Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9okvzn wrote on February 23, 2023 at 1:43 PM

Reply to comment by sweepinganhyzer in Obesity can cause changes in the brain similar to Alzheimer's by Darth_Kahuna

You spoke nothing to my point and hand waived it away wo a rational rebuttal. You cannot say ppl do not make healthy choices bc they do not have time to do so due to working 80+ hours a week when < 5% of the population does this, >50% of the population works < 35 hours a week, and > 40% of the population is obese.

What to eat and how much to eat is a personal choice. Education can be done at the population level and is advisable, but, unless you are advocating a totalitarian answer where the government stipulates what you can or cannot eat or picks/chooses what is affordable and what is not, at the end of the day, it is personal choice.

Also, saying "78% of the population experiences this thus it is a systemic issue" is false. I live half the year in France and half in the US (duel citizen). France has ~10% obesity. Is it a personal choice issue in France and not systemic? At what point does it become systemic and why? What do you believe is a personal choice?

sweepinganhyzer t1_j9oo2e2 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 2:08 PM

The regulatory climate on food is drastically different in Europe vs. America. Access to quality healthcare is more prevalent in Europe. Additives and ingredients commonly used in American food manufacturing that are designed to make foods more addictive are banned in Europe. Portion sizes are smaller. The type and frequency of advertising by the food industry is more heavily regulated. The financial incentives and subsidies given to the food industry are also different.

There will always be some amount of the population that is overweight for a myriad of reasons, and I'm not saying that individual choice has no impact. However, pretending that 78% of the population is just lazy and lacking will power is not going to fix this issue.

Darth_Kahuna OP t1_j9oqht4 wrote on February 23, 2023 at 2:26 PM

Did I say anyone was lazy or lacking willpower? I believe there could be more education, better regulation of additives, better regulation of ag, etc. etc. etc. There are EU/European nations w high and growing rates of obesity despite having all the aforementioned healthcare access, regulation, etc. The UK, Poland, Spain, Malta, and Ireland all have over 25% obesity rates and are growing.

It is a multivariate issue that, at the end of the day, rest on personal choice of individuals. It's like voting for a racist; there are many factors that go into why someone would actively support a racist, but, at the end of the day, each citizen is personally responsible for the vote they have cast. At the end of the day, each person is responsible for the consumption choices they make. It's your body, your health, and your life.