Graphic: Obesity Costs the World More Than Alcoholism

Graphic: Obesity Costs the World More Than Alcoholism
A new study into the global economic impact of different social problems makes fascinating reading.

Samantha Felix said:

The global economic cost of obesity is an estimated $2.1 trillion dollars a year—almost as much as the worldwide cost of smoking, or armed violence. Alcoholism costs the planet $1.4 trillion dollars a year, according to a new report by the McKensey Global Institute.

More than 2.1 billion people, or 30% of the world’s population, are considered overweight—and five percent of global deaths are caused by obesity. Around four percent of global deaths can be attributed to alcohol.

On a national level, the US has the world’s biggest obesity problem (see chart below). More than 70% of the US population is considered overweight, according to the study.

But in economic terms, does obesity cost the US—like the rest of the world—more than alcohol? Apparently not. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, harmful drinking costs the US economy an estimated $223 billion a year. The direct cost of obesity, on the other hand, is estimated at between $147 billion and $190 billion a year.

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http://www.substance.com/graphic-obesity-costs-the-world-more-than-alcoholism/16241/

Sugar=Poison

Food = the addiction that is just too hard to kick.
'Cept for dead people.

But addiction to high levels of fat, salt, and sugar is something that one can kick.
I did it. I feel much better for it, too.

The issue with "food addiction" or eating disorders is perhaps the best possible example of how inherently problematic the current medical as well as lay concept of addiction is. While I'd never argue that someone with a "drug problem" who uses freebase cocaine or heroin in a destructive, harmful way shouldn't be treated as someone who doesn't deserve or qualify for status as a patient in the same kind of way that someone who has diabetes or Crohn's Disease should be treated like they have the illness they have. But that the kind is "illness" that someone has who can't stop using heroin to self medicate or for whatever reason in compulsive destructive ways just isn't the same kind of illness.

Any guy with some muscle on him is going to have a BMI >25

True, mr dot, but when the mass of said index is made up of fat and not muscle, you have: an american! A fat, disgusting, impulsive american.

I want Twinkies.

First thing's first (and possibly nsfw, I might add):



On a serious note, obesity ain't something that should be ignored by Uncle Sam when ~70% of Americans are considered overweight. And the same should apply to the UK, Mexico, and... what?! South Africa is third with ~65% of its citizens overweight?! That's unexpected, to say the least, but I digress.

I'm all for freedom for all of us to do with our bodies as we please, as long as we do not victimize anyone else in the process. And that includes one's diet and lifestyle.

That being said, if America soon ends up finding herself in a Type 2 Diabetes epidemic because of the consumption of too much "comfort foods," as well as a huge increase in carbohydrate-heavy diets in general, that's gonna suck. I mean, who knows how detrimental it will be for America's economy when such a high percentage of its workforce is unable to contribute any longer due to debilitating illnesses caused by Type 2 Diabetes?

At the same time however, I'm sure many of us can't say we didn't see this coming when considering the fact that so many popular brands of - for example - beverages are loaded with high fructose corn syrup, but hey, it's the cheapest option for the manufacturer, and make no mistake: that sweet taste is definitely addictive in its own way. Perhaps not to everyone (just like drugs), but depending on a set of possibly complex factors, addictive nonetheless to a certain percentage of the population.

And there's a difference between looking at a picture of a meal which will induce watering of one's mouth, and looking at a picture of some popular "comfort" or "junk" food and feeling that so called "sweet tooth" craving. The difference is very, very subtle, but there's a difference nonetheless. Because if one is hungry enough, (s)he will eat anything edible, and will drink anything drinkable. But there's a difference when you or I would rather just munch on some Twinkies (I'm craving some just thinking about them, even though I ain't hungry). Hopefully my explanation makes some sort of sense.

At least, that's my opinion on the topic. It may be incorrect, and I humbly make no claims it is not, but regardless, sugar can definitely be addictive to some people, just like drugs are addictive in the hands of certain individuals.

I am so fucking glad I've trained myself to become revolted at even the thought of any mass produced "snack" food like twinkies and candy bars and bags of chips and cheese puffs and shit. Show me some fresh fruit and vegetables, some rice and bean, and anything I can cook myself from basic ingredients and I'll go crazy in terms of mouth watering, especially when I'm hungry. But just the thought of a Hostess Cupcake duo makes me feel sick... I'd rather chew on some raw shucked sugar cane than eat a packet of M&Ms any day if I need a sugar fix...

And that's nothing but learned behavior - the same sort of conditioning that's done by the processed (mass processes actually) food industry. Just a healthy form of conditioning, a kind that would leave us all better off. Now I have nothing against indulging either, but making the expectations of a bacon burger steak dinner with butter mashed potatoes and a slice of extra fudge chocolate cake as the ideal dinner every night is just disgusting, wrong on so many fucking levels and will lead to the ruin of mankind.

Mark my words: the ruin of man kind. For bejesus' sake, treat your bodies and your selves with some respect brothers and sisters... just like you'd do so with your mind when it comes to drugs (and harm reduction).

In fact, diet is an integral part of harm reduction, no less important than using clean needles (although using clean needles is kinda a priority when it comes down to that aspect of it, given the obvious whole HIV/HepC/blood born disease thing).

There is sadly so little done to combat the harm caused by sugar and fat consumption. I may not have the best diet but I hardly eat fast food and sugary food. In fact the only guilty pleasure I have regarding sugar is a monster or red bull every day or two but other than that nothing. Not like that's good though a monster has almost two ounces of sugar

Declare war on the Quakers!