Americans becoming too fat for their X-rays

According to the BBC Americans are becoming too big to fit into the standard X-ray machine or CAT scan, wheelchairs and airplane seats.



Hrumph!!! I resemble that remark. When you consider how we eat (super size me please. Is that a request for a meal portion or body size?) including prepared super market foods (high sodium and God knows what else) and our sedentary lifestyle from car to cubicle to computer or xbox, is it any wonder. I came by my weight honestly, quitting smoking, being a chef for 20 years and being laid up for a bad knee and surgery on it. But look at our children. I spent 3 years in a vocational rehab. program studying a new career and half the kids at the community college I attended were either obese or aneorxic...the healthy ones actually stood out.

If there were pillaging barbarians at the gate....we'd be doomed.

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I heard about this last wek on a radio prgram I listen to,
was wondering if/when it would be reported here.

It is truly woriesome and pretty sad that things like this are
becoming the case.

And really to my fellow Americans, put down the second bigmac,
don't eat seconds, or thirds or fourths, jog for twenty minutes,
eat a salad for lunch, I mean really, it's not difficult to stay in
shape people.
If I can do it, and I'm pretty lazy, than everyone else ceertainly can.


Also, perhaps we should band McDonalds.

lol wow it finally happened today X-rays tommorow we are gna be to fat for our couches...

I'm a big guy like 6'2" and 250 lbs and was able to fit perfectly into an MRI machine like a month or two ago to do an examination of the soft body tissue in my elbow...and for X-rays you don't have to go into any confined space just put whatever part of your body that needs to be photographed on the x-ray photographic plate.

Sounds just like more anti-American BS coming out of the BBC...

Hey, big guy

I think it would take someone over 400 lbs not to fit into one of those machines...

Aliens are fattening us up- "To Serve Man" They want us fat.

Yeah I can see it now. Earth is gonna be a drive-through planet for ET's.

ET: Ahem, Yes I'd like a homosapien burger, an order of flesh fries anda small saltwater thanks.

McEarth: Would you like to Americanize that sir?

ET: Good one!

ET/McEarth: HA HA HA

I think when they're referring to the people that are to big,
are more like 350+, which is, unfortunately starting to be
more of a trend, rather than not.

Nothing like a Mchuman. I'm in a rare mood. I'm open for business tonight.
Will that be regular or supersize?

I just had an idea, maybe this is some sort of way that
nature's preserving itself, if enough people get fat,
they'll have a high mortality risk, and start dieing earlier,
thus thinning out (pardon the pun) the population.

I'm a big guy like 6'2" and 250 lbs

Please...

You might as well be 2 dimensional, with specs like those, in this country...

I dunno, maybe you haven't been paying attention. Everytime I go outside I see people that look like they just ate their children. Big, fat, jiggly people - takin up the whole damn sidewalk, or squished into their cars like a circus act. The sort who have underwear-devouring bums.

I'm a big guy also, I've got a few inches on you, and about a hundred pounds, and there are multitudes of people in this country that make me feel slender.

and for X-rays you don't have to go into any confined space just put whatever part of your body that needs to be photographed on the x-ray photographic plate.

If you read more closely you'll see that the x-ray machines can't penetrate the enormous amounts of fat these people are carrying around. The x-ray techs have to turn the power up to the point where you could cause injury, just to penetrate deep enough to see anything. It's got nothing to do with fitting them in a small space.

Sounds just like more anti-American BS coming out of the BBC...

Yeah, I'm sure that's it. We don't have a problem with self-control and addictive behavior, it's the B's fault.

Just out of curiosity...

Anyone know how many of these people are black, white, asian, hispanic etc.

is this a random sort of occurence or is it more ethnically oriented?

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I'm a big guy like 6'2" and 250 lbs and was able to fit perfectly into an MRI machine like a month or two ago to do an examination of the soft body tissue in my elbow...and for X-rays you don't have to go into any confined space just put whatever part of your body that needs to be photographed on the x-ray photographic plate.

Sounds just like more anti-American BS coming out of the BBC...

Until a few years ago, 300 lbs was the max table weight for CT/MRI scanners, only one company made equipment that could handle more (Philips), most medical OEM's now make higher capacity equipment, but physics gets in the way of making truly "hefty patient compatible" equipment. MRI scanners need to generate a homogeneous magnet field over a given volume, make that volume larger and the cost increases exponentially. CT scanners use X-Rays, and some form of detection device opposite... The inverse square law prevails... Increase the distance, square the needed radiation output ( kVp & mAs ).

Finally, all aspects of health care is degraded with obese patients, even if diagnostic exams can be performed, the quality will be poor, vascular access is typically limited, and surgery/therapies become compromised. They also pose a risk to health care professionals... I've seen far too many of my peers injured lifting/assisting obese patients.

Time to get skinny America.

you can see a change in syringes tip are getting longer for bigger population.

