DDD...

I find it hard to comprehend you are "clueless on obesity cause"?

Are you saying you don't understand the why and how people become overweight?

Ummm......because some people eat crap, over eat and don't move enough. It's really that simple.

We don't need more companies creating pre packaged foods loaded with tasteless additives.....we need to get back in the kitchen and cook healthy, well blanced and delicious foods. Yes, it may take more time out of our busy schedules...but it's better for us.

I work 48 hours a week, have 2 teens in school and activities, a husband and a dog!!!....but dammitt!!!....I love home cooked foods and will make sure thats what I eat no matter what..It's so easy to give in and get a sub or pizza or ribs....but we should be cooking ourselves healthy and out of the obesity closet!

DDD-343624 how about if you go to a library or a bookstore! You will discover that there are thousands of books available on eating a healthy diet. The world is not clueless,... YOU ARE!

Get some literature on the subject and educate yourself and stop eating pre-made crap and make your own meals with some good recipes. You will suddenly discover that homemade food made with wholesome fresh ingredients and without 20 different chemical additives are very tady indeed.

total BS. It's all about comfort zones and laziness. Next time you are in a grocery store parking lot, just sit in your car for 5 minutes and watch 10 people come out of the store with their carts. I bet only one out of ten returns the cart to the corral. Sometimes it's only 10-20 feet. It's just too hard to walk that far.

Maybe we should take away all drive through service so at least the patrons will burn 10-20 calories walking to the front door.

The solution is real easy - burn more calories than you consume each and every day.

Thank you for just proving my point. Our lifestyle has changed totally along with food choices! But yes we humans are easy targets. If it was just that simple as you all state we would not have a world becoming obese. But who am I just a person who has lost and gained lots of weight, have tried going thru 3 health ins. for weight loss surgery and will attempt a 4th. I've been a size 7 and a 4x. If the globe knew how to fix the problem we wouldn't have a problem!

Ignore Jerek, or go to his website, "I want everyone to see Ric Simpson's blog and to push pot and Prepare to be Astounded". JC may not eat crap but he spews it with his ever increasing numbers of repetitive citings of a website endorsing MJ for every disease process including the cure of cancer.

Wow Jack! You've become my own private stalker.

How very exciting.

Jack's post is totally off-topic but since he has brought our attention to the matter, go to Google Video and watch: "Run From The Cure - The Rick Simpson Story" and prepare to be completely astounded.

Hey Jack, you brought the subject up this time - I didn't! LOL! :)

"The next time I see some one lighting up or about to devour a burger fries and milkshake for lunch I'll just tell them don't do that. I have to pay for it."

I see you believe the hate propaganda!

Wow allison, the irony is - I bet many of those people would gladly pay $1400 a year to be in the shape you and I are in instead of having those medical problems, but they just aren't able to get there. It's sad, but a spiteful attitude doesn't help. I'm not sure of the answer, but to ridicule those weaker than you isn't it. Kicking them when they are down contributes to the problem.

I struggle hard to control my wieght and yet still am about 20 lbs overweight (according to the BMI charts only 12 lbs. I am 5'1" and 137lbs - but IMO love handles and/or cellulite means I ain't in the shape I want to be in).

I can't imagine how difficult it is to have say 50- 100 lbs to lose. The low energy and the feelings of hopelessness must be overwhelming. In that circumstance, comfort food is probably pretty hard to pass up, and exercise has got to be much more challenging. I feel sorry for people who are in worse shape than me.

Medical care is already socialized - healthy people in our country pay more in health insurance to make up for the unhealthy. A part of your health insurance payments goes towards covering the costs a hospital needs to recoup because of those that stiff their bills because they don't have health insurance.

It's a zero sum game.

And yeah, it *is* about time those of us who go out of our way to control our weight, exercise and stay healthy get pissed at those that don't. WE end up paying for them.

David - incorrect. While the costs are shared as in socialism, you voluntarily consume that insurance policy as a choice within a free market, it's not required by the government. (well, ok, under the new healthcare plan it is, but with a free option if you can't afford your own).

But your point begs a bigger and even more interesting question - why should we trust private companies whose stated purpose is to generate money for shareholders more than we trust publicly elected officials whose stated purpose is to serve the public good?

Oh right, because those private companies OWN the elected officials, now I get it!

