We didn't say anything when they came for the smokers...

[Guard Dog]

So how would they have dealt with the massive amounts of depressions that crop up after they take away peoples fun, I wonder? Ban being sad? As soon as I quit smoking, my mood went straight to hell, because literally my one vice was gone.

Thought Police of course. You know that's coming too.

[Blarghagh]

I blame Vegans.

 

But they are too strong to battle.

 

[Amentep]

Yeah, I'm not crazy about these kind of developments (much like New York's attempt to ban supersized drinks). They just seem wrongheaded.

[Azdeus]

Thought Police of course. You know that's coming too.

 

I feel nothing but sympathy for the person that has to endure looking into my thoughts for but a moment.

"And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you".

 

I'm so, so depressed. /emo

 

This is a better situation than the opposite though. Without a government to limit people and corporations, it'd just be worse though. Imagine megacorps having free hands instead of being bound by law. Not that they're really bound by law anymore, since they can essentially pay to get around it, but still.

[Hurlshort]

I'm not pro-regulation, but I do wonder what you folks suggest to do in order to break the cycle of childhood obesity we are currently mired in?

[Gfted1]

Balanced diet provided by the parents? Exercise?

 

Am I misinterpreting your question? Are you advocating that childhood obesity is something the government needs to be involved in?

[Gorgon]

It would be kinda nice if all the regular foods you bought at the supermarket, I'm talking non deserts, contained the appropriate levels of salt and sugar. You migth not like it, but legislation like that could easily ad years to your lives with no extra effort on your end at all. 

 

 

Right now those levels are skewed, you get too much salt, which gradually poisions you, and too much suggar, which increases diabetes chances. Now, I'm not advocating banning either. You can still buy as much salt and suggar as you like, but as a cheap method of adding taste to processed foods, it's dangerous to your health. It's the trans fat debacle all over again, and most people have come around on that front, agreeing that it needed to be watched carefully. 

[Blarghagh]

I don't know how to stop childhood obesity - obviously ostracizing fat people hasn't worked since it's only getting worse.

 

I'm not sure if it's other people's jobs to combat obesity. On the other hand, I think letting your child get morbidly obese because you're feeding them badly is essentially child neglect, and that if there has to be regulation, I'd start with penalizing those who apparently cannot take care of their children properly. I'm not for that solution, I'd rather leave parenting to the parents rather than anything else and if you start enforcing something like that, where is the line drawn that you'll stop enforcing? On the other hand, it's pretty much the only thing that seems close to fair to me - it would only hit the problem and not everyone.

 

And who am I to say that they apparently cannot take care of their children? I have to admit, I personally eat a lot of cheap **** simply because it's cheap and easy and eating well all the time is, quite frankly, a bit out of my money and time-budget. I can't even imagine how much this problem increases when you add children to the mix. You could make products less unhealthy, but I find it likely this will increase the cost and put everyone back to square one.

 

So yeah, difficult problem, slippery slope and all that. The only thing that seems to be sure that if there is a solution, buggering everybody with increased prices isn't it.

Edited February 4, 2014 by TrueNeutral

[Azdeus]

I'm not pro-regulation, but I do wonder what you folks suggest to do in order to break the cycle of childhood obesity we are currently mired in?

 

Treat it as childabuse, allow more stemcell research to provide medical intervention alternatives, allow healthier GM foodcrops, regulated nutritional values in fastfood. If you want to go the regulation way of things that is.

 

Though the only way really to get childhood obesity in check is to get kids moving, wich is'nt really feasible when instant access to interesting entertainment is in your hand, available wherever you go. It's easier and more fun apparently to play on your touchpad/phone than play football, floorball or any sport that could help.

That parents don't take responsibility for their kids health and no matter what people tell them, they don't take action is cause for governments to take action.

 

I'm not happy about the WHO wanting to take action, but I'm not naive enough to think it'd go well to regulate the worlds most popular drug even more than it is. Prohibition did'nt work.

[Hurlshort]

It may be because my wife teaches PE, but I do agree that getting kids moving is a huge component of childhood obesity.  

 

 

Balanced diet provided by the parents? Exercise?

 

Am I misinterpreting your question? Are you advocating that childhood obesity is something the government needs to be involved in?

 

My bad for not clarifying.  What I was asking was how do we get parents to buy in to the balanced diet and exercise.  I'm talking as a society, not necessarily from a government perspective.

 

There is a lot of programs out there already that are trying to change the fast food and diabetes culture.  But they don't seem to be winning.

 

I just think that if we are going to raise havoc over the government getting involved in our health, then we need to have alternative solutions that preclude that involvement.  

[Hurlshort]

I'm surprised by the willingness to label it child neglect or abuse.  That's a very serious charge, and at what threshold do you hold the parents responsible?  

[Malcador]

When the kid is classed as obese by a doctor, I'd guess.    Making PE mandatory for kids up until they leave high school was one interesting suggestion I've seen in the past, though compelling them to do things usually backfires

[Azdeus]

It may be because my wife teaches PE, but I do agree that getting kids moving is a huge component of childhood obesity. 

