How do we reduce obesity?

[Atlanticatia]

America has a huge (no pun intended) obesity problem, and so do other countries to a lesser extent.

• About 35% of American adults are obese, compared to 17% in the OECD.
• About 70% are overweight or obese.
• Less than 1/3 of American adults are a normal weight.
• 40% of adults aged 40-59 are obese.
• By 2030, 50% of American adults could be obese.
• About $200 billion is spent each year in the US on obesity-related health costs.
• Obesity-related job absenteeism costs $4.3bn each year.
• The 10 states with the most obesity are in the South & Midwest, with Colorado being the least fat state.
• Obesity and overweightness disproportionately affects people of color.
• The food and beverage industry heavily markets to children, including in schools.

So, obesity has huge economic and social costs. And it's a problem, that's escalating quickly. In 15-20 years, half the adult population could be obese. A majority of people could be not just overweight, but obese. Is some sort of intervention is needed to ensure health, social, and economic costs don't skyrocket?

So, what does NSG think? What should be done about the obesity problem? A soda tax? Advertising regulations? Education programs? Should anything be done at all - or is it too 'nanny state'?

The obesity epidemic is a huge problem. There is definitely a justification for intervention and comprehensive obesity reduction policy. Policy should aim to, at first, freeze the obesity rate, and then work on reducing it. If we don't do something, who knows what could happen? The societal, economic, and health costs would be grave if a majority of people become obese. We attacked the high smoking rate quite successfully, and there's no reason we can't do the same for obesity.

Things I think we should do:

• A comprehensive education program - people need to be educated about how to eat healthily, the dangers of obesity, and how to exercise safely and efficiently. Kids should especially be targeted for the education program.
• All fast food establishments (i.e. any place that is not a restaurant) should be required to list the calorie amounts for all their food and drink next to the item, like the NYC regulations.
• Advertising of unhealthy foods should be banned in schools. Marketing to children should be strictly regulated, and attempts to target children should be discouraged.
• School lunches should be free for all students, and . They should be high-quality, healthy meals, made with high-quality ingredients on-site. Meals should be regulated better. (And it should be done better than some of the recent regulations have been done.)
• All elementary/middle schools should be required to have outdoor play spaces, and things like recess. A physical education should be mandatory for elementary/middle school students at the federal level. All children should have time to exercise outdoors.
• Efforts should be made to reduce 'food deserts', so that no person lives in an area without a grocery store nearby.
• Government nutrition programs (i.e. SNAP) should be increased to ensure that poor people do not have to resort to cheap, unhealthy food. Healthy food should not be a luxury. Poverty reduction, also, should be a huge priority. Income should not be a determinant of being able to afford a healthy meal.
• Work life balances should be improved, to ensure people have more free time. Many people, particularly low-income people, are exhausted from working that they cannot exercise and cannot eat healthily.
• Soda taxes should be looked at as a possibility. "Implementing a penny per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas, and sports drinks would reduce obesity in adolescents by an estimated 2.4 percentage points -- more than any other policy studied." Tax policy can make excessive consumption of unhealthy foods less attractive.
  
  I think that there's a fine line between ensuring that economic, social, and health costs do not skyrocket, and not coming off as too much of a 'nanny state'. Obesity hurts more than just the obese person, causing high costs for society. So there is definitely a justification for intervention. However it is important to find the right amount of intervention.
  I think that effective government policy, such as reducing predatory advertising, educating people, and encouraging healthier choices (and providing people with the means to make healthy choices), will reduce the obesity rate. It worked for smoking.

[Infected Mushroom]

America has a huge (no pun intended) obesity problem, and so do other countries to a lesser extent.

