Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Yeah...the obesity problem in the U.S. is of startling epidemic proportions. And like you say, we tend to get so used to seeing it that we start to become sort of de-sensitized toward it and thus don't really "re-see" how bad it is unless we have the opportunity to travel to another country. And then, when we come home it hits us like a ton of bricks. (no pun intended.)
As a personal trainer I do my best to help those who want help, but sadly, many do not. They have become so out of touch with their bodies that they are simply unable to realize that they could feel so much better. And that most of the reason they're tired and angry and cross and depressed all the time is because of their weight. (see: any of a number of "angry women" threads out there on this forum.) Sure, a ton of men, again with the pun) are fat too, but for some reason this dilemna tends to make the women angry and bitter--again, alot of them on this forum--while the men seem to resignedly accept their fate.
I'm not sure what L.K.'s point was, but it's a legitimate topic for discussion. Health care costs are rising rapidly and many, many diseases are caused or exacerbated by obesity. Diabetes, heart disease, cancer and arthritis have all been linked to obesity. The increased costs affect us all.
So do a lot of things. The problem is that we've decided to tax and restrict things which might make us unhealthy and drive up healthcare costs, but where does it end? When is enough, enough? First it was seat belts, then it was cigarettes, now it's fatty foods. What's next? What comes after this "crisis" has been taxed and regulated to death?
And besides...we're all going to get sick and die from something. Who really believes we can use the force of government to eliminate every possible cause of death?
Nobody. So, given that it's a zero sum game, why give up essential liberties in the name of....nothing?
And the argument that "rising food prices" prevent people from eating healthy is disingenuous. I can make a perfectly healthy meal for less than a "value meal" at McDonald's.
But a restaurant can't. You can't compare the cost of scratch cooking with the cost of eating out.
The US rate of obesity is around 31%, while in Canada, it is almost exactly half of that, 15%. Canadian's day-to-day lifestyle and habits are not that different from Americans. What is it that the Canadians are doing right, to keep their obesity rate at half of what it is in the US? Even pasta-centric Italy has an obesity rate only a quarter of what it in the USA, at 8%.
The obesity rate in the USA is actually higher than it is in Mexico, so our obesity rate would be even higher than it is if it were not for all those slim Mexicans keeping the average down.
While the OP is entitled to his opinion (and I agree to a point) you really cannot going around 'judging' people based on YOUR priorities in life.
In addition, not everyone "OBESE" is lazy or a compulsive over-eater. This is a complex problem in many places, not just out west or in the USA.
Have you ever seen some Polynesian people? They 'look obese.'
I just moved to an area where I would estimate 75-85% of the population smokes. I think they are a bunch of morons. They are killing themselves and polluting my air in my apartment. In addition, I have never seen so many FAT men, beer guts at 25, 30 years old.
What kind of person smokes in 2011??? The same type of person who bellies up to buffets 3 or 4 times a week or drinks a six pack a day...
However, I still think this being AMERICA we should try to look in our own houses and get them in order and not judge others and expect them to behave how WE would.
I could rant how smokers and drunks are jacking up my insurance costs but it's still okay to pick on fat people but have another vice and it's cool, right?
By the way, I see a lot of FAT people in the gym when I go 3 times a week and some of them ARE trying to be fit. Too bad they can't just show it like others.
So do a lot of things. The problem is that we've decided to tax and restrict things which might make us unhealthy and drive up healthcare costs, but where does it end? When is enough, enough? First it was seat belts, then it was cigarettes, now it's fatty foods. What's next? What comes after this "crisis" has been taxed and regulated to death?
And besides...we're all going to get sick and die from something. Who really believes we can use the force of government to eliminate every possible cause of death?
Nobody. So, given that it's a zero sum game, why give up essential liberties in the name of....nothing?
No one in this thread is advocating taxing or restricting anything. All we're doing is talking about the obesity epidemic.
Personally, I don't care how people choose to live their lives--everyone should be free to smoke and eat themselves into wheelchair-bound misery if they want to do so. But when Medicare and Medicaid payments (not to mention private insurance) are going to treat diabetes, COPD, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and all the other diseases that can be prevented or lessened by maintaining a healthy weight, it affects all of us. You (not you personally) are free to choose the lifestyle you want, but your choices in turn affect everyone else's choices, so we get to talk about it and discuss ways to lessen the impact on our bank accounts.
