News Article for AandF6969…The Obese Feel More Discrimination

[Fat Guy]

Can’t be hating on the overweight, big boned, weight challenged, dietary deficit, Big people or any other name you want to call it or you might find yourself in some legal trouble… Here’s the story… Enjoy!


Friday, Apr. 11, 2008
The Obese Feel More Discrimination
By Alice Park
As obesity rates continue to rise in the U.S., so might our acceptance of those who are overweight. But a new study from Yale University suggests the converse trend: rather than feeling tolerance in our society, the overweight and obese say they feel more heavily discriminated against now than they did a decade ago.
Led by Tatiana Andreyeva, a postdoctoral research associate at Yale's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, a team of researchers questioned 1,100 subjects, aged 35 to 74, twice over a 10-year span (once between 1995 and 1996, and again between 2004 and 2006). The respondents answered 11 questions about whether they had been discriminated against in the context of common life experiences — including applying to college or for a scholarship, renting or buying a home in a neighborhood they desired, applying for a bank loan or dealing with police. Participants answered nine additional questions about everyday experiences, such as how they were treated in restaurants, and whether they had encountered name-calling, harassment or threats. The subjects were asked to indicate the reasons they felt they had been discriminated against (facing police harassment, for example, or being denied bank loans), whether it was because of age, gender, race, height or weight, physical disability, sexual orientation or religion. Between the two survey periods, the rate of discrimination due to height or weight increased from 7% of respondents to 12% of respondents. (The scientists determined separately that the people who reported discrimination due to height or weight were also more likely than other participants to be overweight or obese.)
The study is one of the first to track patterns of discrimination based on weight. It's worth noting, however, that the survey relied on people's own perception of discrimination — the authors did not require the subjects to document bias in any way. In addition, the authors found that rates of discrimination by age and gender also increased in the same time period, suggesting that several forms of bias — or perhaps sensitivity to perceived bias — is on the rise overall, not just against the overweight. Nevertheless, the study did track the same population over time, and Andreyeva says that an increase even in people's perceived sense of maltreatment is an important measure of our society's attitudes. In this report, weight ranked third behind age and race as the most common form of prejudice. "If a person perceives he is being discriminated against," Andreyeva says, "it might have significant consequences for his or her health and mental health. Even the perception of discrimination can be important because it is self-perpetuating." And if rates of weight discrimination are indeed on the rise, say the authors, then it's up to society to mandate legal protections for those who are overweight, just as laws protect people from discrimination by race, gender, disability and age.

•Find this article at:
http://www.time.com/time/health/arti...730150,00.html

[Amorphic]

i still fail to see why society should accept an obviously unhealthy lifestyle.

obesity has so many negative consequences, appearance, esteem issues, heart disease, diabetes, billions of dollars in healthcare costs.

why the hell should anyone become tolerant to this VOLUNTARY type of self harm?

ridiculous.

[Amorphic]

lastly, society is legally obligated to protect people from discrimination against race, gender, disability and age because they are issues that are UNSTOPPABLE.

race isnt an option, disability isnt something you can cure or something you can choose, age is unstoppable and gender is biologically predetermined.

obesity IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE that is perpetuated by mass media, corporate greed and unhealthy manufacturing of CHEAP UNHEALTHY FOODS.

why should people that choose to ignore healthly lifestyles be protected for their own laziness?

and furthermore, fatguy, why do you promote acceptance of OBESE people, when you are on a FITNESS/STEROID FORUM?

[football2007]

Well, the route I was gonna go has already been taken by Amorphic, but I'll reiterate.

"it's up to society to mandate legal protections for those who are overweight, just as laws protect people from discrimination by race, gender, disability and age"

Oh really? You cannot change the above. Obesity is a CHOICE. Race, gender, disability and age are NOT and are things you can do nothing about.