It is a stated fact that those people who exercise and run and lift weights are more likely to need a hip replacement or a knee replacement or get a hernia, its also known that the Italians drink more wine and are susceptible to being alcoholics, and that ignorant people walk into traffic , and that blond women are stupid, etc etc etc. WAKEUP you People cant you see that now the BIG BUSINESS is trying to divide the populace, dont fall into that trap. It is a long slippery slope when they start picking out people it is only a matter of time before you are next on that list, Remember Nazi Germany, No one said a word when they started getting the Jews , Then Polish, Hungarian, and so on and the next thing you know they were coming for you

David-What you say as to healthy people paying more for health care now is somewhat true. But if one wants to look at the overall picture of a skin and bones person in the long run it will cost more for their care as the years go by. Paying for joint replacement, care in centers for the elderly since most don't or won't have the money to pay for their own care. Listen to people around you. Yes they love their parents now, but down the road they do not want to pay for their care and plan to dump them first chance. Who will pay for it???? And with the costs of health care going up as we speak............! Most over weight people will die early and not be a burden the the beautiful people out there. Bottom line is that they are human beings with feelings and have a life even if most think they don't have one. It's not about what one looks like but what one does in life and how they treated their fellow man kind.

blucon, where does it stop though. Giving everyone a nice shoulder to cry on, and telling them, "it's not your fault" is a little stale. If a woman does crack while she's pregnant and contracts AIDS and passes it to her unborn baby, will you also pass her the life preserver? Will you give her sympathy and keep paying for her rehab, and the enormous health needs of the baby, or will you pass her on the street and stare with disapproving eyes.

Choices..make them..live with them. This compassion you speak of is only available in Sweden, Norway or some other country that has a 48% tax rate. Sure it would be great to take care of everyone, but with limited resources, there must be some type of incentive in place to want to take control of your own life, otherwise the government just becomes the enabler.

I do not believe in hate propaganda or making people feel bad. If people feel bad when I say don't eat that or don't smoke that that only means they know how bad it is. I never called them a fat p.o.s waste of life. I never said they didn't deserve to be human or American. I said I deserve a say in how people behave if the result of that behavior affects me and my country.

If I hear one more person tell me that some people have problems and that's why their fat I'm gonna freaking scream. This is America! Land of John Wayne and frontier spirit. You have a problem you persevere until you triumph. I'm sure the patriots would have loved to say 'I can't do this, I have a glandular problem' but they didn't.

Stand up and freakin fight for what you want! Stop saying it's ok you tried your best. That doesn't work. I'd rather pay for someone breaking their leg running than someone eating their way to a grave. I can at least respect someone who's working for what they want rather than settling for what they have.

Oh yeah, and for all those who say people who exersize and sustain injury....what exactly do you think carrying around even an extra 20lbs does to your back, knees, heart, hips and muscles???

@Blucon:"Most over weight people will die early and not be a burden the the beautiful people out there"

Yes, but their health related costs on the way to dying will be massive. The idea that dying a few years early saves society money doesn't pan out, when obesity related health problem start 30+ years earlier.

carles - incorrect. My company forces me to take health insurance and there is only one provider offered, so I don't even get a choice of at least two different providers. So my other option would be to quit, and that really wouldn't work for me at this point in time. So, yes, I am forced to subsidize all those who choose to eat unhealthy foods and choose to pursue unhealthy lifestyles. What I would like to see is a rebate for those of us who treat our bodies with respect.

Most of the health care money spent of anyone, fat or thin, is spent in the last year of their life. Eating healthy helps a person stay thin and feel better and be more active but being realistic about how long to keep a person alive once they are gravely ill has to be addressed also. Many people and their families want to be kept alive forever. This results in terminally ill people being left on a ventilator for days and even weeks which consumes vast amounts of money and still does not bring them back to health.Fat people are even more difficult to care for because they are more immobile and more difficult for nurses and orderlies to move around.

Also, in the deep south especially, they are often the less affluant and less educated about dietand have fewerchoices about their diet. The foods they can afford are often the worst for them. Also, they seem to migrate toward cheap, fast food and ignore the fresh vegetable sections of the food stores. Blame the advertisers and food companies for some of this. There are all kinds of claims of cereals, canned foods, etc. being "good for you". There is never a sign over the cabbage or broccoli advertising that it is health food.

