Why is obesity considered deviant behavior?

SerenaFisher

Economic influences contribute to obesity (low income areas have less access to fresh fruits and vegetables) and education hasn't been there for some people.
Depression, abuse, etc.. also lead to obesity. Substituting food for affection, feeding depression, etc.
It's easy to attack those you don't understand. You don't ridicule alcoholics or drug addicts for their choices, why is it so easy to do that to food addicts?

You would think that people on a website geared towards health and weight loss would be a bit more compassionate. I haven't seen that to be the case yet.

What makes you think people are more compassionate towards alcoholics and drug addicts? Also let's not forget that medicating oneself with alcohol, or drugs can make detox KILL YOU, whereas medicating with food and going healthy probably won't KILL YOU.

As for McDonald's and lack of fresh veggies being why poor people are fat, I am poor, I am not fat. Just because you go to McDonald's doesn't make you fat, it doesn't make your body feel good over all but overeating IS WHAT MAKES YOU FAT. You eat a normal size serving of food from any place and the calories are similar, just what's inside the food isn't always healthy. Also if you are a food addict do what other addicts do, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Get off the couch, put down the chips, and go to someone for support. Just like alcoholics, and druggies, they have groups for support for that. In fact they pretty much have support groups for anything, and guess what? You can be poor and attend these.

WinnerVictorious

Obesity is crucial for the economy. Fast food nation's profits, pharmaceutical company profits all come in a significant part from obese people and more joining their ranks.

Fast food nation and pharmaceutical companies are the people who finance campaigns for presidents and governments.

As simple education program, teaching how to cook with fresh ingredients and making physical activity fun is all it takes. When you have a society that thrives on convenience, it's no surprise that food too becomes convenient.

"The Man" might slag off obesity in public, but "The Man" really wants more people to become obese.

or maybe.. just maybe.. instead of walking in the fields behind a plow and only being able to eat the foods you produce yourself on your own land with your own hands, we are now at a point where food is abundant and cheap and many people spend their days sitting at a desk behind a computer???

...nawww! couldn't be. worldwide food and pharmaceutical company conspiracies make much more sense as an explanation.

LoraF83

Obesity is an epidemic that will only get worse if we treat it with ridicule and disgust.

It isn't a character flaw of someone that causes them to be obese.

McDonald's, Wendy's, and Burger King among others contribute mightily to the obesity problem.

As a society we also have to demand healthier products from the Food Industry.

1. Treating smokers with ridicule and disgust has helped to reduce the number of smokers. Same should apply to obesity. Don't underestimate the power of societal pressure.

2. What does cause MOST people to be obese? Eating too much and not moving enough, perhaps?

3. Does someone force you to eat at those establishments?

4. Healthy foods abound, you just need to choose them instead of unhealthy foods.

To add to #4 - you vote with your wallet. If people chose to stop buying crap, there would be less crap on the marketplace. But once again, it's a choice.

cmcollins001

Fat people are rebels.

BrettPGH

1. Treating smokers with ridicule and disgust has helped to reduce the number of smokers. Same should apply to obesity. Don't underestimate the power of societal pressure.

I don't know about that. It has made some people seem incredibly annoying though. *lights up*

No one shamed me into getting in shape and no one will shame me into quitting smoking. I made the choice for myself. I'm sure you all have plenty of habits I could treat you with ridicule for, tell you how disgusting I think you are. I prefer to just leave you alone and ask that you extend me the same courtesy.

sevsmom

I work in public health, and I can assure you that for at least the past decade LOTS of money has been going into programs to get healthy foods into neighborhoods where it's lacking, exercise and fitness programs to seem "cool" to kids, fitness programs to community centers in at risk communitites, education, education,education, social justice and environmental studies, focus on built environment and obesity. . .LOTS of money has been thrown at the issues with obesity.

Advertisers have more money and "tasty" products. You don't have to sweat to enjoy their products. What do you think is going to sway more people? Advertising gimmicks and glitz or education about sweat and portion control?

sad, but true.

