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Is the U.S. Government about to try and tackle the Obesity Epidemic?
psychod787
Posts: 4,088 Member
Came by this today. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/596/text?r=5&s=1
I wonder if this passes, what the reaction will be?
I wonder if this passes, what the reaction will be?
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Replies
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It will be met with pushback from the HAAS and Body Positivity Movement. 🤦🏼♀️ I hope they hold their ground on this issue. Obesity is having horrible ramifications to the health of our nation.12
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NoLimitFemme wrote: »It will be met with pushback from the HAAS and Body Positivity Movement. 🤦🏼♀️ I hope they hold their ground on this issue. Obesity is having horrible ramifications to the health of our nation.
I have been thinking the same thing. I have tried to understand the Fat Acceptance community for a while. Most will not even engage, and the ones that do are often just full of venom. Complete denial of research that contradicts their ideas.16 -
I hope it gets passed. Our population needs as much help as it can get with obesity.7
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There is a line between HAES, Body positivity, and Fat acceptance communities.
The fact of the matter is, no one's size and weight should determine whether or not they are treated like, you know, a person.
The other fact of the matter is, obesity is not healthy and the idea that self-love is being really, really overweight is absolute bullcrap.
I absolutely believe people should love themselves where they are, regardless of their size. I also believe everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect (until their actions show otherwise). I even think the diet industry and diet culture are predatory, toxic, and harmful.
None of that changes the toxicity and harm done by the 'health at every size' movement -- and it's vocal, angry, spokes people.
Addressing OP: I don't hate it. It's a health issue. I don't know how effective anything will be given.... so many factors, but I don't hate it. Actually really like the behavioral aspects.22 -
I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.21 -
cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
24 -
ALSO, MFP isn't a counseling service or a behavioral change one. Yeah, we can tell people how to lose weight but I've seen more than a few threads here where the advice was 'seek therapy/find a qualified counselor' because of deeply ingrained emotional and behavioral issues.
MFP is a great how to, but we're not a place for people with behavioral issues, emotional issues, or eating disorders.
LIke... at all and should not be. we're a bunch of internet randos.19 -
wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
Yeah, and I solved my mental health issues without professional help. There are churches, meetings, school counselors, online communities, LIBRARIES are free.
I've had big mental health issues in the past too. What I've learned is it's always an inside job. No one can "fix" it for me, least of all the Federal Government. I'm in charge of my own mental health, my own brain and my own weight.
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cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
This was exactly my thinking as well. The government will spend a boatload of tax dollars trying to combat something that is completely up to every individual to tackle.10 -
cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
Yeah, and I solved my mental health issues without professional help. There are churches, meetings, school counselors, online communities, LIBRARIES are free.
I've had big mental health issues in the past too. What I've learned is it's always an inside job. No one can "fix" it for me, least of all the Federal Government. I'm in charge of my own mental health, my own brain and my own weight.
Yep, Individual has to do the work but you also sometimes require a professional - or you know, medication. I am absolutely sure that a library and church would have TOTALLY managed my uncles schizophrenia just fine. Especially when the voices in his head were the voice of God (and did in fact involve a lot of eating issues including weight issues, unsurprisingly). Also great for brain chemistry issues and the fact that mental health issues often involve a warped sense of reality and, you know, stop people from thinking clearly.
No big.
BOOTSTRAPS!!!! is all they need. That and a bunch of conflicting voices with conflicting voices online. No need for professionals for anyone.
JUST. BOOTSTRAPS!
God I hate that crap so much.22 -
wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
Yeah, and I solved my mental health issues without professional help. There are churches, meetings, school counselors, online communities, LIBRARIES are free.
I've had big mental health issues in the past too. What I've learned is it's always an inside job. No one can "fix" it for me, least of all the Federal Government. I'm in charge of my own mental health, my own brain and my own weight.
Yep, Individual has to do the work but you also sometimes require a professional - or you know, medication. I am absolutely sure that a library and church would have TOTALLY managed my uncles schizophrenia just fine. Great for brain chemistry issues and people with mental health issues so bad they're not thinking clearly.
No big.
BOOTSTRAPS!!!!
God I hate that crap so much. Good sign of 'I am a jerk' though, so serves as a decent warning.
Really? You're gonna compare obesity with schizophrenia?
Seriously?7 -
psychod787 wrote: »NoLimitFemme wrote: »It will be met with pushback from the HAAS and Body Positivity Movement. 🤦🏼♀️ I hope they hold their ground on this issue. Obesity is having horrible ramifications to the health of our nation.
I have been thinking the same thing. I have tried to understand the Fat Acceptance community for a while. Most will not even engage, and the ones that do are often just full of venom. Complete denial of research that contradicts their ideas.
JMO But I don't think people accept their own level of being overweight; they feel uncomfortable and ashamed and mebarrassed. But OTOH, just because of someone's size they should never be discriminated against as far as getting a job, having access to everything 'normal' sized people have access to. But unfortunately it doesn't work that way.
