THE QUEST FOR THIN

The Quest for Thin…

 The quest to be thin is nothing new.  One scientific paper (http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/bispartners/foresight/docs/obesity/031-036.pdf) suggests that obesity dates back to our prehistoric ancestors and the necessity for survival. Humans fattened and slimmed according to the tides of plenty and famine. However, in modern times obesity is now considered a major health issue.

But I wonder in our quest to fight obesity, if we haven’t become hysterically driven toward the lean side of life.  Certainly weight loss products cram the market these days…all promising amazing results.

When I was growing up, the rage for weight control was a little caramel-like candy called AYDS.

Ayds, not to be confused with the disease, was an appetite-suppressant candy which enjoyed strong sales in the 1970s and early 1980s. It was available in chocolate, chocolate mint, butterscotch or caramel flavors, and later peanut butter. The active ingredient was originally benzocaine, a local anesthetic used as topical pain reliever, also found in cough drops. Bezocaine supposedly suppressed the taste buds thus reducing the urge to eat. Later, the company changed the active ingredient to phemylopropanolamine (PPA), a stimulant often found in decongestants as well as treatment for urinary incontinence in dogs. In the USA, PPA  is no longer sold without a prescription due to the increased risk of stroke in younger women.

I remember the old Slimfast commercials, some featuring aging athletes, and how easy it would be to lose weight with Slimfast products, like this commercial.  

When I was in grade school, I remember my family doctor giving my mother advice on weight management. It’s simple arithmetic. You have to burn more calories than you consume. End of story. Just eat sensibly and exercise more.”

Now why can’t I do that?