BusyRaeNOTBusty

I do think there are certain things that could be done, maybe nutrition classes in middle school, FREE sports programs, more pedestrian / bike friendly communities, etc.

But no, studies and money, and government regulation are not the answer.

Sweet_Gurl_Next_Door

my obesity was caused by two things

1. I was being to lazy and not wanting to get off my butt and get moving

2. I was eating way beyond my proper portions or not eating enough most days

It is us who needs to take responsibility for our own actions. not the government. we can choose to eat mcdonald's or not to.
one the times I go out like when my child has away games I pre plan ahead of time by checking out the lowest calorie options.

I chose to be obese and weigh 250 pounds by my own actions. just like I am choosing now to do something about it. I lost 75 pounds thus far in doing so.

myofibril

It's because obesity is linked, falsely in my opinion, with laziness and gluttony. Sure, I think there are a small minority of obese people who are merely feckless. Most of them? I don't think so.

Still it's easy to giving obese people a metaphorical kicking. They have very little social empowerment so will rarely fight back. If anything they will accept it gladly because they undoubtedly deserve it because of their lack of willpower or something like that.

Telling an obese person that they could be slim if only they could eat less and move more is about as useful as telling a chronically shy man that he could get laid if only he could find some confidence. Sounds great but utterly useless advice in practice.

BurtHuttz

I find this interesting.

Obesity is an epidemic that will only get worse if we treat it with ridicule and disgust. It isn't a character flaw of someone that causes them to be obese. Obesity isn't deviance but a disease (like alcoholism) of sorts and if treated properly can be cured.

Alcoholism is a character flaw. Obesity itself is a descriptor, but the set of behaviors that lead to obesity are also a character flaw.

You know it's a flaw because obese people are killing themselves.

I think I feel you though, OP, and I get where you're coming from. While the thermodynamic solution to eradicating obesity is very simple (eat less/move more), the "culture of obesity" in the US in particular needs to be addressed.

I don't think Government intervention is necessarily the right idea, but I'd love it if everyone who coughs and shoots me dirty looks when I (like Brett) light up, would also make disgusted faces when obese people walk out of McDonalds, then we will make some positive progress in changing our culture from one of welcoming acceptance toward Obesity to fighting it for the scourge it really is.

I think that's a modest proposal.

DontStopB_Leakin

1. Treating smokers with ridicule and disgust has helped to reduce the number of smokers. Same should apply to obesity. Don't underestimate the power of societal pressure.

*lights up*

Orly? Tell me all of your disgusting habits. Let me shame you for them, then you can tell me how that makes you feel.


Shaming someone into losing weight will do nothing but destroy whatever little self esteem they have left.


Also, you're a peach if you truly believe that ridiculing and shaming someone into doing what *you* want them to do is the right way to go about life.


The high school mean girls club called. They want their tactics back.

970Mikaela1

My prolific use of drugs was deviant. When i quit i got fat...didn't like being fat and took responsibility for MY eating behaviors and now im normal. Ouch that stings!

monicalosesweight

I don't know why people keep saying veggies are so expensive. They aren't THAT bad. Sheesh. You can buy giant bags of frozen veggies for dirt cheap. You can also find farmers markets and get them there at a lower cost. The real problem is that we've moved away as a society from cooking at home to doing everything so it's easier for us all. It's simpler to just buy food and something precooked is easier. Veggies are available and can be purchased for decent prices. You have to choose what you buy - skip the bag of horrible deep fried chips and buy bananas or bell peppers...it's all choice. The pricing isn't that horrendous. I've seen grocery carts full of sodas and artificial stuff - they could choose to eat right - they choose to not do so. We are here because we've chosen to change our lives and eat the right way. Personally, I don't think we're wasting as much food now that I'm constantly cooking and actually preparing real stuff. We freeze anything that might go bad and waste less. It's all a process.

Monica

Cr01502

Maybe we should get rid of our cars and just ride obese people to work?

That would solve a number of issues.

odusgolp

We clearly need the government to fix this.