[Fat Guy]

lastly, society is legally obligated to protect people from discrimination against race, gender, disability and age because they are issues that are UNSTOPPABLE.

race isnt an option, disability isnt something you can cure or something you can choose, age is unstoppable and gender is biologically predetermined.

obesity IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE that is perpetuated by mass media, corporate greed and unhealthy manufacturing of CHEAP UNHEALTHY FOODS.

why should people that choose to ignore healthly lifestyles be protected for their own laziness?

and furthermore, fatguy, why do you promote acceptance of OBESE people, when you are on a FITNESS/STEROID FORUM?

Is addiction really a choice?

And I don’t promote people to harm themselves but what I do promote is acceptance and compassion for all people and especially for people who may not be as strong because they need it the most… I promote tolerance!

[Fat Guy]

Well, the route I was gonna go has already been taken by Amorphic, but I'll reiterate.

"it's up to society to mandate legal protections for those who are overweight, just as laws protect people from discrimination by race, gender, disability and age"

Oh really? You cannot change the above. Obesity is a CHOICE. Race, gender, disability and age are NOT and are things you can do nothing about.

I mean this is the same argument that people use for homosexual discrimination… It is a choice.... IS IT? (This is a rhetorical question, but it is the point!)

[Amorphic]

I mean this is the same argument that people use for homosexual discrimination… It is a choice.... IS IT? (This is a rhetorical question, but it is the point!)

i promote tolerance for homosexuals and other people who choose alterior lifestyles.

i dont promote tolerance for things that have a detrimental effect on society as a whole, homosexuality doesnt cost the healthcare system billions of dollars, cause diabetes and heart disease.

Is addiction really a choice?

And I don’t promote people to harm themselves but what I do promote is acceptance and compassion for all people and especially for people who may not be as strong because they need it the most… I promote tolerance!

obesity has nothing to do with addiction. i dont promote rec drug addiction, alcohol use or tobacco use, as same with obesity they cause destruction of lives and cost society a whole massive amounts of money and grief.

[Schmidty]

Is addiction really a choice?

And I don’t promote people to harm themselves but what I do promote is acceptance and compassion for all people and especially for people who may not be as strong because they need it the most… I promote tolerance!

1st off ur way outa line on this 1. I for 1 am a addict and forever will be but u dont see me with a dirty needle hangen outa my arm anymore... Is addiction a choice? No. Is it something that can/should be controlled? Yes. If its not socially acceptable to fire up a fat rig then whydo u think its it acceptable to fire up the deep fryer???

[Schmidty]

i promote tolerance for homosexuals and other people who choose alterior lifestyles.

i dont promote tolerance for things that have a detrimental effect on society as a whole, homosexuality doesnt cost the healthcare system billions of dollars, cause diabetes and heart disease.



obesity has nothing to do with addiction. i dont promote rec drug addiction, alcohol use or tobacco use, as same with obesity they cause destruction of lives and cost society a whole massive amounts of money and grief.

I think hes talkn about being addicted to food

[Fat Guy]

i promote tolerance for homosexuals and other people who choose alterior lifestyles.

i dont promote tolerance for things that have a detrimental effect on society as a whole, homosexuality doesnt cost the healthcare system billions of dollars, cause diabetes and heart disease.



obesity has nothing to do with addiction. i dont promote rec drug addiction, alcohol use or tobacco use, as same with obesity they cause destruction of lives and cost society a whole massive amounts of money and grief.

Really?!?!?!? I think your wrong on this point. I think you might want to check out the definition of “addiction” and then come back and tell me how addiction has nothing to do with obesity. I am more than grateful to listen on how addiction has nothing to do with obesity if your argument is sound and hell I’m even up for learning something new.

