I am not ill, I am fat.

crisbabe81

Not a disease but in my opinion an addiction to food. It should not be treated as a disease. We've all had or known people who had those, right? cancer, heart disease, etc.... obesity is overeating FOOD. I'm fine with treating it as an addiction just not as a disease. pisses me off

I'm right there with you!

MyChocolateDiet

You say that about year round shorts, but when I visit family in SoCal, we go in February, so it's not too hot for us and they're all wearing coats! My husband and I were sunbathing on Christmas Day and my mother nearly had a coronary thinking we would freeze to death. I got heat stroke, and my mum was waving socks at me. It was 16 degrees! It was 16 degrees today in my back garden in Wiltshire. In JUNE!

I'm sure they were just wearing coats to be fashionable. You rarely need to wear a coat in SoCal.

And the temperatures in February are something like 40-70 on average (night-day). So maybe you would need a coat... if you were outside... at the coldest time of night. But otherwise it's shorts all year round! And flip flops. The Californians love their flip-flops. And their dogs that they can keep in their Louis Vutton purses.*

*Disclaimer: Everything I know about SoCal may or may not come from television.

You forgot our sunglasses. :glasses:

MyChocolateDiet

Okay now for my real answer. Lately it seems like everything is on it's way to being a diagnosis. I've recently taken to watching how many times I blink in a minute when in public lest I be suspected as having some kind of blinks too much disease.

KAYRRIE

In Australia they are classified as being disabled. They receive a disabled parking sticker for their car and all the benfits that someone who actually deserves them gets.
It is an absoulte travisty.

Wow, I'm becoming a formerly obese person and I can't believe they get handicap stickers there. At my worst, it was hard for me to park far, but even I understood that it was my fault and I had to do something about it. Those stickers are not encouraging them to lose weight. It's just making it too easy.

SoViLicious

You just mad we can call into work Fat!

crisbabe81

You just mad we can call into work Fat!

Haha, I'm going to use that one.. (as a joke) You really made me laugh out loud on that one.

AlabasterVerve

It's all about the money -- yay for diet pills and bariatric surgery. There's an absolute ton of money to be made. It's shameful.

BondBomb

I wonder if they would classify you based on BMI. All of the bodybuilders at my gym would be able to park in the handicapped stalls.

ALittleBitLess1

Oh dear, what a silly thread...

Sorry but sounds like arguing for arguings sake, and at the expense of others.

Is heart disease not heart disease when it is self inflicted??

There are definition subtleties between disease and illness, and mostly I think the difference depends on the perspective of the person.

Also you can have a disease without feeling ill, you can feel ill without having a disease.

Oh and addiction/alcoholism is considered by some to be a disease, or a symptom of illness.

KAYRRIE

Just my thought, and I have nothing to base this on other than my own logic, but with the way health insurance is in the US, this is actually a good thing. If obesity is a disease, it can be treated directly by a doctor, instead of having to only focus on the side effects (high blood pressure, diabetes, bad joints, etc.).

I get where you're going with this. The only problem with many doctors is that they're first soluction is weight loss surgery. And once you're cut into for any reason, it opens the flood gates for more problems internally. I believe obesity is a result of food addiction. The more you eat, the bigger you get, and the more your body craves food. I know from experience.

KSfitgal

I am obese and find that to be absurd! All that does is encourage those who get little exercise to get even less. I am active, and sit at a desk all day, but at least I am losing weight and working on it. Not just taking another handout like the welfare does. I am in the USA. I hope it never gets to that where they hand out handicapped stickers cause your fat. It should be reserved with those who really have walking issues and other handicaps other than being to fat. Ridiculous!!

In Australia they are classified as being disabled. They receive a disabled parking sticker for their car and all the benfits that someone who actually deserves them gets.
It is an absoulte travisty.

Laces_0ut

my god my country gets more silly every year. the only reason its being classified as a disease is so Big Pharma can sell more pills.

AllonsYtotheTardis

Just my thought, and I have nothing to base this on other than my own logic, but with the way health insurance is in the US, this is actually a good thing. If obesity is a disease, it can be treated directly by a doctor, instead of having to only focus on the side effects (high blood pressure, diabetes, bad joints, etc.).

