2010-11-12

Our New Health Obsession

Per capita mortality obesity rates.

In absolute terms.

So much for the perception of Italians being "fat." 

Alleged myths about obesity.

On the other hand.

I'm pretty sure more government isn't the answer. The last thing people need is another "war" on something. It presuppoes obesity is mostly link to diet. We know that just isn't so. $4.5 billion later. Nothing to show for your cash spent. Meanwhile, since money is scarce, it gets shifted away from areas where government could have had a far more direct impact - like palliative care for cancer patients.

Notice all the organizations involved. Think about all the minds chiming in to fight the problem. It doesn't matter it really isn't jelled into a cohesive unit. The sheer number of people in agreement is enough. It has determined, in its version of wisdom, it's a worthy cause justifying the action. All those people and their "solution" won't amount to a hill of beans. Pick whatever kind of beans. I don't care. 

In North America, we haven't solved the war on drugs, the war on poverty; a war on anything. Yet, we continue to delude ourselves.

We have to learn to examine and take serious the unintended consequences of decisions; what we don't see doesn't mean doesn't exist and what we see doesn't mean it needs intervention.

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