BUT, addiction has everything to do with obesity. Do you think people wake up one day and say, “Hay what the hell I think I will be fat today?” and risk diabetes, heart disease, other major health problems, discrimination, and a general lower standard of life because it is a choice? (Rhetorical question!) The answer is No… It is because many people have an addiction to food and the problem is becoming greater as quality of life in society as a whole is becoming less and less fulfilling. So more people are getting satisfaction through easy cheap calories. It is the same as the guy who drinks to forget or the heroin addict who fixes to feel normal, or crack head who uses to get high and feel euphoria. The only difference between Rec drugs and food is food is legal. So I think you are going to see an increase of this problem. I think the solution is to increase peoples’ sense of satisfaction of life (I have no idea how that is done on a grand scale) and you will see the obesity rates go down. However, to treat this as a character flaw or lack of moral fiber is the wrong approach. That is like kicking someone while they are down because this disease goes beyond personal control. I think this is going to be a new epidemic and my approach is to be tolerant and compassionate to the people who suffer through this and I encourage others to do the same. That is the whole point of this thread.

[Fat Guy]

Here is the definition of addiction…


the state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming


And to be clear I am talking about the addiction to food which is the cause for obesity.

[Schmidty]

Really?!?!?!? I think your wrong on this point. I think you might want to check out the definition of “addiction” and then come back and tell me how addiction has nothing to do with obesity. I am more than grateful to listen on how addiction has nothing to do with obesity if your argument is sound and hell I’m even up for learning something new.

BUT, addiction has everything to do with obesity. Do you think people wake up one day and say, “Hay what the hell I think I will be fat today?” and risk diabetes, heart disease, other major health problems, discrimination, and a general lower standard of life because it is a choice? (Rhetorical question!) The answer is No… It is because many people have an addiction to food and the problem is becoming greater as quality of life in society as a whole is becoming less and less fulfilling. So more people are getting satisfaction through easy cheap calories. It is the same as the guy who drinks to forget or the heroin addict who fixes to feel normal, or crack head who uses to get high and feel euphoria. The only difference between Rec drugs and food is food is legal. So I think you are going to see an increase of this problem. I think the solution is to increase peoples’ sense of satisfaction of life (I have no idea how that is done on a grand scale) and you will see the obesity rates go down. However, to treat this as a character flaw or lack of moral fiber is the wrong approach. That is like kicking someone while they are down because this disease goes beyond personal control. I think this is going to be a new epidemic and my approach is to be tolerant and compassionate to the people who suffer through this and I encourage others to do the same. That is the whole point of this thread.

So why do u want us to except food and not crack??? OH! Because society says their is enough fat fvcks that we should change the way we look at things... So if their were enough racists we should accept racisim then to right(a lil extrem i know but u get what im saying).

[Schmidty]

I hope on that fvckn intervention show, they make a episode just for u. Were young fat fvck is ruining his life because he only eats at fvckn mcdonalds

[Fat Guy]

1st off ur way outa line on this 1. I for 1 am a addict and forever will be but u dont see me with a dirty needle hangen outa my arm anymore... Is addiction a choice? No. Is it something that can/should be controlled? Yes. If its not socially acceptable to fire up a fat rig then whydo u think its it acceptable to fire up the deep fryer???

Schmidty I agree with you on this point and I am not out of line on this point. What I am saying is that we need to be more tolerant and understanding. The question here is should we as a society be discriminatory and treat people with a disease negatively? The answer is NO.

I mean for many years we treated people with schizophrenia as they were possessed by some devils or demons, we locked away many people and still do to this day who need rehabilitation but instead receive incarceration.

The pattern of history tends to show that when there is a problem with a group of people it is easy enough to make that group an escape goat and treat them negatively but has that ever worked throughout history? The answer is once again NO.

Is there personable responsibility involved here? Sure but this is a growing group and that suggest there is an even bigger problem with many people being dissatisfied with life and are turning to negative alternatives and becoming trapped in addictive vicious cycles.

If you don’t agree just look at the growing obesity rates and look at out kids. The numbers suggest they are showing signs that there is a greater problem in obesity to come.

The approach to this problem is not the hard line stance of lets harass the “fat slob” or the "chubby kid" for the better but to offer healthier alternatives, support, and understanding. When a person is at their low you don’t kick them you help them…

[Fat Guy]

So why do u want us to except food and not crack??? OH! Because society says their is enough fat fvcks that we should change the way we look at things... So if their were enough racists we should accept racisim then to right(a lil extrem i know but u get what im saying).

