I just don't care about the 'obesity epidemic'

How does the obesity epidemic effect me?

1. Not enough fit young people to to serve in war time. The military even has a program to get overweight and obese teens who wish to join into a "pre-boot camp" to see if they can get the weight off.

Sending young people to get shot at and blown up by IED's doesn't indicate much of a concern for their health.

Well, just see what happens to the United States and our freedom when we no longer have a strong military.

Halliburton won't be able to make as much money rebuilding the stuff they just blew up?

I've learned, just in the past few hours, that there are some people who seem intent on making other peoples' food choices their business. I know there's this attitude that "Well, why ask for advice if you can't handle the advice you get?" but honestly...I think there's a way to offer advice without being a complete and utter judgemental *kitten* about it.

MFP in and of itself is a useful tool....but the forums? People can just be so needlessly cruel. And there's absolutely no need. I know it's easy to be a complete *kitten* when you're hiding behind a computer screen, but people should have better sense.

Shhh, don't tell anyone that I agree with you. This just makes us a target for the smarta**es.

I get sick and tired of the argument that someone has the 'right' to complain about other people's obesity because it affects everyone's healthcare costs. Guess what, we all make decisions that affect healthcare costs. The 'hook up' culture has created an increase in STDs and single mothers. Who do you think pays for their healthcare costs? We do. Courtesy of the new ACA all plans must now cover addiction treatment. So we all pay for those healthcare costs too.

And while an obese person might have a higher cost of health care while they are alive, their life is also likely to be shorter. The largest healthcare expenses are during end of life care. Who do you think has a lower lifetime healthcare cost - the obese person who keels over from a heart attack at age 60 or the 100+ year old lady who needs round the clock nursing home care?

People should be valued for who they are, not what they cost.

I am obese and have been so for most of my life. It has also made me miserable. I am trying to change, not because it will reduce my healtcare costs, but because I will feel better.

Rather than criticizing and shaming fat people, try inviting one for a walk. And then be willing to walk at whatever pace they need to go at. Don't make them feel bad for being slow. Encourage them.

And, just because you're at a "healthy" weight does not make you healthy. Just because you're overweight doesn't mean your unhealthy in any other way.

I don't care about the epidemic when there are far more pressing things in our world to be mad about.

But I will say I am annoyed when obese people complain about things that are a result of their lifestyle. For example, I am part of a PCOS awareness group and many of the women are distraught by infertility. But many of them are a solid 100lbs overweight and do nothing to try to lose weight! I have little sympathy for the women who cannot get pregnant because that is natures way of saying you are not fit for it. I have known many women to lose weight and find themselves pregnant, even with PCOS.

IF you choose to be overweight, live with it and I won't judge you. Just don't complain that life is unfair because of it.

What?! I have known MANY overweight women that have babies just fine. In fact, I know one young woman that went to a fertility doctor and he told her (VERY RUDELY I might add) that she would never have children because she was too fat. Smartass doctor. I hope she went back and showed him her GORGEOUS TWINS.

It's pretty well known that obesity is a high risk factor for infertility. If you're infertile and obese and want to get pregnant, it does seem like trying to lose weight would be a logical step to take, yes? Doesn't mean that there aren't obese people who manage to get pregnant just fine. On the other hand, I'm fairly pissed by this part of the comment:

I have little sympathy for the women who cannot get pregnant because that is natures way of saying you are not fit for it.

Really? So I guess all of the in vitro fertilization children are/were just complete mistakes, then. I can tell you that infertility means absolutely zero as far as a woman's fitness to handle pregnancy and motherhood either physically or emotionally.

I care about the obesity epidemic, I care about people who have eating disorders to the point they are walking skeletons, and I care about the elderly and the poor. I care about my Dad who died from lung cancer from smoking cigerattes. I care about a family member so deep in drug addiction she stole jewelry from other family members to sell it. I don't want other people to suffer thru drug addictions and disease enhancing addictions and behavior.

I do know I can't do anything about those situations, but I can pray and I can ask for help and VOTE for helping those people out. I can also volunteer time and money to charities that help all those people who have those problems.

I want all of those to have the best quality of life possible while on this earth, and if public awareness means calling it an epidemic, at least it draws attention that some people want help with their obesity.

Sure, I care.

I don't care about the epidemic when there are far more pressing things in our world to be mad about.

But I will say I am annoyed when obese people complain about things that are a result of their lifestyle. For example, I am part of a PCOS awareness group and many of the women are distraught by infertility. But many of them are a solid 100lbs overweight and do nothing to try to lose weight! I have little sympathy for the women who cannot get pregnant because that is natures way of saying you are not fit for it. I have known many women to lose weight and find themselves pregnant, even with PCOS.

IF you choose to be overweight, live with it and I won't judge you. Just don't complain that life is unfair because of it.

