Biotech Values

[poorgradstudent]

Obesity / VVUS / ARNA

I don't believe in magic pills, and it is quite clear that in order to maintain a 'normal' weight in the long run one must change his/her lifestyle. But I think these people need all the help they can get including counselling and pills and it should be supported by the government, imo.

I want to reiterate your comment that there are no magic pills for obesity. The attitude that the overweight and obese should just get on a bike and stop eating junk food is a remnant of old attitudes that eschew the emerging data. As you said, fighting obesity requires a full change in lifestyle from the moment you awaken to the moment you go to sleep. This isn't trivial for anyone, let alone the overweight.

Safe components to this lifestyle change, including weight loss drugs, stand to help these people significantly. And as also mentioned in the thread by OB, it stands to save society significant sums of money through decreased follow-on health costs.

But as iwfal said, the perception in US society is that the overweight and obese deserve scorn for their sloth and lack of industry. It's a very harmful attitude on multiple levels. But this is the burden that they bear almost solely because they have a very visible physical manifestation of their suboptimal health. If it was truly a moral issue for those who scorn the obese, then they should also tut-tut people who have poor eating habits but chew Lipitor to keep their cholesterol in check rather than starting a Tabata protocol.

Any readers of this board who are on Lipitor want to expose yourselves so that the rest of us can devote a lengthy OT thread about your poor moral fiber and lack of devotion to exercise?

Obviously I jest, but I think it exposes the crux of the issue. If you're unhealthy but not obese, it's ok. If you're unhealthy and look overweight, for shame.



* I just chose to reply to your post, but I suspect we're on the same page. I just wanted to put my full thoughts out there.