Longtime Houston attorney Tom Kirkendall's observations on developments in law, business, medicine, culture, sports, and other matters of general interest to the Houston business, professional, and academic communities.
One thought on “How best to handle the diabesity epidemic?”
tom,
the obesity epidemic is real. surgery works and diet and exercise NEVER will, not because they are not effective but, as the science of medicine and markets have shown, the price is higher than consumers (fat folks) apparently are willing to pay.
punitive “consequences” by government might help a little but will quickly become reasonable civil rights questions and you must wonder, if the already punitive consequences of poor health and the scorn of peers have not been effective, will some small, incremental regulation result in better outcomes?
maybe education?—that worked for tobacco BUT food is different because one cannot QUIT food. humans are good enough at QUITTING that which they do poorly (alcohol, tobacco, heroin, gambling etc.) but have a miserable track record of CUTTING DOWN on that which they do poorly, dooming the fat.
food regulations and public exercise programs? think black markets and doctor’s note excuses for “bad knees” or blood-from-a-reluctant-turnip.
courtesy of automobiles and electro-gadget addiction, “the chubby we will have with us always”.
we should keep fighting the good fight, stop any hand-wringing, surgerize the willing and needy, find a way to move toward a bit more compassion for the heavy folks—they are more hapless victims of progress and genetics than the scorn being heaped upon them might suggest. (being lousy at diet and exercise IS a personal shortcoming BUT it is more akin to procrastination, chronic tardiness, poor attention to detail and other peccadilloes than the FELONY society is moving toward making it.)
tom,
the obesity epidemic is real. surgery works and diet and exercise NEVER will, not because they are not effective but, as the science of medicine and markets have shown, the price is higher than consumers (fat folks) apparently are willing to pay.
punitive “consequences” by government might help a little but will quickly become reasonable civil rights questions and you must wonder, if the already punitive consequences of poor health and the scorn of peers have not been effective, will some small, incremental regulation result in better outcomes?
maybe education?—that worked for tobacco BUT food is different because one cannot QUIT food. humans are good enough at QUITTING that which they do poorly (alcohol, tobacco, heroin, gambling etc.) but have a miserable track record of CUTTING DOWN on that which they do poorly, dooming the fat.
food regulations and public exercise programs? think black markets and doctor’s note excuses for “bad knees” or blood-from-a-reluctant-turnip.
courtesy of automobiles and electro-gadget addiction, “the chubby we will have with us always”.
we should keep fighting the good fight, stop any hand-wringing, surgerize the willing and needy, find a way to move toward a bit more compassion for the heavy folks—they are more hapless victims of progress and genetics than the scorn being heaped upon them might suggest. (being lousy at diet and exercise IS a personal shortcoming BUT it is more akin to procrastination, chronic tardiness, poor attention to detail and other peccadilloes than the FELONY society is moving toward making it.)