I am pretty happy to realize I am a healthy 160 lbs. Im only 5'7".
I DO NOT eat fried foods.
I DO NOT consume alcohol.
I DO NOT do not even consume caffiene (sodas, coffee, noteven tea)

I walk outdoors several hours a week. I do sit-ups everyday. Sorry but if I do not maintain my six-pack I will just feel horrible.

Demographic info: American Born Hispanic male of Colombian descent. Almost all of my friends I hang out with on a regular basis fit the same demographic description as me except exact nation. None of them are obese. If you feel bad about being obese, honestly you should.

It is not beautiful, cute, or cool. It is apathy for your body. Disregard for your health. Please my friends, for your own sake, get fit.

[edit on 8/1/2006 by DYepes]

LOL at the McEarth Alien drivethru comments


Pretty soon they will be widening the seats in SUVs 6 inchs to accomodate the average person

The next step after that will be addng an additional foot to each lane on the roads to accomadate the wider vehicles


On a more serious note it is pretty sad that people let themselves get to the point where they can't fit in medical scanners I think in someways becoming obese is self perpuating in the sense that a person puts on some weight for any number of valid reasons. The problem really arises when they start to get lazy and think its too hard to exercise etc.. then people begin to shun them, make comments etc.. which if the person isnt mentally strong can cause them to become more introverted go out less, exercise less etc.. and they end up eating more, watching TV etc.. as an escsape, but they are really making the initial problem just that much worse.

How do you propose America could get fit? Do you think something like govt incentives to be fit or a fat tax would work? I think more fitness education and a better diet in the schools would be a good start. Perhaps a 1 year mandatory military service @ 18 would help whip people into shape and get them on the right track for the rest of their life?

I have wondered if political correctness is causing some obesity in the sense that maybe people feel it's ok to be huge? Maybe if people were told or made aware in a more blunt way that if you eat crap you'll get fat? I honestly think somepeople don't even make the correlation between what they eat and do and how they look so maybe just making them aware of that would help at least some?

[edit on 2-8-2006 by warpboost]

Originally posted by WyrdeOne

I'm a big guy like 6'2" and 250 lbs

Please...

You might as well be 2 dimensional, with specs like those, in this country...

I dunno, maybe you haven't been paying attention. Everytime I go outside I see people that look like they just ate their children. Big, fat, jiggly people - takin up the whole damn sidewalk, or squished into their cars like a circus act. The sort who have underwear-devouring bums.

Well as usual, being a New Yorker kinda puts you out of touch with the rest country. You very rarely see really morbidly obese people here, I just don't think it's possible to live in this city if you're like 500lbs. Even the lazyest among us (like me ) who never excercise just for the sake of excersize get plenty just in normal life, walking to the stores, navigating the complex subway system full of stairs, etc. I do remember when I lived in Florida seeing really fat people who'd drive around a parking lot for like 30mins just to get a parking spot closer to the store. :shk:

I am pretty happy to realize I am a healthy 160 lbs. Im only 5'7".

Hey me too, but i am not as pure as you.
I consume beer/wine on average about 4 a week
I am happy to say I "try" to stay away from fried foods, but sometimes splurg
I drink a very small cup of coffee in morning, sometimes just a sip

I do work out about 2 times a week, and do lots of work outside cause i like too.

I am not fat because i dont want to be, if i see myself or my weight were i dont like it i simply work out more or improve my diet. I really cant understand how these people get so fat, it takes work and money to eat that much. Guess I just dont enjoy eating.
Oh ya, I only watch tv about 2 hours per week, sometimes never. Depends if there is a special on discovery/pbs/science channel.

[edit on 2-8-2006 by imbalanced]

I stopped going to the beaches years ago...I don't want anybody to try and drag me back into the water again.

People seem to be getting fatter in the UK aswell. A lot of supermarkets i've been to now have those electric buggies that a special trolley can clip onto so obese people don't have to walk around the store.

I know how to begin solving the problem for the next generation, but many of you would cry facism and tryanny, when it is honestly a reach to help sustain the health of our children.

Classes need to explain why it is bad to become obese. Not only discuss and explain the physical damage, but the psycological and emotional damage it can also bring down on a person. And yes, examples must be shown. Chris Farley perhaps, video footage of those who were too big to even walk, have to be towed in the back of a pickup just to reach the hospital, etc tec. Middle and high-school should also incorporate how to teach the childrens future families the importance of staying trim and the consequences of "letting ones self go".

The federal government should set a required BMI range for all children in public education, which must be tested for monthly. Those who are not within that limit will be required to be sent to another class during the week almost like detention. Child must endure said class until the approved BMI range is attained. I mean those nurses should be getting paid for more anyways. All they do is jot down notes and then call the parents to come pickup the child.

I understand many may see these measurments as harsh and unjust and tyranic. But where is your mercy and sympathy for those who just allow themselves to become the way they do? The suffering they face because of it? Parents who allow their children to get this way are guilty of neglect or simply uneducated themselves. In addition to the above reccomendations, perhaps fines should be levied upon the parents of habitual offendors which would go to the school for further funding.