[lorenzo]

Obesity is an increasing problem in some parts of the world. It's not a laughing matter, because it exposes the grim truth about how our globalized world operates and how our unhealthy life-styles are responsible for a lot of misery on this planet. The western world (and the US in particular), consumes three times more than is needed to stay healthy. And in order to do so, it wastes a lot of resources, and continuously tries to maintain the global economic status quo (with 4/5th of the world's people in poverty, slaving for us, and 1/5th eating itself into obesity).

The obesity epidemic in the US exposes how over-consumption, social inequality, the beef industry, agribiz and the petroleum industry are all closely intertwined.

This is a social, cultural, political and economic system. Not just in the genes. Obesity is not a disease proper, it is a "civilizational affliction".

Certain dark forces in the US are now trying to recognize obesity as a disease. And that's a dirty trick. Because that's a way of hiding what obesity is really about.

Documentaries like "Super Size Me" brilliantly succeed in reducing the debate and in masking fundamental questions.
Diet programs operate in exactly the same way: they help hiding the reality beneath the epidemic.

I'm just asking how we can break the chains of our unsustainable life-styles, and I think obesity is one of those "kernels", a symptom, which embodies so many different aspects of the system, that it's worth taking it as a starting point.

We should urgently launch a demasking effort, exposing the entire web of social, political, cultural and economic factors leading to a nation where half the population is bodily unfree.

Obesity is the mere result of a mentality, the same mentality that makes us waste oil and energy; a mentality that takes away the will of people to change their attitudes towards society and life. A mentality that works against freedom.

[Doly]

Don't worry about obesity, it will disappear as soon as food shortages start.

[lorenzo]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Doly', 'D')on't worry about obesity, it will disappear as soon as food shortages start.

[ECM]

It seems like every affliction is the U.S. is turned into a disease. One of the big reasons for it is that a few companies benefit enormously from this as it prevents certain methods and treatments because they get classified under the drug laws. It is just another way of allowing the corporations to make money and prevent competition and correction. It is more profitable to treat the disease than to find a cure.

There are chemicals that are known to cause sickness and physical or emotional problems that are allowed by the FDA and in many foods. Notice that the food and drug industries are under the same government branch. These two industries and the government have a twisted symbiotic relationship.

As long as Americans accept their grand illusion that consumption makes them happy nothing can be done other than make them go cold turkey. Take away the toys and treats and never give them back. Then Americans and those that are becoming like them may have a chance to learn to live with less.

I for one have become a vegan. Just getting of all that processed, chemically "enhanced food" was like quitting smoking or going into drug rehab. It has also allowed my body to start healing.