HEALTH/DIET/ENVIRONMENT

It’s Getting Harder for Americans to Lose Weight

Here’s why.

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash

When I was a teenager, I became anorexic.

This was primarily the result of the daily, unrelenting bullying I endured, but I was never a great example of mental health to begin with. Anorexia was the only way I could express, in a visible way, my mental anguish.

I recovered from anorexia with only minor damage. But as a result of my personal history, I have little to no sympathy for people who complain about how hard it is to lose weight.

Just stop eating.

I’m starting to relent a little in my drill sergeant mentality about weight loss, although I still examine my boss’s snack cabinet for contraband. He has a cardiac stress test coming up and I don’t think it’s going to go well.

But the fact is, everything in the United States is working against people who either want or need to lose weight. And it’s gotten harder over the last two generations. What’s changed in the last 60 years?

1. Food deserts

I live between two villages — one is ultra wealthy (think mansions and a pro-tour golf course), and the other is made up of 80–90% rental properties (and it shows, particularly when one blows up…