Obamacare is being crammed down everyone's throats. There is nothing that can be done about it. What I find the most disconcerting about all of this is that NO MONEY is going into educating people on proper nutrition. Not the government's corrupted food pyramid, but actual nutrition education. We are paying to take care of the end result, we're sick. What if we could prevent so much of what eventually snowballs into health catastrophes?

 

On Friday night, I went to the Walmart near Glasgow and was DISGUSTED at the shape of people there. Every day I drive down Monmouth inNewport and obese people on scooters are more numerous than squirrels and pigeons. We all know how this happened. Everyone knows what the effects of obesity are on the human body. Obesity: Complications - MayoClinic.com. How do we fix it? It appears to me that the socio-economic situation of a person has a MAJOR impact on this. From what I have seen, there are obese people in every class, but it is disproportionate to the poor. This comes down to two things, 1. economics and 2. education.

 

1. Economics. The fact that it costs LESS to eat at McDonalds every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner than to pay for groceries for the week is INSANE. I can't fault people who are scraping by when they go for them economical solution. So, a major problem is, how do we make produce, lean meats, and nuts/seeds more affordable?

 

2. Education. We learn to eat from our parents. That's why you see the fat woman at Wendy's with the fat kids at Wendys. Those children didn't win the genetic lottery, and need to know how to eat at a much earlier age than kids who can burn calories like blast furnaces. So, since the parents do not care about their health, their children follow the same cycle. It is not fair, it is life. I find this needs to be a community thing, and finally financially rewarded thing. I think that nutrition classes (as well as personal finance) do much more in the long run for most kids than forcing them to learn chemistry, or French. The vast majority will NEVER use either of those from the age of 20 on. However, they will face nutrition and personal finance choices every single day of their lives.

 

Additionally, there needs to be an incentive to do this, because presently, nobody does anything for the satisfaction of accomplishment, it has to be rewarded. This is where Obamacare comes in. If you pass certain, LOGICAL, health checks (HDL/LDL, blood pressure) your premium is lower. As your numbers worsen, Obamacare kicks in as it was intended. If we are going to have it, at least have it make sense.

 

I don't want to pay for people who can work and refuse to, whether that be at a job, or on their health.

I'm not sure eating at McDonalds is cheaper. A bowl or two of Cheerios with milk is much cheaper than McDonalds breakast. Spaghetti is much cheaper than a value meal. The problem is that McDonalds is much easier. We have become pretty lazy. I believe JCPS does require some nutrition education in health classes but how much of this is retained by students? I don't know. This is a very difficult topic in that at what point does the government, looking out for the public good start to impede on personal freedoms. Think of NY City outlawing soft drinks beyond a certain size and the arguements that brought up. A few years ago San Francisco was looking to not allow toys in certain kids meals with a fat content beyond certain level. I don't know what the answer is.

 

I know the now deceased economist Milton Friedmen was asked how the government should handle pollution emitted by companies. Being a libertarian, he was opposed to the government outright forcing companies to run themselves in certain ways. He favored using tax policy, such as for every metric ton of various pollutants released, X of amount of tax is assessed. The companies, wanting to avoid the tax as much as possible will use research and innovation to find ways to produce their product while releasing fewer and fewer pollutants into the environment. Would such a policy work on foods? So much tax if fat, calories and salt exceeds certain levels?

I'm not sure eating at McDonalds is cheaper. A bowl or two of Cheerios with milk is much cheaper than McDonalds breakast. Spaghetti is much cheaper than a value meal. The problem is that McDonalds is much easier. We have become pretty lazy. I believe JCPS does require some nutrition education in health classes but how much of this is retained by students? I don't know. This is a very difficult topic in that at what point does the government, looking out for the public good start to impede on personal freedoms. Think of NY City outlawing soft drinks beyond a certain size and the arguements that brought up. A few years ago San Francisco was looking to not allow toys in certain kids meals with a fat content beyond certain level. I don't know what the answer is.

 

I know the now deceased economist Milton Friedmen was asked how the government should handle pollution emitted by companies. Being a libertarian, he was opposed to the government outright forcing companies to run themselves in certain ways. He favored using tax policy, such as for every metric ton of various pollutants released, X of amount of tax is assessed. The companies, wanting to avoid the tax as much as possible will use research and innovation to find ways to produce their product while releasing fewer and fewer pollutants into the environment. Would such a policy work on foods? So much tax if fat, calories and salt exceeds certain levels?

 

I'm not asking for the Government to impede on any personal freedoms. Since they are forcing Obamacare on us...as a tax...I'm asking the Federal Government to fund the people as they would the states. If a state doesn't want to pass a law, fine, just don't expect as much in highway funding as other states. Likewise, if people want to eat like crap, fine, you just don't have as much freedom in Obamacare as those who take care of themselves.

Why won't any of this happen? Lobbying.

Mex...Your 4th sentence answers the question of why it's not happening.

Until our government learns what a proper diet is how do you teach it in schools?

 

mex, I will echo your comments on going to Wal-Mart, it is depressing as hell.

They have found a way to conquer obesity in schools - they are starving them to death with Michelle Obama's new guidelines. Both of my high school kids now pack their lunches because the school lunches are so lacking.

They have found a way to conquer obesity in schools - they are starving them to death with Michelle Obama's new guidelines. Both of my high school kids now pack their lunches because the school lunches are so lacking.

My 8th grader is complaining as well. Last year 3 chicken tenders. This year, two. Michelle said too much protein.

I think that nutrition classes (as well as personal finance) do much more in the long run for most kids than forcing them to learn chemistry, or French. The vast majority will NEVER use either of those from the age of 20 on.

:clap: :thumb:

 

Teach the kids, and then maybe they could start teaching their parents!

My 8th grader is complaining as well. Last year 3 chicken tenders. This year, two. Michelle said too much protein.

 

I bet the Obama girls dont go hungry and get more than 2 pieces of chicken.

Aren't you the same person SLAMMING Michelle Obama for taking up the heathy eating cause as a project?

My 8th grader is complaining as well. Last year 3 chicken tenders. This year, two. Michelle said too much protein.

 

Our daughter packs her lunch nearly every day. I send Reese Cups, Fruit Roll-Ups, and Kit Kats.

 

Petty & immature? No doubt.

 

Randy's way of giving the government two middle fingers? No doubt.

Our daughter packs her lunch nearly every day. I send Reese Cups, Fruit Roll-Ups, and Kit Kats.

 

Petty & immature? No doubt.

 

Randy's way of giving the government two middle fingers? No doubt.

 

:thumb: And keeping Spindoc busy, too! :lol2:

Our daughter packs her lunch nearly every day. I send Reese Cups, Fruit Roll-Ups, and Kit Kats.

 

Petty & immature? No doubt.

 

Randy's way of giving the government two middle fingers? No doubt.

 

Is that worth it if your daughter ends up overweight because of it?

Is that worth it if your daughter ends up overweight because of it?

 

Good heavens Jim, it was a joke.

 

Though she does get a Reese Cup or Kit Kat or whatever, she also has a lot of healthy options in her lunchbox. And she eats much more fruit & vegetables than the vast majority of kids. She's also very active in sports, personal life, etc.

 

The point is this: If Michelle Obama wants to champion healthy/better eating, that's great & I'm glad she does it. Just don't force it down our throats as they have done.