Should being fat result in having to pay more taxes?

[Mistame]

I choose to have a half million house in Beverly Hills. I only have $2000 ....
I choose to live via a life saving operation that costs $50,000, I only have $100...

Indeed - freedom of choice works both ways

Some pretty weird analogies you got going on there.

[Cyberowl]

The ATF, which is just an enforcement arm for alcohol, tobacco, and firearm policies costs over $1 billion/year. Throw in the costs of compliance, policy-making, and so on, and we're starting to talk real money for something that you seem to think isn't really all that complicated.

Of course, deciding what foods qualify as "bad" is even less straightforward. Queue up the endless army of lobbyists and lawyers to argue endlessly about it and we'd be fit for some really stupid arguments.

If we're really interested in this sort of thing, the easiest thing to do would just be to stop subsidizing the production of HFCS.

I probably should have written "it shouldn't be complicated, but retarded politicians that are easily bought will make it a train wreck". :P Yeah, you are right in that regard. That's why I said it's not realistic in the western world.

Btw, Japan has, despite their wealth, a ridiculous low obesity quota. Healthy everyday food and societal pressure to stay thin are the biggest factors. The Japanese aren't rude, but they will find a way to passive aggresively judge the heck out of you if you have more weight than is good for you.

[Spectral]

I get a 30 minute work out 3 afternoons a week (max I can afford).... I'd gladly swap that for dietary help as it would be FAR more effective.

My trainer tells me that exercise solves 15% of the problem, diet solves the other 85%.

There aren't really percentages, it's just a balance on net. While CICO is overly simplistic, it remains reasonably accurate for most basic purposes. People that are highly active can eat a lot. People that lift and try to gain mass frequently have to choose to eat more than feels comfortable.

But anyway, the dietary help exists. You're on the internet. There's endless seas of information about dietary choices and the impacts thereof. Electing to not take advantage of doesn't seem like anything that other people should be obligated to do something about.

[schwarzkopf]

Some pretty weird analogies you got going on there.

Not analogies, just you said freedom of choice.... but you neglect the freedom of choice of the poor and only protect the freedom of choice of the rich?

That seems a little biased....

[Blobfish]

Might as well Tax people with Anorexia Nervosa too.

They don't eat enough and are unhealthy and cost taxpayers $$

[schwarzkopf]

But anyway, the dietary help exists. You're on the internet.

None exists for me - I've looked, well none that is remotely in my price range.

[Spectral]

I probably should have written "it shouldn't be complicated, but retarded politicians that are easily bought will make it a train wreck". :P Yeah, you are right in that regard. That's why I said it's not realistic in the western world.

Btw, Japan has, despite their wealth, a ridiculous low obesity quota. Healthy everyday food and societal pressure to stay thin are the biggest factors. The Japanese aren't rude, but they will find a way to passive aggresively judge the heck out of you if you have more weight than is good for you.

Yeah, I strongly agree with both of these points. I don't actually think it's that hard to figure out which food ingredients are just terrible for you, but the sausage-making that is policy and enforcement is just not worth it, especially when cultural shifts are so much more valuable.

[Halyon]

Might as well Tax people with Anorexia Nervosa too.

They don't eat enough and are unhealthy and cost taxpayers $$

Yeah but they're thin, so everything's all fine and dandy! /eyeroll

[Deleted]

Jogging a half hour 4 nights a week would make someone more fit than 95% of the population (of the US anyway). This country is mostly fat and sedentary. It's a low bar to clear.

if cardio is your only criteria, maybe. if you count more general fitness, then people who have a moderately intensive physical job would make it a lot harder to be in the top 5%.

[Spectral]

None exists for me - I've looked, well none that is remotely in my price range.

I realize that you have odd needs, but consuming less food and choosing reasonably healthy meals really isn't that complicated. If every meal is something meaty, something starchy, and something green and it doesn't take up more than a normal-sized plate, you'll be basically fine.

[Halyon]

I realize that you have odd needs, but consuming less food and choosing reasonably healthy meals really isn't that complicated. If every meal is something meaty, something starchy, and something green and it doesn't take up more than a normal-sized plate, you'll be basically fine.

