You normally think of National Review as a journal of conservative political opinion, but an article published Tuesday about obesity fanned some flames.
“Politicians Ignoring America’s Obesity Crisis” ignited several “gubmint shouldn’t control our lives” comments, like this one:
What “political leaders” are we going to trust to manage our weight, and what tools are we willing to give them to do so?
However, obesity has become a real issue in America. The facts are these:
And children?
Obesity is also a national security problem, as a 2022 study from the Pentagon revealed that 77% of young Americans wouldn’t qualify for duty. These disqualifiers include drugs, mental or physical health problems, and being overweight — which accounts for the largest percentage at 11%. Keep in mind that the US military is facing a shortage of enlistees, too.
If you remember the late 1970’s into the 1980’s, you’ll recall that it was an era pushing fitness. Running was the ultimate exercise for many, although Jane Fonda hyped aerobics. Olivia Newton-John sang “Let’s Get Physical” in a music video, although it didn’t appear that she was generating much sweat.
But later Covid came, with its lockdowns mandated by the higher-ups. Lockdowns negatively affected kids, who remained inside, unable to attend school and participate in physical education or recess. So what did they do? Played on their Nintendos, engaged in social media, or watched TV. The results are obvious: research shows links between screen time of all types — TV, computers, or devices — and childhood obesity.
Add to that the current veneration for “plus-size” individuals (don’t say fat or obese) like entertainer Lizzo. I couldn’t find anything definitive on her weight, other than that she clocks in well over 200 pounds. Yet she celebrates being fat:
I know I’m fat. It doesn’t bother me. I like being fat, and I’m beautiful and I’m healthy… And what I’m doing is stepping into my confidence and my power to create my own beauty standard. And one day that will just be the standard.
Now no one in entertainment media dares point out the obvious to her: that obesity leads to comorbidities, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer, and stroke. Which impose a substantial economic burden on the health care system in medical costs. But Lizzo doesn’t care. In fact, she wants her fatness to become the beauty standard.
Moreover, if you state the potential health problems to obesity, you’re fat-shaming, you bigot! says a psychologist:
Fatness doesn’t doom a person to disability, nor is it a death sentence. Despite the AMA’s 2013 decision to classify obesity as a disease, there are numerous individuals who are obese with a perfect bill of physical health and numerous thin people riddled with health issues.
Which brings me to this obese woman who demanded that airlines provide fat passengers with an extra seat at no cost to them. Which of course would increase costs for all passengers.
We should not normalize obesity. Period.
Jack Fencl, the author of the National Review op-ed, argues that politicians need to give obesity more attention:
Obesity is notably absent from both parties’ platforms and has not been a prominent issue in recent election cycles. By contrast, the 2020 Republican and Democratic Party platforms highlighted the opioid epidemic, and candidates regularly talk about the blight of drug addiction and how to mitigate it.
He also added that typically Democrats are more in the forefront than Republicans addressing obesity through public policy. Remember Michelle Obama’s push for healthy school lunches, and NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s tax on sodas? They fell flat.
Still, there tends to be a knee-jerk reaction on the right that if Democrats do it, we’ve gotta be against it. So how do conservatives balance government intervention and individual autonomy in a thoughtful manner? It’s a conundrum, writes Fencl:
Rather than constructing a solution to the obesity epidemic grounded in personal liberty, individual empowerment, and limited government, the Right will be forced to oppose left-wing plans to raise taxes, decrease individual choice, and further expand the role of government in daily life.
However, in July, a bipartisan group of lawmakers, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) reintroduced the Treat and Reduce Obesity Act. This would expand Medicare coverage of obesity through access to weight-management specialists along with weight-loss medications.
One of the biggest hurdles is the high rate of obesity among the poor, who rely on foot stamps, or SNAP. As a answer, more than 25 states have introduced “Double Up Food Bucks,” part of the SNAP program in which every SNAP dollar a recipient spends can be used for two dollars worth of fruits or vegetables.
These programs incentivize personal responsibility instead of government coercion. But would they work? Would poor people, accustomed to diets of cheaper fare loaded with fat and carbohydrates, change their food choices? Would older adults take the extra step to access obesity treatments?
However, another fact remains: we Americans prefer foods laden with fat and carbohydrates. Go to any restaurant, especially fast food restaurants, and you’ll see menus full of breads, starch, fatty meats, and sugary drinks. Fast food joints may offer salads for the health-conscious, but most customers go for the burgers and fries.
