American Obesity and Lift Safety Tests

[Joshua B]

I was wondering if ski lift safety tests have been modified due to America's increasing obesity problem. You'd think an organization like New Hampshire's Tramway and Amusement Ride Safety Bureau would beef up their weight tests and so on.

 

[Marc]

Meh, I can't imagine the impact on ski lifts would be in line with the quickly rising average weight of Americans.


After all, the fat and calorie content of what we eat has not changed a whole lot over the last 100 years, it is the level of physical activity that has dropped off. IOW, its the calories out, not the calories in that has changed.

Since skiing is primarily a calories out factor, the increase in weight of the average skier is probably a lot less than the average American and well within the safety factors built into the lifts.

Of course, that doesn't address your original question of if it is affecting the way lifts are built or designed. But I kinda doubt it.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

Hmmm from dec-april i actually lose 10lbs.

 

[djspookman]

Hmmm from dec-april i actually lose 10lbs.

I'm just the opposite. I gain 10 lbs during winter.. beer consumption after skiing does that to me

dave

 

[ctenidae]

Airlines upped their "average customer" weights, as have a number of other organizations for whom it's important. I would think it would afect ski lifts somewhat, more so for the larger chairs (10 pounds per person on a 6-pack is a lot more than on a double). I don't know that the average increase flows through to skiiers, though- while there are a few, shall we say hefty people skiing, overall we're a pretty fit demographic. You don't ssee many morbidly obese people on skis, which is probably a good thing- imagine how fast 400 pounds would go on a straightline. Yikes!

 

[smootharc]

Sadly....this very factor.....

....came into play in the Lake George tour boat sinking a few weeks ago that led to 20+ deaths. The average passenger allowance/weight was calculated on a 1960 Coast Guard number....I believe 160lbs. The boat, at near capacity body number-wise, is believed to have tilted when passenger "ballast" shifted, and the whole thing tipped and sank.

 

[Mark D]

Hmmm from dec-april i actually lose 10lbs.

I'm just the opposite. I gain 10 lbs during winter.. beer consumption after skiing does that to me

dave

im not shure how much I lose durring dec-march but its hast to be like 20+ lbs jugging by the fact that durring the winter if i eat one meal in a week (and im talking about MAYBE a single poptart or less) is me eating a lot.

and if your drinking beer after skiing your not getting their early enouft or not pushing yourself hard and not wiping yourself out. You should get done boarding/skiing and then have your body force you to crash hard.

 

[freeheelwilly]

Airlines upped their "average customer" weights, as have a number of other organizations for whom it's important. I would think it would afect ski lifts somewhat, more so for the larger chairs (10 pounds per person on a 6-pack is a lot more than on a double). I don't know that the average increase flows through to skiiers, though- while there are a few, shall we say hefty people skiing, overall we're a pretty fit demographic. You don't ssee many morbidly obese people on skis, which is probably a good thing- imagine how fast 400 pounds would go on a straightline. Yikes!

Actually I think the average weight guidelines that were (are) in use were 130 or 140lbs per person.

And, no offense to anyone here, but I'm not sure that recreational, downhill skiers are as "fit" a demographic as you think.

 

[JimG.]

Actually I think the average weight guidelines that were (are) in use were 130 or 140lbs per person.

And, no offense to anyone here, but I'm not sure that recreational, downhill skiers are as "fit" a demographic as you think.

Word on that Willy! As a former instructor, I can vouch for the lack of fitness found as often in skiers as anywhere else.

 

[djspookman]

and if your drinking beer after skiing your not getting their early enouft or not pushing yourself hard and not wiping yourself out. You should get done boarding/skiing and then have your body force you to crash hard.

How can you possibly comment on my skiing when you've never skiied with me?

Dave

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

Hmmm from dec-april i actually lose 10lbs.

dave

im not shure how much I lose durring dec-march but its hast to be like 20+ lbs jugging by the fact that durring the winter if i eat one meal in a week (and im talking about MAYBE a single poptart or less) is me eating a lot.

and if your drinking beer after skiing your not getting their early enouft or not pushing yourself hard and not wiping yourself out. You should get done boarding/skiing and then have your body force you to crash hard.

One meal a week over a 3 month period. Wouldn't you starve to death? You ment 1 a day right?