No… we should never accept something that is oppressive to others but we should help people who need help. For instance if you were to relapse in your addiction and I could help you I would… For me it is just that simple.

[Schmidty]

Schmidty I agree with you on this point and I am not out of line on this point. What I am saying is that we need to be more tolerant and understanding. The question here is should we as a society be discriminatory and treat people with a disease negatively? No.

I mean for many years we treated people with schizophrenia as they were possessed by some devils or demons, we locked away many people and still do to this day who need rehabilitation but instead receive incarceration.

The pattern of history tends to show that when there is a problem with a group of people it is easy enough to make that group an escape goat and treat them negatively but has that ever worked throughout history? No.

Is there personable responsibility involved here? Sure but this is a growing group and that suggest there is an even bigger problem with many people being dissatisfied with life and are turning to negative alternatives and becoming trapped in a vicious cycles.

If you don’t agree just look at the growing obesity rates and look at out kids. The numbers suggest they are showing signs that there is a greater problem in obesity to come.

The approach to this problem is not the hard line stance of lets harass the “fat slob” for the better but to offer healthier alternatives, support, and understanding. When a person is at their low you don’t kick them you help them…

IMO its to excepted, people think its ok when its not. Just last tuesday night i went to the bank, pulled up my car i was leaning over to grab my deposit slip and check n a fat bitch looked at me, flexed and laughed and drove away. I was n complete shock, and curiouse at the same time. Has it become so widly excepted to be a fat ass that if u show any dedication to a diet ur the outcast??? Thats how it seems to be n St.Louis anyway. I was fat at one point n my life, I wasnt happy w/it so i changed it.

[Schmidty]

Another good and quite funny example. A week or two ago i was grocceri shopn with my gf n this fat high school kid walks up to me n her flexs and yells PROTIEN at me. I was wereing a fvck normal shirt and i dont walk like im big because im not huge. 5'9 215-217 12.5%bf a lil bit biger then average but n a normal shirt i think i fit n. I thought i did till everybody n fvckn STL starts flexing at me??? I need to move.

[Fat Guy]

IMO its to excepted, people think its ok when its not. Just last tuesday night i went to the bank, pulled up my car i was leaning over to grab my deposit slip and check n a fat bitch looked at me, flexed and laughed and drove away. I was n complete shock, and curiouse at the same time. Has it become so widly excepted to be a fat ass that if u show any dedication to a diet ur the outcast??? Thats how it seems to be n St.Louis anyway. I was fat at one point n my life, I wasnt happy w/it so i changed it.

Another good and quite funny example. A week or two ago i was grocceri shopn with my gf n this fat high school kid walks up to me n her flexs and yells PROTIEN at me. I was wereing a fvck normal shirt and i dont walk like im big because im not huge. 5'9 215-217 12.5%bf a lil bit biger then average but n a normal shirt i think i fit n. I thought i did till everybody n fvckn STL starts flexing at me??? I need to move.

I think maybe these people are giving you compliments and I would be even willing to bet they would like to be like you on some level. So they do these goofy gestures of flexing or yelling “protein” to get your attention which is in essence acknowledging your physical stature which is a compliment. You’re a strong guy and it shows and also I think you have the capability to achieve whatever you set your mind to so I think you will be more successful than not and probably where ever you go people will comment on your physical and mental success. It’s like little kids teasing the things they like… You probably would have made that kids day if you went up to talk to him…

[MuscleScience]

I dont think anyone wants to be over weight. I work with lots of over weight people and I do feel compassion for them. Sometimes I feel that all that I do to help is in vain. I mean when after they workout then go home and eat a 1500 calorie meal when they know that they are not suppose to. It just makes me feel like I am a complete asshole for helping them. They know better, most of the time they give me some excuse and I just accept it and try to move on from there. Its not like it is a small minority of people, its pretty much all my patients. I hate to say it but no one wants to take responsibality for their actions. As bad as it sounds that is what it is, I try to defend it to my bosses but I come across as the one that is incompetent.