It's more likely that people will be refused insurance coverage because of a 'pre-existing condition'

MamaCatO

Just my thought, and I have nothing to base this on other than my own logic, but with the way health insurance is in the US, this is actually a good thing. If obesity is a disease, it can be treated directly by a doctor, instead of having to only focus on the side effects (high blood pressure, diabetes, bad joints, etc.).

^^This. The way American health insurance is run, nothing is covered to help lose weight. This could mean that our insurance companies now cover nutritionists, etc. We have, over the years come to the belief that more is better when it comes to food. Americans need to be retaught how to eat and what to eat. Maybe now, instead of just putting us on more medications for high blood pressure, heart disease, cholesterol and diabetes, our insurance will cover showing people how to eat, how to exercise, etc.

KSfitgal

Addiction is a mental disease and most people I believe are obese because of a mental disease - addiction to food. Addictions run in my family from tobacco to alcohol - and though they are not issues for me, food, specifically sugar is. That is what I am addicted to and since refraining from it other than what is naturally occurring in certain food - I have dropped weight and overall feel so much better!! Therefore, I believe being obese is a disease, not in the same form as cancer, or aids, but it is a mental disease. Something is misfiring that keep you from stopping when you are full and for making bad choices of foods. Unfortunately while you can live with and are better off not having most of the common things people are addicted too, food you need. It is just making the right choices and controlling what you eat that becomes tough!

Oh dear, what a silly thread...

Sorry but sounds like arguing for arguings sake, and at the expense of others.

Is heart disease not heart disease when it is self inflicted??

There are definition subtleties between disease and illness, and mostly I think the difference depends on the perspective of the person.

Also you can have a disease without feeling ill, you can feel ill without having a disease.

Oh and addiction/alcoholism is considered by some to be a disease, or a symptom of illness.

operation_cute

as someone who is technically considered "obese" (doing something about it!) I can say easily that I am not sick, or have any kind of desease I believe deseases can result from obesity (heart desease, diabeties, ect) , kind of like deseases can result from other bad lifestyle choices too, like smoking, or drinking to much (and no I don't consider drinking to much a disease either aka alcohoism) ect... I don't understand why obesity is a desease rather than a lifestyle choice?

hep26000

I live in So Cal. I am about an hour north of Los Angeles. We have wonderful weather so many days out of the year. It might not get cold here to people used to cold but a 60 degree night is freezing to me. I wear my sweater pretty often in the early hours. But we definately love our flip flops. I am actually wearing my favorite ones at work right now with my black slacks and nice top. Haha. It could be raining out and I am usually wearing my flip flops. They are the best invention EVER!!! :blushing:

My sister is in Virginia Beach, VA right now and said their daily pace is so much slower than home and her friends are taking naps in the middle of the day and she said the whole city is so much fatter than here. I was surprised to hear that considering it is a beach and you would think (just like with So Cal) that they would have a reason to want to stay in better shape. :ohwell:

I think I forgot the point of this post but just thought I would share that 60 degrees outside is cold to me but even being cold I will be wearing my flip flops. :happy:

AJinBirmingham

Obesity is a disease like alcoholism is a disease.

The classification is a good thing for healthcare (insurance covers "disease" treatment) but a bad thing for language (because it's NOT A DISEASE.)

lee91356

I get the reason for the decision, its like calling alcoholism a disease - some people have a "disorder" which causes an inability to use self-control. Its a welcome change in view, recognizing that its more than just a behavior, its acknowledging that like drug addicts and alcohols, for some people there is an innate difficulty in "putting down the fork."

Now to say that all obese/ overweight people have this disease, that would be incorrect. It should be looked at more as a term for those with REAL weight issues, like the morbidly-obese. I speak from experience of someone who was morbidly obese and am know working on gaining a healthy BMI. I know that part of the problem was my bad eating, but the other part - the part I still have a hard time with is the compulsion (much like an alcoholic suffers) for the bad foods and overeating. The difference between this and and alcohol is that they can have the option to quite cold turkey and keep away, where as those of us with food problems cant just give up food and never eat it again so its hard to forever keep away from the triggering/ addictive substance. The solution for me was not just to "put the fork down" but rather working on ALL the aspects of my eating behaviors. Perhaps this new classification will help those with eating problems get the help they need to make the right decisions and really understand what/ why they are the way they are.