What?! I have known MANY overweight women that have babies just fine. In fact, I know one young woman that went to a fertility doctor and he told her (VERY RUDELY I might add) that she would never have children because she was too fat. Smartass doctor. I hope she went back and showed him her GORGEOUS TWINS.

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, I have PCOS but am not terribly overweight (say 10 lbs) and have tried unsuccessfully to have children for almost 8 years now. So that's nature telling me I'm unfit to parent? I'm assuming you either had kids with little difficulty or prefer to remain childless, as that tends to be the sorts of people to make statements like that.

Not at all what I said. I also have PCOS and know infertility can be an issue. But there are also plenty of women who COULD get pregnant if they were not 100lbs overweight.

I'm laughing at this entire thread.

I don't care if people are obese. I also don't care if they're smokers or drinkers. I don't see people complaining about lifelong smokers having higher rates of cancer and "costing us tax dollars", yet people are so willing to harp on the obese for having heart problems etc.

WHAT? the government took a HUGE stance against the tobacco company because it was costing us so much money. have you seen the price of a pack of cigarettes lately?

I meant in this thread, sorry. Also I don't know the going rate of cigarettes or how it's changed because I'm not a smoker and have never been

As a reformed smoker and former obese person I can personally tell you that as a smoker I was basically treated as a 5th class citizen at best...when I was just fat, most people didn't care.

Really? For some reason that surprises me, but that might just be because I've never had to deal with that particular kind of attitude first hand. I've never been a smoker and I never will be but I'm a big advocate of allowing people to do what they want. I mean, they'll eventually reap what they sow.

....of allowing people to do what they want.

that's kind of part of the problem isn't it?.. more and more people just do whatever they want without regard to how if affects those around them

I don't care about the epidemic when there are far more pressing things in our world to be mad about.

But I will say I am annoyed when obese people complain about things that are a result of their lifestyle. For example, I am part of a PCOS awareness group and many of the women are distraught by infertility. But many of them are a solid 100lbs overweight and do nothing to try to lose weight! I have little sympathy for the women who cannot get pregnant because that is natures way of saying you are not fit for it. I have known many women to lose weight and find themselves pregnant, even with PCOS.

IF you choose to be overweight, live with it and I won't judge you. Just don't complain that life is unfair because of it.

What?! I have known MANY overweight women that have babies just fine. In fact, I know one young woman that went to a fertility doctor and he told her (VERY RUDELY I might add) that she would never have children because she was too fat. Smartass doctor. I hope she went back and showed him her GORGEOUS TWINS.

And on the opposite side of the spectrum, I have PCOS but am not terribly overweight (say 10 lbs) and have tried unsuccessfully to have children for almost 8 years now. So that's nature telling me I'm unfit to parent? I'm assuming you either had kids with little difficulty or prefer to remain childless, as that tends to be the sorts of people to make statements like that.

Not at all what I said. I also have PCOS and know infertility can be an issue. But there are also plenty of women who COULD get pregnant if they were not 100lbs overweight.

I was 100 lbs overweight... didn't have any problems getting knocked up. The issue of infertility is only marginally related to weight.

multiple articles on how fat does not necessarily equal un-healthy

http://www.fatnutritionist.com/index.php/articles-evidence/

Through all of my struggles with my weight and being "obese" I have learned that the only person who has control over the problem is me. I made myself fat....i ate too much and didn't exercise. Can I blame it on genetics or medical problems-sure, but I choose not to. I don't know that anything would have made me stop the destructive behavior other than my own will to change. I guess if I was only given healthy food and forced to exercise then that would have worked. I try not to judge anyone except myself. What I can do, is offer help and motivation to anyone who wants it. I can't say how I feel about other people except that I hope they hit the point that I did and want to change their life.

For starters, we live on a world with finite resources. Gluttony takes away from those resources.

You're taking this way too personally. I don't care about specific people being obese (except about their health) but there are plenty of reasons to care about the bigger picture of such a big proportion of the population being obese.

^^^^^
Great Points... There is a bigger picture of the problem. People are either one. Not educated or two. they don't care about their health. Maybe a combination of them both.... Either way it saddens me to see people not take care of them selves. Like watching honey boo boo, Although I also get so confused on how some people that are very obese have the greatest confidence and don't let their size hold them back. Off topic a bit I guess...

Tax dollars. :grumble:

The position may be different where you are but in the UK I read a report last year which indicated that obese people, much like smokers, actually have a lower net cost to society than healthy individuals. This is for the reason they die sooner and long term care costs for the elderly far outstrip the higher health care costs that obese patients attract while they are alive.

The most pressing concern for western economies in this regard is an ageing population which is outstripping the replacement rate and which presents a tax burden that the younger generation it seems will simply be unable to support.

Old people need to start taking one for the team and dying sooner.

And don't get me started on those sports people who rack up huge healthcare costs when they suffer complex injuries and require restorative surgery. So selfish and avoidable...

Wow.

That is a common reaction when people meet me, yes...