• About 35% of American adults are obese, compared to 17% in the OECD.
• About 70% are overweight or obese.
• Less than 1/3 of American adults are a normal weight.
• 40% of adults aged 40-59 are obese.
• By 2030, 50% of American adults could be obese.
• About $200 billion is spent each year in the US on obesity-related health costs.
• Obesity-related job absenteeism costs $4.3bn each year.
• The 10 states with the most obesity are in the South & Midwest, with Colorado being the least fat state.
• Obesity and overweightness disproportionately affects people of color.
• The food and beverage industry heavily markets to children, including in schools.

So, obesity has huge economic and social costs. And it's a problem, that's escalating quickly. In 15-20 years, half the adult population could be obese. A majority of people could be not just overweight, but obese. Is some sort of intervention is needed to ensure health, social, and economic costs don't skyrocket?

So, what does NSG think? What should be done about the obesity problem? A soda tax? Advertising regulations? Education programs? Should anything be done at all - or is it too 'nanny state'?

The obesity epidemic is a huge problem. There is definitely a justification for intervention and comprehensive obesity reduction policy. Policy should aim to, at first, freeze the obesity rate, and then work on reducing it. If we don't do something, who knows what could happen? The societal, economic, and health costs would be grave if a majority of people become obese. We attacked the high smoking rate quite successfully, and there's no reason we can't do the same for obesity.

Things I think we should do:

• A comprehensive education program - people need to be educated about how to eat healthily, the dangers of obesity, and how to exercise safely and efficiently. Kids should especially be targeted for the education program.
• All fast food establishments (i.e. any place that is not a restaurant) should be required to list the calorie amounts for all their food and drink next to the item, like the NYC regulations.
• Advertising of unhealthy foods should be banned in schools. Marketing to children should be strictly regulated, and attempts to target children should be discouraged.
• School lunches should be free for all students, and . They should be high-quality, healthy meals, made with high-quality ingredients on-site. Meals should be regulated better. (And it should be done better than some of the recent regulations have been done.)
• All elementary/middle schools should be required to have outdoor play spaces, and things like recess. A physical education should be mandatory for elementary/middle school students at the federal level. All children should have time to exercise outdoors.
• Efforts should be made to reduce 'food deserts', so that no person lives in an area without a grocery store nearby.
• Government nutrition programs (i.e. SNAP) should be increased to ensure that poor people do not have to resort to cheap, unhealthy food. Healthy food should not be a luxury. Poverty reduction, also, should be a huge priority. Income should not be a determinant of being able to afford a healthy meal.
• Work life balances should be improved, to ensure people have more free time. Many people, particularly low-income people, are exhausted from working that they cannot exercise and cannot eat healthily.
  
• Soda taxes should be looked at as a possibility. "Implementing a penny per ounce tax on sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas, energy drinks, sweet teas, and sports drinks would reduce obesity in adolescents by an estimated 2.4 percentage points -- more than any other policy studied." Tax policy can make excessive consumption of unhealthy foods less attractive.
  
  I think that there's a fine line between ensuring that economic, social, and health costs do not skyrocket, and not coming off as too much of a 'nanny state'. Obesity hurts more than just the obese person, causing high costs for society. So there is definitely a justification for intervention. However it is important to find the right amount of intervention.
  I think that effective government policy, such as reducing predatory advertising, educating people, and encouraging healthier choices (and providing people with the means to make healthy choices), will reduce the obesity rate. It worked for smoking.

I don't care what they choose to do.

Just don't make my fast food, soda pop, or potato chips more expensive.

Just don't do that please.

[Jordsindia]

Don't eat as much.

[Confederate Flower Power]

Has the obesity rate started rising again or do you just refuse to acknowledge it leveling off no matter how many times it's pointed out to you?

[Trygg]

Diffuse some weight-loss pills into the water of the heavily affected areas. We did it with fluoride, so why not with this?


I lied. That's stupid. Let's just develop healthier alternatives that taste just as good.

[Atlanticatia]

Has the obesity rate started rising again or do you just refuse to acknowledge it leveling off no matter how many times it's pointed out to you?

But it's really not. A slower rate of increase doesn't equal leveling off, nor is there any proof of it being a long term trend.

