there's not a single mistake in your text. Your English is flawless.

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Yes, there are genetic causes, but, in my view, many people are fat as a result of depression - not in the strict medical sense.

Probably there are some genetic influence, but it can also be a excuse to not even trying, while in fact, no genetic influence whatsoever can create matter from nothing; so ultimately it depends on what and how much a person eats and exercises anyway.

Citação de: mimi em 03 de Fevereiro de 2007, 21:23:19

Whay would we take away the joie de vivre from people who are not causing us any direct harm?

It can be interpreted both as "taking away the joie de vivre" from people or as helping them from a cicle of unhappyness.

Most people do not really like to weight more than what is considered healthy or even somewhat overweight, so it may be a bit like that fat guy in some of the Austin Power's movies, where he says that he eats because he is sad, and to eat makes him sad.

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And, worse than that, why would we let them be SICK because of our NEGLIGENCE, based on our personal bias?

I'm not sure if I got what your point... but again it can be interpreted the other way around... (I guess)

Let's take an example mentioned in the text:

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A surprising number of fat women, for instance, report that they’ve been counseled to have bariatric surgery and told they are going to die unless they lose weight, even when they sought a doctor’s care for a totally separate issue, such as eczema or an ear infection.

It is extremely hard to me to see how that can be a serious example of bias against fat people. Just think if was someone that went to the doctor about obesity problems, but he detected also something like cancer or whatever. The doctor should remain silent about the other issue, just because the patient didn't asked specifically about this problem, and one thing has no effect on the other? Or imagine if was someone that went there for another issue, and the doctor said that he or she is extremely malnourished. Would that be also impolite, a personal bias against extremely skinny people?

As I've said, it's as if being fat was just like having a certain skin color or ethnicity, rather than as a health issue. Not even doctors are allowed to give medical advice, for political correctness.

A better reason why people shouldn't really be more "disrespectful" in this matter would be simply admiting that selfishness, not worring about other people's problems is the easiest way to go. And it is, in fact. But for doctors, at very least, that shouldn't be condemned, that would be forcing them to be negligent.

Additionally, I think that would also be very good to public health if they created laws and protocols about a few things. Perhapts something like that would be more impersonal and thus less "offensive". I think of things like prohibiting fast food chains of having exaggerated sizes or portions of what they sell, such as the ones they have in USA (where obesity is considered epidemic, and inflicts 60% of people, according to "super size me"). If I'm not mistaken, there are things like 2 or 3 litre cups for soft drinks. Protocols would prohibit the waiter or waitress to offer or ask if the client wants the bigger size upfront, leting he or she make the decision with minimal influence, and giving medium-sized portions by default. Regulating advertising also would be important.

But again, some people could argue, "how dare can they take away the option of a single super-enormous portion from me, forcing me to the embarrassment of asking for 3 big sized portions? And how dare waiters do not even ask if I want the bigger size portion, forcing me to the ask for that in line, forcing me to expose myself in front of many people?"

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It's not like smokers, drug addicts, pedophiles, and such - as we were discussing in other topic. THIS surely is fascism.

... I wouldn't go as far as compare it to pedophilia... but I think that it is somewhat like smoking and other habits. While there is no "second hand eating", the "it's plainly okay to be fat" meme can also have bad effects on other people's health, and not only at a few metres. A bit like the "smoking [or using another drug] is cool" and "not using any drug is square" memes. Not that should be something like a special area for people that overeat in restaurants or something

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It's a completely different thing from advising peolpe who are close to us to try and be healthier. And, yes, it is rude to give advice concerning other peoples choices and lifestyles to strangers.

Sometimes I think that it may even cross the line of what is acceptable to mention to closer people but not to a stranger, to something that one could answer "how come do you say that to me? I thought you were my friend".

(Only for true obesity cases)

Can it be self negligence? Yep. Pretty much of the cases, it IS. But we can't forget that personality is forged by the environment AND the genetic. And, to say "they don't have self determination, they know that can stop eating so much and be healthy" don't help anyway.

What can be made is from government. I will say what I think, w/o specify one or another country:

1) Public PROPAGANDA for a healthier life style. You friend can't say "hey, you are fat", but the government can (of course, if you don't have affectional links w/ the government).

1a) The propaganda must be effective. Target the teenagers. And show them the reality without down their pride or creat more discrimination.

1b) It must include physical activities as well...

2) Expressly PROHIBIT schools to sell fa(s)t-food. But you can't take the liberty of schoolboys. If they want eat fat in the school, bring from home.
[In off: I forgot... this would injure market freedom, it doesn't??? And, what's the trouble?]

3) Stimulate people to have two jobs: a physical and a intelectual/bureaucratic. But we aren't in such perfect world...

Hey, guys, what do u think?