Should being fat result in having to pay more taxes?

[schwarzkopf]

If you anxiety is really THAT severe

The doctors etc have said it is like chronic PTSD (invented term - think of coming back from war as acute PTSD). In essence I have a permanent low level 'shell shock'.

Because I'm unable to initiate things, I rarely experience any content - so my anxiety rarely presents itself, as I'm sort of staring at walls a lot.

For example - I've wanted to go to bed for the last 3 hours, but have been unable to as I've not been able to take that action.

[Cyberowl]

I'm sure concocting this regulatory regime, enforcement mechanisms, and compliance machinery won't be costly at all and it certainly won't have any issues with bizarre regulatory capture-based policies.

Seriously though, I don't know why people think ever more complicated tax policies to push or punish whatever behavior we like or don't like is a good way to construct a society.

Complicated tax policies? I don't see it being any harder than classifying certain foods and putting a % tax on it. Like they do with alcohol, tobacco etc... I'm not saying it's realistic to be implemented in the western world, but a healthier population would be worth it.

[schwarzkopf]

If the Internet ever does become a non-luxury item

It is already 100% necessity in Australia... doesn't mean it is government controlled. Food is a necessity, but is provided by free enterprise.

[Blobfish]

Don't know why Fat people should be Taxed more, as a Danish 40 year study has found that fat people live longer.

http://thescienceexplorer.com/brain-...ht-individuals

http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20090...-live-longer#1

There’s a growing body of evidence that suggests we might want to reevaluate the way we measure an individual’s health — a lower weight doesn’t necessarily equate to better overall health.

According to a new study of over 100,000 adults in Denmark, researchers from the Copenhagen University Hospital have found that those with an “overweight” body mass index (BMI) were more likely to live longer than those in all of the other BMI categories — “normal,” “underweight,” and “obese.”

Through nearly four decades of analysis, from 1976 to 2013, the BMI associated with the lowest risk of death actually shifted from the “normal” weight category to the “overweight” category.

For reference, a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 is considered “normal” or “healthy,” and a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered “overweight.” A BMI of 30 or above is classified as “obese.”

The results, which appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveal that the BMI associated with the lowest risk of death jumped from 23.7 to 27 during the decades-long study.

"BMI as a number alone may not be sufficient to predict health and risk of death," Rexford Ahima, a physician from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, who wasn’t involved in the study, told Science News. "It has to be taken within context."

Led by clinical biochemist Børge Nordestgaard, the team also found that individuals in the “obese” BMI category ended up with the same risk of death as those in the “normal” BMI range, even after accounting for factors like age, sex, smoking, socioeconomic status, and family history of disease.

"Many people see obesity as a death sentence," lead study author A. Janet Tomiyama, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a press statement. "But the data show there are tens of millions of people who are overweight and obese and are perfectly healthy."

Wheres my Donuts !!!

[Laqweeta]

The doctors etc have said it is like chronic PTSD (invented term - think of coming back from war as acute PTSD). In essence I have a permanent low level 'shell shock'.

Because I'm unable to initiate things, I rarely experience any content - so my anxiety rarely presents itself, as I'm sort of staring at walls a lot.

For example - I've wanted to go to bed for the last 3 hours, but have been unable to as I've not been able to take that action.

wtf o-o... So you can continue taking the action to sit down and post on Forums, but you cannot take the action to walk over to your bed and lay down? o_0. Forgive for asking these questions, I've just never talked to someone with problems as severe as yours.

[Granyala]

For example - I've wanted to go to bed for the last 3 hours, but have been unable to as I've not been able to take that action.

It is hard to imagine a person going through life like that. Oo

[Spectral]

Surely you've been in a situation where you wanted to do something, but didn't feel the reward would be worth the effort. It's the same thing here, but with a different set of personal thresholds and priorities.

Like I said, I can't really understand or empathize with that level of indifference about fitness. You're pretty much stuck in your body and it really doesn't take much time or effort to be more fit than 95% of the population, so I just fundamentally do not understand not bothering at all.

[Deleted]

being fat already costs more, especially if you are obese. and tax for being fat sounds like discrimination, i prefer approaching it from the other end by adding tariffs to unhealthy food and use those tariffs explicitly to make healthy food more obtainable.

