Health costs of obesity exceed smoking and drinking

Yahoo News ^ | 6-5-05 | Patricia Reaney

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Don't you know being fat is a sign of prosperity?

Actually it is.

Prior to the 20 century being fat was something that only the very wealthy could be. Nature was not very free with her favors and just living burned up so many calories that true obesity was rare. Not to mention that unless you had servants to care for you it would be impossible for you to get so fat that you could not get around. Once you reached that point you would have to slim down via a plan known as starvation.

In some remote corners of the world a plump wife is a status symbol. "Look, she doesn't have to work very hard and I can still feed her. What a good provider I am!"

Now whether it is healthy is another question. But it is certain that being fat is a sign of prosperity from way back.

[blueblazes]

You are a genius, sir. In addition, it appears that the main cause of dental problems is consuming some type of food. If we just stop eating at all, we would entirely eliminate the need for dental insurance. I'm sure this is just the tip of our cost savings iceberg. Lettuce see what else we can come up with.

[raybbr]

Don't you know being fat is a sign of prosperity? Actually it is.

That took longer than I thought. I know about adiposity as a status symbol. It still doesn't make it any less absurd.

[CO Gal]

Yiikes! Looks like I'll be sleppin with the night light on tonight! (M. Moore is a big scary monster!)

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Actually very logical.

Do not mean that it should continue to be of course but there are sound reasons behind it.

But that is true of many of our customs and beliefs, most were based on survival reasoning. The reason may have disappeared but the custom remains as if embedded in the instinctive portion of our brain.

[keithtoo]

Get ready for the propoganda campaign against Big Bigness.

I know its a terrible pun, but I hadta do it.

[mirkwood]

[Robert A Cook PE]

8<)

I'm too skinny to register on the scale. 72" x 150 lbs, 31" waist. 140 some-odd cholesteral, 105/70 bp, 70 bpm.

Ain't got no weight, no blood, and nothin' pumpin what I ain'y got.

[Jaysun]

This is interesting given the fact that the CDC just published a study in the April 20 Journal of the American Medical Association that estimated the net death toll attributable to obesity to be 25,814 people per year.

This, of course, was quite a downward revision from CDC’s March 2004 claim that obesity caused about 400,000 deaths per year, approaching the toll estimated for smoking.

I think the hysteria over obesity, including the claims made in this article, are bullshit. Lots of liberal organizations such as Greenpeace have been discussing ways to eliminate cheap food (like obesity causing fast food) in order to further their usual plan to undermine America.

[patton]

150#!!!! Dude, you don't exist.

[Youngblood]

I heard the other day that there now a lot of disagreement about that result and that the real figures have been revised up again.

[Soliton]

Thank God we have lawyers to protect us from things like this. My Father died after smoking for 50 years. Of course my mother and family got nothing from the billions in the tobacco settlement, but at least we stopped big tobacco from selling anymore cigarettes. Everyone will be slim if we sue the junk food companies. I can't wait ;-)

[SheLion]

Super picture!!!!

[Gabz]

That picture is a photoshop job - there is no way anyone in this day and age is willing to have their picture taken partaking of a tobacco product..............







/major sarcasm

[patton]

It is, isn't it? And the secret is - I am adopted. LOL.

[patton]

LOLOL. Good one.

[Gabz]

I'm an anomoly...............

[patton]

I already figured out the anomoly, if you please.

Heck, ..., well, nevermind. Just pretend I am some...

Nevermind.

[CFC__VRWC]

29.2 is correct - you didn't square your height.

[Gabz]

ROFLMPJO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm out of here - I need some sleep - FReep with you later!!!!!!!!!!!!