Otterluv

I am for whatever gets results. Right now, it seems like the symptoms are treated (diabetes, heart disease, etc.) but not the underlying problem, which is pretty inefficient. If trips to nutritionists and bariatric clinics, with an eye on treatment and coming up with plans, including regular visits, are successful, a lot of money could be saved as a result. The policy we have now clearly isn't working, so maybe it's time to try something different.

Yes, a number of people will be denied coverage by insurance companies because it will be considered a pre-existing condition. But, to be honest, insurance companies already deny coverage for people who don't meet their specific BMI criteria.

aimeemanninghunter

Absolute horse hockey! It's self induced! What's next?

Yes it is self induced but so is a lot of diabetes, high BP, liver disease, skin cancer.....

NonnyMary

I just wonder if the Gov't will allow ppl to collect Social Security Benefits from this eventually

yes and be able to not work and collect disability, and receive food stamps - great! a cartful of free food!

i think people are going to abuse this, who are going to get victim mentality who would lose weight if they just put down the extra large pizza, onion rings, and huge triple burgers. In that case obesity is a choice, a habit.

I do believe food can be addicting, if we choose it, and I do believe people get diseases BECAUSE they are obese, but i do not believe all obesity is a disease.. I beleive it is a HABIT. And it does not have to have a hold on anyone.

the thing that actually shocked me into believeing anyone can lose weight is my mother - who was very very overweight, so that she being in her 80's, was now having to be in a wheelchair, she couldn't walk, knees gave out, so she couldn't move around hardly at all.. not even to the toilet.

But because she could not stand the food hardly, in the nursing home, she didn't eat much, and she lost weight, i dont think she even exercised in that wheelchair. she eventually got really skinny. just by not eating much.

Sox90716

The contention that alcoholism and drug addiction are diseases is completely moronic too. You make the choice to drink, you make the conscious decision to snort, bang or smoke dope. Nobody is putting a gun to their heads! Putting it in the same classification as cancer? Give me a frigging break!

jetlag

I live in So Cal. I am about an hour north of Los Angeles. We have wonderful weather so many days out of the year. It might not get cold here to people used to cold but a 60 degree night is freezing to me. I wear my sweater pretty often in the early hours. But we definately love our flip flops. I am actually wearing my favorite ones at work right now with my black slacks and nice top. Haha. It could be raining out and I am usually wearing my flip flops. They are the best invention EVER!!! :blushing:

My sister is in Virginia Beach, VA right now and said their daily pace is so much slower than home and her friends are taking naps in the middle of the day and she said the whole city is so much fatter than here. I was surprised to hear that considering it is a beach and you would think (just like with So Cal) that they would have a reason to want to stay in better shape. :ohwell:

I think I forgot the point of this post but just thought I would share that 60 degrees outside is cold to me but even being cold I will be wearing my flip flops. :happy:

Totally off topic but that was my point. When I first moved to the uk from LA, I wore sweaters in the summer. 80 degrees is a heat wave here lol I still go barefoot all the time, though, even in winter. I hate having things on my feet, so yeah I'm a flip flop fan!


On topic: I really think what we need to do is to educate ourselves as to the definition of disease. I'm sure I'm not alone when I assume it's synonymous with germs or some other thing beyond our control. The truth is that it isn't. A disease is not just something you "catch" or some mutation caused by environmental factors. We can cause disease in ourselves. We can cause our own lung cancer and heart disease, so why not obesity?

So, I ask this: heart disease, type II diabetes and obesity are all caused by poor diet. What makes one a disease and the other not?

dakotababy

Not a disease but in my opinion an addiction to food. It should not be treated as a disease. We've all had or known people who had those, right? cancer, heart disease, etc.... obesity is overeating FOOD. I'm fine with treating it as an addiction just not as a disease. pisses me off

This is what I thought as well, though addiction is classified as a disease.

Obesity = food addiction = disease.

dakotababy

I get the reason for the decision, its like calling alcoholism a disease - some people have a "disorder" which causes an inability to use self-control. Its a welcome change in view, recognizing that its more than just a behavior, its acknowledging that like drug addicts and alcohols, for some people there is an innate difficulty in "putting down the fork."

dakotababy

I recognize this is my third post in a row...I just wanted to point out that the title of this thread can be seen as contradictory. "I am not ill, I am fat". Though in no means do I want to start the whole "Being fat doesn't mean I am unhealthy" debate.