A war on fat needs to be declaired.

[Fiannan]

Yes, being obese is worse for your health than smoking and it needs to be addressed in this country. So what measures should we, as a society, take?

Should obese people have to pay more to fly on airlines (more weight, more gas consumption)?

Should children identified as fat be required to sign up for additional PE classes with fitness trainers getting preference in job selection over coaches in PE positions?

Should people who are certified to be at a certain level of fitness by their doctors be given tax breaks?

Since companies can discriminate and not hire smokers, should companies have the right not to hire obese people?

Well, have at it...this is a national epidemic and costs our society billions per year. Something has to be done.

[the_jason]

Ugly people make me want to puke, costing more money to have a janitory clean it up. Fat people can change their looks, though. What's your excuse?

[Stampede]

I do feel that the majority of obese people just "Don't Care" about thier looks and do nothing or little to change it.

My mother on the other hand, was obese, and she could nto help it. Her body chemistry, and her back problems led to complete immobility in 1992 after a serious car accident, and she had to wear a body cast that was molded to her torso. when she passed away, it was because she was finally getting better and her wieght had started to shed away, But that caused other problems, mainly her stomach which pulled down and sagged, and eventually an artery in her stomach perforated and she bled out internally and there was nothing doctors could have done.

My mother didn't just die from obesity, she died trying to loose it, but because of her body type and chemistry it was extremely difficult.

But like i said, the majority of people Can do something about thier weight but choose not to and that makes me sad.

[Elphaba]

My mother on the other hand, was obese, and she could nto help it. Her body chemistry, and her back problems led to complete immobility in 1992 after a serious car accident, and she had to wear a body cast that was molded to her torso. when she passed away, it was because she was finally getting better and her wieght had started to shed away, But that caused other problems, mainly her stomach which pulled down and sagged, and eventually an artery in her stomach perforated and she bled out internally and there was nothing doctors could have done.

My mother didn't just die from obesity, she died trying to loose it, but because of her body type and chemistry it was extremely difficult.

What a horrific way to die. My condolences.

Elphaba

[PentiumInside]

Since companies can discriminate and not hire smokers, should companies have the right not to hire obese people?

Seems reasonable.

[Elgama]

I do feel that the majority of obese people just "Don't Care" about thier looks and do nothing or little to change it.

My mother on the other hand, was obese, and she could nto help it. Her body chemistry, and her back problems led to complete immobility in 1992 after a serious car accident, and she had to wear a body cast that was molded to her torso. when she passed away, it was because she was finally getting better and her wieght had started to shed away, But that caused other problems, mainly her stomach which pulled down and sagged, and eventually an artery in her stomach perforated and she bled out internally and there was nothing doctors could have done.

My mother didn't just die from obesity, she died trying to loose it, but because of her body type and chemistry it was extremely difficult.

But like i said, the majority of people Can do something about thier weight but choose not to and that makes me sad.

I am sorry to hear about your Mother but I think one of the best things a person can do is accept themselves for who they are - I am not obese but overweight it does not make me less of a Latter Day Saint than a skinny person who eats badly, I have chosen to eat well and concerntrate on other aspects of the gospel.

-Charley

[WANDERER]

mmmm, now have to do half an hour of exercise with the kids every day (teacher)...not like teaching 'PE', just to get out there and be active, not assessed, just for reasons of good health. 10% of teaching time daily has been allocated.

Will it change childhood obesity stats> ? (the driving force behind this mandated change).

Health before education...half an hour of play...it's a tough life LOL.

[Guest slippers]

Judge not.

