You weren't at the table the last time I had dinner with my sister in law! It is unfortunate that she is morbidly obese. She has multiple health problems but claims that her weight has nothing to do with it. Perhaps not, but I'd be willing to bet that her health problems wouldn't be as bad if she lost all that weight. What is really bad is her and her husband go out to eat all the time.

I've heard this over and over. It's unfortunate that more people who are struggling with their weight aren't open to more of this information so they can help themselves figure out what is causing them to be overweight. It may not be just that they don't have the willpower to avoid "bad" foods. There are lots of things involved and each person is different.

Over weight people are notoriously dellusional about how much they eat. There was a show on TLC a while ago that followed morbidly obese people around for a period of time, observed how much they ate and aked the respondents to judge how much they ate. After this they would place on a table all of the food that that person would typically consume in one day. As you can imagine most of the people were shocked to learn just how much they really ate.

This sounds like their research "conclusions" were completely conjecture! All they determined in their study is that over weight participants had measurably greater salivation & emotional response to food cues than the "normal" weight participants. The stated results don't indicate anything associated with overweight participants "going to the table more often", if anything, just the opposite! Their results indicate that "overweight" & "normal" weight people in this study ate the same amounts. In other words, they were unable to account for why the overweight people were heavier than the other ones. I think they should stick to the facts & not project their own biases onto their "research". There is already enough stigma & obsession over weight issues in this country without more false information being bandied around.

Here's my problem with this study (i am a PhD student doing actual science research who used to be very obese but is no longer): when test subjects participate in this study, there is the undeniable element that they are being held accountable for how much they eat...ie. the lean and obese subjects KNOW someone is going to be monitoring how much they eat, which more than likely persuades these individuals to consume less (ladies, how much do you eat in front of a first date, seriously?). We all 'cheat' sometimes on how much we eat when we know no one is watching or counting our calories. This study IMO is only valid if the subjects weren't aware that the experiment was about how much they ate...( i realize it makes thing more difficult blah blah). Obese people get that way by eating too much end of story, minus the ~1% that have thyroid issues and whatnot--not because they salivate 30% more...geez

I was watching a rerun of West Wing the other day. Leo McGarry (chief of staff), a recovering alcoholic, was explaining what it was like to be an alcoholic.

"I don't understand people who have one drink. I don't understand people who leave half a glass of wine on the table. I don't understand people who say they've had enough. How can you have enough of feeling like this? How can you not want to feel like this longer? My brain works differently."

That really opened my eyes. I feel that way about CAKE. Seriously. I don't understand people who turn down birthday cake. I don't understand people who leave half a slice of birthday cake on the table. I could never do that.

I have lost 32 pounds in the past 12 months and would like to lose 10 more. I go to Weight Watchers meetings once a week. After seeing this old West Wing episode, it dawned on me that I will probably need to go to these meetings every week for the rest of my life (not unlike AA) in order to maintain my weight (I always dieted until I lost the weight, then eventually regained it 3 years later). Now that I finally understand that this is "how my brain works," I know what I'm up against. I know it's not just a willpower thing or a diet, it's a lifestyle change. I will probably always need support. I will probably never be able to just "keep cake in my pantry," but I've learned how to carve out occasional opportunities to enjoy a slice (yes, a whole slice) by compensating elsewhere. I can live with that because it means I will still get cake...occasionally.

It's not just the desire to eat but what obese people desire that is the problem. The study used pizza for crying out loud. I don't imagine any salivation would have happened over a plate of arugula.

I have the desire to eat often too, in fact I graze all day, but with a pizza in front of me or a bistro salad, the salad is more appetizing and that is what I will eat.

Choices, it's all down to choices.

It comes down to choices - and biology - and culture - and genetics..

It's not a simple problem. I've heard many people who haven't had serious problems with weight get smug and claim it's about will power. My problem with that is it IMPLIES that poorer people (who tend to be overweight) and miniorities (obseity is a HUGE problem on reservations and among Native Americans) are some how lazy and lacking in will power. Having known many obese pople who work two jobs, raise their kids, pay their taxes, etc. I just don't buy it.

Claiming that we are the hardest working industrial nation on earth - few people take vacations - and also the laziest (have to be, we're fat, aren't we?) is a cop out for admiting that we have a food supply problem in this country. And the more the government and science tells us we should eat - the fatter we get.

Maybe if we'd quit subsidizing cheap, empty calories in the farm bills - providing the raw materials for all those damn processed foods - maybe that would help.

Middle girl-1933440 --- It's really difficult to understand what you're trying to say.

Paragraph 1 -- OK for the most part. But, blaming culture for obesity is, IMO, a cop-out. Nobody can shove a cannoli down somebody's throat unless the recipient opens his/her mouth.

Paragraph 2 -- I guess you've never seen obese wealthy people? And stop pulling that worn-out race/ethnic card as yet another excuse for behavior. For the most part, obesity IS about will-power and a change of lifestyle can fix it permanently. Exceptions are medical and psychological issues. Healthful meals of lean meats, fresh vegetables and fruits, and whole grains cost MUCH less than bags of Doritos, dips, and Burger King.