Bussel Sprouts are healthy. As is cheese. Milk is healthy and so is whole wheat bread. If I eat too much healthy food and don't exercise I'll still get fat. it is not brain surgery here. There are fat people everywhere. It's a byproduct of being successful economically and enjoying a white coller society.

Now don't get your feathers in a huff. This study and my generalizations are ment to identify america as a culture. I'm sure everyone has an excuse or something based on one event in their town or area that they feel exepmts them from being held accountable for their own weight. Read up on the deteriorating health and rising obesity Japan has faced over the past few decades. Same thing happend there as here. Less manufacturing more administrative. Americans don't make anything anymore. 100 Years ago they did and less people were obese.

You can't make judgements on american obesity based on one location. I lived in the south. I was 16 years old when I did. I wanted to lose weight...I ate less and exersized more. I had no idea what calories were or what the specific fat content of processed food did to me compared to fresh food. Take North Korea or Mexico for examples. Compare their obesity rates to ours. I'm pretty sure we'd heavy them out. I'm sure their education systems, grociery stores and income are less than that of Americans...even in the south.

Obesity is not localized. NYC I lived in for 5 years...not a skinny town. Chicago I lived in for a year. I saw fat people. I lived in rural PA for 10 years...People who lived on acerage who had gardens in their kitchens and the closest fast food joint was 20 minutes away. They were HUGE.

American's are too good for going without. They are considered a White Collar society because majority of people can move up the employment ladder. Less than half are destined for an assembally line or coal mine.

The very second you give someone an inch of leeway in the battle against obesity you lose. Understanding and appreciation for a human being are not issues when it comes to loosing weight. Every person is wonderful is not an excuse for eating too much and moving too little. Just because you cut back one, or increase the other doesn't excuse you. If you gain weight or sustain weight you're not doing enough. It's for you to battle against yourself. It's up to me to motivate and not coddle obese and overweight people away from the early grave.

Also most health care costs racked up over an obese persons entire life are going to be a HECK of allot more than their final days. The extra weight puts a strain on bones, organs and muscles. All of your systems are left needing to battle the weight ontop of any other disease or condition.

I exercise, eat well and all that stuff, but , my insurance company(the one my employer goes through) won't cover my injuries if I get hurt when I participate in "dangerous" activities (racing my bike among others). I'll take the "socialized" coverage any day. I know of numerous instances when someone got hurt racing a bike and now they are bankrupt because insurance doesn't cover their injuries. You got to cover the fatties as well as the super fit that happen to break their neck. We are all in this together so, why don't we rebel against the insurance companies that try as hard as they can to not to pay a claim. That said, try to lose some frickin' weight you fat a*$, you WILL feel better!

Hmmmm...trying to decide which is worse...having to look at someone who is overweight or having to read a rant by someone who is obviously educated yet can't spell for crap.....

It's ridiculous to say that ALL overweight people fall in this category.

Agreed! Wait, where did it say that? Oh yeah... it didn't.

Insinuated it just by the title - 'Study: Annual cost of being obese is $4,879 for a woman, $2,646 for a man'.

Insinuated it just by the title

You should be able to figure out that the conclusions and numbers cited are averages. Unless you really think the article is claiming that being obese costs exactly $4,879 per year for every woman.

Since it's not politically correct to attack people because of their race or religion any more, and our need to feel superior to some folks it now seems to be the overweight and obese who it's okay to attack with vicious words. I can promise you that no one wants to be overweight. And it's probably very true that there are some people who eat way too many calories, whether it's junk food or so-called good calories.

I would be considered obese, I am 74 yrs old, and yet I am very healthy. I eat about 1000 calories a day (of healthy, home cooked food), and while I don't go to the gym I am active at home doing chores, etc. I go to the doctor twice a year for a blood pressure checkup. I do not have diabetes. My heart is healthy, my cholesterol is in the 190's but my "good" cholesterol is 100 - without any medication (my doctor says it's the best of any of his patients, (even his) and even those on medication). I also have a thyroid condition that makes it all but impossible to lose weight. I am winning if I can just not gain any more weight. All this to say, while for some people it is not that hard to maintain your proper weight, for others it's not. Much of it is how lucky or unlucky you are in the genes you inherited. Most of the overweight people I know eat a lot less than their thinner friends and family.