Just this weekend I've been seeing where a woman was being discriminated against for a job by not being 'very pretty'. Stuff like that makes me want to bash people up against a wall.
I agree obesity is definitely a health issue but the discrimination(and judgement) due to being overweight can have a detrimental effect as well.
I just don't think this is a good way to handle it?6 -
wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
This is what needs to be fixed, more available mental health for lots of reasons. Quality mental health. Some of the people I've been to throughout my past should've been in a different career IMO13 -
I don't necessarily think this is a good way to handle it, either.
I do think people like to pretend, in some scenarios, that they bear no responsibility.
I just also think that 'you can do it alone and without professional assistance and there are always available options' is absolute *kitten*. Some people can. Some people cannot. Some people have actually got mental health issues in play that need AN ACTUAL PROFESSIONAL TO HELP WITH. Do I think the government tackling obesity is going to make those available? No. Do I think it should? No. Do I think we need more mental, emotional and behavioral help available to people in this country in general? Absolutely. Do I believe that that intersects with obesity? ALSO YES.
HOW MANY "I eat emotionally" and 'My depression/anxiety led to me being obese" because a lack of coping mechanisms or clear understanding of what is going on do we have here? Wherein 'Just go take a walk or do something else" does not cut it? How many binge eating threads? How many "i was assaulted and got obese and now I don't know how to stop/it became a protective measure/trauma response' people have drifted through various forums ( a lot, though not outright here).
Mental. Health. Matters. It is NOT the sole cause, it may not even be the majority cause - the whole thing is complicated in 93 ways from food costs to the diet industry to education to work norms to education and a dozen other things- but you don't just dismiss mental health and tell people to go to a freaking library and read a book and be their own therapist or seek counseling from the internet. That. Doesn't. Work. THERAPISTS see therapists.16 -
wunderkindking wrote: »There is a line between HAES, Body positivity, and Fat acceptance communities.
The fact of the matter is, no one's size and weight should determine whether or not they are treated like, you know, a person.
The other fact of the matter is, obesity is not healthy and the idea that self-love is being really, really overweight is absolute bullcrap.
I absolutely believe people should love themselves where they are, regardless of their size. I also believe everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect (until their actions show otherwise). I even think the diet industry and diet culture are predatory, toxic, and harmful.
None of that changes the toxicity and harm done by the 'health at every size' movement -- and it's vocal, angry, spokes people.
Addressing OP: I don't hate it. It's a health issue. I don't know how effective anything will be given.... so many factors, but I don't hate it. Actually really like the behavioral aspects.
I think it's a start, I honestly don't think it goes far enough. I think it needs to take a more of the fierce antismoking campaigns we have seen since the 70's. It has actually been marginally successful. The amount of smokers has dropped quite a bit. Start showing the the graphic pictures of diabetic amputations, the insides of arteries of people with CAD, people who had strokes because of HTN. Combine this with a tax on hyperprocessed , energy dense, hyperpalatable foods. Mean while making staples foods cheaper and more available. This might have a greater effect imho....8 -
wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
This is what needs to be fixed, more available mental health for lots of reasons. Quality mental health. Some of the people I've been to throughout my past should've been in a different career IMO
Yep, absolutely that.
1 -
psychod787 wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »There is a line between HAES, Body positivity, and Fat acceptance communities.
The fact of the matter is, no one's size and weight should determine whether or not they are treated like, you know, a person.
The other fact of the matter is, obesity is not healthy and the idea that self-love is being really, really overweight is absolute bullcrap.
I absolutely believe people should love themselves where they are, regardless of their size. I also believe everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect (until their actions show otherwise). I even think the diet industry and diet culture are predatory, toxic, and harmful.
None of that changes the toxicity and harm done by the 'health at every size' movement -- and it's vocal, angry, spokes people.
Addressing OP: I don't hate it. It's a health issue. I don't know how effective anything will be given.... so many factors, but I don't hate it. Actually really like the behavioral aspects.
I think it's a start, I honestly don't think it goes far enough. I think it needs to take a more of the fierce antismoking campaigns we have seen since the 70's. It has actually been marginally successful. The amount of smokers has dropped quite a bit. Start showing the the graphic pictures of diabetic amputations, the insides of arteries of people with CAD, people who had strokes because of HTN. Combine this with a tax on hyperprocessed , energy dense, hyperpalatable foods. Mean while making staples foods cheaper and more available. This might have a greater effect imho....
Yeah, the economic thing is a thing I realize very starkly very frequently. I agree with everything you said but the money stuff is a thing I think about a lot, every time I buy groceries. I'm comfortable now, but I still notice. And it bugs the crap out of me, because it's just wrong.3 -
cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
Yeah, and I solved my mental health issues without professional help. There are churches, meetings, school counselors, online communities, LIBRARIES are free.