Raise taxes.

BurtHuttz

*lights up*

Orly? Tell me all of your disgusting habits. Let me shame you for them, then you can tell me how that makes you feel.


Shaming someone into losing weight will do nothing but destroy whatever little self esteem they have left.


Also, you're a peach if you truly believe that ridiculing and shaming someone into doing what *you* want them to do is the right way to go about life.


The high school mean girls club called. They want their tactics back.

Srs. The change in attitude toward smoking in the US *did* impact the number of smokers. If obese people weren't allowed to eat fast food inside, that would begin to gradually change the number of obese people.

Whether it's good or bad is debatable but the fact is that the demonization of smoking and smokers has had a HUGE impact on the number of smokers - it's taxed out the *kitten*, it's barred indoors, and all because it's grown to be considered "societally unacceptable".

I think it's completely reasonable that the obese be treated the same way. Overtaxed, marginalized, excluded, and treated as something less than a person - rude comments made freely toward them because our society just doesn't stand for it anymore.

It works.

djeffreys10

Funny, while I am far from poor I actually spend less on food now that I am eating healthy. Amazing how much cheaper it is to pack my healthy lunch that run to grab fast food every day.

And also, I don't buy into "emotional eating" as being a cause. CHOOSING to emotionally eat it a cause. Yeah, I get the people get sad, lonely, depressed, whatever and turn to food for comfort. I am a single dad, and when my kids go visit their mom I tend to get sad, lonely, and a little depressed. But that doesn't mean you have to channel that into food. Yes, it is an easy quick fix so to speak. But so is going to the gym. Channel those feelings into moving weight around. Hell, channel them into just simply moving YOURSELF around.

highervibes

It's because obesity is linked, falsely in my opinion, with laziness and gluttony. Sure, I think there are a small minority of obese people who are merely feckless. Most of them? I don't think so.

Still it's easy to giving obese people a metaphorical kicking. They have very little social empowerment so will rarely fight back. If anything they will accept it gladly because they undoubtedly deserve it because of their lack of willpower or something like that.

Telling an obese person that they could be slim if only they could eat less and move more is about as useful as telling a chronically shy man that he could get laid if only he could find some confidence. Sounds great but utterly useless advice in practice.

yes, yes, yes.

ctpeace

Wow, just wow. OP, yes, you are correct. While there is a place for talking about will power here, ridicule is NOT the answer (nor was it ever for smoking, making quitting easier and smoking more expensive and difficult has done a lot more). As a disease prevention specialist, let me explain a little about reducing "risk behavior" (overeating, smoking, unprotected sex with multiple partners, binge drinking, whatever). There's a lot that we can do as a society to help people not do these things, although the choice is always personal. A small percentage of people will always do the "right" thing, no matter how difficult, and a small percentage will always do the damaging thing, no matter how easy to avoid it, but for most people, we take the path of least resistance (socially and physically). Think about it, you are on this site because it is a tool that helps make staying, or getting, healthy easier. While the cure to obesity is already known, we still live in a society where people see fast food (they've done EVERYTHING to try and make this the easiest choice!) as easy and maintaining a healthy weight as difficult. Sites like this, weightwatchers, personal trainers and video programs all work because they make doing the things we know we need to do easier. Please, all of you, get off your high horses and remember that you needed help to get where you are now, whether that was a tool for calorie counting (let's face it, I wouldn't do it if I had to whip out a calculator and read a label every time I ate something!), a community (I'm loving the support fitness group I joined for April, it's helping me), a friend who did it with you, a prize like new clothes, a grocery list that you stick to or whatever. OP, I highly recommend you continue to look for ways to make your path of least resistance one that also leads to health.

myofibril

I think it's completely reasonable that the obese be treated the same way. Overtaxed, marginalized, excluded, and treated as something less than a person - rude comments made freely toward them because our society just doesn't stand for it anymore.

It works.

Yes, I don't think that obese people should be allowed to use the same water fountains as me.

It's simply outrageous.