Obesity is only a "problem" because...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

And salt, sugar, and meat. We need to put together a master list of things which the government should ban to improve the health of all Americans! We could have a utopia

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I’m 50 and so obviously I have seen attitudes towards smoking change since I was a kid. Even when smoking was commonplace, I don’t recall people blaming society or structures for smoking. Was that happening?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I’m 50 and so obviously I have seen attitudes towards smoking change since I was a kid. Even when smoking was commonplace, I don’t recall people blaming society or structures for smoking. Was that happening?

Definitely not.

What you will get in response is that food is necessary for survival. And that’s the excuse for the over consumption of garbage. That argument will come from some privileged person who has any and all advantages to avoid a suboptimal health result. They may also try to co-opt the experience of the disadvantaged in food deserts to excuse their behavior and the state of their health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

+1
We also need to eliminate food deserts and redesign our communities so we are less car dependent. Also change work culture, and ultra wealthy agree to fund universal basic income so folks don't need to work multiple jobs just to get by.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I’m 50 and so obviously I have seen attitudes towards smoking change since I was a kid. Even when smoking was commonplace, I don’t recall people blaming society or structures for smoking. Was that happening?

Definitely not.

What you will get in response is that food is necessary for survival. And that’s the excuse for the over consumption of garbage. That argument will come from some privileged person who has any and all advantages to avoid a suboptimal health result. They may also try to co-opt the experience of the disadvantaged in food deserts to excuse their behavior and the state of their health.

Pretending an issue only affects the "DCUM privileged" is such a common troll here lol

[Anonymous]

…it makes you depressed and the costs society (and your family) are enormous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

+1
We also need to eliminate food deserts and redesign our communities so we are less car dependent. Also change work culture, and ultra wealthy agree to fund universal basic income so folks don't need to work multiple jobs just to get by.

I’m all for high taxes in exchange for healthcare and education and environmental things, but universal income just doesn’t work with human nature. Jobs need to pay people a living wage instead. Why should a corporation get rich paying folks $7/hr when the govt then has to pay them too?

[Anonymous]

A lot of obese people at my last workplace. Must have been on serious medications, making the “ladies” bathroom unusable/unenterable due to smell and stains up the toiletbowl after 8 am. That’s a problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

+1
We also need to eliminate food deserts and redesign our communities so we are less car dependent. Also change work culture, and ultra wealthy agree to fund universal basic income so folks don't need to work multiple jobs just to get by.

I’m all for high taxes in exchange for healthcare and education and environmental things, but universal income just doesn’t work with human nature. Jobs need to pay people a living wage instead. Why should a corporation get rich paying folks $7/hr when the govt then has to pay them too?

Because corporations want to pay their executives and shareholders massive amounts of money. And many low paying jobs are going to be automated anyway. UBI is a no brainer IMO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

This is not true. I walked more than 10k steps for years, ate very healthy and could not lose weight. Finally got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, got treatment and am back to my healthy pre-baby weight (19 BMI). Medical conditions can play a huge role.

As a server, I walk 15k steps a day easily. I take my salad and steak home as I have no time to eat at work. At 47, the scale hasn't moved. Last time I lost weight easily was when I worked on a farm at age 20, and again when I did 12-hour shifts at 26. I had lost my appetite completely and that's when the weight came down. I don't eat junk. It didn't exist in the old country. That cereal aisle can go to heck for all I care. I think it's cortisol for me. Got to eat only meat and veggies and within 6-hour window.

Eating earlier can help, even if it is before work. Circadian rhythms impact not only weight but other biological processes. Eating late also negatively impacts sleep, raising cortisol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I agree with you that smoking AND the most extreme junk food should be banned. Not stuff like cookies that could be considered food or even perhaps chocolate but definitely candy that’s literally just sugar and chemicals. Every single person in the country would agree that it’s unhealthy and that it has a huge cost on society/taxpayers in terms of medical care (not to mention education costs since kids are affected by this stuff in the classroom which makes them harder to teach) so I have no idea why we tolerate it. If people are highly motivated to eat candy or smoke tobacco then they can make it at home for personal use only but it should not be available for purchase at stores.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

You better pray you never have to take a medication that causes severe weight gain. You will have to drop that attitude fast.