I've had big mental health issues in the past too. What I've learned is it's always an inside job. No one can "fix" it for me, least of all the Federal Government. I'm in charge of my own mental health, my own brain and my own weight.
Yep, Individual has to do the work but you also sometimes require a professional - or you know, medication. I am absolutely sure that a library and church would have TOTALLY managed my uncles schizophrenia just fine. Great for brain chemistry issues and people with mental health issues so bad they're not thinking clearly.
No big.
BOOTSTRAPS!!!!
God I hate that crap so much. Good sign of 'I am a jerk' though, so serves as a decent warning.
Really? You're gonna compare obesity with schizophrenia?
Seriously?
Oh no momma-bird.... they are really really different. I've worked with people with MH issues. Some people that have high adiposity just like the way they live and see no need to change. (my old self) There are some that claim they eat their emotions. Ok, I get that, but what are they eating when they do? I'm going to start a Shite show with this, but I don't think "food addiction is real".. Now food that has addictive like properties... oh hell yes. I'm sure that some people will eat their emotions on rice and plain beans, but many probably won't. Though, after 2020... I think we all need some therapy......6 -
psychod787 wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »wunderkindking wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
I don't know, man. I've been poor, had incapacitating anxiety that prevented me from leaving the house and it took me FOUR YEARS to find help for it and it wasn't for lack of looking. It was rurality combined with lack of professionals to see and lack of money.
Twenty years later and my eldest kid took 18 months to find someone to help with pretty severe depression issues and that one wasn't lack of money that was limited professionals in a 3 hour radius and none of them taking patients, or even referrals from GPs. Crisis facilities exist, but if not actively ready to die, they weren't an option.
Yeah, and I solved my mental health issues without professional help. There are churches, meetings, school counselors, online communities, LIBRARIES are free.
I've had big mental health issues in the past too. What I've learned is it's always an inside job. No one can "fix" it for me, least of all the Federal Government. I'm in charge of my own mental health, my own brain and my own weight.
Yep, Individual has to do the work but you also sometimes require a professional - or you know, medication. I am absolutely sure that a library and church would have TOTALLY managed my uncles schizophrenia just fine. Great for brain chemistry issues and people with mental health issues so bad they're not thinking clearly.
No big.
BOOTSTRAPS!!!!
God I hate that crap so much. Good sign of 'I am a jerk' though, so serves as a decent warning.
Really? You're gonna compare obesity with schizophrenia?
Seriously?
Oh no momma-bird.... they are really really different. I've worked with people with MH issues. Some people that have high adiposity just like the way they live and see no need to change. (my old self) There are some that claim they eat their emotions. Ok, I get that, but what are they eating when they do? I'm going to start a Shite show with this, but I don't think "food addiction is real".. Now food that has addictive like properties... oh hell yes. I'm sure that some people will eat their emotions on rice and plain beans, but many probably won't. Though, after 2020... I think we all need some therapy......
Let me put this bluntly:
They are not the same thing. There is intersection. My uncle is dead now (unrelated to MH) but he absolutely, entirely, got into extra trouble with his weight at the point his meds needed adjusted and then decided that the only food that wasn't poisoned was prepackaged, sealed, food that he acquired himself. From a gas station. Every time his meds were off or he went off him the first sign was his weight going WAY up or plummeting WAY low.
Now, this government bill wouldn't help crap - I'm not claiming they're the same issue, and I'm not claiming this is a normal factor. However you add depression, anxiety, sexual assault, and impulsivity factors that people either don't recognize or don't know how to address, it's probably relevant. Many people will be able to help themselves out of those things. Some will not. At that point that they cannot and it is negatively impacting their lives and health, you've got something that needs a professional.
Along with a lot of other factors related to obesity that may or may not intersect, and I acknowledged. Big issue. Mental health is a big issue. There is some overlap. That's... about the extent of what I said.
Well that and:
You can't just BOOTSTRAPS at a mental health problem is productive or kind.
And frankly I think anyone trying to change ingrained habits could do with a LITTLE professional guidance. People quitting smoking and trying to stop biting their nails or whatever ALSO seek and benefit from therapy of various sorts. Behavioral change is easier that way. I don't think addressing that is a bad thing and I sure as heck don't think it's true that anyone who wants help can find it.
That's... about the extent of it.10 -
cmriverside wrote: »I am taking the opposite tack here (and I know psychodoc, so I'm guessing he doesn't really have a horse in this race - hey, this should go in Debate!)
I think the federal government is bloated and I think it needs to put its own self on an obesity diet. Not food, but not so many dollars spent on doing things that really won't work.
Obesity is like any other mental health issue. IF and WHEN someone WANTS help, they can find it. It's already available - heck, they can come here for free.
People know they're fat.
Good luck trying to fix that.
The diet industry is worth billions because people don't like being fat, but too many don't know where to turn for legitimate help.
We've tried saying "people know they're fat" for decades now and it hasn't helped the problem, so it's probably not the right approach unless we want this to get worse.8
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