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Unfortunately the federal government is part of the problem, specifically the USDA.
With one hand they circulate a bogus food pyramid which is supposedly health based but in reality is a promotional tool for American farmers.
With the other hand they engage in joint marketing efforts (using our tax dollars) with the likes of Arby’s and Wendys promoting the very food they claim we should moderate.
When the USDA recommends that we should limit our Egg and Cheese intake, the egg and cheese industry comes crashing down on them.
I don't know how I feel about his statement, I'm definitely not for shaming people, that's just nasty. But offering help and support? Sure.
This public shaming stuff just goes too far.
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I disagree with him not because it's mean, but because it turns out bullying doesn't actually work. People who are regularly tormented and bullied at school for their weight actually end up even fatter because they turn to comfort eating, plus the increase of cortisol (a hormone produced in response to stress that encourages increased fat storage).
I've seen this myself. I had an overweight friend in middle school who was regularly fat shamed. For example, people regularly threw garbage at her, went up and punched her stomach, told her she was a monster and to kill herself, etc. In gym class, everyone laughed at her when she ran and did her best. The teachers and her parents never intervened because they thought it'd motivate her to lose weight.
Did it work? No. She ended up taking solace in sneaking comfort foods (her parents enforced a fat free diet on her even though everyone else in her family was allowed to eat normal food) and in slicing up her wrists.
Last edited by ohhwanderlust; 09-07-2019 at 10:58 AM..
Unfortunately the federal government is part of the problem, specifically the USDA.
With one hand they circulate a bogus food pyramid which is supposedly health based but in reality is a promotional tool for American farmers.
With the other hand they engage in joint marketing efforts (using our tax dollars) with the likes of Arby’s and Wendys promoting the very food they claim we should moderate.
When the USDA recommends that we should limit our Egg and Cheese intake, the egg and cheese industry comes crashing down on them.
Obviously the answer is to fight corruption and not let big business hijack the government. If your answer is no government oversight, and just let the food industry do as they want, it will not lead to a healthier society.
Encouragement, yes. Education, yes. Empowerment yes.
Shaming no. Nobody is going to lose weight by shaming them into it. They feel bad enough as it is. Shaming exacerbates the situation.
Why can't you equate it to smoking? Make no mistake, smokers are shamed even though most of them are physically addicted to nicotine. And it is working.
I am certain obese people parading around in sausage leggings and crop tops are not ashamed or feel bad about themselves. And the men with their butts and bellies spilling out are not embarrassed, they think they are "husky".
Bill Maher served up a super-sized portion of steamed snark on Friday night as he weighed in on the American obesity crisis by equating overeating to racism and littering as a behavior that should be admonished in public ways.
“In August, 53 Americans died from mass shootings,” the host of Real Time with Bill Maher told his live studio audience in Los Angeles. “Terrible right? Do you know how many died from obesity? Forty thousand. Fat shaming doesn’t need to end it needs to make a comeback. Some amount of shame is good. We shamed people out of smoking and into wearing seat belts. We shamed them out of littering and most of them out of racism. Shame is the first step in reform.”
I wonder if Maher would be okay with shaming others based on subjective criteria such as he is doing here? You know like shaming someone over; sexual orientation, race, religion, height, hair color, income level, breast size...
What about you o.p.? Would you still agree with Maher if he said its good to shame your gay child or your christain beliefs, etc?
It's just Bill Maher. He can be right on, on one issue, and totally off on another. Anyway, Obesity is a real problem, and a national health issue. I'm sure Celebrating Obese people contributes to the problem. Fat shaming is obviously not the answer either.
Obesity is killing thousands of times more people than guns. I think we should focus on educating people on nutrition and reign in the lobbys that lead to unhealthy food chain. Fat shaming should be a last resort.
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Bill Maher Weighs In On U.S. Obesity: Fat Shaming “Needs To Make A Comeback”
