Fat for Life

USA Today has yet another piece on the Great Fat Epidemic.

Nearly four out of 10 Americans will be obese within five years if people keep packing on pounds at the current rate ? putting their health at risk, says one of the nation's top obesity researchers.

The story engages in the breathless (out-of-breath?) presumption that getting fatter automatically means worse health. For an alternative view, break open the Twinkies and check out this recent New Republic piece to the contrary.

Comments

[Steve]

What's not to like about another manufactured crisis. Just another opportunity for lawyers and government do-gooders.

[Jon H]

I wonder how many people are becoming obese due to medication-related weight gain.

[Brad S]

The prospect of getting fat stresses me out. I think I'll go have a Twinkie to comfort myself.

[Steve]

Does that Twinkie go well with a beer?

[Robert Hutchinson]

I'm less offended by the potential truth of obesity being unhealthy than I am by the mindless "shocking new discovery" tone of the quote.

"Nearly ten out of 10 Americans will inhale air within five minutes ? putting them at high risk of exhaling shortly afterwards, says one of the nation's top oxygen/carbon dioxide researchers."

[j.c.]

Say it ain't so, Nick.

It's distressing to see Reason link to the TNR article. I count of Reason to champion good science and require clearly defined terms, not the Oprah path to wisdom.

[Champion]

most people are obese cause they are lazy and have no idea what food causes them to explode. it is pretty amazing how little knowledge people have about what foods are healthy and how people encourage others to eat like crap 247...basically every office in america pushes this (not to mention the fact that most people think cereal is good for them, but i digress)... then again, other than being unattractive, i guess if you are active and fat, you are healthy. way to be....i think ill stay attractive, as virgin1a postrel has written, looks matter....

[Champion]

no advertising...just part of my real name... i do think it is sad that people in our country (and most of the world for that matter) continue to get bigger. as for looks fading, yeah you are correct, it does happen, but it doesn't mean you have to become a blimp and you can prevent a lot of it. hopefully some people still have some pride in their apperance these days and i'm not talking about rocking the most expensive gear. getting off the subject slightly, i'll share with you something tc luoma wrote in an article at his online mag, http://www.t-mag.com..."That's why I get rankled when some pudknocker gives me a hard time about spending so many hours in the gym or being careful about what I eat. Sure, there's a point where it can get to be obsessive and all-consuming, but mixing a career with working out is a prudent business decision. If you can maximize your appearance by working out, you're telling God and Darwin that you weren't exactly pleased with the genetic and evolutionary cards you drew so, thank you very much, I'm going to shuffle the deck and draw again."

to many people just play the hand they are dealt, and do a poor job of that.

[Steve]

Yo. Champ...(and if you have to advertise it, you probably aren't). Too bad you can't get beyond looks. Someday yours will fade, too. I consider myself lucky. I've been "beauty impaired" my whole life. I don't have to worry about my looks fading.

Regards,

Steve

[samantha]

im wondering wot tha causes are of obesity in people, how can obesity be prevented why are there so many obese people out there thanks e-mail me please [e-mail]

[Rhodes Janna Bernstein]

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DATE: 05/21/2004 06:10:00
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