[Ararat Mountain]

Shutdown McDonalds. That simple.

[Pimps Inc]

Give all the excess food to 3rd world countries.

[Kincoboh]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

[Confederate Flower Power]

Has the obesity rate started rising again or do you just refuse to acknowledge it leveling off no matter how many times it's pointed out to you?

But it's really not.

Old data is old.

[Jordsindia]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

We taxed tobacco. Did that change anything?

[Confederate Flower Power]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

It's more like lower-income people don't have gas money to drive to the store and buy food very often, so they are buying processed food that lasts longer rather than fresh food that is healthier.

Fresh vegetables are already the cheapest food on the market.

[Confederate Flower Power]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

We taxed tobacco. Did that change anything?

Smoking is less common than it used to be.

[Fartsniffage]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

We taxed tobacco. Did that change anything?

Quite possibly....

[Thalasus]

Make healthier foods as cheap, tasty, and easy to get as fast food is.

So, essentially, we need a philosopher's stone or something.

[Jordsindia]

We taxed tobacco. Did that change anything?

Smoking is less common than it used to be.

That has to do with awareness programs, and kids knowing the harmful effects of tobacco, not a tax.

[Thalasus]

Smoking is less common than it used to be.

That has to do with awareness programs, and kids knowing the harmful effects of tobacco, not a tax.

Never ignore monetary incentives. I think it was a double-whammy of taxes and bad PR for tobacco as a whole, but taxing almost anything would cause it's use to go down.

[Atlanticatia]

But it's really not.

Old data is old.

4 years ago is not 'old', nor would any 'leveling off' or slow rate of increase in a four year period be indicative of a long-term trend.

Regardless, 35% is too high still. That's still double the OECD average, and far too excessive...and expensive.

[Kincoboh]

Tax shitty food, use the money to subsidize nutritious food.
A big problem is that lower-income people can't afford healthy food - which is ridiculous.

It's more like lower-income people don't have gas money to drive to the store and buy food very often, so they are buying processed food that lasts longer rather than fresh food that is healthier.

Fresh vegetables are already the cheapest food on the market.

This is also a problem - we keep hearing about food deserts. This is also something that should be addressed.

[The Liberated Territories]

Start by cutting subsidies to the food industry, particularly Kraft.

But really, the primary way to reduce obesity will be education.

[Atlanticatia]

Smoking is less common than it used to be.

That has to do with awareness programs, and kids knowing the harmful effects of tobacco, not a tax.

It's basic economics. If a pack of cigarettes costs $5 or $10, and you're buying a pack a day, you're going to try to reduce your smoking if it costs $10. Also, people are less likely to start smoking if it costs $10.

[Atlanticatia]

Start by cutting subsidies to the food industry, particularly Kraft.

But really, the primary way to reduce obesity will be education.

And the subsidization of the junk food industry via high fructose corn syrup. (corn subsidies)

[Thalasus]

Start by cutting subsidies to the food industry, particularly Kraft.

But really, the primary way to reduce obesity will be education.

Cutting subsidies to food industries won't reduce obesity. It will only make our hunger problem ("one out of five Americal children" is a phrase I often hear) worse. And education would certainly go over well.
"Hey, fat people! Stop being fat! You don't need to be fat!"
"OH GEE WOW THANKS"

I think our lifestyles need to change. Too often people are sedentary due to the fact that both their livelihood and their entertainment both involve sitting in a seat and not moving for hours on end. Humans simply aren't built to live that way.

[Kincoboh]

Start by cutting subsidies to the food industry, particularly Kraft.

But really, the primary way to reduce obesity will be education.

Good point.
They should just have a mandatory class all throughout high school that can teach you about nutrition, taxes, voting, other practical things.
Maybe they already have it, I'm Canadian (we face a similar obesity epidemic) and I know we don't have something like that.

[Sacara]

corn syrup. (corn subsidies)

No. No. No.