I think we should all strive to eat healthy, and exercise but there's a whole lot more to it than that for some of us. I think it would be nice if people just got rid of the need to have to have someone to hate. Whether it be because of the color of their skin, how much they weigh, what religion they are or what their politics is.

Grandma Moses...you are a wise woman...Here's wishing you many more happy & healthy years!

Amen!!!!!!

HappyLady. Although I am a firm believer that obesity contributes significantly to the cost of healthcare costs. What I will say is unjust is I just recently saw a stat that said 1 in every 6 highway deaths is caused by inattentive driving which normally means texting or talking on the cellphone. With that alarming rate, you'd think more would be made of that as well, but I do think it is more fashionable for the media to jump the obesity issue because of the healthcare debate. I'm sure the costs for all those car accidents is enormous.

I pay my automobile insurance as part of a risk pool. Others' obesity costs me tax dollars.

How on earth do you link this to the Democratic Party or stolen personal freedom? Don't tell me you fell for that death panel crap. Not affiliated with any political party, but I seem to hear a lot more hateful rhetoric from the Tea Party crowd than the Dems.

I say, let people eat, drink, smoke or swallow what they want, but when the facts are clear that your nicotine and fast food habits are costing ME money, I say tax the hell out of it so you can help pay for the drag on our system that your diabetes and heart disease causes.

See you just admitted it, fat people are a HATE GROUP!

I don't care what your political affiliation is, learn some frickin' logic and stop making the rest of us look so stupid. From a private Christian academy if you have to. I suggest reading St. Aquinas for a start.

But of course, you will argue and resist, because reading and training yourself to think clearly from one thought to the next is for Democrats!

Wait, what stolen personal freedoms? It seems to me that the unfettered exercise of personal freedoms is the problem .......you know, the freedom to lie on the couch with a bag of chips, the freedom to have Ding Dongs for breakfast, the freedom to ride instead of walk, the freedom to not cook and go out for pizza instead, the freedom to not exercise. Personal freedom used to require personal responsibility, but that seems to be an antiquated notion these days.

Thatswhatshesaid - only if you take a short-term view.

In the end, nothing in nature escapes responsibility, not even Republicans.

The only fat person I hate is Rush Limpbrain. He can eat all the high fructose corn syrup he wants.

HAAAAAHAAA!!!!!!!!

You're making this political? Really? wow.

I hope you're taking into account that many of our poorer neighborhoods don't have much access to fresh produce, etc. that would allow them to make healthier, less expensive choices. (Mainly because the large chains don't want to build in those neighborhoods.) Those living in many urban neighborhoods have very few choices when it comes to food shopping: fast food or convenience stores. I'm not making this up. Do some internet research, and you'll find this is a very real problem.

That may be the case in some urban neighborhoods, but not ours as we have several large stores where we are with lots of nice cheap produce, and a good amount of the people I see in a day are still very overweight. Again, here it's a lot of excuses, myself included. Those poorer neighbourhoods make up a small fraction of the amount of fat people in America.

Until I realized that I don't have to micromanage everything I eat like everyone says to do. Counting calories and carbs was just too much to put up with for someone like me who has a lot of other stuff on her plate (Puns!). Now I just go to the store and pick up some fresh fruit like apples and bananas that I can just grab with no prep time, and frozen veggies, since fresh ones tend to go bad before we can eat all of them in our house. With the exception of baby carrots, but maybe that's because our rabbits share with us and have the least amount of prep time.

This morning I made a rice cake with peanut butter and a banana and I'm satisfied. It took about 2 seconds of prep time. I don't go hungry and I feel good about it. I didn't think about the calories because I know in general they're low and those foods are healthy. The less of a big deal that people make it, the more enjoyable healthy foods can be. You're more likely to eat healthy if you keep those healthy foods easy to reach and make.

And today I didn't feel the urge to eat a whole pizza or a bag of chips, because they aren't in my house to begin with. : )

Daisy.... big chain food stores stay out of the inner cites, in part, because the loss rate due to theft is so high. The inner cites are not attractive markets for chain stores looking to make a profit (which all businesses strive for).

Further, you could put all the fresh produce in the world out on the inner city blocks and much of it will rot in place. Someone on welfare too lazy to work, is more likely to have McDonalds make their food, and sell their food stamps for cigarettes.

