Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
It can't be treated like other addictions because that would require stating that obesity results from over-eating. And we can't say that because it's not politically correct. We have to pretend that 100% of weight problems are caused by thyroid disorders or medications, such as steroids and eating too much has nothing to do with it.
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 3 days ago)
35,613 posts, read 17,935,039 times
Reputation: 50634
Quote:
Originally Posted by augiedogie
Think people. An addiction like alcohol is treated by getting the addict to stop drinking. No problem, a human can easily live without alcohol, or cocaine, etc. But you cant tell a food addict they never can eat again.
That is EXACTLY it. Food addicts can not go cold turkey; and self-righteous people can't claim they never tried food and don't want to.
It's a slippery slope. Everyone needs food; at what exact point do you call it an affliction of addiction, rather than a basic human need to survive and a little bit of over indulgence?
Status:
"I don't understand. But I don't care, so it works out."
(set 3 days ago)
35,613 posts, read 17,935,039 times
Reputation: 50634
Okay, I'm just going to say this. The reason people hate on obese people, is we feel like they're getting away with something we wish we were getting away with.
I'm slim myself, and others like myself (and people who are average weight, or slightly heavier than average) seem a little irritated that obese people can eat all they want and enjoy eating to the fullest. We don't want - at ALL - for them to be accepted because here we are denying ourselves - daily - the pleasure of stuffing ourselves with delicious food. We are hungry, and stop eating before we are completely satisfied, to maintain a healthy weight. Every single day - or nearly every day.
So there's this feeling that, hey, we can't accept them, and have to make fun of them. Because they're doing something we wish we could do but can't.
Last year Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Edition featured fuller figured women, and Cheryl Tiegs (I believe it was her) went into a tirade about that's not beauty, that's unhealthy, bla bla bla. The fact was that she was hungry every day of her life and it diminishes her effort if heavier women are considered beautiful.
It's a slippery slope. Everyone needs food; at what exact point do you call it an affliction of addiction, rather than a basic human need to survive and a little bit of over indulgence?
Being a bit overweight is one thing -- so many of us would like to drop 10-20 pounds. But morbid obesity does not occur from a bit of over indulgence.
It's a complex issue and yes, one can be addicted to food in many ways. I've a friend is is a self-admitted "sugar addict" -- she cannot -- or will not--control her daily need for multiple candy bars.
There's a psychological component that has to be addressed if changes are to made to a healthy way of eating...nothing to do with giving up food. It's about learning how to eat and what to eat.
Me, I would call it a "food addiction" if a person is eating in such a way that it's negatively affecting their health and they cannot seem to change their way of eating on their own. In other words, out-of-control. Just like any other addiction.
Overeating is a First World problem. We have plenty of food, and the means to buy it. My dogs would be morbidly obese and diabetic if I left them with unlimited amounts of dog food every day.
So if someone is eating themselves to death, too bad. It's one of Mother Nature's ways of correcting our human overpopulation situation.
Calories intake to keep in check with the metabolism is the ideal. I watched my mother suffer shame and ridicule for her weight. She suffered greatly from a social stance.
She went so far as to cut her daily intake to 700 calories. She took up swimming..and walked a lot. She was a nurse. And nothing dropped those pounds. So pardon if I take the social insults personally. I am not one bit envious of a model figure or someone challenged with overweight. My mom didn't have blinders on. She wore her flaws on the outside. Yet most who taut and shout how others 'should' maintain...probably have more personality flaws then a person challenged with weight issues. That's my two cents and worth each one .
I think it should be treated like a psychological addiction. First the person should be checked by a doctor because in some cases there really is a physical problem and it can't be cured just by dieting.
The person is psychologically addicted to food. They don't stop eating when they're full. They eat when they're sad, eat when they're worried, eat when they're bored, etc. Eating is the first thing they think of to make them feel better.
It's like alcoholism but it's probably all psychological It's really bad for their health and should be treated like an addiction just like drug addiction or alcohol addiction. People do these things to make themselves feel better.
Status:
"81 Years, NOT 91 Felonies"
(set 25 days ago)
Location: Dallas, TX
5,790 posts, read 3,596,781 times
Reputation: 5696
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko20
They would be sued to Bolivia for that. Much easier for them to simply drop their fat customers.
How about dropping people who do high-risk but "sexy" activities (rock climbing, skydiving, etc.)? OK, insurance companies don't cover accidents due to those activities in their basic policies. Still you can buy a "rider" (add-on) that does cover them. Naturally, you do have to pay extra for it. If someone's obese, that's the most I'd argue in favor of.
As for treating obesity as an addiction, I agree it's true in a lot of cases.
However, unlike rock climbing, skydiving, etc. (which you either do or don't do), its a slippery slope. How thin and fit do you have to be in order to be worthy of insurance? Merely within 15 to 20% of the American Average as it currently is? 10%? Be as fit as a tennis player? or Australian Rules Football player? (a highly demanding sport, involved just about every activity known to athletics!!)
You would think eventually the insurance companies would start demanding that fast food or junk food be more regulated or even banned.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko20
They would be sued to Bolivia for that. Much easier for them to simply drop their fat customers.
Not exactly the same thing and I don't know all the details but I recall working with a middle aged lady and although we did not have insurance at our job, her and her husband had their own medical, dental and vision insurance. Every year when it was coming time to renew their policy she would begin counting calories and eating VERY healthy...in order to lose weight. (just to add she was not obese or fat but rather just a little chubby, (her treats every day were a large fountain coke and a bag of buttered popcorn).
Apparently those with a higher BMI or a weight gain from the previous renewal date would pay a higher rate (how much I do not know) as those criteria were considered a risk (a higher risk?). Anyway she did her due diligence and was determined to not have their policy premiums raised...she was always successful in that regard. This was in the state of Michigan if that makes any difference.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
