FAT LAND
BY GREG CRITSER
FIRST ¼ OF FATLAND
GREG CRITSER
•Author of Fat Land
•Medical and science journalist
•Other books include: “California,”
“Generation Rx,” and “Eternity Soup”
http://www.science20.com/profile/greg_critser
WHAT THE BOOK
DOES:
•Timeline of the waistlines of
the common U.S. citizen
•Give specific reasons why
Americans have become so
obese
INTRODUCES…
Accredits obesity to 2 basic
factors arising in the 1970s:
•High-fructose corn syrup
•“Supersizing” portion sizes.
HIGH-FRUCTOSE
CORN SYRUP
•cheaper sweetener” than sugar
•sweeter taste than cane sugar
•other chemical attributes:
• protects food from freezer burn
• fresh-tasting for long-shelf life
products
• made products look “more natural”
Thus began the life of a “metabolic
shunting” ingredient soon to be used in
multiple every day products.
“SUPERSIZING”
The director of the McDonald’s
Corporation came up with ideas
to allow people to buy more food
without looking like a glutton
(which was taken seriously back
then):
• Increase portion sizes slightly,
along with a slightly higher price
• “Value meals” – a slightly higher
price for more items.
“His message was loud and
clear: more for less.”
AND THUS BEGINS THE STORY
OF
“how Americans became the
fattest people in the world”
SECOND ¼ OF FATLAND
CHAPTER 3
Introduction:
Explanation:
In the novel “Fat Land,” the author Greg Critser relates how Through this detail which Critser presents to the reader, two
the lifestyles of the American people result in their overweight aspects are absorbed. First of all, the reader realizes the
and unhealthy bodies. Through the following anecdote, Critserconfidence which “Larry” is shown to have. Instead of being
reveals how the society we live in has slowly adapted to our embarrassed about how large he has become, he seeks to
increased body size, and the mentality which evolved there have his environment changed in order to best suit his new
from: big is okay.
body size. Secondly, Magruder represents all of society at this
time, instead of helping Larry, he merely pities him, and
Quotation:
therefore allows a slight change in order to make Larry more
comfortable. Through this small story, Critser allows the
“Ron Magruder, the president of the thriving Olive Garden
chain of Italian Restaurants, received a telephone call from a reader to understand the dilemma which was faced by
society: the food which was so attractive to everyone for
dissatisfied customer. […] The caller, named Larry, wasn’t
multiple reasons was making us fat. And while the results
complaining about the food or the service or the prices.
Instead, Larry was upset that he could no longer fit into any of were shocking, most merely adapted instead of trying to
change their lifestyle.
the chairs in his local Olive Garden. Magruder […] had his
staff contact the company that manufactured the chairs for
the chain and ordered a thousand large-sized chairs. He then
had these distributed, three each, to every Olive Garden
restaurant in the nation.”
Chapter 3 deals mostly with the evolution of how people viewed health, dieting,
And lifestyle in general.
CHAPTER 3
Introduction:
In the chapter, Critser goes on to denounce the
acceptance of weight gain, the rigidity and
structure which was once present in meal time,
and the new fad of multiple diets. Once more,
Magruder receives a call from Larry, where
Critser accounts for the inquiry as to how Larry
was experiencing the restaurant’s efforts in
order to make him more comfortable.
Explanation:
Critser closes the chapter with a final word from
Larry. First of all, it allows Critser to support his
claim that the environment which we are placed
in really does affect our eating. If we are given
loose pants, we are led to believe we have room
for more, likewise with bigger chairs. However, if
a person has a belt cutting into their stomach,
they will most likely stop eating, due to the
undeniable evidence that they do not need more
Quotation:
food. Also, it ties back to Critser’s identification
“The staff […] had wanted Larry to report what of the craze for (easy) diets. Although he does
he thought of their efforts.” Resultantly, “he was not say what Larry did to lose weight (hopefully
he changed his lifestyle in order to be healthy).
happier now. Indeed, Larry’s message was
entirely conciliatory - even thankful. But it wasn’t As Americans began to gain more and more
because of the bigger chairs. It was because of weight, they wanted to lose the weight without
the old small chairs. Largely because of them, losing their gluttonous lifestyle. Therefore,
Larry explained, he had been spurred to finally dietitians created what the public wanted: quick,
confront the extent of his weight problem. Why, I easy, “secrets” which taught society how to lose
weight “effectively” without much difficult
the seven weeks since he had spoken to
Magruder, he had lost almost fifty pounds. That change.
tight little chair - that had been what Larry
needed after all.”
CHAPTER 4
Introduction:
increasingly touchy populace. In 1990, even
as obesity rates spiraled upward, the
As Greg Critser moves through the novel, so committee wanted not only to loosen the
does his explanation of why American’s lost weight guidelines again, it also wanted o tdo
sight of standard measured to be taken
something it had never done before. It
concerning health. In Chapter four he
wanted to tell Americans that it was okay to
mentions one of the reasons why many
gain significant pounds as they got older.”
people came to feel fine about the weight
they were at, this time linking the obesity
Explanation:
epidemic to information about weight instead
of corporations and diet. Critser states that: Through this information concerning the
Dietary Guidelines’ weight control
Quotation:
recommendations, we see that mindsets
were being changed through the adaptation
“By 1990 the weight control
of facts in order to better suit the
recommendations of the Dietary Guidelines “comfortable” society which was evolving
committee had already been loosened once. during this time period. Like the fast-food
In 1980 the guidelines had advised
restaurants, the committee mentioned above
Americans to “maintain an ideal weight” - a was giving the public what they wanted - less
clear, unequivocal message that anyone who restrictions and simply what they wanted.
could read one of those omnipresent weightfor-height charts could understand. By 1985,
in the middle of the supersize revolution, the
advice was altered to the more vague
“maintain a desirable weight”, the better not
to impose unrealistic goals upon an
Do certain body
assessments induce
anorexia nervosa?
