Opinions on obesity?

What do you guys think the growing obesity epidemic will have on our personal and national economies?

Katie, that is a very thought provoking question. I need to ponder on this. Ok, people that eat too much for the sake of it are greedy. Then you have the people who are obese because of glandular problems ie:thyroid problems. I would imagine that anyone who eats because they just love food are addicted just like any other addict, smokers,drugs, alcohol. Do they get the support of the latter three that I mentioned, I very much doubt it. Our glorious Government are all for banning things that are bad for us to save the NHS money, but in reality they need to close fast food shops. It is so easy to get fast fatty foods, and with no warning signs to educate people of the damage they are doing to themselves or their children in the long term. Not to mention 80% of teenage parents don't have a clue how to cook healthy meals for their children, because they were never taught in schools since the 90s. In short my summary is this. The Government didn't care then and only finding obesity a problem now because it is costing money.
If people were more responsible for their own actions, there wouldn't be a problem. I am a smoker by the way and I know it will kill me, but my motto is this (live by the sword, die bye the sword)

it makes me cry to see so many FAT people

It makes me want McDonald's!

I don't know - My guess is that after a while people will realize that it's actually a growing problem and that somthing should be done about it.... Who knows... :]

i dont know, but lets all go running :)

It's not healthy for the individual and it's not healthy for the economy...

The hit on an obese person's ecomony is already there.

My VERY heavy brother has to buy all clothes at full retail PLUS. I can get a good Sports shirt for $15. He pays more than $60 for his 5XXXXX shirts

My grocery bill is about 25% of his - and I have two kids to feed, and we eat better than he does.

He can't fit behind the steering wheel of any 'economy' cars - only full size or trucks or vans. Translation : higher price plus lower fuel mileage

No on-sale shoes for him - feet too wide because of all the weight

Air conditioning is set lower because he sweats more.

Breaks a lot of chairs with his weight. Has to replace them

Needs a special toilet - standard can't handle his weight.

Takes two airplane seats - and costs the airline more for fuel.

Isn't healthy enough to work regularly - weight problems = inactivity = illnesses.

Put a bunch of him in the overall economy, and there are a lot of hits on the economy.

Get's a great deal at buffets - all you can eat means a lot to him.

It will have a major impact on the world's economy as the epidemic of of obesity related illness runs rampant

it is good for mc donalds.

we pay higher taxes because fat people cant resist greasy food & they have health issues & its somehow our responsibility? superrrr

I think the personal and national economies will be huge. (pun intended)

Personal
- gotta make more money to buy more food.

National
- sell more food.
-doctors will have more job security
-automobile makers will continue to design vehicles for those with a few extra hundred pounds
-clothing will have to be bigger so textile industry will grow

FAT, UGLY, SWEATY, BEEFCAKE