[Laqweeta]

Like I said, I can't really understand or empathize with that level of indifference about fitness. You're pretty much stuck in your body and it really doesn't take much time or effort to be more fit than 95% of the population, so I just fundamentally do not understand not bothering at all.

I used to be obese as fuck and one day I just said fuck it and got in shape.. I started with 2-4 mile walks every single day, which in turn started to turn into running 1 mile, walking 1 mile. I went from 340 pounds to 155 in about 9 months. It's easy once you start doing it, getting to that point is "hard" I guess.

[Phookah]

If the Internet ever does become a non-luxury item (Government controlled) it's going to be severely monitored. No online games, no browsing the web normally. You'd likely have a locked homepage only directing you to educational websites etc. Think of it like an EXTREME Firewall

Except the internet is already considered a utility, and its not government controlled and none of that has happened. Ohhhhh spoopy!

[schwarzkopf]

wtf o-o... So you can continue taking the action to sit down and post on Forums,

Yeah - because you bunch of talkative folk are triggering me to stay here... as I said earlier, I require people to be triggered - and you people are keeping me here.

Other things can trigger as well, what normally sends me to bed is excessive pain in my back or arse.

Yes - that is the truth, but I'm not blaming you - it is a fault in my brain after all

[schwarzkopf]

It is hard to imagine a person going through life like that. Oo

Well - I wouldn't say I'm getting through life ... I'm more on hold waiting for the end. If you look up Alexithymia on wikipedia you will see that I'm predisposed to this already ("a stimulus-bound, externally oriented cognitive style.") , however it was manageable until the anxiety took it over the top.

It is also - sadly, why I fall victim to trolls and don't stop arguing ... because, well - I sort of don't have a choice until a stronger trigger comes along. Frequently a mod

[Laqweeta]

Yeah - because you bunch of talkative folk are triggering me to stay here... as I said earlier, I require people to be triggered - and you people are keeping me here.

Other things can trigger as well, what normally sends me to bed is excessive pain in my back or arse.

Yes - that is the truth, but I'm not blaming you - it is a fault in my brain after all

You racist ;o. jkjk. Uhm yeah that kind of sucks that optional posts are triggering you to stay here, here's hoping your body just let's you sleep soon :3

[Deleted]

Like I said, I can't really understand or empathize with that level of indifference about fitness. You're pretty much stuck in your body and it really doesn't take much time or effort to be more fit than 95% of the population, so I just fundamentally do not understand not bothering at all.

being more fit then 95% of the population takes a lot of effort. you'd have to sport like 4 evenings a week for that.

[Spectral]

Complicated tax policies? I don't see it being any harder than classifying certain foods and putting a % tax on it. Like they do with alcohol, tobacco etc... I'm not saying it's realistic to be implemented in the western world, but a healthier population would be worth it.

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.

[Mistame]

If the internet becomes a necessity as it is, then what is wrong with the wealthy helping out the poor?

Is there something fundamentally wrong with helping others ?

There's nothing wrong with helping others. There is, however, a lot wrong with removing the freedom of choice. Charity is no longer charity if it's mandated. And, regardless of my wealth, I refuse to pay for entertainment for others, not to mention the devices required to actually access it. And the reality is that "state-funded" inevitably leads to "state-controlled". I'll keep my freedom, thanks.

[Halyon]

Eat less. Hell, eat nothing for a week, and I promise you will lose weight.

A person can go a long time without food.

Yeah, and how healthy do you think that is exactly? Healthy weight loss means eating more, eating healthier, and smaller portions, coupled with a low-strain exercise schedule. Getting the right fit for you can get very, very expensive, I just went through half a year with a personal trainer to get exactly this, and I had to take it on loan, and I still have a long way to go, but I'm healthy because I did. People who can't afford this, -can- lose weight and stay healthy, but it takes an iron will, a good support system and encouragement from people, and researching and budgeting to get the cheapest, healthies options available to you, and even then it may not be optimal.

Long-term is best, crash diets do NOT work in the majority of cases, so it's stupid to try.

[schwarzkopf]

There is, however, a lot wrong with removing the freedom of choice.

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

[Spectral]

being more fit then 95% of the population takes a lot of effort. you'd have to sport like 4 evenings a week for that.

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.

[schwarzkopf]

Jogging a half hour 4 nights a week would make someone more fit than 95% of the population (of the US anyway).

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%.