Obesity is All Genetics According to 60 Minutes

Get my research review REPS:
Get Custom Workouts by me for $12.99/month:

[sdogbeh]

I am so glad you covered this. I watched the 60 minute segment and I was yelling at the screen because the doctor really pissed me off! Tissues of lies sprinkled with some truth. Growing up, my mother, sister and I were morbidly obese, however, my father and brother were not. For the longest time, I believed it was genetic but only affected the females. Bullshit! Five years ago, I lost over 120lbs by changing my ENTIRE lifestyle and the only reason I did NOT gain all that weight back is because I am mindful of my calorie intake. I also lift weights and that has been a significant part of why I am able to sustain a healthy weight. I am so tired of hearing that one needs a pill to lose weight. She is definitely pushing a narrative and she isn't a doctor I would ever go to. When I embarked on this journey to get my weight under control, I went to my doctor and was told since diet and exercise didn't "work", I could consider getting surgery but I would have to gain an additional 40 pounds to qualify so my insurance would pay for it and I said fuck that shit! I was already 300lbs, I didn't want to be heavier so I told myself, you are going to do this yourself and get your shit together and I did just that. It can be done and a healthy weight can be sustained. I am no longer obese and my life is so much better. Saying genetics is responsible for obesity EVEN with a good diet is a lie and people are buying into that deception. I bought into it until I got sick and tired of being obese. SMFH! I am now a personal trainer and when I tell my clients that I lost that much weight they are amazed and ask me how I did it. When I tell them, they get quiet and say but I can't do that because I don't have your will power. WTF?! They forgot about the 20 times I "dieted" and FAILED. I was on every out there diet: cabbage soup, atkins, south beach, maple syrup and lemon etc.... You name it, I have tried it. Now, I eat mostly whole foods and less processed foods and I feel more satiated. I want to thank you for the accurate and informative information you put out. It has helped me immensely.

[KevAquarius]

The reason these things never "stick" in popular culture is because we love a single-cause hypothesis. Systems are complex; throw in the chaos of any environment and it's mind-bogglingly complex. Thanks for the great vid!

[judsonbates]

They want you to believe that because it removes personal responsibility and choices which allows them to sell medications that aren’t needed. Meanwhile they all ignore the continued degradation of the food and crops we are given as choices.

[TopFivesRUs]

I love the way you break down what people are saying in their videos. It’s highly informative and more people need to see your content.

[josephroa]

As someone who comes from a family that has always been heavy, you can absolutely buck the trend. May not be as easy, but it’s still a choice

[rikachiu]

This was a cut up interview. I am 100% certain she means that your are more inclined to be obese based on your genetics and not that you can't do anything about it whatsoever.

[ashleymichellexo]

I’ve realized that in order to keep my weight off I have to do 60-90 minutes of cardio daily for the rest of my life. I’ve always struggled with my weight and have a thicker body type. I slacked over the winter working out less due to exhaustion and I realized the other day I’m up 7 pounds. Back to daily workouts I go.

[Sabeine]

Man, I cannot like this video hard enough!! I wish I could hit the button more than once! I am a nutrition coach and personal trainer, but I am still heavy as I have not lost all of my weight *yet*. But because we eat the right way in our house, both of my kids are lean and healthy.
Habits and...Da-da-da-daaaa: ENERGY BALANCE!!

[SLouiss]

I do think there are people who are limited in resources who have easy, time efficient and cheap access to highly processed foods, but limited access to real foods. There is individual responsibility, but there are people who are dealt a worse hand of cards, among conflicting information who have to work harder to accomplish their goals.

[davidmitchell]

At 14 years old, I was 200lbs and I swallowed my pride and went to Weight watchers with my mother. I lost 45lbs in 6 months and 54 years later my weight has largely stayed within 15lbs of that. My father was morbidly obese and I almost felt disloyal in a way in losing the weight. I suppose I was fortunate in that no one was espousing the theory that staying fat was the "brave" thing to do. It was confusing enough.

[rrqpmpc]