As to your 2nd point, that's just wrong. I'm always there 45 minutes at least before first chair. I ski hard all day. Just because I don't fall into a heap and have to be dragged to my car doesn't mean I haven't skied hard. I like to have a few beers with friends after, nothing wrong with that.

 

[djspookman]

Hmmm from dec-april i actually lose 10lbs.

dave

im not shure how much I lose durring dec-march but its hast to be like 20+ lbs jugging by the fact that durring the winter if i eat one meal in a week (and im talking about MAYBE a single poptart or less) is me eating a lot.

and if your drinking beer after skiing your not getting their early enouft or not pushing yourself hard and not wiping yourself out. You should get done boarding/skiing and then have your body force you to crash hard.

One meal a week over a 3 month period. Wouldn't you starve to death? You ment 1 a day right?

As to your 2nd point, that's just wrong. I'm always there 45 minutes at least before first chair. I ski hard all day. Just because I don't fall into a heap and have to be dragged to my car doesn't mean I haven't skied hard. I like to have a few beers with friends after, nothing wrong with that.

ditto hpd. I'm 150 summers, 160 winters, simple as that so I know i'm not anorexic and i'm not obese. 'nuff said.

As for getting back on topic, I don't see many obese people skiing, and for the few that are, good for them! I don't see the tramway boards changing their standards because of a few obese skiiers.. only when that number increases significantly.

dave

 

[JimG.]

HPD and dj, I don't think Mark meant any disrespect...I'm kind of guessing, but it sounds like he's not of drinking age yet and doesn't know any better.

 

[djspookman]

HPD and dj, I don't think Mark meant any disrespect...I'm kind of guessing, but it sounds like he's not of drinking age yet and doesn't know any better.

I figured that. I'm just a little jumpy today that's all no hard feelings anyone!

dave

 

[ctenidae]

While most rec skiiers may not be "fit", they certainly, as a rule, aren't obese. That's all I'm saying.

As for the post-skiing beer, the more tired you are, the better that beer tastes.

 

[freeheelwilly]

As to your 2nd point, that's just wrong. I'm always there 45 minutes at least before first chair. I ski hard all day. Just because I don't fall into a heap and have to be dragged to my car doesn't mean I haven't skied hard. I like to have a few beers with friends after, nothing wrong with that.

HPD, my feeling is that Mark's a youngin' who doesn't know much about this side of our "sport". :beer: There is a social component to skiing that most of us who work full time appreciate a great deal more than perhaps we did when we were in high school and college and our entire life felt like a social event. First and foremost though I love to ski; I wouldn't head to the mountain just to hang out in the bar.

 

[JimG.]

I figured that. I'm just a little jumpy today that's all no hard feelings anyone!

dave

Must be going around...I'm very distracted today too.

Reading the long range weather guesses and seeing early season tracks out west don't make it any better.

Soon we will be skiing!

 

[RISkier]

Marc, I disagree somewhat on your point that the fat and calorie content of what we eat has not changed a lot over the last 100 years. I do agree that activity level has changed. My father was a farmer and ate a pretty awful diet but burned most of it off. Still, I think the fast food has really damaged the American diet. When I went to school we had a cafeteria with no fast foods, no soda machines in the school, no candy machines in the school. Just not much redeeming value to most fast food -- high in bad fats, high in calories, high in bad carbs, loaded with sodium. And then kids are eating breakfest cereals that are almost all refined sugars. The increased incidence of obesity is a function of both a bad diet and lack of sufficient activity. We ate out last night -- I ate too much yet left more than half of what I was served. People are eating way too much and too much unhealthy food.

 

[FRITOLAYGUY]

Im sure alot of you living in NE have been to fenway park once in your lives. Let me tell ya being 6ft1 215 that is a tight squeeze. Those seats were made for people never being over 150lbs.

 

[JimG.]

While most rec skiiers may not be "fit", they certainly, as a rule, aren't obese. That's all I'm saying.

Depends on your definition of obese. The AMA considers anyone 25-30 pounds over their ideal weight (based on age and height) to be clinically obese. We're not talking about morbidly obese, people who weigh like 1000 pounds and can't leave their homes.

If you don't think more than a few skiers are obese, try being an instructor teaching several groups of never-evers who just stepped off a bus. Most folks who ski "recreationally" won't be found on a site like this one. This site is more dedicated to the more hard core element. "Recreational" skiers typically ski less than 7 days a season. Alot of them are overweight.