Paragraph 3 -- The USA has a food supply problem? Go on an adventure and visit a supermarket or farmer's market ... you'll find plenty of junk food, but you'll find MANY healthy food choices in the produce, meat, and dairy departments. "And the more the government and science tells us we should eat - the fatter we get." ---- What???? Have you never heard of the government/medical-advocated FOOD PYRAMID? I don't recall Twinkies or Pringles on there!!

Paragraph 4 -- Please tell me what farms grow junk food and provide "...the raw materials for all those damn processed foods..." I never knew that farms grow enriched white flour, cheese "food," refined sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and saturated fats and are to blame for growing these products! Drink water or real juice instead of soda or calorie-loaded Starbucks drinks.

CHOICES, Middle Girl ---- wheat is grown on farms, but don't buy white bread ... buy REAL whole wheat or dark bread that's not made brown by caramel coloring and flavor! Buy bulghur or real brown rice/pasta. Buy 100% frozen juice bars (or make them yourself from REAL juice) instead of the junk ice pops that are water and sugar with some coloring. Get brave and live on the edge by eating a baked sweet potato with a little salt and pepper instead of gorging on Tater Tots or McDonald's greasy fries.

We need to stop blaming the farms, government, and science for the obesity epidemic in the USA. Nobody forces people to buy junk. The obesity that is self-indulgence lies at our own doorstep -- nowhere else.

I absolutely agree that people are obese because of what and how much they eat, however based on your logic that

"when test subjects participate in this study, there is the undeniable element that they are being held accountable for how much they eat...ie. the lean and obese subjects KNOW someone is going to be monitoring how much they eat, which more than likely persuades these individuals to consume less"

If overweight people ate more, wouldn't there still be a difference between how much the two differnt groups ate,  since both groups had that "accountability" and they would both be attempting to eat less then they normally do?

A lot of obese will tend to think their problems isn't because of their weight. I'm not past 160 but close, and I'm short, 5'3. I tend to just snack whenever and I have always done that. I had greasy junk food everyday for a whole 2 1/2 years when I worked in the mall but I never got past 160, I was a little skinnier then then I was now. See I knew I was doing bad by what I was eating, but I was working a sweat running all over the huge retail store I worked at while carrying bags of clothes back to the floor (up to 50 lbs) so I kept in line with not getting huge. Unfortunately I now work in an office and I'm sitting a lot! But it's all mentality, even though I know better, I can't help it, I smell something delicious and I want it!! But good thing I am lazy (and bad), I sometimes don't want to spend the time to sit and eat and I rather to the mall and shop, that way, I am walking and giving money back into the economy!!!

But in the end, you have to blame society, but not soley just them. Our lack of standards for exercising and healthy routines is ruining a lot of people. Did you know P.E is removed in a lot of our schools? :(

It's calories in, calories out. Fat people eat more in a day and exercise less. Also, binge eating is a virtually a non-issue with people of normal weight.

Kuromi, I agree! It's an outrage that P.E. is considered an "extracurricular"!!! P.E. (physical education!!!!) is exactly that, educating or programming yourself into believing that good "life long" health can only be achieved by developing the habit of regular exercise (walking, running, bicycling, yoga, pilate, weights, etc. etc. Take one or more!) Also, don't delude yourself that "on the job" exercise is enough to maintain good health. Exercise combined with high stress is not the same as exercise for exercise's sake!! Do it people. If not for yourself, for your kids! You're their Number 1 role model. Never forget, the eating and exercise habits you model for them will most probably be the ones they'll follow for the rest of their lives!!!

When you see someone who is overweight, you can't automatically assume that it's due to sloppy eating or lack of exercise. I eat a strictly programmed, balanced diet of 1200 calories per day...no cheating, no days off for special occasions, no "just a bite"... and I exercise 45 minutes per day without fail switching between high impact aerobics and weight lifting. I'm about 20 pounds overweight and cannot lose weight, and it's due to a diagnosed medical condition. I'll be on medication for the rest of my life but, even with the meds, my body will not digest food correctly or draw all the nutrients I need which means that I will always be overweight. Were it not for the choices I make and how strict I am with myself, I could easily become morbidly obese. Whenever I hear or get into a discussion about weight loss or diet, I take the opportunity to point out that medical conditions and genetics will always trump lifestyle choices. You just have to do the best you can with what you have.

Hooray for Middlegirl! I agree whole heartedly! No one forces the junk food (I've NEVER seen any healthy junk food, no matter what the food companys/Restaurants try to get us to believe. If the item is low-fat, it is usually replaced by increased sugar etc.) down people's throats, they make their choices and are looking for that magic pill. It is simple science of intake and expenditure! Forget all the hype about protein, carbs, fats, it is the TOTAL amount of intake (food) and the TOTAL energy used (exercise) that determines body weight. It is simple math, if you eat more than you use as energy than you start to expand, expand, expand...or if you eat when you are not physically hungry (emotional hunger, ie; bored, lonely, stressed etc.) which I believe if anyone is overweight/obese they eat for other reasons than real physical hunger.

Overeating is out of control! People don't really need that much food - empty calories do nothing!

www.mphdrops.com