[Amorphic]

show me some evidence that FOOD causes PHYSIOLOGICAL changes in hormones in the brain related to addictions such as nicotine or alcohol.

i figured you would try to exploit my statement saying that food is not related to an addiction so in hindsight i should have clarified.

certain foods may cause a stimulation of endorphins in the brain causing pleasure. this is not an excuse to say that food is an addictive substance. instead of promoting obesity as something that should be tolerated, obesity should be treated as an addiction if you want to get into the whole issue around that.

if you agree tha rec drugs are addicting, that alcohol and tobacco are addicting and that FOOD is addicting, by simple logic alone you would have to agree that OBESITY SHOULD BE TREATED, NOT TOLERATED.

and answer my orginal question please....why does someone like you 'fat guy' promote acceptance of obesity on a steroid board?

it doesnt take half a genious to know that 99% of the members here are far more liberal in their ideas surrouding fitness and the general population....most of us here are believers in all the negative aspects surrounding obesity.

basically, you promoting acceptance of obesity instead of treatment is like doctors shooting rec drugs and telling their patients there is nothing wrong with it. its way out of context, and frankly i find it totally ridiculous..

i have nothing else to say in this thread.

[DSM4Life]

show me some evidence that FOOD causes PHYSIOLOGICAL changes in hormones in the brain related to addictions such as nicotine or alcohol.

i figured you would try to exploit my statement saying that food is not related to an addiction so in hindsight i should have clarified.

certain foods may cause a stimulation of endorphins in the brain causing pleasure. this is not an excuse to say that food is an addictive substance. instead of promoting obesity as something that should be tolerated, obesity should be treated as an addiction if you want to get into the whole issue around that.

if you agree tha rec drugs are addicting, that alcohol and tobacco are addicting and that FOOD is addicting, by simple logic alone you would have to agree that OBESITY SHOULD BE TREATED, NOT TOLERATED.

and answer my orginal question please....why does someone like you 'fat guy' promote acceptance of obesity on a steroid board?

it doesnt take half a genious to know that 99% of the members here are far more liberal in their ideas surrouding fitness and the general population....most of us here are believers in all the negative aspects surrounding obesity.

basically, you promoting acceptance of obesity instead of treatment is like doctors shooting rec drugs and telling their patients there is nothing wrong with it. its way out of context, and frankly i find it totally ridiculous..

i have nothing else to say in this thread.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...ddiction_N.htm

"Some studies focus on dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with pleasure and reward. "Impaired function of the brain dopamine system could make some people more vulnerable to compulsive eating, which could lead to morbid obesity," Volkow says. She did groundbreaking research in this area while at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven (N.Y.) National Laboratory.

For some compulsive eaters, the drive to eat is so intense that it overshadows the motivation to engage in other rewarding activities, and it becomes difficult to exercise self-control, she says. This is similar to the compulsion that an addict feels to take drugs, she says. "When this occurs, the compulsive eating behavior can interfere with their well-being and their health." "


I still don't understand it all that well because there are so many BS articles about it on the Internet. Anyone have any good respectable medical sites where they might be able to find better articles on this ?

[Fat Guy]

show me some evidence that FOOD causes PHYSIOLOGICAL changes in hormones in the brain related to addictions such as nicotine or alcohol.(I think DSM’s article made a good attempt but if you read the definition of “addiction” which I gave in post 11 overeating is logically defined as an addiction)

i figured you would try to exploit (LOL!) my statement saying that food is not related to an addiction so in hindsight i should have clarified.

certain foods may cause a stimulation of endorphins in the brain causing pleasure. this is not an excuse to say that food is an addictive substance. instead of promoting obesity as something that should be tolerated, obesity should be treated as an addiction if you want to get into the whole issue around that.