[Gwen]

Judge not.

i agree, sounds like some harsh judgments going on. you don't know by looking at someone's weight why they are the way they are. i do agree that there are some issues that run rampant in our society that need to change that will affect weight over all. but to cast judgment and blame on someone you don't know is not very christlike.

some of the issues that are a problem (probably more helpful to discuss than judging. the amt of fast/convience foods that are nothing but filler are a problem. the lack of nutrition information out there for kids and parents can be a problem. in our state some of that is changing, my kids are brining home info all the time on health and eating habbits.

some companies do have incentives for proper weight. i've heard of some that give breaks on insurance rates if you are within a healthy weight, others (hubbys work) have contests, if you meet a certian health goal (set by the person) they give you incintives (for some it is weight loss others may choose to stop smoking, etc.). some companies pay for a gym membership for it's employees if they go at least 2 times a week. i think there are a lot of things being done. and yes more could be done.

[NateHowe]

Should obese people have to pay more to fly on airlines (more weight, more gas consumption)?

Should children identified as fat be required to sign up for additional PE classes with fitness trainers getting preference in job selection over coaches in PE positions?

Should people who are certified to be at a certain level of fitness by their doctors be given tax breaks?

Since companies can discriminate and not hire smokers, should companies have the right not to hire obese people?

Well, since much of obesity has to do with genetic predisposition, should we also ostracize cancer patients, diabetics, and people with heart disease?

[FrankJL]

Well, since much of obesity has to do with genetic predisposition, should we also ostracize cancer patients, diabetics, and people with heart disease?

I would really have to disagree with this statement. Much of what is though of as genetic predisposition is nothing more then poor eating habits and slothfulness that are passed down as traits from parents to children.

The irony in your statement though, is that obesity can cause all the problems you listed too, not to mention a myriad of other problems it causes with your body.

As to what to do...its all up to the individual. No school PE class is going to help out those who don't care for themselves. I think we can all remember PE from school and what a joke it was.

As far as what the government can do legislatively, its doubtful anything. The majority of people are overweight and would resist doing anything create any meaningful incentives. Its just like welfare, you can't reform it when 80% ride in the wagon while 20% pull it.

[Fiannan]

Well, since much of obesity has to do with genetic predisposition, should we also ostracize cancer patients, diabetics, and people with heart disease?

The vast majority of cases if obesity str not related to genetics -- or so say most medical experts.

[Moksha]

Quote:

Since companies can discriminate and not hire smokers, should companies have the right not to hire obese people?

Seems reasonable.

Might as well discriminate against people you don't like. Look at how Romney has been treated because he is Mormon. Nothing wrong with that is there?

Or if there is something wrong with discrimination, perhaps the initial ideas should be rethought.

[Fiannan]

Society has a right to discourage dangerous behavior -- like sexual promiscuity, smoking, shooting drugs and becoming obese -- it's not discrimination, just good common sense.

[MorningStar]

I think Morrissey said it best:

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one i really, really love

And i will stay

Promise you'll say

If i'm in your way

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one i really, really love

And i will stay

Promise you'll say

If i'm ever in your ...

A-hey

All over battersea

Some hope; and some despair

All over battersea

Some hope; and some despair

Oh ...

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one i really, really love

And i will stay

Promise you'll say

If i'm in your way

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one i really, really love

And i will stay

Promise you'll say

If i'm ever in your ...

A-hey

All over battersea

Some hope; and some despair

All over battersea

Some hope; and some despair

Oh, oh ...

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one i really, really love

And i will stay

Promise you'll say

If i'm ever in your way

A-hey

You're the one for me, fatty

You're the one for me, a-hey-hey

A-hey

A-hey

A-hey

A-he-he-he-hey

YouTube - Morrissey - You're The One For Me Fatty Video

[MorningStar]