It's like the people who refuse to wear helmets while riding a motorcycle. It may be their right, but I would advocate for a law that said if you suffer an injury that could have been prevented by the simple act of putting on a helmet, then you're not entitled to any public benefits for medical care. That's how I feel about people who destroy their health by consuming too many calories. By all means, have at it. But when you're diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and it could have been prevented by consuming fewer calories, please don't ask me to pay for your doctor visits and medication with my taxes.
But a restaurant can't. You can't compare the cost of scratch cooking with the cost of eating out.
Where was I mentioning restaurants and their food costs? If people ate at home more and went out to eat less, overall they would be healthier.
It's still a cop out though. Even if McDonald's is your only option for a meal (which it usually isn't), you can still get a salad (skip the cheese and heavy dressing) or a grilled chicken sandwich, with a bottled water, which will be much healthier than that Big Mac with the large fries & coke. The prices will probably be pretty comparable, too.
No one in this thread is advocating taxing or restricting anything. All we're doing is talking about the obesity epidemic.
Personally, I don't care how people choose to live their lives--everyone should be free to smoke and eat themselves into wheelchair-bound misery if they want to do so. But when Medicare and Medicaid payments (not to mention private insurance) are going to treat diabetes, COPD, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and all the other diseases that can be prevented or lessened by maintaining a healthy weight, it affects all of us. You (not you personally) are free to choose the lifestyle you want, but your choices in turn affect everyone else's choices, so we get to talk about it and discuss ways to lessen the impact on our bank accounts.
It's like the people who refuse to wear helmets while riding a motorcycle. It may be their right, but I would advocate for a law that said if you suffer an injury that could have been prevented by the simple act of putting on a helmet, then you're not entitled to any public benefits for medical care. That's how I feel about people who destroy their health by consuming too many calories. By all means, have at it. But when you're diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and it could have been prevented by consuming fewer calories, please don't ask me to pay for your doctor visits and medication with my taxes.
No, nobody has mentioned it specifically, but where do you think stuff like that starts? It starts with busybodies worrying about everyone else, usually in response to the use of the term "crisis." All discussions like this do is let the finger pointers revel in their own superiority and fuel the fires of "we've gotta do something about it."
And, by the way, has it occurred to you that even if Medicare etc. don't have to pay for the healthcare effects of being overweight (which is NOT the same thing as obese), they'll pay equally for something else as we get older and begin to die? The cost of dying from anything is expensive in this country and you could totally eliminate obesity and STILL pay though the nose for something.
For instance: We heard the same kind of outrage and cheap talk about cigarettes and, eventually, it led to just what will happen in regards to obesity. So far, more than half of smokers have quit because of it. So....we should be seeing healthcare costs go down as a reflection of all that "healthy" behavior, right? So, tell me? How much have YOUR insurance costs gone down? How much has the cost of Medicare and Medicaid gone down? How much did you get back on your taxes because all those smokers are now smoke free and "healthy?" How much has the overall cost of healthcare gone down?
Lemme guess. The answer to all those questions is.....none.
No one in this thread is advocating taxing or restricting anything. All we're doing is talking about the obesity epidemic.
Personally, I don't care how people choose to live their lives--everyone should be free to smoke and eat themselves into wheelchair-bound misery if they want to do so. But when Medicare and Medicaid payments (not to mention private insurance) are going to treat diabetes, COPD, heart disease, arthritis, cancer and all the other diseases that can be prevented or lessened by maintaining a healthy weight, it affects all of us. You (not you personally) are free to choose the lifestyle you want, but your choices in turn affect everyone else's choices, so we get to talk about it and discuss ways to lessen the impact on our bank accounts.
It's like the people who refuse to wear helmets while riding a motorcycle. It may be their right, but I would advocate for a law that said if you suffer an injury that could have been prevented by the simple act of putting on a helmet, then you're not entitled to any public benefits for medical care. That's how I feel about people who destroy their health by consuming too many calories. By all means, have at it. But when you're diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, and it could have been prevented by consuming fewer calories, please don't ask me to pay for your doctor visits and medication with my taxes.
Thank you Marlow, this is the point to the thread...[for those two of you that were asking]
And, I don't think that I am "judging" these people and their self worth, it was an observation. As someone else pointed out, I wish people could understand how much better they could feel.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
