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Obesity

Discussion in 'Alley of Dangerous Angles' started by Harbourboy, Apr 4, 2005.

  1. Cryo Mantis Gems: 3/31
    Latest gem: Lynx Eye


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    I think the primary contribution to obesity - in addition to many obese people being comfortable in their complacency - is the fact that they are allowed to be that way. In a sense they are also encouraged.

    What I mean by allowing them to be that way is is that they don't pay for their own health care or do anything to work out any medical problems that they may encounter because of their laziness (do they? I'm sorry, I'm not very good at researching these types of things). They're allowed to sit on their asses and simply eat and eat while everyone elses taxes is paying for the health care they take advantage of in the event that they have a heart attack or some other health problem encountered because of their obesity/over-eating.

    Our taxes shouldn't be paying for their habits (even if it is indirectly). Just my two cents and a dime.
     
  2. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    [​IMG] Uh... so where'd you get this idea from that fat people don't have to pay for healthcare? Or that they're abusing it any more than, say, smokers? Or alcoholics? Or people engaging in extreme sports? Or people who don't clean their teeth on a regular basis? When you start going down that train of thought, you could find "abuse" of the healthcare system in one way or another with pretty much any living person.
     
  3. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    We pay for it plenty with teh social stigma and the unattractiveness our size makes us to the opposite sex.
     
  4. Cúchulainn Gems: 28/31
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    Overweight women get it much worse than men, but look on the bright side - countries like Scotland and USA have women that like overweight men.
     
  5. T2Bruno

    T2Bruno The only source of knowledge is experience Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    Taluntain: The costs of being obese is skyrocketing health care costs -- it is rapidly catching up to smoking. There is a whole host of problems that come with being overweight and obese (actually, that come from habits which are typical in overweight and obese individuals). So while the overweight people pay for their insurance, so does everyone else -- just like we pay for the smokers. Those of us who eat right, exercise regularly, don't smoke, and drink in moderation end up supplimenting the medical costs for our less healthy bretheren.
     
  6. Taluntain

    Taluntain Resident Alpha and Omega Staff Member ★ SPS Account Holder Resourceful Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) New Server Contributor [2012] (for helping Sorcerer's Place lease a new, more powerful server!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    Well, yes, that's obvious, but my point was that focusing on overweight people any more than on smokers or alcoholics, for example, is pure hypocrisy.

    If anything, smoking and drinking are conscious choices for every individual (at least until they get addicted - but even after that all sorts of health warnings are plastered all over every pack of cigarettes, for example). Whereas no one that I know of would consciously choose starting to become overweight, or consciously choose to stay overwight. Whereas I know dozens of smokers who are quite happy with their addiction.
     
  7. Caradhras

    Caradhras I may be bad... but I feel gooood! Veteran

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    You can be overweight, smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Alcohol is a major factor in gaining weight and attempts to stop smoking can translate into putting even more weight.
    standards are set that demand that people conform to a certain ideal -ratio height/weight for instance- which can translate in eating disorders and chronic depression, having difficulties coping with one's image.
    Girls have a real hard time but IMO it's catching up with men. Self-consciousness can be a real problem.
     
  8. Nakia

    Nakia The night is mine Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!) BoM XenForo Migration Contributor [2015] (for helping support the migration to new forum software!)

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    The overweight problem is a little more complicated than some people think.

    1) There are medicines and medical conditions that do cause people to look overweight.

    2) A few years ago I read about a study that said that children who are seriously overweight develope something (I've forgotten what) that makes it hard for them to keep down their weight as adults. I've tried to Google it but so far haven't been successful.

    3) We all have to eat. We do not need to smoke or drink alcohol. There are both pschological and physical reasons why people over eat.

    IMO the concern should be with body fat. I am by no means anywhere near overweight but because I spend too much time at the computer my body fat is higher than it should be. There are all kinds of addictions.
     
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