if you agree tha rec drugs are addicting, that alcohol and tobacco are addicting and that FOOD is addicting, by simple logic alone you would have to agree that OBESITY SHOULD BE TREATED, NOT TOLERATED. (Simple logic tells us that you need tolerance for the people to effectively treat them… Who wants an unsympathetic Doctor, Counselor, Therapist Psychiatrist, ext…? Not me.)
and answer my orginal question please....why does someone like you 'fat guy' promote (It’s not promoting obesity, but promoting tolerance, compassion and understanding for the people who suffer from this affliction… read post 14 which I copied for you) acceptance of obesity on a steroid board?

it doesnt take half a genious to know that 99% of the members here are far more liberal in their ideas surrouding fitness and the general population....most of us here are believers in all the negative aspects surrounding obesity.

basically, you promoting acceptance (NO read my post and you will understand what I am saying) of obesity instead of treatment is like doctors shooting rec drugs and telling their patients there is nothing wrong with it. its way out of context, and frankly i find it totally ridiculous..

i have nothing else to say in this thread.

Here is your answer which I already answered to another member in post number 14.... I have also immediate answers to you comments posted in RED in your post. Hopefully this helps you to have more compassion for people.

What I am saying is that we need to be more tolerant and understanding. The question here is should we as a society be discriminatory and treat people with a disease negatively? The answer is NO.

I mean for many years we treated people with schizophrenia as they were possessed by some devils or demons, we locked away many people and still do to this day who need rehabilitation but instead receive incarceration.

The pattern of history tends to show that when there is a problem with a group of people it is easy enough to make that group an escape goat and treat them negatively but has that ever worked throughout history? The answer is once again NO.
Is there personable responsibility involved here? Sure but this is a growing group and that suggest there is an even bigger problem with many people being dissatisfied with life and are turning to negative alternatives and becoming trapped in addictive vicious cycles.
If you don’t agree just look at the growing obesity rates and look at out kids. The numbers suggest they are showing signs that there is a greater problem in obesity to come.

The approach to this problem is not the hard line stance of lets harass the “fat slob” or the "chubby kid" for the better but to offer healthier alternatives, support, and understanding. When a person is at their low you don’t kick them you help them…

[Fat Guy]

I dont think anyone wants to be over weight. I work with lots of over weight people and I do feel compassion for them. Sometimes I feel that all that I do to help is in vain. I mean when after they workout then go home and eat a 1500 calorie meal when they know that they are not suppose to. It just makes me feel like I am a complete asshole for helping them. They know better, most of the time they give me some excuse and I just accept it and try to move on from there. Its not like it is a small minority of people, its pretty much all my patients. I hate to say it but no one wants to take responsibality for their actions. As bad as it sounds that is what it is, I try to defend it to my bosses but I come across as the one that is incompetent.

I have much respect for you and keep up the good work. I agree with your position on this and I think more people need to take note and act accordingly with compassion and tolerance. Your work may feel like it is done in vain with the majority of patients but I guarantee you have made an impact on at least 1 person in your career and that right there is worth doing it.

I know this feeling well… I have worked with many “At Risk”, “Challenging”, “Delinquent” adolescent populations and all my day seemed to consist of is resistance, defiance, and a slue of profanity directed at me and all I can think is these kids are for sure going to jail. However, every now and then I run into one of my clients (not to often but it happens) and they say thanks and that they are doing well in life. For me that is a defining moment, in that my work is not done in vain, and I think the same applies to you. You have my respect. We are definitely fighting an uphill battle in our professional arenas.

[MuscleScience]

I have much respect for you and keep up the good work. I agree with your position on this and I think more people need to take note and act accordingly with compassion and tolerance. Your work may feel like it is done in vain with the majority of patients but I guarantee you have made an impact on at least 1 person in your career and that right there is worth doing it.

I know this feeling well… I have worked with many “At Risk”, “Challenging”, “Delinquent” adolescent populations and all my day seemed to consist of is resistance, defiance, and a slue of profanity directed at me and all I can think is these kids are for sure going to jail. However, every now and then I run into one of my clients (not to often but it happens) and they say thanks and that they are doing well in life. For me that is a defining moment, in that my work is not done in vain, and I think the same applies to you. You have my respect. We are definitely fighting an uphill battle in our professional arenas.

