40% of America Obese by 2010

But he wasn’t a pig-man, just a short, pudgy, little mental patient :slight_smile:

BUMP

Here’s the link that I posted earlier in this thread, that TC references in this week’s AD.

Please read this, and try to explain to someone else, in your own words, why the corn chips and HFCS they eat could be a problem. The marketing propaganda from the agri business that corn is inherently “healthy” is so deeply ingrained that I guarantee they’ll laugh at you. You’re some sort of extremist, a corn stalk hugging variant of one of those PETA freaks.

Put corn chips and potato chips in a couple bowls, watch as even the “Atkins” and low-carbers go for the “healthy” alternative.

Wow, 90% by 2040. Now what is the stock market going to be at that point in time?

Sure, Dan already covered this, but this number is a complete fantasy. In 1966 (37 years ago) this was the future where we were supposed to have flying cars, and wrist watch TV’s. I remember a 1970’s comic I read, (it was old when I found it,) that was set in the “future” world of 2000. Coffee was supposed to be $20 a cup, and not a latte’. (Aparently T-mag can’t display that little funky e.)

It is fun to try to predict what the future holds, but to have any accuracy with a prediction 37 years into the future, especially being this specific, is impossible.

Doesn’t matter anyway, the bible code says that we will be hit by a meteor in 2012 anyway. :^P

Cravell,

I’m definitely worried about it too. I mean, I’m doing my small part to try to get people to be healthier and leaner, but there’s only so much one person can do.

I think it comes down to advertising. Those people are waging a psychological war against us. Look at all the ads for pizza, burgers, soda, and other trash, and tell me who’s going to win?

It may take legislation like the ones against cigarettes so that those advertisers can’t advertise on TV any more. But I don’t know how I feel about that. What’s included? Junk food? Steak? Nuts? Because what I think is good or trash and what the American government says is good or trash conflict. A lot. It’s like TC’s “Corn Fed Blubber” article this week. I’m sure that the goverment has said, and will continue to say that Corn and Corn products are great! And that “you don’t need so much protein!”

All you can do is keep yelling in the wilderness, and people may eventually realize they can see your abs and start listening to you.

Who said: “Never doubt that a small group of dedicated individuals can change the world… indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has?”

Dan “Calling Cupcake” McVicker

For me the problem is economic. Obese people are a greater risk for disease. The way the system is set up right now, even people who are not obese will have to pay for it anyway. These people are making choices that is going to cost everyone money. Its like smokers; I’m a non-smoker so why am I shacked (perhaps indirectly) with healthcare costs that are higher because people are making “bad choices”?

Socialism subsidizes irresponsibiliy. Until people are faced with life/death situations where they are solely responsible for their behavior, there is no incentive to change.

Healthcare should be cheaper for “healthy” people but that isn’t possible in the existing system. The system needs to provide incentives to people to behave. The key here is economic choice; if you have the money to pay for increased healthcare because you choose to smoke, drink, and eat McDonalds everyday, that’s great but people who cannot afford it shouldn’t be subsidized by the government for their “bad” behavior.

I think a basic solution would be to eliminate taxation on a great deal of things and start taxing “sin”. Sin would be things like drugs, smoking, drinking, etc. The more you engaged in these behaviors, the more money went into the pot. People can still make the choice, but the choice might hurt a little more. The fact that the government is trying to control “sin issues” through laws is absurd; the war on drugs does nothing - in fact it makes the problem worse. Suing cigarette companies because someone was choosing to smoke is absurd. Offer the incentive to make better choices and I have a feeling that you might get some behavior modification over a relatively short period of time, or at the very least, the people who are creating the greatest health risks and cost burden would be shelling out the most for it.

The beauty is you still have the choice to live like you want.

Dan, D-Lo,

I am catching what you?re throwing. What worries me most is my family is falling in the downward spiral that I see so many others tumbling down. For all that I have done to try to help them and educate them - it does nothing. They just look at me when they order their prime rib with double backed potato to see my disapproving face.

The information is out there and some people already know what needs to be done, but the usual excuses arise. No time, too hard, and the best, my father lived to 90 and ate everything. My father is a doctor; he knows what he has to do but just won’t do it.

I have gotten so frustrated that I just rather ignore it and take care of myself. Selfish maybe but I am tiered of wasting my time with those who don’t care. I get a few people every week that tell me they want to loose weight and ask me what to do. They have to show me some sort of dedication before I commit to helping them. I do it for free and have never asked for anything so I feel taken advantage of when I write out a plan and go with them to the gym for a couple of weeks to see them giving me excuses when I catch them fucking up. I never say anything…I guess the guilt gets to them.