OT - fat headed politicians!

[DreamStalker]

Is there something in the air causing brain cells of our elected officials to turn into fat cells? I'm all for preventative healthcare especially with regard to the obesity issue in this country and around the world ... but there are definitely too few points of light shinning the way to the future coming from our legislative and executive branches of government at state and federal levels.



=================
Fat? No Food for You!
Mississippi lawmakers introduce bill that would ban restaurants from serving portly patrons
By Lisa Stein

You're big, bulky—and hungry. So you lumber into a restaurant to get a bite. You scan the menu for a tasty meal, but when it comes time to order the waiter refuses to serve you. The reason? You're too fat. Sound outrageous? You may want to steer clear of Mississippi, where legislation was recently introduced that would ban restaurants from serving proportion-challenged patrons.

We kid you not. The controversial measure (state House Bill 282) would prohibit eateries from serving food to "any person who is obese based on criteria prescribed by the state health department." The department would monitor compliance and have the power to revoke violators' permits. (Pity the poor waiter with the thankless task of denying corpulent customers service, leaving them with the humiliating dilemma of either twiddling their thumbs as their less hefty chums chow down or slinking (storming?) out and slogging to a supermarket or over the state line for sustenance.)

Sponsors of the legislation insist that it was designed to spark discussion on ways to get a handle on obesity: More than 30 percent of Mississippi's adults are considered obese, giving the Magnolia State--where fried chicken and other greasy fare rule--the distinction of being the nation's first in fatness, according to a 2007 study by the Trust for America's Health, a Washington, D.C.–based research group that focuses on disease prevention.

"I was trying to shed a little light on the number one health problem in Mississippi," co-sponsor Republican Rep. John Read of Gautier, a former pharmaceutical company sales representative, told the Associated Press, acknowledging that at five feet, 11 inches (1.8 meters) and 230 pounds (104 kilograms), he might get the restaurant boot under his own bill.

People, both chubby and thin, immediately blasted the proposal. Physicians called it insane, saying it would do nothing to help plump patients pare down to healthier weights. The rotund rights lobby agreed, charging that it was discriminatory and arbitrary. "We as Americans have made substantial progress in race and gender relations. Unfortunately, our progress hasn't extended to our country's uneasy relationship with fat people," Paul McAleer, president of the Coalition of Fat Rights Activists, said in a statement.

And the restaurant industry, which stands to lose many a coveted and loyal customer, was beside itself.

"This is the latest example of food cops run amok. Are waiters supposed to carry scales around the restaurant and weigh every customer? Give me a break," J. Justin Wilson, a senior research analyst at The Center for Consumer Freedom, which represents the restaurant and food service industry, said in a statement. "What's next? Will waitresses soon be expected to make sure we eat all our veggies?"

More helpful in the battle of bulge, say critics: programs directed at getting to the core of the problem, such as a law passed in Mississippi last year that requires kids in kindergarten through eighth grade to receive at least 150 minutes of physical education and 45 minutes of health ed instruction weekly; until then, gym had been optional.

But lest you're not a skinny-minny and worry you may starve should you travel to Mississippi—fear not: state Rep. Steve Holland, the Democratic chairman of the House Public Health and Human Services Committee, pronounced the controversial bill "dead on arrival at my desk." In other words, it will never even make it out of committee and onto the floor of the legislature for a vote. "While I appreciate the efforts of my fellow House members to help curb the obesity problem in Mississippi,'' he said, "this is totally the wrong approach.''

That'll teach the (anti-) fat cats to stick their (tape) measures where they don't belong.


http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=fat-no-food-for-you

[hades161]

This really doesn't surprise me in the least.

Even though the medical community as declared Obesity a disease and the slow moving US government bodies that regulate things such as this have all given in to the data and called it a disease as well, people still think it's all just a choice/social issue. Lazy, weak willed, fat ba$tard$ who can't stop filling their face.

Yes, this is a sore spot with me. It doesn't matter that these weak willed people tend to go to any lengths to try to stop it. Butchering themselves with surgeries, taking any and every drug, snake oil, or made up cure/diet that comes along no matter if it kills them or not. Riding the diet rollercoaster day in day out, year after year with no long term end in sight.

Even in the medical community itself this is rampant. To quote the Doctor speaking at my WLS intake seminar "This is a DISEASE make no mistake about it", it can be tracked just like any other outbreak and he showed its growth pattern across country over the past 10 years. He even admitted that the medical community in large is in DENILE about this. So no help there for the most part.

I know let's just pick on them some more until they lose weight and then wonder were things like anorexia and bulemia come from.

Maybe because they are discriminated against every day at work, at home, by family, by friends, by movies, by TV, by books, and the world in general that they stop trying? Most find suicide as a mortal sin so there is no way out there ether.

Hmm, I know maybe just maybe everytime they get hurt, upset, or discriminated against by something like this, they go out and buy 3 or 4 Double Quarter pounders with cheese and say F.U. to the world with every bite hoping that they die at the same time by eatting themselves to death.

Large people that have been fighting this all their life, know something is wrong, kinda like drowning, the only difference is when they reach out for someone to truely help them out, all they see are people standing around laughing at them as they drown.

Sorry RANT off.

[Wulfman]

It would never "fly".....that would keep far too many of the politicians out of the restaurants.

Den ("Never trust a skinny cook")

[Guest]

I look at obesity as an addiction. Can't manage it alone. Need help, not criticism.