There are lots of reasons for being obese. I don't think overweight people should be judged. Then take freakishly skinny people who can eat anything. I don't get it. This guy my husband worked with ate until his jaw hurt and he could never get full. His thyroid checked out fine and the doctors couldn't figure out why the heck this guy couldn't gain. They even put him on a doughnut diet, but all it did was make him feel sick. It drove my husband nuts how the guy could fold up an entire large pizza, eat it by himself, and still be hungry. I know several people who eat fast food constantly and never gain. Darn them. Ten years ago a doctor asked me if I was annorexic. She was wrong. She did put me on medication that made me gain 25 pounds in a month, so that was lame. I was eating very little at the time (my roommates nagged me to eat something, but I hated eating because it hurt), going running every day, and because I was wearing stretchy clothes, I just didn't notice. I don't know how much I gained on that total, but it caused me more health problems, blah blah blah, long story - had terrible vertigo and I could hardly walk for a year without feeling like I was going to vomit, had three kids, broke my foot and was on crutches for four months and my doctor telling me to lay down as much as possible, and it's been a real joy. I've had to accept myself as my bigger version and it's not as bad as worrying that I was going to die when I was sick non-stop for 3 months with a stomach flu-like illness. I went down to 109 pounds and there was no sign of it stopping and then it suddenly ended. I wasn't diagnosed for another 4 years or so and this was after they removed my healthy gall bladder. (Whoops)

Weight loss/prevention is not as simple as it sounds, it's easier for some and harder for others.

[FrankJL]

She did put me on medication that made me gain 25 pounds in a month,

Was it called Marinol?

Weight loss/prevention is not as simple as it sounds, it's easier for some and harder for others.

For probably a good 95ish percent of the population its as simple as expending more calories in a day then you take in to loose weight. When you consider though that you'd have to run over 2 hours at a good speed to expend the calories in one big mac you can see where this is going.

[Fiannan]

Was it called Marinol?

For probably a good 95ish percent of the population its as simple as expending more calories in a day then you take in to loose weight. When you consider though that you'd have to run over 2 hours at a good speed to expend the calories in one big mac you can see where this is going.

Absolutely correct! There are several things you can do to lose weight.

1) Exercise more -- considering that we were designed by our creator to work hard and perspire pints of water per day then our seditary lifestyle is just unnatural. Exercise can make our bodies work more like they should -- expanding the pumping in our blood vessels and using up excess calories.

2) Eat less -- again, we were designed to expect feast or famine so our subconscious still lives as if we were in a natural environment. Problem is, our inward desire to gorge is counterproductive to health when feast is always available.

3) Build muscle -- fat cells use very little energy to maintain homeostasis, while muscle cells use much more energy to maintain themselves. If you build a pound of muscle I believe you need to use about 30 or 40 calories per day for metabolism while a pound of fat uses essentially zero calories -- plus the fat cells cause higher levels of estrogen in the body which slows down metabolism overall.

[Elgama]

thing is fat people aren't the only ones being unhealthy many I know do exercise and eat quite well - they are just the ones that get caught.

Should a teenager who gets pregnant after a one night stand be under more condemnation than the one who sleeps around every night but doesn't?

Frank and Fiannan on previous posts both of you have admitted you don't eat healthily 100% of the time you may exercise but you are just lucky with your genetics, your not in a position to be judgemental.

-Charley

[FrankJL]

That is just nonsense. I'm in good shape because I work at it, watch what I eat, go to gym every few days, do yoga, and run at least 30 miles a week. I have no shame in that.

You don't need to eat healthy 100% of the time when you do those things, you just need to ensure that you eat right most of the time.

Its not luck, its a result of conscious decisions I make about how I want to care for my own body. For you to dismiss it as mere luck and somehow winning the genetic lottery only serves to demoralize and discourage others from doing those things with will lead them to a more healthy lifesytle, because they will feel they can't get better because they are not genetically able to, which is complete and utter bunk for the vast vast majority of people.

[Fiannan]

thing is fat people aren't the only ones being unhealthy many I know do exercise and eat quite well - they are just the ones that get caught.

Should a teenager who gets pregnant after a one night stand be under more condemnation than the one who sleeps around every night but doesn't?

Frank and Fiannan on previous posts both of you have admitted you don't eat healthily 100% of the time you may exercise but you are just lucky with your genetics, your not in a position to be judgemental.

-Charley

Not sure what you are getting at with the pregnancy question.

Also, define what is "healthy" eating. Food essentially is our source of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals and vitamines. If what we take in is used properly and excess energy is used up then it really doesn't matter if we are eating our sandwich on white bread or if we put sugar on corn flakes.