Not really. You'd be surprised how little you actually need to eat for an optimal diet. One thing is staying at the hopefully healthy weight you're on, and actually losing weight in a healthy fashion...which means keeping your metabolism up...by eating very small meals 5-6 times a day. And the amount of food in each sometimes barely qualify as a meal to the average person.

[Mistame]

Not analogies, just you said freedom of choice.... but you neglect the freedom of choice of the poor and only protect the freedom of choice of the rich?

That seems a little biased....

How so? The poor can do what they want with their money, too. Not sure if you're just conflating two separate issues or being intentionally obtuse but the disparity of wealth between the rich and poor has nothing to do with my comment. "Freedom of choice" refers specifically to the right to do what you want with what's yours, not with some inane notion that everyone's entitled to a wealthy lifestyle merely because they exist.

[schwarzkopf]

How so? The poor can do what they want with their money, too.

Indeed, as I said you are only allowing freedom of choice for the rich.... the poor get ZERO choice in what they use their money for, that is of course the nature of being poor.

[Spectral]

Indeed, as I said you are only allowing freedom of choice for the rich.... the poor get ZERO choice in what they use their money for, that is of course the nature of being poor.

Yeah, they're really being robbed of their freedoms when no one buys them a half million dollar house. You make a good point.

[Mistame]

Indeed, as I said you are only allowing freedom of choice for the rich.... the poor get ZERO choice in what they use their money for, that is of course the nature of being poor.

And? That's neither the fault nor problem of anyone else.

[schwarzkopf]

I realize that you have odd needs, but consuming less food and choosing reasonably healthy meals really isn't that complicated.

Fun fact - I had the bluray of one of my favourite movies (Riddick #3) on my shelf.

I was desperately itching to watch it for THREE MONTHS, before a trigger enabled me to watch it.

So - if watching a SINGLE MOVIE that I REALLY WANT TO WATCH takes me three months, and only happens because someone mentioned the movie.

How complicated do you think eating health meals is going to be - when all that the food places provide is rubbish.

- - - Updated - - -

Yeah, they're really being robbed of their freedoms when no one buys them a half million dollar house. You make a good point.

I do make a good point, which you entirely miss ... by focusing on example rather than message.

[Spectral]

Fun fact - I had the bluray of one of my favourite movies (Riddick #3) on my shelf.

I was desperately itching to watch it for THREE MONTHS, before a trigger enabled me to watch it.

So - if watching a SINGLE MOVIE that I REALLY WANT TO WATCH takes me three months, and only happens because someone mentioned the movie.

How complicated do you think eating health meals is going to be - when all that the food places provide is rubbish.

Which food places only provide rubbish?

I also don't really know what you're looking for people to say to these sorts of things. OK. You have psychological problems that prevent normal behavior. Understood. That sucks and I'm not trying to impugn your credibility or tell you it doesn't suck. It just isn't actually something that anyone can draw generalizable conclusions from.

[schwarzkopf]

And? That's neither the fault nor problem of anyone else.

Actually - it most often is BOTH the fault and problem of someone else. GFC wasn't caused by the millions of people whose finances it destroyed, it was caused by wall street criminals.

Check out how Steven Mnuchin (Trump Cabinet) managed to steal a house legally from a 90+ year old woman.

So anyone who things the poor are poor purely because they are lazy, or chose to be poor - is certainly someone who needs to educate themselves a bit on reality.

How does this apply - well obesity like poverty isn't just the fault of the person, it has many complex and frequently unavoidable causes.

Being a human being and giving up a bit of your freedom of choice, and giving another human being a tiny bit of that freedom - would be a nice thing to do.

Nice - but unamerican apparently.

[Dequanacus]

I'm not well educated on the subject, but I'm aware of several people who live pay check to pay check, more often than not eating garbage because they don't have the time or resources to make proper meals. They are still well below obese regardless of the quality of their meals.

Just wondering what's the justification for that as some posts seem to point towards quality of meals as being sufficient in of itself in producing obesity.

[schwarzkopf]

Which food places only provide rubbish?

I also don't really know what you're looking for people to say to these sorts of things.

Places that sell prepared food anywhere where I can get to.

I'm not expecting anyone to help me - my situation has no solution.

I'm just using myself as an example to explain that there is complexity in the problem, and ignoring it won't help solve it.