 

I remember fondly when my class managed to vex our PE teacher to the point where she flipped and started tossing metal ring binders at us. Best game of dodgeball ever! <3

She had earned our respect! :D

 

I'm surprised by the willingness to label it child neglect or abuse.  That's a very serious charge, and at what threshold do you hold the parents responsible?  

 

I'd leave that to a group of nutritionists and pediatricians to decide, because I'm woefully underqualified to even guess that.

[Blarghagh]

Causing or allowing your child to become morbidly obese is harmful to the child, who is your responsibility. Your are causing or allowing your child to be harmed. That's why it's easy to label it as neglect or abuse, because honestly the facts support that label. But as you said, the threshold is the big problem there.

[Nonek]

Well as a parent I think the wise course of action would be a total ban on children, give it a hundred years and i'm sure we'll see very positive results in the fight against all kinds of issues. In fact I guarantee it.

[Blarghagh]

I thought life expectancy was part of the problem?

[alanschu]

 

 

healthcare is the ultimate backstage pass into every aspect of our lives.

 

[Keyrock]

Criminal cartels? Are you suggesting sugar bootleggers will appear?

 

Man, that is a great idea for a cartoon.

Obligatory:

 

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1198892/guarding_sugar/

 

Also, a reminder that, as hard as it is to believe today, once upon a time, eons ago, The Simpsons was a funny show.

[213374U]

Holy **** this thread moves FAST.

 

 

 

So how would they have dealt with the massive amounts of depressions that crop up after they take away peoples fun, I wonder? Ban being sad? As soon as I quit smoking, my mood went straight to hell, because literally my one vice was gone.

Thought Police of course. You know that's coming too.

 

 

No need for that, brah. You already have the legions of conformity and cultural homogeneity doing a great job at vituperating, ridiculing and ostracizing anyone that seriously questions the foundations of "prosperity" and the "western way of life". And best of all is, they do it on their own dime. Beautiful, isn't it?

 

 

 

I'm not sure if it's other people's jobs to combat obesity. On the other hand, I think letting your child get morbidly obese because you're feeding them badly is essentially child neglect, and that if there has to be regulation, I'd start with penalizing those who apparently cannot take care of their children properly. I'm not for that solution, I'd rather leave parenting to the parents rather than anything else and if you start enforcing something like that, where is the line drawn that you'll stop enforcing? On the other hand, it's pretty much the only thing that seems close to fair to me - it would only hit the problem and not everyone.

 

And who am I to say that they apparently cannot take care of their children? I have to admit, I personally eat a lot of cheap **** simply because it's cheap and easy and eating well all the time is, quite frankly, a bit out of my money and time-budget. I can't even imagine how much this problem increases when you add children to the mix. You could make products less unhealthy, but I find it likely this will increase the cost and put everyone back to square one.

 

Yeah... how about working towards a society where people can actually make informed decisions (education) and act on those decisions (wealth distribution)? Punitive/coercive measures are notoriously ineffectual at driving meaningful social change. There are no simple solutions that can be adopted just by signing off on a law. Access to quality food is one factor, but there are others such as affordability and the ever-decreasing availability of time to do anything that isn't slave away for minimum wage. Does anyone seriously believe that people willingly eat **** laden with poisons on a daily basis if the alternative were just as quick and easy?

 

Ah, but who cares. So long as it's not me getting a stroke (or cancer, or multiple sclerosis, or...) IDGAF. Life's good, yoloswag, etc.

[Orogun01]

I wonder if it wouldn't be best to teach Americans about moderation, I've been living among  them and I think they've never heard of it. Or small portions, or medium portions for that matter.

[Walsingham]

 

This is funny because I was just checking into the thread to see if GD had said something about health insurance that would send me back the other way.

  Well? Did I?

 

 

Nearly, man. Nearly.

 

EDIT:

 

Death may be the ultimate obscenity, but I find it a farcical adornment to bow and scrape before learned men who avow our best reaction to be placid and pure inaction.

 

How can it be right that we should extend our lives by not living them?

 

I do not believe that puling abstinence can be the correct way to burn up my fragile and flashbulb span of experience and thought. To refrain from hurting others by my life I can understand. But to refrain from hurting yourself? It's as much cowardice as it is vanity.

 

Curse, fail, fall, shine, shiver. And do not pretend otherwise.

Edited February 5, 2014 by Walsingham

[Mor]

How can it be right that we should extend our lives by not living them?

How can it be right that there is actions and personal consequences?

[Walsingham]

 

How can it be right that we should extend our lives by not living them?

How can it be right that there is actions and personal consequences?

 

 

I don't follow you. I'm saying of course there are consequences. But that doesn't mean you can avoid all consequences by taking no action.

[Mor]

I was stirring up the health insurance pot There is despite your OP statement, while most things cause cancer the one noted are the most common/hazardous which are easily preventable. I don't need to pay for other people habits.

[Wrath of Dagon]

That's what happens, you start out with the innocent sounding Commerce Clause and you wind up with Chairman Obama.