I cant really complain because without overweight people I wouldnt have a job or really a reason to finish school. I guess in a way I am in debt to them. However I would still rather not see the health consequences that having a basic lack of knowledge of just how bad food and inactivity can be to a person.

[SMCengineer]

And if rates of weight discrimination are indeed on the rise, say the authors, then it's up to society to mandate legal protections for those who are overweight, just as laws protect people from discrimination by race, gender, disability and age.

Haha mandating special rights for fat people. Yeah, cause that'll make it equal.

[rockinred]

this whole argument is meaningless... Noone or the government can tell a person how to eat or how to feel about others... so if the parents didn't raise the kid to respect all people regardless then why would anyone else be able to do it,i.e some government...

If anyone or group of people can figure out a way to convince everyone in the world or in their society to be nice and treat everyone the same regardless of differences will have the secret of eternity and mankind...

it takes love to overlook differences and that can't be taught by gov....

[Chiefsman123]

i still fail to see why society should accept an obviously unhealthy lifestyle.

obesity has so many negative consequences, appearance, esteem issues, heart disease, diabetes, billions of dollars in healthcare costs.

why the hell should anyone become tolerant to this VOLUNTARY type of self harm?

ridiculous.

Here here! Totally agree with this! But I have to say that what I care about more is the effect that obesity has on other people and society. They want to keep screwing themselves, fine can't help that, but it's the effect that they have on everything and everyone else that bothers and concerns me.

I'm sorry, but this issue does not stand with race or religion, it's too different, and I personally will not be tolerant of it. I will never support or show compassion to people who sit there eating a stick of butter at 400lbs (of fat) and say "oh thats ok you can't help yourself you poor thing (as I pat them on the head)"....give me a break...

[Amorphic]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/...ddiction_N.htm

"Some studies focus on dopamine, a neurotransmitter in the brain associated with pleasure and reward. "Impaired function of the brain dopamine system could make some people more vulnerable to compulsive eating, which could lead to morbid obesity," Volkow says. She did groundbreaking research in this area while at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven (N.Y.) National Laboratory.

For some compulsive eaters, the drive to eat is so intense that it overshadows the motivation to engage in other rewarding activities, and it becomes difficult to exercise self-control, she says. This is similar to the compulsion that an addict feels to take drugs, she says. "When this occurs, the compulsive eating behavior can interfere with their well-being and their health." "


I still don't understand it all that well because there are so many BS articles about it on the Internet. Anyone have any good respectable medical sites where they might be able to find better articles on this ?

so if they have dopamine deficiencies, throw them on some SSRI's or MAOI's to elevate their serotinin levels.

or better yet, get them to a cognitive behavioral therapist for cognitive restructuring.

[DSM4Life]

All i see are a bunch of opinions. Anyone have any scientific proof ?

[Renesis]

Addiction is an excuse for the weak. I smoked cigs from 14-19 quit cold turkey been over two years since one. Weak pathetic people are prone to unhealthy addictions. Like the quote says "The will to change must be stronger than the will to stay the same" Oh and compassion my ARSE

[D-Unit 39]

Edit

NO FLAMING !!!

[Chiefsman123]

Addiction is an excuse for the weak. I smoked cigs from 14-19 quit cold turkey been over two years since one. Weak pathetic people are prone to unhealthy addictions. Like the quote says "The will to change must be stronger than the will to stay the same" Oh and compassion my ARSE

Totally agree!! I smoked from about 15 to 20 or so, also quit cold turkey. Which brings up the question, why aren't we a lot more compassionate towards smokers the same way? I have a friend who's been smoking since he was 15, and every other month tells me "oh no really I'm quitting this month" or "no really I'm smoking a lot less now" in truth his extreme weakness is keeping from making any changes. Addiction is not the problem, it's merely weak people, the stronger ones are always able to bypass this whole addiction hogwash.

[Narkissos]

EDIT

NO FLAMING !!!!

[football2007]

food addiction my ass.