And at home we stuff our faces with junk food. It’s all part of our social conditioning.
Yet Jack Fencl is correct here:
The American people are suffering. For the nation’s politicians to continue ignoring the situation is an unacceptable dereliction of duty.
The obesity crisis needs to be addressed. But to solve a problem, we must talk about it. It’s time for those who want to lead America to step up and bring obesity policy into the discussion.
For a nation hooked on junk food and phone screens, changing social patterns is a very tall order.
Featured image: “A Matched Set” by Tobyotter is licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped.
GWB says: Obesity Crisis: What Should Politicians Do?
Stop regulating everything.
Now I’ll go read the article.
GWB says: Olivia Newton-John sang “Let’s Get Physical” in a music video, although it didn’t appear that she was generating much sweat.
The video wasn’t showing what she was talking about. I will say no more.
But later Covid came
Holy crap! You left out 30+ years of kids becoming more sedentary and consuming significantly more chemicals to attempt and avoid those nasty natural things like sugar and fat and salt. (Driven by… gov’t regulation!)
I like being fat, and I’m beautiful and I’m healthy
Fine, but no, you’re neither. You’re fat.
Which impose a substantial economic burden on the health care system in medical costs.
Only because we have allowed socialism in our medical care. Make her responsible for all of those problems and she might change her tune. (Hey, again, it’s gov’t regulation!)
Despite the AMA’s 2013 decision to classify obesity as a disease,
And there’s a huge part of the problem. It’s not a disease, it’s a friggin’ choice. (Yes, yes, except for some very small number of people with true genetic disorders. The rest are making poor choices in diet and lifestyle. And then insisting the rest of us go along with it – just like transhumanism and hedonism!)
numerous thin people riddled with health issues
Many of those are called “vegetarians” and “vegans”.
who demanded that airlines provide fat passengers with an extra seat at no cost to them
Go buy your own airline, sweetcheeks.
So Where Do Politicians Fit In?
Sitting on their thumbs.
typically Democrats are more in the forefront than Republicans addressing obesity controlling people’s lives through public policy
FIFY. (But, honestly, they ALL – being predominantly progressives – have a tendency to “do something” instead of look at the Constitution and think, “Huh, I don’t see that anywhere in here; maybe we should just sit this out.”
So how do conservatives balance government intervention and individual autonomy in a thoughtful manner?
Easy. Look at the Constitution. It isn’t in there. Nowhere are the words “Mommy”, “Daddy”, or “Nanny.” Look after your own life and leave mine alone. Anything other is NOT “balanced.”
These programs incentivize personal responsibility instead of government coercion.
Given that it’s basically welfare, no, they don’t. Yes, there are people on WIC who are in need (still doesn’t mean the fedgov should be taking my money to give to them). And some people on foo[d] stamps who are truly desperate (same parenthetical). But giving people handouts does NOT incentivize personal responsibility. Never does. If you gave them traditional peasant fruits and vegetables and a small supply of meat and taught them how to cook, they might become self-reliant.
we Americans prefer foods laden with fat and carbohydrates
So? We eat like kings, and we end up looking like kings, with the king’s ills (except, mostly, for the inbred genetic maladies). We do this because we are RICH (even those folks on foo[d] stamps and welfare!) and can make those choices. And, our richness can ameliorate a bunch of the problems associated with it (statins, blood thinners, Wegovy, etc.). The problem comes in when someone wants to take MY money and goods to provide for someone else’s ills. If I caused them, fine. If it’s something no one has any control over, maybe fine.
The only part I will allow as “not their fault” is that many were simply following the “expert” gov’t recommendations. (Kinda like you, listing fats and carbs as the evil demon in the food making people fat. The bit about fats is about 3 cycles out of date, now. Carbs are the new demon. But the gov’t told you those things were bad for you.) Learn to live on your own, using some old-fashioned virtues (like “everything in moderation”) and some common sense. And get off your butt (says the guy who sits on his all day for work).
GWB says: So Where Do Politicians Fit In?
Sitting on their thumbs.
Though, I would also accept “Repealing metric tonnes of regulations and eliminating federal regulatory agencies.”