Are anorexia
nervosa and bulimia
preventing health
education from
being effective?
THIRD ¼ OF
FATLAND
By 2050, will the majority of
U.S. citizens be over
weight, and even more
frequently, obese?
By Vanessa Suarez and
Rachel Jovene
SUMMARY OF TOPIC: ANOREXIA IS NOT A “WIDESPREAD DISEASE”
AND RECEIVES ATTENTION BECAUSE OF THE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS
WHEREFROM ANOREXIA MOST OFTEN COMES. BODY IMAGE SHOULD
BE ADDRESSED, ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, AND NO, IT WILL NOT
RESULT IN ANOREXIA.
In chapter 5, Greg Critser focuses on the problems obesity has inflicted upon the youth, and
reasons why children are increasingly becoming overweight at younger and younger ages. Critser denotes
poverty, class, and income to be the “key determinants of obesity and weight-related disease.”
While also blaming families, advertisements of fast food restaurants, and the increase in
activities which do not require bodily movement (for example video games and TV), he also brings forth
an interesting factor, which I had not considered before, that of the impact which the fear of anorexia may
have. Critser discusses “body composition tests” which are administered generally by health education
teachers in PE, “using a small pair of calipers applied to either the calf or triceps muscle.” He goes on to
state that “the calipers test is one of the few ways a contemporary parent can get objective information
about fatness and their child.”
Yet, “parents sort of freak out,” not wanting “anyone touching their child who doesn’t
absolutely have to touch their child.” Parents are worried that such tests may inflict eating disorders,
such as Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia. However, a simple experiment consisting of students who
received, and students who did not receive the body composition test soon put those fears to rest.
According to the experiment “the results support the premise that skinfold calipers can be used in an
educational context to facilitate cognitive learning without causing adverse affective consequences.” In a
nut shell, they don’t cause bad body images. Tests such as these should “be seen as a possible
medical issue” and a way in which to teach children about health and the importance of body
maintenance.
MY RESPONSE:
I agree with author, yet also disagree:
•
I believe that body composition tests should be administered and their results explained
to both children and adults. These tests maintain effective and accurate information, and
is helpful in order to understand whether one’s body is within a healthy range.
•
However, I also believe that body image should receive a stronger focus in schools, as
well. PE teachers should incorporate the importance of a healthy body image into the
curriculum. They should constantly stress the importance of a healthy body.
•
With a constant and informative education and the enforcement of what this includes, a
healthy body should be “natural/normal.” Daily exercise and healthy diets should become
a habit and should become part of a regular routine instead of a constant worry.
•
At the same time, I believe that what goes on in the home is even more important than
tests and education outside of one’s living environment. Parents should be an example
of healthy eating habits, physical activity, and a proactive lifestyle. The education of
health should not be left for doctors, schools and recreational organizations to address.
The foundation and habits that will stick, begins in the home.
•
If we leave the responsibility of educating and enforcing these lifestyles solely to schools
and doctors, then we cannot expect to have a solid result. There needs to be a constant
balance between what is learnt at school or outside of the house, and what is reinforced
at home.
•
Also, I do believe that ALL eating disorders should be addressed, whether anorexia
nervosa, bulimia, or over-eating/bingeing. All types of eating disorders are often fatal,
and are oftentimes psychological as well; therefore, specialized treatment is often
needed, and helps stop the plaguing disorder.
•
In the cases of these disorders, school education and enforcement at home are usually
not enough. Specialized treatment is almost always necessary and can help his/her selfesteem and view of his/herself and in the extreme cases, save a person from ending
his/her own life due to a psychological way of thinking
SUMMARY OF TOPIC: BY 2050,
OBESITY WILL BECOME THE NORM.
In this scenario, Critser creates a world in which people are
distinguished between the very obese, and the not-so-much
obese. He bases this world on the assumed state of the U.S.
in 2050.
Critser walks the reader through a day of a 35 year old husband
and father, whereupon we receive the one-on-one concerning the
many challenges which must be faced by this obese family.
Diabetic, tired, pimply, and seemingly addicted to food, the
man lacks self control, and motivation. These downfalls spill
into his diet, health, and lifestyle: he can barely step out of the
car without grunting with effort, and he and his wife are
plagued with sleep insomnia among other terrible effects.
MY RESPONSE:
• I disagree with the author’s scenario, which he presents to
the reader. Yes, while obesity rates are higher than they
have ever been before, I doubt a “typical” person in the
future will be obese. In our day and age, there are so
many focuses being placed on health, the education of
health, and the assessment of bad health, that I must
assume the obesity rates must slowly, but surely, decline.
• We now know that obesity induces diabetes, among many,
many other problems; therefore those who are overweight
and obese are constantly reminded and encouraged to
maintain a healthier lifestyle: a task which is difficult, yet
rewarding. (Aunt example)