Cost of being overweight

Ready2BEthin
Ready2BEthin Posts: 133 Member
edited October 2024 in Motivation and Support
I read this article, pretty amazing and motivational to get healthy.



http://fitbie.msn.com/slideshow/price-being-overweight

Replies

  • 2012Kristin
    2012Kristin Posts: 222 Member
    That's crazy to think that it affects your income and you annual gas expenses!
  • deenaspell
    deenaspell Posts: 227 Member
    Whoa! I was surprised by some of them! Weird how overweight/obese women can get underpaid. I know it isn't always true because I worked for a company that paid me $8 less than an obese co-worker of mine. It might've been because I was in college, too, though.
  • thetorontokid2
    thetorontokid2 Posts: 231 Member
    interesting read! thanks for sharing.
  • SwtKittN
    SwtKittN Posts: 176 Member
    Lot of things on there that never even crossed my mind, thank you for sharing :)
  • runs4zen
    runs4zen Posts: 769 Member
    The interesting thing is, this is a low estimate. Depending on your insurance premiums, your pay grade, your medicine intake and your clothes buying habits, it could be far more money.

    The pay grade really got me...it doesn't even address the folks who go out on disability due to obesity related injuries or illnesses and who never realize their earning potentials. That adds up to big bucks...assuming an obesity related illness doesn't shorten your life.

    Glad I took the weight off!
  • treesha450
    treesha450 Posts: 321 Member
    interesting. I've read similar studies before. I do question some of their findings though. Most of it makes perfect sense -like higher medical bills. The part about African Americans and how the obese are more likely to be employed then those of average weight. huh ?
  • suegmune
    suegmune Posts: 81
    Some of these are ridiculous. I'm the least sick person I know (I hardly ever get sick), so I'm not exactly sure what they are getting at with saying that fat people get sick more often. AND, I'm one of the bigger ones in my circle of friends....and much bigger than the ones I know that get sick often.

    And life insurance? Last time I checked both my personal life insurance and my work one, they didn't ask how much i weighed.

    And the african american vs white woman job/joblessness? Again, I don't really know how they are getting this data. It sounds like some grumpy women who answered some poorly designed survey to ask if they were discriminated against because of weight. I don't know. Do pretty skinny women get jobs more than overweight people? Sure. If they are hired by men, absolutely. Men just can't help themselves (just as my previous gay boss couldn't help himself hiring young cute men....not complaining, just sayin. LOL). I know several women above me in my current job who I believe were solely hired on their looks, because their brains are just as tiny as their bodies....

    Anyways. Some of these are good, but some just plain don't make sense. You can create a survey and create some data for anything......
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
    that article makes great points. as a fat person i have no problem with paying extra for insurance, clothes etc...i would understand if an airline charged me more due to fuel costs just like it costs more to mail heavier packages. getting back into shape is going to be nice for my wallet.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Some of these are ridiculous. I'm the least sick person I know (I hardly ever get sick), so I'm not exactly sure what they are getting at with saying that fat people get sick more often. AND, I'm one of the bigger ones in my circle of friends....and much bigger than the ones I know that get sick often.

    And life insurance? Last time I checked both my personal life insurance and my work one, they didn't ask how much i weighed.

    Statistics show that obese people get sick more. That you don't doesn't change the facts, it just means you are lucky.

    And the trend in insurance is definitely changing. More so for health insurance and life, I think. There are many companies that offer health insurance discounts for maintaining a healthy weight. I expect this will become the norm before too long. Our company doesn't offer the discount, but weight is often considered when hiring here because of the potential to raise insurance rates.
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