How many medications cause "severe weight gain" and what are they being used to treat? DP: but I believe in finding the root cause of my health issues, and fixing it rather than just continuing to medicate away my life and cause so many problems.
Because other than cancer meds, I'm not sure I'd take them

Dp: So you are saying you'd rather die than gain weight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

We get obese working long hours at assigned seats in office buildings that we can't walk to from where we live. But we produce plenty of market value before interventions are required.

Eating garbage food also fattens the profits of the fast food industry and most food conglomerates. This also has contributed to economic growth as the agriculture sector has been transformed by this change in consumer habits.

You're only looking at the externalities and not the full accounting.

RTO takes personal commute time people could devote to exercise and reassign it to a polluting, sedentary pastime. Yet many conservatives believe RTO is "productive".

You cannot blame people for every consequence of our obesogenic culture.

I drive 45 minutes each way, to an office where I sit for 9+ hours, 5 days a week, and I am not even remotely close to overweight. Take responsibility for your choices.

DP

When the vast majority of the population is overweight (I am actually not overweight so spare me your "advice"), there is something systemic that is wrong. Obviously people have agency, but many people struggle to lose weight because our bodies did not evolve to lose weight, rather to gain it.

People struggle to loose weight because their diet is crap and they don't get exercise. All you need to do is walk 10K steps per day (done in 45 -60 mins total) and eat healthier. Cut out crap and eat Whole Foods and ditch carbs that are not from fruits and veggies.
People also don't want to fix their issues, they just want a pill, which typically has other side effects, so they need another pill, etc........

This is not true. I walked more than 10k steps for years, ate very healthy and could not lose weight. Finally got diagnosed with hypothyroidism, got treatment and am back to my healthy pre-baby weight (19 BMI). Medical conditions can play a huge role.

Totally agree, as do genetics. Not all bodies are the same. When you have a family that eats the same food and engages in the same exercises, but one kid is overweight, you learn this quickly. That kid has different biological needs and will never be tall and skinny and athletic like the siblings. Then mom hits menopause, and you realize that there is a lot more going on in the body than calories in/calories burned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I’m 50 and so obviously I have seen attitudes towards smoking change since I was a kid. Even when smoking was commonplace, I don’t recall people blaming society or structures for smoking. Was that happening?

Yes, it definitely was. Advertising and the entertainment industry were held accountable for making smoking cool. The "Surgeon General's Warning" on advertisements is a lasting piece of evidence.

There was also a PSA campaign called "Body Bags"

https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/blog/2015_01_14_legacy

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a problem because inevitably non obese shell out billions of dollars to compensate for the incredible drain obese people are on our society.

Yeah that’s what I was going to say. Obesity is a huge factor of most chronic health issues. WE as a society pay for that when their care drives up healthcare costs for all.

I feel that way about smoking and vaping. And unlike consumption of food, it’s not necessary. But if we cared about health care costs we’d ban all this and extreme processed foods. It’s easier to blame individuals than take meaningful action so there is no need for “discipline” (which is bullshit as we are not all equal when it comes to addiction)

I’m 50 and so obviously I have seen attitudes towards smoking change since I was a kid. Even when smoking was commonplace, I don’t recall people blaming society or structures for smoking. Was that happening?

Yes, it definitely was. Advertising and the entertainment industry were held accountable for making smoking cool. The "Surgeon General's Warning" on advertisements is a lasting piece of evidence.

There was also a PSA campaign called "Body Bags"

https://www.tobaccofreekids.org/blog/2015_01_14_legacy

Back in the 1930s my grandmother was actually advised to smoke by her doctor. So yes society has changed significantly around smoking.