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Thank you. When one is 200, 300, 400 pounds overweight, then we're talking about a complexity that goes beyond just eat a bit less and exercise and you'll lose weight. When a person's entire body is breaking down, it's not that simple either physiologically or psychologically.
Of course, there's a whole generation of kids who are set up for this from the get go. When I see those ads for Hamburger Helper and whatever other gross non food box product being marketed as a great family meal I want to puke. HFCS and sugars in every mutilated form are snuck into just about every food you can imagine. Even baby formula.
The outright nastiness expressed toward the obese on this thread is disturbing. It would appear that once a person reaches a certain weight they are no longer worthy of human dignity or any kind of compassion. I guess it makes some people feel superior and better about their own selves, I don't know. Whatever, it's kinda sad.
It's not so much about being nasty, it's not wanting to see them as diseased.
Why is it somehow better to have a disease than just accept it involves too many calories consumed for the amount burned?
Denial is a powerful human trait. But those are your words, not mine.
Again, it's not a disease you "got" or that you "caught".
The physiology of obesity once it gets past a certain point in and of itself is a disease on the body, causing all kinds of problems. It doesn't matter how people get there, in the immediate. That would be a complex set of factors that differ with each person.
Gee, I knew that.
Color me guilty for using the easily misinterpreted, improper vernacular.
Rather than"......disease I got", I meant it as in "........disease I've got"
I'm not ridiculing anyone, but I am ridiculing their excuses. Anyone can lose weight. Yes, it may be easier for some rather than others, but it can be done. It's not a disease. Cancer is a disease. You can't fix cancer. You can fix your weight.
But wouldn't you agree that cancer is often a disease caused by lifestyle?
There are many diseases that you wouldn't suffer from if you'd just done x,y, and z.
I would argue that once you reach 500 pounds you may be able to lose the weight, but your systems may be damaged well beyond that. Which medically, fits the disease model.
I can explain why we are fat with one picture. A 'regular sized' can of Dr. Pepper was considered 'king size' in 1956. Now, something has to be 10x that size to be considered 'king size'. Nothing about our obesity problem is a disease.
Gee, I knew that.
Color me guilty for using the easily misinterpreted, improper vernacular.
Rather than"......disease I got", I meant it as in "........disease I've got"
What I want to know is why are obese people always so whiny? When I worked at Publix as a cashier, I noticed that my whiniest customers were always older obese people and they always rode in those electric carts even though they could walk. Their carts were also always filled with cokes, candies and other sweet foods.
People become grouchy when too much in bold is consumed.
It's not so much about being nasty, it's not wanting to see them as diseased.
Why is it somehow better to have a disease than just accept it involves too many calories consumed for the amount burned?
It's not "better" to have a disease. But if it walks like a duck.....
Nobody's saying it doesn't involve too many calories. The point is, by the time your weight is 500 pounds your organs cease to function properly and your body systems are seriously impaired, purely because you weigh 500 pounds.
So you can accept that you've consumed too many calories, but that's not going to prevent your liver shutting down in and of itself, in the immediate present.
OK....so medically speaking, being morbidly obese is a disease .
However, since more people do not use the word disease in it's strictly medical sense, it is only going to serve to allow fat people to excuse their condition as an 'illness' rather than take any responsibility for it.
Even those who are only on their way to becoming "Morbidly' obese.
As in "I can't help it....I have a disease"
I think we have to look harder at the causes of obesity. Yes, there are some that cause themselves to be overweight due to lifestyle; others that have medical issues; yet others that have mental issues - food is addictive, just like liquor and cigs. I think each of these cases need to be tackled differently. I had a food addiction issue after my recovery from anorexia, mine was all mental. I couldn't get the help I needed right away because I couldn't afford it. I think we need easier and more affordable healthcare for those that are obese due to mental or medical reasons. For the others, maybe we should create community outreach programs that offer free exercise classes, training and education to people. Churches could take up something like this. The government could throw in some cash to keep it going. It's not that hard. People tend to follow fads/trends and do what their neighbors are doing. Possibly if there were government funds available to start groups like this, people would get on board.
As far as GMO food and fast food etc, education can take care of some of that. Think about it, did McDonalds offer salads 20 years ago. I don't think so. But they do now because people are supposedly eating healthier. If we get more people staying away from junk and fast food, they would make changes also. No one can claim that eating completely clean is easy. Not everyone can grow their own food, make their own bread etc. In my family we try, but we also rely on some packaged goods because we all work full time. You just have to be choosy and limit those things.
After my battle with food for 13 years of my life, I've learned a lot of things. I also picked up a physiology textbook and read it cover to cover to learn about how the body works. All these fad diets are just that, fads. Our bodies, for the most part, work in one way - calories in calories out...if you actually take the time to learn how and when your body uses fats, proteins, carbs etc. you can make better choices. Learn about this supposed starvation mode - people are tricked to believe that if they don't eat for 8 hours their body is in starvation mode and oh no I'll gain weight. That's a lie. According to our physiology, the body doesn't realize anything is wrong until we go 72 hours without food. People buy into these lies and then think they need to eat every 3 hours. I think this is the worst thing - to each his own of course, but my body works best on 2 meals a day and if I work out possibly 2 meals and a snack. I have no health problems - my father has eaten this way for years and has no issues.
People need to open up a book or an internet site and learn some stuff. Turn off the TV and your iphone.
But wouldn't you agree that cancer is often a disease caused by lifestyle?
There are many diseases that you wouldn't suffer from if you'd just done x,y, and z.
I would argue that once you reach 500 pounds you may be able to lose the weight, but your systems may be damaged well beyond that. Which medically, fits the disease model.
We don't know what causes cancer. Sometimes you can smoke 2 packs a day for your whole life and not get lung cancer. Some people who get lung cancer have never smoked. We KNOW what makes people fat. They eat too much and move too little. If you get to 500 pounds and have damaged your system.. as someone posted before, you don't wake up one day at 500 pounds and say gee what happened.
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