NTSOG says: When in 1977 I [a young physical education teacher] came to the US to study further and live I was astounded by the number of extremely obese people I saw when I went into supermarkets and shopping centres. Such obese people were very rare to see in Australia back then. I was also astounded when I ate at restaurants at the size of serves of food. Being a highly active athlete who trained hard each day as well as teaching PE I had a huge appetite, but often I could not finish what was served to me. Now the ‘Mcdonald’s lifestyle’ has spread around the world and severe obesity is common here now due to too many calories being ingested combined with an increasingly sedentary lifestyle. The strain on government-funded medical services to cater for self-inflicted ‘lifestyle’ diseases is increasing dramatically. I resent having to pay taxes for increased medical services because people harm themselves by their own indulgence.
Liz says: I live in the thinnest state, but we see a lot of fat people even here.
Nonetheless, traveling is pretty unsettling and shocking every time…just masses of obesity in the airports, and at our destination(s).
I’m not sure I want politicians involved in this. No doubt, pharmaceutical companies are very excited for more and more funding (ozempic is apparently sending some folks to the emergency room for uncontrolled vomiting). I thought Michele Obama had the right idea but I suspect “big food” made it impossible…seriously, almost the entire rest of the world does school lunch better, how can this be such a difficult problem? I say this as a person whose kids never had a school lunch (I always packed their lunches for this reason).
Our processed diet is poor in general (as was noted), low in nutrients.
But even lab animals are getting fatter…and they are on the same diets they’ve been on. They can’t go out for fritos.
Think some of the xenoestrogens might have an impact (including hormonal birth control, for some).
I think xenoestrogens will prove to be a substantial contributor, and while hormonal birth control is part of it, it’s probably small potatoes compared to agricultural xenoestrogens. A large number of pesticides are estrogen mimics, intended to disarray the hormonal functions of the target species, but similar enough that runoff from treated fields entering our water supply can affect humans (and most municipal water treatment systems don’t filter for estrogen mimics). Also, any livestock operation that involves large numbers of female animals being kept pregnant on a regular basis (dairy farms, beef cow-calf operations, farrowing operations, puppy mills, etc) is going to be producing epic amounts of estrogen runoff if it’s not contained in some way (one of the most common non-synthetic estrogen supplement pharmaceuticals is Premarin, which stands for PREgnant MARe urINe).
Liz says: Interesting about agricultural runoff. I’ve heard microplastics are in every body of water on earth. Probably another source.
Chad King says: Most problems have simple solutions. Why don’t we let the market handle things? Get the government out of the way. Let’s have weight based health and life insurance rates. Why should people courting adverse health events get the same rates as people who have healthy behaviors? Sell airplane tickets by the pound. Why should slender people pay more so that fat people get more space? Left alone, the market will address pretty much every problem in society better than would central planning by our nanny state and the Karens (of both (all?) genders) who run it.
GWB says: Sell airplane tickets by the pound.
This wouldn’t account for the extra spacing needed, though. And there’s a minimum cost per seat, regardless of weight.
But I don’t think it’s a horrible idea – unless they have some vegan skinny person setting the rates.
Liz says: Wouldn’t the pay by pound policy discriminated against grown men?
Until recently, the poundage was at 155 per passenger (they’ve adjusted it up in the last couple of years) for fuel estimates. Should they charge extra over that? Flying sucks already, can’t imagine having to step onto a scale lined up like cargo to weigh in before a flight. Or do we use the honor system? That doesn’t seem to work for the real fatties who never ask for a belt extender until they’ve boarded, always hoping for an extra seat.
And health tends to fall off a cliff all at once.
I don’t like the idea of of invasive corporate screening any more than I like the idea of the government doing it. We’ve been dealing with loss of license insurance (which hasn’t paid out even though my spouse has a health condition that has grounded him and we paid into the thing for over a decade, and are still paying into it or they will say we broke our agreement though they are the ones breaking theirs).
Liz says: Can’t remember what SWA does but I think they make the person who cannot fit into a seat pay for two, but if at the end there is an extra seat they’ll reimburse them. Which seems fair enough.
Cameron says: My default answer to the question “Should the government-” is “No.”
GWB says: C’mon, Cameron! Look at all the good they’ve done when they stuck their noses in!
There’s… ummm… give me a minute… Polio! Yeah, Polio was a good one! See?
Cameron says: Like you, I served in uniform so while I love my country, I do believe in shackling the government more than we do.
[…] Victory Girls […]
Fabritius says: Donald Trump is obese.
Lewis says: We’re all obese at the doctors offices! Just ask those fatties about your own weight, “oh, sorry you’re in the obese columns!” and don’t hold you breath for the questions…… “Have you recently contemplated suicide?”
My answers: “20 pounds above average is not obese, and I do contemplate murder now and then!”
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