I won't lie that I laughed and then realized that I'm going to hell too. I apologize if that offended you or anything in this post offends you. Sorry about the rant in advance. I know a fair amount of information and have strong opinions on this topic.
One of the parts of Supersize Me that I thought brought up a great point was when an interviewee was comparing public acknowledgment of a smoker versus an overweight/obese person. It used to be taboo that you didn't hassle someone that is a smoker - telling them what a horrible habit it is, that it will shorten their lifespan, etc. Now it seems acceptable to do so. At what point is it okay to do it to those with weight issues? The health risks of either lifestyle are comparable, and the choices you make can influence the longevity of your life.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm overweight and I have been for years. I'm always teetering on the normal/overweight borderline. 2 days ago I was overweight, today I am normal. Life doesn't treat everyone equally. I do 10 hours of dance a week, plus I'm usually at the gym for about 8 hours a week depending on my schedule. I still struggle with my weight, even though I'm informed (I read nutrition books for fun) and eat well. I read ingredient labels, product labels, and nutrition labels. My roommate from college was a twig and rarely exercised. I even ate a more balanced diet than she did. I understand that everyone is different.
However, I'm a strong believer that there is a point where it is all in your power and completely preventable. If you develop type 2 diabetes, you should get help with the underlying condition and not be prescribed medications in attempts to treat it. But then pharmaceutical companies lose out on money. Children aren't responsible for their weight completely - that is their parent's responsibility. I also have strong feelings against marketing to children. It's completely ridiculous.
When I have children, I'm not sure how I'll be able to fight against these mega companies that are trying to be profitable. If a kid watches an average amount of TV per year, the food industries get about 10,000 chances to sell their product. If I sat down with my kids everyday for every single meal and tried to convey a good food message, I'd get about 1000 chances. I don't know how much the statistics have changed, but it used to be every 1 in 3 kids born in 2000 will get type 2 diabetes, and every 1 in 2 in minorities. These companies try to make you lifelong users of their product.
Similar things can be said about vet med. Owners have complete control over their dogs weight (assuming no medical conditions exist). I would never tell an owner that they need to lose weight, but I will tell them if their pet needs to.
One of the parts of Supersize Me that I thought brought up a great point was when an interviewee was comparing public acknowledgment of a smoker versus an overweight/obese person. It used to be taboo that you didn't hassle someone that is a smoker - telling them what a horrible habit it is, that it will shorten their lifespan, etc. Now it seems acceptable to do so. At what point is it okay to do it to those with weight issues? The health risks of either lifestyle are comparable, and the choices you make can influence the longevity of your life.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm overweight and I have been for years. I'm always teetering on the normal/overweight borderline. 2 days ago I was overweight, today I am normal. Life doesn't treat everyone equally. I do 10 hours of dance a week, plus I'm usually at the gym for about 8 hours a week depending on my schedule. I still struggle with my weight, even though I'm informed (I read nutrition books for fun) and eat well. I read ingredient labels, product labels, and nutrition labels. My roommate from college was a twig and rarely exercised. I even ate a more balanced diet than she did. I understand that everyone is different.
However, I'm a strong believer that there is a point where it is all in your power and completely preventable. If you develop type 2 diabetes, you should get help with the underlying condition and not be prescribed medications in attempts to treat it. But then pharmaceutical companies lose out on money. Children aren't responsible for their weight completely - that is their parent's responsibility. I also have strong feelings against marketing to children. It's completely ridiculous.
When I have children, I'm not sure how I'll be able to fight against these mega companies that are trying to be profitable. If a kid watches an average amount of TV per year, the food industries get about 10,000 chances to sell their product. If I sat down with my kids everyday for every single meal and tried to convey a good food message, I'd get about 1000 chances. I don't know how much the statistics have changed, but it used to be every 1 in 3 kids born in 2000 will get type 2 diabetes, and every 1 in 2 in minorities. These companies try to make you lifelong users of their product.
Similar things can be said about vet med. Owners have complete control over their dogs weight (assuming no medical conditions exist). I would never tell an owner that they need to lose weight, but I will tell them if their pet needs to.