Daisy -

Obesity isn't just an urban problem. Rural America has the same problems with being overweight. WalMart sells fresh produce and other healthier options; no one can say that they're some top notch expensive market chain. It's about finding the right choices of food no matter where you live, not making the excuse that it's "too hard" or "too expensive."

anybody ever watched half ton teen? Those parents.... grrrrrrrr. How could you do that to your own kid? I mean STOP buying the Fvcking twinkies!

stop drinking sodas and eating fast food. a pound of fat is equal to 3000 calories. if you drink 3 cokes a day = 450 calories - if you stop the coke or soda in 10 days you lose 1 1/2 pounds. I get behind many obese people in the grocery store who have cases of coke in their cart. If they substituted water for the soda it could make a difference. I know a woman who weighs close to 500 lbs. She can not lay on her back because she can not breath. She says it is her thyroid yet she eats 3 xs at fast food - 2 sandwiches per meal, extra large fries and extra large coke or milkshake. totals pretty close to 5000 calories a day. She could lose weight if she substituted homecooked (baked) food and substituted the coke or milkshake for water.

eac, you are so correct that substituting soda for water helps. From 1998-2004, I had a serious soda guzzling problem, combined with other bad eating habits, such as oversnacking on potato chips, etc., and I weighed as much as 235 lbs. at one point (I am 6 ft. 3.25 in., so my normal weight range is from 148 - 200 lbs., and I currently weigh between 160-165 lbs.). When I FINALLY decided to do something about my weight, the Mountain Dew big gulps were the first to go - in fact, I made myself go for two weeks without a single sugar soda, and when I finally did drink a 24 oz. two weeks later, I got full off that awfully fast, like my body didn't want it anymore. That also lead to a chain reaction where I didn't eat as much other junk food as I once did, and started eating more fruits, etc., and today I don't even carry junk food in my own home. Oh yeah, in 2004 alone, I went all the way down to 175 - 180 lbs., a SIXTY POUND weight loss!! Other reasons I lost weight quickly may include increased physical activity as well (I danced very aggressively to my favorite tunes when I saw live bands at local bars, where I drank only one can of soda, then nothing but water and I was also able to take up jogging because with my weight going down it didn't hurt my knees to do that), but a big part of it was cutting out the soda, since those calories do go down the easiest.

many of the poor on food stamps are overweight. food stamps should not buy sodas or sweets or at very least limit them. like the wic program only allows milk, cheese, cereal etc.

I agree with taxing (at a higher rate) any fast food, "junk" food, and drinks that are not water, juice, or milk. Maybe restaurants should have to charge these higher taxes for food that contained over a certain amount of calories/fat content/sugar content. We are always looking for a way to get more taxes and this is a way to get it. I would find it hard to believe that there is someone in the USA that has not had "junk" food at some point, ate food from a restaurant (fast food or otherwise), drank something other than juice, water, or milk. It's win-win...almost everybody would be paying that tax.

And less Lawyers :P

Yes exactly. It's the Mexicans fault for giving us their fatty, yet delicious food to munch on.

It's got to be the Muslim's fault. Or Obamas'.

True, and the selection of moderately priced attractive clothing is limited. Ironically, when I wore a size 4 petite, I did not pay any less for the smaller size so it seems unfair that you should be charged more for a larger size.

Also not included was the added wear and tear on your furniture/home. I had a >300# babysitter coming to my home 2 days a week, and now my living room furniture is full of holes where she sat, the wood floor is scratched from her rocking in a rocking chair (was fine for 5 years before she started coming), and numerous toys were broken from her merely stepping on them. I had to let her go because she was physically unable to care for my busy toddler (she is only 22 years old).

Exactly David, You simply can not eat whatever you want and sit around, you have to move.

I expect there would be a lot less depression also. Just a thought.

I understand hootie. My ex is a recovering alchohlic, smokes since his early teens, now he is overweight again. Guess his heart bypass in his 40's didn't stop him and change his lifestyle. Now he has severe COPD and goes to the emergency room almost every week. Yes he still smokes and he is a Vet. Just saying there are many people who could quit and with food you can just quit. But of course if people are heavier they are lazy. I've been to 3 medical talks on gastric surgery and they finally admit that obesity is serious and not someone who just "eats to much".

