According to some sources, at least 1 in 8 of the world population is classified as ‘obese’. Since nobody in any government seems to have thought up a working solution, what do you believe can be done to solve the epidemic?
Teach children how to eat. In school. Countries that do this have much lower obesity rates.
I don’t think there is a solid answer but the current political chaos points to one step
- make junk and fast food more expensive - vice taxes
Looking at myself, I see portion size is the number one issue. Mental state also contribute, although I can’t claim anything treatable. So I eat too much and it’s a comfort thing but I don’t see a way for government to help me do the right thing there
Exercise. While exercise isn’t the main contributor to being overweight, it does go to state of mind. I’m much less likely to overeat when I’ve been active. This is where we ought to be able to do something to keep people moving
Treating it like the multifaceted issue it is instead of a moral failing would be a start.
In the US that would mean labor laws which favor the human instead of the business. With hours that allow more daily personal time and pay that allows prosperity even at minimum wages. These things would tale care of most people.
It would also mean medical treatment being available without burdensome cost, and with consideration to it being a mental hurdle like addiction and destigmatizing seeking aid for it in that manner. Universal healthcare removing the need/demand for private and employment tied insurance would help this as well.
There are many more facets, and facets within facets to all of this, but from a mile high view I think this would help a lot.
The collapse of industrialized society will solve it very quickly.
Make people even poorer, so that they can transform from too poor to buy healthy food to too poor to buy food
The upcoming food shortages should take care of it.
I am obese. It’s a cumulation of
caloriesfactors. It’s some part meds - which I have to take because society and I don’t mesh well because I actually believe people deserve a good quality of life instead of profit over everything. It’s some part emotional issues - I’ve had some trauma and I need some therapy but I can’t afford the time and money. It’s some part convenience - I don’t have a lot of external support to take care of my family, so I have to do a lot and the available choices are usually focused on convenience not health. It’s some part logistics - walking is not an option around my city and public transit is completely worthless.I can tell you what I did. I went from 92 kilos to 69 kilos in a year.
- Nearly removed all carbs from my diet
- Increased diet to include vegetables and chicken and eggs
- Removed artificial sugar
- Removed all apps which allowed food delivery
- Went to gym 5 days a week
- Told myself everyday “trust the process”
I started noticing changes after 3 months.
Now how do you convert this into government policy? That is a huge problem altogether. Long term thinking + strong regulations. Even if you try something like this, you will be ridiculed for suggesting government overreach. At the end of the day, a diet is a personal choice.
This works, I did it too. I lost 65 pounds in six months, and It’s been gone for over ten years now.
But, that doesn’t make profits for the rich and takes effort, so they made a drug instead.
If you reduce obesity, how will healthcare insurance companies survive? Won’t someone think about the poor billionaire CEOs?
I think most problems with obesity will be solved like this:
If it weren’t taboo, people would for sure just buy mobility scooters and ride around in those all day.
Have you never been to Florida or any state fair in the USA? No one walks, walking is for suckers.
You absolutely can get addicted to food, others turn to food for comfort, some eat as a response to trauma as well (ever see my 600lb life, almost every person there has had some sort of trauma or mental health struggle.), therapy and other mental health care never seems to make it into these plans and that, in my opinion, is where they fail.
Most governments never seem to treat obesity as a chronic illness, just some sort of personal failing.
Edit.
Obesity risk factors are also genetic, no one chooses to be obese and the constant shaming and hatred people who exist in fat bodies get is unreal. I know fat people who are terrified of being seen even going for a walk outside because of internalised fat shaming, it fucks with your head something fierce.
I grew up fat which did not set me up for good habits later in life, I have struggled with binge eating and stress eating all throughout my life, getting an ADHD diagnosis and medicated for it was probably one of the best things that could have happened to me, others in my situation may not have the ability to get that help or be in a place they are ready to even seek it.
Ban every food and drink invented in the last hundred years
Dr Pepper was invented in 1885 and Coca-cola a year later in 1886.
Thread over. This is clearly the answer.
Sugar is in every processed food, even savory foods where it’s balanced out with other spices, because sugar is addictive. They can’t put cocaine in food anymore, so they add the next best thing.
I eat nearly zero-carb. I’ve been ketogenic for about six years now. I know exactly what I eat because I make all of my own meals, and none of it is processed food. No, it’s not more expensive, because eating this way eliminates cravings and you eat far less but better quality. It looks more expensive on paper only because you don’t realize you’re going to eat half as much food if you eat this way.
One good rule is no more than two ingredients listed on the package. So, for instance, natural peanut butter includes only peanuts and salt, but the other stuff adds homogenized oil and sugar. They take out the peanut oil and sell it separately for a high price. I don’t eat peanut butter, but it’s a good example of the rule everyone is familiar with.
The first thing to understand is that nobody understands the obesity crisis at all.
The second thing to understand is that the human body naturally stays at a healthy weight, just like any other animal, unless a person has become completely out of touch with their bodies. It cannot be solved with control or medicine.
The third thing to understand is that we teach people to dissociate from their bodies from childhood.
So we do not have an obesity crisis, we have a disembodiment crisis. And obesity is only one of the thousands of horrible effects it creates.
The third thing to understand is that we teach people to dissociate from their bodies from childhood.
Can you explain what do you mean by this? I’m trying to apply your statement to my own childhood and see the mostly the opposite.
Why is it the government’s job to solve the obesity epidemic?
Because they’re responsible, in part, for either creating it or, thru inaction, enabling it.
So far no one has ever forced me to eat crap and drink pure sugar and forbit me to exercise.
So far no one has ever forced me to eat crap
Your body forces you to, it’s called there is another brain inside your gut that food scientists target. Instead of making super foods they spend their time making food as addictive and cheap as possible.
Ignoring this just makes you look profoundly ignorant.
I’m jealous. If I want to balance all the responsibilities in my life, something has to give.
The government is supposed to work for the people. I think it is clear that noone wants to be obese. So you have a significant % of the population that wants help. That makes it the governments job to try and help. Of course that isn’t how government functions at all.
We pay the government for it to deliver social goods.
One of those goods is health.
There’s no where to go, and everything is expensive. Pay people more, give them more time off, have city sponsored block parties. You can’t make someone more active, but otherwise healthy and well-rounded people don’t need much incentive to leave the house and take a walk.
After that, have a wellbeing crew that checks on and helps out those that are still avoiding socialization.
But the pearl clutching around wages and vacation means the local governments will do nothing. Any measure implemented without massive societal overhaul will only be a band-aid.
Also, you and I read studies like this, and think “we need to help people.” But if you flip the perspective to who paid for the study, it becomes “we need healthy workers to feed into the meatgrinder.” The goal of the study isn’t altruistic, its to make sure the owners have a healthy livestock pool, which means the bare minimum will be done, or preferably nothing because we may be able to work around it.