[Wulfman]

I look at obesity as an addiction. Can't manage it alone. Need help, not criticism.

There's always a good possibility/probability that Sleep Apnea has contributed to the weight gain by depriving the body of oxygen and thus screwing up the metabolism. When this happens, a person eats to maintain energy and thus becomes a vicious cycle.

Den

[oceanpearl]

It's my God given right to get fat if I chose. I don't need a slimy politican to pass some stupid law (such as the smoking bans)to help me maintain my youthfull body. We have the freedom of choice and if someone wants to be obese, it's none of the governments business!

[Wulfman]

Maybe some can blame their parents, grandparents, etc.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080207/hl_ ... eRlYwE1vAI

Den

[Slinky]

Isn't Mississippi a cotton AND TOBACCO state? Wonder what the legislators have done about tobacco and smoking bans?

My theory FOR YEARS has been the allowed hormones and antibiotics fed to all of our meat animals in order to grow them out fat and FAST in overcrowded unnatural conditions. Young girls are maturing faster and faster, not just in the US but in those nations that were importing US meats and poultry and some were pointing fingers at the US meat and poultry producers.

I remember, prior to 1970 (the long GM strike), the delicious Argentinan "hamburg" we used to routinely buy. Then it was banned (at least in Michigan). Even American ground round or sirloin didn't taste anywhere near as good. (To say nothing of the WATER in American hamburg and ground beefs and the shrinkage).

Why is it Europe wouldn't allow the import of American beef?

On the other hand, it doesn't help, when the grossly obese pile their plates past overflowing as they pass thru the selections at an all you can eat type of eatery. One would think the allowed multiple second and third, etc. trips of smaller portions back to the food bars would be more appropriate and less obvious.

[Daffney_Gillfin]

There is a clip of a CBS interview with one of the authors of the bill posted at
http://meltingmama.typepad.com/wls/2008 ... s-dea.html

He was just trying to start a dialogue. Just get people thinking, you know. Jeez. I haven't heard anything about obesity since.. I don't know... the day before. And the day before, and the day before that. I'm thinking it's pretty much everyday.

Anyway, I thought the anchorperson did well.

[NickD25]

There's also a little substance called high fructose/corn syrup that is use literally in every food you buy in the US. It's been banned in Canada and other countries in Europe and Australia. The main effect of high fructose/corn syrup is disruption of the satiety sensation, therefore making your brain think you aren't full when, in fact, you are way over your limit. Also, it will raise your insulin tolerance leading to type II diabetes.

There's a lot of finger pointing that it's laziness that's the primary cause and sometimes I fully agree but let's not forget the famous "We are what we eat". With such a poor quality in food, it's no wonder that a lot of people are overweight and have cancer.

[Slinky]

Amen, Nick!!! I get a kick out of all these people drinking "diet" sodas. The "sweetener" they contain is known to INCREASE appetite. Whilst I'm not totally pleased w/the risks of the preservatives used in our foods, I also concede that they are necessary. But all the other stuff OUR GOVERNMENT allows in our foodstuffs ..... get off my back about what or how much I eat!!!

[hades161]

Well I reviewed the CBS clip and as much as I agree that it needs to be addressed and worked on the method to which they went about it is faulty. More and more it seems as though the "End Justifies the Means.

If this was truely an attempt at a kick in the pants to get people talking I guess I am willing to take one more harpoon scar in the back for the cause.

I liked the other person's response of more options for treatment via Weight Watchers etc. being covered under Medicare/Medicaid as of right now, as far as I know of there is only the LAP Band or the RNY bypass thats covered as an option. That can take up to 8 months or more depending on the history of the person. Even then its an after the fact solution.

I feel they need to look at all the factors that make up the issue. Starting first and formost with the foods that are being put out. So many additives and artifical crap that they are allowed to put in the things we eat and are told are safe but in truth they really don't know the long term effects. I am not saying we should start a witch hunt and nail food makers for this but maybe we should regulate what they do a bit better and figure out why other countries don't like/want our food and put a stop to it.

The funny thing is the most healthy time in my life was when my family grew and canned our own veggies, fruits and jams.

[Perchancetodream]

I totally agree with Slinky and NickD25. Our food supply has become so corrupted that no one else will eat it.

But, it is much easier to legislate against the obese than it is to go after the real culprits. It is interesting that the sponsor of this bill used to work in sales for a pharmaceutical. Are we not supposed to figure out who produced the hormones that are fed to our cattle?

In other words, don't do anything to upset the financial powers who put you in office, be they the big corporate agriculturals who have filled our food with corn sugars and our meat with hormones and antibiotics or the manufacturers who have supplied them with the weapons.

GRRRRRRR!

[GrizzlyBear]

Hiya.

In Australia at present, because of a major concern over what is termed an 'obesity epidemic', there is a strong drive to government fund lapband operations (I think that's what they're called - where they put a band around the stomach to limit the inflow of food).

There is opposition from those who pay for gym memberships and the like, claiming that as they pay to stay fit, why should obese people get taxpayers' money to recover from what is perceived to be a self-inflicted problem.

As an 'obese' person myself ('well-built', in my opinion), I am as yet unsure of my precise opinion, but thought this might add 'food' to your thought on the matter.

Regards,

'Cuddly' GrizzlyBear

[DreamStalker]

Resurrecting this thread because I came across another related news link -

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7250608.stm

What struck me was the statement that there are now twice as many overweight/obese children in the world as there are malnutrition children.

Corporate greed ... whooda thunk it