. Remember, all of that frying is with lard or bacon grease.

[carlyhippy]

65. I use canola oil, still fattening, but I guess it's better than lard

but it's still good food!

[Lance_Boyle]

66. BS

vegetable oils rule the fryer, esp peanut oil. Shortening is on its way out. Frying with lard or bacon grease would be prohibitively expensive.

[Thothmes]

70. May well be, but it still produces the bes fried chicken.

[AllieB]

72. True. Lard is the best for frying.

:yum:

[Leftist Agitator]

102. "Frying with lard or bacon grease would be prohibitively expensive."

I'm from WV, and I still fry greens in bacon grease, and the green tomatoes that I'm frying later this afternoon certainly will be fried in leftover bacon grease as well.

I save bacon fat every time I fry bacon. That stuff is too good to throw away!

Lard though? Blech! You get the pork goodness, but it lacks that delicious smoky flavor (plus it's terrible for you).

Any time I deep fry, I use peanut or soybean oil, as does pretty much everyone else that I know.

[Maddy McCall]

95. No it's not.

How ignorant.

[JI7]

56. i would think those in rural areas would have lower rates of obesity

[depakid]

104. You would think that- but it's typically not the case

Same holds true in Australia. In the coastal cities, you rarely ever see anyone obese and generally speaking, not too many people overweight.

Go inland to the smaller towns, and that changes- just as it does in the states (though you won't see anywhere near as many people over weight and obese as you do in the even in the western states, much less the southeast, which really is appalling- particularly by international standards).

[Starbucks Anarchist]

57. Must be because of the popcorn.

:popcorn:

[ThoughtCriminal]

59. Growing up Southern

I'm surprised I'm still alive and healthy at age 50. Deep fried everything, lots of salt and let's not forget Krispy Kremes.

[Bluebear]

68. Maybe Southern food is more delicious than Colorado food.

[Jawja]

69. mmmmmmmmmmmmmm, boy!!!

Luv that SOUTHERN cookin'!! :bounce:

[madokie]

76. My old 60 year ass hasn't changed much over the years

6'1" 160 lbs with a 31" waist. Eat most anything put before me. Am I lucky or what???

[hedgehog]

81. Everyone has a theory, but where are the actual studies?

Look at the article:

"The traditional Southern diet -- high in fat and fried food -- may be part of the answer, said Dr. William Dietz, who heads CDC's nutrition, physical activity and obesity division."


Dollars to donuts this guy has no actual data about who is eating what and how much exercise they're getting.


One of my kids has a lot of trouble keeping his weight down without a lot of exercise. Two of my daughters are as lean as antelopes. The rest are somewhere in-between. With that much variation in one family, with the kids raised on the same foods and offered the same activities, how can anyone say that we have all the answers to why we are built the way we are?

[Elwood P Dowd]

88. I am 5-11 and 175, which is the same size as my high school football playing days.

Of course, the weight is distributed in different places these days. Have lived in Alabama and Georgia 59 of my 61 years, spending 2 years in the US Army - most in Washington, DC. Most of the fat people I see down here are either poor folks or teenagers. I've never seen so many fat teenagers.

[BlooInBloo]

90. LEAVE THE SOUTH ALONE!!!elevens!!!!!

[charlyvi]

101. We're not fat, we're fluffy. n/t