Not completely invalidates, but seriously calls into question because of their obvious profit motive in providing a medical procedure for fat people.

At the same time, I can't imagine that there's not SOME truth to this. Bigger animals consume more resources, and consumption always has a cost. But the solution is to eat mostly foods that are low-glycemic and alkalizing to your bloodstream, and to reduce or entirely cut out foods, drinks and other chemicals that spike your blood sugar and acidify your blood (ala meat, sugar, caffeine, etc.), along with regular vigorous exercise and maintaining healthy thought and emotional patterns.

None of which our corporations, the media or the government have any interest in promoting.

A weak, ignorant, emotionally rabid population is much easier to control, tax and profit from.

That's a totally normal thing, which is why studies are peer-reviewed and compared to similar studies, and why that full disclosure statement is made.

That's ONE of the important principles, yes, but proper nutrition requires observing a few more princples. For example, if a person consumed the amount of calories required to lose weight in nothing but pure sugar, they wouldn't lose weight, they would actually gain weight initially. Over time they would lose weight, yes, but they wouldn't be healthy.

I just point that out because it's too easy to make fat people feel bad for not controlling their calories, when in reality they have been utterly confused by the media, the medical establishment, the FOOD industry which is heavily subsidized by the government, and of course, the government itself.

In addition to caloric input, you also have to take into account the effect of each food and meal and your overall daily intake on your glycemic and pH levels. Do that, exercise enough, and process any stress in your life effectively to maintain a positive outlook, and yes, just about anyone will achieve their ideal weight in a reasonable amount of time.

carles,

You are a absolutely right. The quality of the food is probably more important than the quantity. That's why I specifically said "good carbs" and "good fat" in the beginning of my rant. So based on your input, we could modify my formula like this:

"Quality" Calories Consumed - Calories Burned = Negative Number (Weight Loss), Positive Number (Weight Gain)

Weight loss takes education, dedication and discipline. I have to do a little bit of work to maintain my weight; I run every other morning, I weight train 3-4 times week, and I eat healthy. But, these things have become habitual for me now, and I really don't have to work at it that hard.

How is that theory working for the world problem with obesity?

Bob

If you eat, as you say, 2000-2500 calories a day, then obviously you must eat less than that to lose weight. You have to eat less calories than you burn off in a day, and it sounds like the amount you're eating (if you really know for sure that's all you're eating) is too much for limited amount you exercise.

Tick, tock, tick, tock, tick, tock.....................

Actually, a big portion of our cigarette taxes are now used to pay for health care for children. I don't have children, so I find that a little unfair. I don't think people should have children if they can't afford to cover all of the related expenses. I already pay for their education with my property taxes, but I don't have a problem with that as an educated society benefits all of us.

That said, I wouldn't have a problem with a junk food tax either, as long as it was reasonable and was used for health-related purposes, including nutrition education and improving access to healthier foods.

Your a piece of work. You need to learn how to be a human being. Pull you head out of ........!

blucon- think you missed the **sarcasm** in the post from woodsy.

Sadly, though, it definitely appears that the allowance for calling that type of statement "sarcasm" is shrinking quickly. I'm not sure what 3/4 of these posters want to have happen, but it does definitely threaten violence the likes of which haven't been seen in many decades....it is downright scary the level of hatred and venom coming out of these "holier-than-thou" members of society!!!

Wow I cannot believe you would say that about another human being. I have read thru all these replies where people have been able to post their comments and I didn't once have the disgust or sadness that comes from you Woodsyhowl. It's hard to know that people like you exist who cannot think, love, or appreciate all human life. I feel sorry for you that you have this way of expressing your obvious immature emotions. I hope nothing happens to you in your life inwhich you will be judged as severly as you just did on this posting.

You are obviously a fat slob with a fat soul. Hopefully you'll be able to squeeze through the pearly gates when you die at age 42 from a massive coronary.

tombones

What is your problem? Did your mother cross her legs as you were coming out and squish your little head? Slither back under the rock you came out from.

Sue- it's amazing what level of venom comes out of a pit viper!

Tombones- a person looks a certain way, but nothing will change the tar pit of a soul so filled with HATE and childish name calling as yours is filled with! Far, far worse than what you ASSume "no judgement" has; their post had a great deal of solid logic.