[quote=ocrenter][quote=jpinpb]ocr – in effect, then, we can say Americans are getting fatter b/c they lack happiness and are seeking it through sugar and fat which are cheap, legal and readily available.
So maybe the solution would be to not only target diet and exercise, but to find other safer sources of happiness.
That will be a tricky one b/c the “happiness” derived from eating is the temporary rise in serotonin.
Are there other things that can raise serotonin that are safe? Music? Jogging? Bicycling? Hiking?
Here’s one for TG. Sex?
What are some things that people can engage in that will raise serotonin that are healthy?[/quote]
Americans are less happy because we are a lot more stressed.
This is what happens when you force a family to become a double income household in order to maintain a “middle class lifestyle.”[/quote]
Agree with this, OCR.
Also, I think it has a lot to do with the way we interact with technology. Back in the day, you socialized by getting together with other people at the park, or played games outside, rode bikes, hiked, etc. Now, everyone texts and e-mails each other, or we sit in front of our computers for hours at a time. Also, the TV plays a much more prominent role in people’s lives today — remember when 57 channels was considered a lot? 😉 I think all this technology is killing us (but refuse to stop reading my blogs). 😉
Additionally, people are moving farther away from their families and longtime friends. Since we’re all expected to pick up and move every time there’s a job change (no more job stability here, afterall), our social networks become tattered and frail. We are social animals, and I think that we need to have substantial relationships with those around us — the kinds of relationships that are primarily found within our families and with childhood or very longtime friends. Much of that is gone now, and I’m not sure we’ve evolved enough to handle it very well.
Top this off with less job stability, rapidly rising prices in housing, healthcare, education, etc., but no wage increases to match…and you have a recipe for discontent and emotional eating.
