Should we fund barbiatric surgery

[MTR]

Stats not looking too good in Australia.

In UK obesity is considered an addiction just like smoking etc. Government funds bariatric surgery.

Perhaps we need to look at the big picture by funding this surgery we may in fact be not only improving quality of life for these people but we may in fact save government dollars, considering the associated disease/implications caused by obesity.

More than one in four adults are obese, compared to one in 10 in 1989. Since the mid-1990s men are on average 3.6 kilos heavier, women are four kilos heavier, and by one estimate obesity is costing the nation $60 billion a year.

Associate Professor John Dixon, from the Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, wants the Federal Government and the Australian Medical Association to label obesity a disease.

Here is the link

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-10/is-obesity-a-disease-fact-check-special/5766114

MTR

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

Feel free to donate all the money you want to a pointless exercise MTR.

In the book 'Fat Chance' Robert Lustig addresses how even after getting bariatric surgery and losing the weight, something like 70% to 80% of people just put the weight back on.

If people are determined to be fat, they will find a way to be fat.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

Associate Professor John Dixon, from the Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, wants the Federal Government and the Australian Medical Association to label obesity a disease.

Great, another joker that wants to strip people of personal responsibility.

Hey fatty, you don't want to be fat? Stop shotgunning chocolate cake and substituting soft drink for water.

The way to solve the problem of people being fat is to publicly humiliate them in the same way that we publicly shame smokers. It's not going to work on everyone, but it will work on most.

 

[Bhp19]

I worked with a guy on and off who was about 6'5" who would have easily weighed 150kg+ when I was FIFO, he got lap band surgery and when I saw him a few months later he was still eating as much as before but would excuse himself from dinner to go spew! He had lost some weight but hadn't changed his eating habits at all so in my view it taught him nothing and was a pointless, tax payer funded exercise.

Bring on a fat tax I say, apply it to all food products with more than a certain percentage of saturated fat per 100g.

 

[Bhp19]

Forgot to add that funds from said fat tax could be directed to education similar to quit campaign and also for obesity related diease treatments.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

I worked with a guy on and off who was about 6'5" who would have easily weighed 150kg+

Crikey. At my biggest, I was around 100kg and I looked disgusting. I'm 6'3", so to add another 50 kgs on top of that.... crazy.

 

[Player]

I worked with a guy on and off who was about 6'5" who would have easily weighed 150kg+ when I was FIFO, he got lap band surgery and when I saw him a few months later he was still eating as much as before but would excuse himself from dinner to go spew! He had lost some weight but hadn't changed his eating habits at all so in my view it taught him nothing and was a pointless, tax payer funded exercise.

Bring on a fat tax I say, apply it to all food products with more than a certain percentage of saturated fat per 100g.

I'm with you except it needs to start with sugar and all it's derivatives as a %age of 100g.

I'm not on any paleo regime (and actually aim to avoid a large amount of saturated fat) however this is a lesser evil than sugar addiction IMO.

 

[Bhp19]

I'm with you except it needs to start with sugar and all it's derivatives as a %age of 100g.

Agree, sugar is a massive factor too.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

Sugar is pretty much the foundation for the fat problem that is so prevalent these days.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Crikey. At my biggest, I was around 100kg and I looked disgusting. I'm 6'3", so to add another 50 kgs on top of that.... crazy.

This guy fits those stats - 150kg at 200cm tall.
Would not call him obese.
Big strong man and no protruding useless gut, only fully functional muscle.

Useless excess fat is ugly, muscle is not.

 

[Mr. Fabulous]

Pretty sure Bhp19 wasn't referring to 150kg of muscle when he mentioned that guy.

 

[Bhp19]

Definitely not.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Yeah, but if said Fat Tax were to be introduced, how do you measure it?
Get everyone on a DEXA scan to determine body composition, above 25% pays on a sliding scale like income tax, up to 50% body fat, taxed to the max?

 

[cimbom]

Inactivity is a bigger problem than sweet or fatty foods

 

[WattleIdo]

Inactivity is a bigger problem than sweet or fatty foods

It always comes down to the same thing: get a dog.

 

[redwing]

Inactivity is a bigger problem than sweet or fatty foods

It always comes down to the same thing: get a dog.

Savoury and lean

 

[EN710]

It always comes down to the same thing: get a dog.

Can second this as long as they're going to be a responsible owner

On the topic, no, please don't use my tax for funding bariatric surgery. Fund healthy food, a nice dog friendly park to run and public facilities instead (like Olympic size swimming pool, I will love that )

 

[Of The Vultures]

Inactivity is a bigger problem than sweet or fatty foods

Not exactly. Inactivity is a problem for a number of reasons, however it is not the biggest contributor to expanding waistlines - high calorie intake is. If you keep the same calorie dense diet and start exercising you will not lose significant weight. To lose weight, you HAVE to change what you eat. Exercise is important of course as our bodies are not designed for sedentary lifestyles.

As far as taxpayer funded bariatric surgery - no way. People need to take personal responsibility for themselves.

 

[Ace in the Hole]

Not exactly. Inactivity is a problem for a number of reasons, however it is not the biggest contributor to expanding waistlines - high calorie intake is. If you keep the same calorie dense diet and start exercising you will not lose significant weight. To lose weight, you HAVE to change what you eat. Exercise is important of course as our bodies are not designed for sedentary lifestyles.

As far as taxpayer funded bariatric surgery - no way. People need to take personal responsibility for themselves.

Really?

Michael Phelps does not agree - http://www.michaelphelps.net/michael-phelps-diet/

 

[Bhp19]

Yeah, but if said Fat Tax were to be introduced, how do you measure it?
Get everyone on a DEXA scan to determine body composition, above 25% pays on a sliding scale like income tax, up to 50% body fat, taxed to the max?

The tax would be imposed on food products, not people, that way it couldn't be said that it prejudices against any particular group.

To be honest it's terrible idea, I hate the idea of introducing a new tax but unfortunately a very large portion (no pun intended) of the population doesn't want to take responsibility for their health, and it is costing Australia an astronomical amount of money that is only set to rise.