I love this, I have been over weight my entire life. I have asthma as well, my father is a now retired naval captain who runs everyday and is 81. He also has a brother who is just as fit as him who doesn't even break a sweat and is 79. At the age of 4 I wanted to go running with my father after 10 steps I wasn't able to breathe at all. My older brother by 16 months is running along side my father just fine and both of them have left me gasping for air on the side walk. My father and brother come jogging back to me to see what is wrong. Now at this time I ate the same meals my older brother did and got no more no less than he did. My activity was as his was and we were outside playing most days. Other than I had to stop to catch my breath more often. Of course my older brother didn't know what was wrong nor did. My father looked at me as if I were defective and sent my crying 4 year old self walking home as he and my older brother took off .. moving forward my brother only ran that one day with my dad and didn't keep the trend. I was heavier than my brother since birth.. how is it a child is heavier at birth? My son was 5.1 oz my daughter 6.1 oz which led to my daughter having my weight problem and my son as healthy as my wife. I have always been bigger and don't think I sat around playing video games all day eating potatoes chips... Nope not allowed in my family. Ive always been active, but I kept getting larger and larger. My parents were ashamed. My brother used to say fat and skinny in a bed fat rolled over skinny is dead then laugh at me .. I struggled to breathe yet I played little legue baseball, basket ball, dodge ball battle ball, active everyday volley ball, camps during summer... High school baseball, basket ball, cross country... I continued to get larger. I love the ppl who say just eat right and exercise... It's sooo easy... My last year of high school I finally gave in because I was tired of being made fun of... I only ate an apple for lunch and very small portions of green beans, peas, corn or whatever 2 vegetable side my mother made with our dinner, I did my school work my chores and went to bed. Next day same routine skip break fast apple lunch came home home work, 2 small sides, chores and bed for almost 6 months. I got down to a size 38 some pants 36 but mostly 38 at 5'10" 180 lbs .. I was starving everyday and i couldn't get any lower on my weight. I'm active now as an adult I do more movement than most everyday. My legs are swollen my gut is huge I hobble around and I'm always knocking things over... I'm sick of it... I can even remember the last time I sat and watched a movie.. I'm always moving and doing something yet I'm always over weight... My doctor's always say naw that can't be, you must be sitting around stuffing your face... I cant put run you but Ill put work you from sun up to sun down... I'm tired of starving myself and I'm tired of looking like a hobbling blob, I believe that there is something wrong with me, I watch the slender ppl stuff their faces with high metabolisms sit in front of the TV 8 or 10 hours and I'm struggling to walk to my car so I can get working on whatever it is I have planned for the day... Anyway I'm done complaining I'll go for another walk and a water.. maybe I'll get lucky this time.. who knows

[FridgemaxxedHybridoreanLifta]

Not sure if you will see this, and not entirely sure if you know something I do not, but I believe the abused-abuser / seeking abuser concept is more as follows:
Abusers are like sharks, and the abused are haemorrhaging blood into the water.
They are also massively less likely to understand boundaries, self-respect, and so on - meaning their chance of standing up for themselves and noticing abusive behaviours is very low. They also tend to have justifying attitudes for why it happens to them. Even the fact that they seem to seek out abusers, can be part of it. But it is much the other way. Being abused is, until you learn very important life lessons, like a massive target on you back to abusers, making you very vulnerable. Predators do not target strong people, for the most part, they target the vulnerable. Those people with anxious, depressive traits, self-loathing humours and personalities, desperate for affection, etc. I could be wrong though.
Excellent video, as always, thank you for what you do Norm.

[BARBELLSTOBUDDHAS]

As someone who lived in Asia for 7+ years there is a HUGE difference between typical asians born and living there, and asians born and raised here in the west. I'm sure true with all others as well, but I can only speak from life experience and personal observation. Nearly 10 years there, and the rest here, and the difference is clear. Even my Asian wife is about 10 pounds heavier her than Thailand. Why? We don't walk to the market 3 times a day. We use to take train more (walk to train, stand in train, have to walk to destinations, etc). Now we drive in Jeep. She used to go to the gym more. Walk more overall, as in Thailand every day is beautiful. Vancouver? Cold and rainy AF. Did her genes change once she got here? Obviously not! I went the opposite myself. I love Thai, Indian, Chinese food, and I was pigging out there, + beers in the sun + the gyms are so hot, I believed I was working out harder than I was (sweat bias). So now I track a LOT better in eating and exercise and steps. Here I'm MUCH more aware of daily activity, and prep my own meals, or watch my servings. Also beer in the cold not as much fun LOL.

[overtonpendulum]

Obesity started spiking in the 1980s just when cable TV, VHS and video games started to become popular. Also junk food consumption like McDonalds and Soda increased.

[cathipa]

These “doctors” are the reason people don’t trust the medical field. People always what to hear good news about their bad habits (“you can’t do anything about it…but I have this magic bean that will fix you”) I recently had a patient using Optavia (I know an MLM) and did not want to stop using it (even though she was having a reaction) because it helps her lose weight. She could not understand that it is a severe calorie restriction with their powdered “fuelings” which cause her to lose. She could eat the same amount of real (and probably better tasing and health promoting) food and achieve the same effect. She just looked at me like this couldn’t be possible. Thanks again for another great video.

[billking]

I'm 60ish now. I was a wee kid in the 60s when obesity was rare. It was still rare in the 70s. In the 80s things started to change. Environments became more obesogenic (if that's the word). We got stuck on computers all day and food servings got bigger. In the 70s, you often got a 200ml can of soft drink. Now you might go to a fridge in a shop and 600ml is the smallest option.

[joerockhead]

tick tick tick tick, these stories, and Layne Norton, tonight on 60 Minutes.

[AllieGator]

happy you covered this. I saw this when 60 minutes first released it and was hoping someone would address it.

[Incomudro]

If obesity had such a genetic component, than how did most of the US population not be obese for hundreds of years - right up through the 80's and 90's?
Human genetics certainly didn't change.

[flexlikeag]

What we need to hear not what we want to hear. Thanks for keeping it real. Always enjoy the content.