Smoking, Drinking & Obesity?

Smoke related illnesses cost the NHS every year 拢1.5 billion.
However the exchequer receives 拢7 billion per year in revenue!
Drink related illnesses (this also includes injury through drink)cost the NHS every year 拢1 billion.
However the exchequer receives 拢7 billion per year in revenue!
Chronic obesity cost the NHS every year 拢3.5 billion.
However the exchequer receives ABSOLUTELY NOTHING per year in revenue!
The NHS refuse to treat smokers......with smoke related illnesses.
The NHS refuse to treat drinkers......with drink related illnesses.
However when it comes to people that absolutely gorge themselves with food.......well thats okay, 50% of people the adult population are overweight or obese!!!!
Why do we complain about the following: -
1. Immigration & how they are a burden on our welfare state!
2. Incapacity /Job seeker claimants & how they are a burden on our welfare state!
Obesity is the biggest burden to our society & we say & do nothing!!!!
Your opinion????

we do nothing because we are scared we might be dinner for them fatties lol.

1. Immigration & how they are a burden on our welfare state!
2. Incapacity /Job seeker claimants & how they are a burden on our welfare state!

Don't smoke. Don't drink. Work out !!

In my opinion, whilst standing on your soapbox, you
failed to ask a question.

Apparently you don't monitor the media very much, or you'd see that governments are bending over backwards trying to remove anything that tastes good and might be bad for you from store shelves and restaurants.

Well Billy you are an angry young man. You have put me off my dinner now

That's so annoying...I suffer with migraines and have had to see a specialist to help with this which cost me a lot of money.

It's very annoying, I take good care of my health and this condition (caused by a problem with my neck and back) and had no help. It was extremely painful. It just makes me mad to think how the government spends our money.

None of us will make it out alive, and I debate that people who live long healthy lives cost us more than someone who strokes out in their 50's.

Either way we all have a terminal episode that uses the same amount of resources in the end.

Skinny, sober and smokeless people live longer will have more office visits over 90 years than a drunk fat smoker who makes it to 40!

Think about it!

Just be yourself, and whatever you do dont allow your rights to be infringed upon.

it's completely true but people don't really do anything about it... the government would rather spend money on wars and foreign activities instead of working on an immigration reform, plan to reduce obesity, and on health insurances for those in need of it:)

i don't agree that obesity is the biggest burden to our society. while i agree that it is a problem, i really have to disagree with you that fat people cost my country more money than illegal imigrants and those who refuse to work.

the majority of obese people are still out in the community working and paying taxes. (therefore it is also their tax dollars being used) there are only a small percentage that are so fat that they can't work or leave their house. why don't you tell someone who is overweight that he can't go to the Dr. because he is fat, but the taxes that are taken from his check every week are going to be used to support some 19 year old healthy male that refuses to work or an immigrant that is probably working under the table somewhere making more money than he is.

i think that something has to be done about the money that has to be spent to provide medical coverage and disability insurance for obese people but i think it is a very small problem compared to the other things you mentioned. i could really go on for hours on this one as i work in the social service field and see who the real perpetrators are of taking advantage of "the system" and it really does not seem to be "the fat people".

get off your soapbox

Since when, have the nhs refused to treat drinkers and smokers.

Why do we complain? I suppose it may be a way of rephrasing problems and discussing them with others to try to find solutions to our sick world. It all seems so simple, when it comes to self-inflicted diseases caused by drinking, smoking and over/wrong eating habits, however millions are dying horrid deaths in pursuit of personal freedom. I believe that the best way to teach is by example.

Besides the availability of Fast Food Restaurants that makes us obese, it is an entry level for immigrants who may contribute to the fat population. lol Then there is the fact that we are stressed and over taxed to death and compete for jobs that immigrants will work for lower wages. Stress causes one to eat! The immigrants come to our area and bring along more fast food Mexican and Chinese restaurants... Boy, they taste good too and now there is a whole lot more eating going on ! Then you can't have a good meal without having a good cigarette afterwards.(Even if it has to be outside somewhere) lol
Sorry, I couldn't resist, just had to chime in and the bottom line is that we live in a vicious circle of cause and effect ; and blame and hate. I'll drink to that!

I do not see the relevance of health issues to illegal immigrants. Hence the word Illegal immigrants! People should take better care of themselves and be more responsible, but our government in the US should also take care of their citizens! The words illegal immigrant is irrelevant to the health issues. People need to start taking better care of themselves and the government needs to take care of their people. The poles on CNN state the majority do not approve of illegal immigration and they do not approve of Handing out drivers license, but they claim this will make our roads safer. I guess putting in a question like this is a catch 20/ 20. I do not feel these topics are very good to relate to one another. We could go on for decades about all the things wrong in this world. It will simply never change until the individual people decide to do different.

There are still taxes on certain foods and luxury goods so to say the exchequer recieves no revenue from the obese and then state that they 'gorge themselves with food' makes no sense. You clearly haven't thought this through. And to say the NHS does nothing for people with drinking and smoking related problems is also untrue as people are treated every day for lung cancer due to smoking and other related problems. Also there have recently been studies released showing that fat people live longer than thin people and are more likely to survive cardiac events (have a look at this http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2006...
To assume that because someone is overweight they are unhealthy, ill or a burden on society is incredibly narrow minded.

If your intention here is to quantify the costs of these behaviors and use that as a measure of a problem, then the costs measured should be more pervasive than just the NHS cost. Smoking and drinking have significant non-NHS costs - accidents, fires, affect on others, social problems, etc., which would significantly drive up their costs. Obesity certainly may have certain health costs but not likely other cost areas such as drinking and smoking. This from an obese 620 man who is healthy, happy and does not smoke or drink.