Again, first 18 years of my life I ate a shitton of crap day after day. At times well over 10k calories in 3-4 meals.

After I quit playing sports, I gained about 30lbs of pure fat within 8 weeks. I looked in the mirror and said, "damn, I look like shit, I need to learn how to eat correctly and start doing cardio"

Thats what I did. Is it hard giving up junk food for healthy food? Yes. I wanted to shoot myself for the first 6 weeks or so of eating the same thing every day. BUT, the results outweighed the 5 second gratification of putting cupcakes down my mouth.

Being able to walk up a few flights of stairs without having to stop after those 12 weeks is reason enough to never put that crap down my mouth again.

Again, food may have a positive response in the brain, but it is a habit that can be broken if you want it bad enough. Simply put, a 500lb fatass would rather be happy for the total one hour in the day he is stuffing himself with food. You either want to change or not.

[feanixco]

lastly, society is legally obligated to protect people from discrimination against race, gender, disability and age because they are issues that are UNSTOPPABLE.

race isnt an option, disability isnt something you can cure or something you can choose, age is unstoppable and gender is biologically predetermined.

obesity IS A LIFESTYLE CHOICE that is perpetuated by mass media, corporate greed and unhealthy manufacturing of CHEAP UNHEALTHY FOODS.

why should people that choose to ignore healthly lifestyles be protected for their own laziness?

and furthermore, fatguy, why do you promote acceptance of OBESE people, when you are on a FITNESS/STEROID FORUM?

Well put....I have nothing else to say.

[Fat Guy]

I'm sorry, but this issue does not stand with race or religion, it's too different, and I personally will not be tolerant of it. I will never support or show compassion to people who sit there eating a stick of butter at 400lbs (of fat) and say "oh thats ok you can't help yourself you poor thing (as I pat them on the head)"....give me a break...

Isn’t religion a choice? Some even argue that homosexuality is a choice… and both of these groups are protected from discrimination. Obese people have an addiction to food which is less of a choice than some of the other groups that are protected under discrimination laws. It would make sense and for a better society to not be bigoted toward any group and help people who are in need.

[Fat Guy]

This is a discriminatory and bigoted comment and illustrates the ignorance of behavior that happens to people with an addiction or an affliction. Thanks for the illustration of ignorance and I am sure you did not intend it to be the poster for a lack of knowledge for this problem but I could not have illustrated it any better myself. I am sure your intention was to be flippant but this is a perfect behavior of ignorant people towards a group of other socially unaccepted people… Thanks All you would need to do is replace the word “fat” with black, gay, jew, or whatever group you are targeting.

[200byjune]

this is crazy. when i was younger i was chubby. theres no debate here what so ever. you eother choose to be fat or choose to be fit. you eat what you look like. if you dont do excersice your ganna get fat and you no it before hand but you except it. if theres carrots in one dish and chips in another and theres a fat guy looking at both what is he going to choose. umm the chips because its what he likes. honestly this is stupid. fat guy your not going to win and we cannot convince you were right end of the story. but like i said above, you choose what you eat. you no if you eat bad youll be fat and you still do it. you no if you go to the gym and eat right youll look good. end of story nobodys going to win

[LawMan018]

I personally don't think being fat is an addiction... Give me a damn break... I was the opposite route for quite some time... I was skinny as hell, didn't eat much, and was heavily picked on in my younger years. I made a personal choice to lift weights, eat somewhat healthy, and gained 80 lbs. in 5 years beginning freshman year in highschool. It's all mental, and if you have the will, you can do it... People are fat because of a number of reasons, but I don't believe addiction is one of them... Weak minds give way to weak wills, which give way to weak lifestyles...

[moregunsthanroses]

I view being fit as a choice, or at least in average shape. Brain chemistry can be an Issue I don't think it's that commonly the root cause.

fat girls need love too, except they gotta pay haha
what do you do when she says how much? ok I couldn't resist family guy is too funny.

But seriously I don't hate fat people I try to help them without making it obvious, the few people I do know.