Government Interference
By kiwibee
@kiwibee (240)
New Zealand
July 18, 2009 9:26pm CST
What gets me about weight (and yes, I am overweight) is how the government tries to legislate in this area. Banning certain ads on tv at certain times, outlawing certain foods in school cafeterias, raising tax on certain foods to try and discourage their consumption -- things like that! Well they do that in this country, I'm pretty sure it is commonplace all over the world.
They also say that obesity costs $xxx,xxx,000 per year in health spending by government. That seems ridiculous to me. Most of the people I know who have heart attacks are skinny and would be classed as "fit". And I, although very overweight, have been to hospital only once since my last child was born in 1971, and that was when I was sick and dizzy with 'flu, and fainted and hit my head and was knocked unconscious. The ambulance insisted on taking me in to hospital to check I was ok, and I was treated and discharged the same day. So how can anyone say I am costing the health system all that much money just because I'm fat?
The fact is that no one has yet been able to force anyone to lose weight by imposing restrictions and regulations on them. And obesity is so complex that there is no one thing that can be done to reverse the problem. We would all love to be "average weight" but we have all tried and failed, right? Once in a blue moon there is a magazine article about someone who lost 200lb by "eating less and moving more". Well kudos to them, but that is darned hard to do and the fact it gets written up in national magazines proves how rare it is!
That's my gripe for the day. Well, for the year. I don't often start discussions here (was that why my cash balance went DOWN 1c overnight???) but a few thoughts I've had connected in my brain and moved me to write this! I hope I get a couple of responses....
2 responses
@zhuhuifen46 (3483)
• China
19 Jul 09
Overweight costs overburden on government budget related with welfare. And in the first place, it causes personal health problems. Maybe it is a bit late for them to get involved in providing assistance to change for a better tendency before it is really too late. And the current economic crisis might be a good opportunity for them to start something in that direction.
In this respect, Japan has set a relatively good example in government support. After WWII, they set up diet and exercise standards for the students, and the result is obvious with the next generations.
@kiwibee (240)
• New Zealand
19 Jul 09
Japan is indeed a good example. Setting up the diet and exercise plans for students (a "captive audience") sounds much better than trying to draft laws to force adults (who are largely set in their ways) to make radical changes.
I think Japan would be one of the countries with the smallest percentage of obese people, correct? I know your cuisine is generally healthy, with lots of vegetables, fish, and healthy fats. However you do have the fast food restaurants there; do you they that they are negatively affecting the Japanese people?
@smartie0317 (1610)
• United States
19 Jul 09
I find your opinion very interesting as someone has gone up, and down, in weight over the years. i was heavy as a child, too. You can be overweight and healthy, and skinny and sick. Overweight and sick and skinny and healthy. Everyone is different. I also find it funny thin is in America. In other countries heavy people are considered beautiful or wealthy, or other nice things.
