All U.S. adults could be overweight in 40 years

[MacMadame 81]

This article:

All U.S. adults could be overweight in 40 years - Yahoo! News

Has got to be the most stupid thing I've read in a long time. It's a prime example of how people think you have to be alarmist to get attention to your cause and also of how people misuse and misunderstand statistics.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that obesity is a big problem and a growing problem. However, the idea that the current trend is going to go on unstopped forever, is just ridiculous.

It completely ignores the fact that obesity is a disease, not a choice, and that some people's physiology is just not going to let them become overweight no matter what. It also ignores the existence of WLS. Do they really think everyone who has WLS in the past 30 years will suddenly start eating too much and gain weight? And all because of some numbers in a study? It's preposterous. :thumbup:

Of course, the people who put out the press release know it's preposterous. They even kind of admit it in the article. But they think for some reason crying Wolf is the way to get people to spend money on the problem.

Note: I'm not saying obesity is not a problem in the US. I'm not even saying that it's not a growing problem. I just think this is completely the wrong way to go about solving the problem.

Sometimes the cynic in me thinks this sort of thing is done on purpose and that someone is profiting from our obesity problem and doesn't really want to have any good solutions, but just wants money thrown at it so they can continue to profit.

[Gracey 7]

This article:

All U.S. adults could be overweight in 40 years - Yahoo! News

Has got to be the most stupid thing I've read in a long time. It's a pri

me example of how people think you have to be alarmist to get attention to your cause and also of how people misuse and misunderstand statistics.

Don't get me wrong, I agree that obesity is a big problem and a growing problem. However, the idea that the current trend is going to go on unstopped forever, is just ridiculous.

It completely ignores the fact that obesity is a disease, not a choice, and that some people's physiology is just not going to let them become overweight no matter what. It also ignores the existence of WLS. Do they really think everyone who has WLS in the past 30 years will suddenly start eating too much and gain weight? And all because of some numbers in a study? It's preposterous.

Of course, the people who put out the press release know it's preposterous. They even kind of admit it in the article. But they think for some reason crying Wolf is the way to get people to spend money on the problem.

Note: I'm not saying obesity is not a problem in the US. I'm not even saying that it's not a growing problem. I just think this is completely the wrong way to go about solving the problem.

Sometimes the cynic in me thinks this sort of thing is done on purpose and that someone is profiting from our obesity problem and doesn't really want to have any good solutions, but just wants money thrown at it so they can continue to profit.

It's definitely a *growing* problem with me - my ass is definitely growing!!!

MommaMac - you clueless, clueless woman. (sarcasm alert) Of course we can't spend money on any problems domestically, we only have the funds to spend money to *help* other countries - esp those with that delicious, delicious OIL!!! Screw spending money on education - we'll just pay for welfare or prisons. Why have physical education in schools - being fat is FUN! Drink out of a plastic bottle - filling up landfills and using a non-renewable resource is awesome! (Yea I'm not above it either but I do recycle. Stay with me here.)

Lastly, Yahoo has just fallen into the tabloid journalism ways like everyone else has. Who needs real news when we can have 'crying wolf' journalism? Truth schmuth. AOL is just as bad if not worse. Can we pls have one day without a picture of a pregnant celebrity (or speculating if someone's preggie)?

Non-sarcasm finally - my apologies to the OP of this info but I read on here about a series on PBS about fat. It was pretty good!

FAT: What No One Is Telling You . PBS

Edited August 10, 2008 by SickNTired

[MacMadame 81]

Hey, I expected this thread to get a lot more replies.

I guess it's just too stupid to even get worked up about.

[Gracey 7]

It's the weekend....just wait a couple of days!

[Froggi 4]

I'm just too stupid to think of a good reply.

[Gracey 7]

I'm just too stupid to think of a good reply.

You are not; shut up!

Mac - we're on LBT so we are/were already there. <shrug> Nothing would surprise me though re: making money on obesity. I've known people that think that companies are making money on cancer. Who the H knows.

[Froggi 4]

Yes I am.

[MacMadame 81]

Oh, people are definitely making money off cancer. So much of the US medical industry is for-profit. So plenty of people are making money off sickness. Is that a bad thing? A good thing? Who knows? I prefer to go to a medical group that is not-for-profit though.