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Japan Imposes "Fine On Fat"
An anonymous reader writes "A recently-introduced law in Japan requires all businesses to have mandatory obesity checks (video link) for all their employees and employees' family members over the age of 40, CNN reports. If the employee or family member is deemed obese, and does not lose the extra fat soon, their employer faces large fines. The legislated upper limit for the waistline is 33.5" for men, and 35.5" for women. Should America adopt universal health insurance, could we live to see the same kind of individual health regulations imposed on us by the government? By comparison, the average waistline in America in 2005 was 39 inches for men, 37 inches for women."
http://billstclair.com/DoingFreedom/000623/df.0600.fa.lipidleggin.html Written in 1978...scary and well worth reading (it's a short story, won't take long to read)
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
I was thinking the same thing until I looked it up. On average men in the US are 1.5 inches taller and women are 1.2 inches taller. That's not a big enough difference to expect our waist sizes to be so much larger (all else being equal).
Developers: We can use your help.
I find your lack of, lack of, faith disturbing. Insurance companies are thieves, they are the one business who's business model relies on not providing the service they promise. Case in point, Insurance Company A takes a beating in the stock market, to raise profits they raise rates on doctors malpractice insurance, then claim that it is because of lawsuits, for you know, malpractice. Insurance Company B is operating beyond their current means, instead of ceasing purchase of mahogany office furniture, use faulty statistics to target people with higher disposable incomes for auto insurance rate increases, (males around 22-28). I'm not saying government control would be better or that it is unfair for people to pay for an other's lifestyle. But if the problem is price of insurance, lets start by being honest why it is so high.
And I say, "you don't seem to know much about biology". Your biggest error is claiming that you have muscle mass that is "all diet". More important, though, you don't seem to recognize the significance that metabolism -- including very significant genetic factors -- plays in the system.
By "thermodynamics" you probably mean "energy conservation". All mass and energy conservation tells you, on first glance, is that you can't possibly gain more weight than your total intake (minus your total excretion -- including respiration). Reducing your consumption reduces available energy -- your body can respond by reducing metabolism rather than consuming stored fat.
That's too much of a generalisation, dude. Lentils, rice, lettuce, spinach, chick peas, beans, some vegs, tomatoes, certain seasonal fruits, certain cuts of meat, fish like sardines and many others ain't expensive; at least not in the UK, and pretty much all food needs to be imported here from the rest of the EU and beyond. I find much more expensive to eat on kebabs and pre-cooked meals. Unless you're on Tesco Value, that is.
Your head a splode
So, I'm chiming in as someone who is technically obese. By those screwed up BMI charts, I am overweight (even though otherwise I am COMPLETELY healthy, excusing some childhood issues I had long before I became overweight). Points to make: 1) You think that buying healthy is cheaper than buying unhealthy? Just go into your meat department. Look at 1# of hamburger meat at 20% fat and one at 10% fat. Which one is more expensive? Then take that and compare it to a package of, say, stew meat. That right there tells you which is cheaper - healthy or unhealthy. 2) I am medically obese (but not grossly obese, or whatever the next step is) and yet none of my weight has come from poor eating choices, but from hormones. I gained 40 # from birth control, then stabilized. I gained approximately 35 # when I got pregnant with my first child. Then stabilized again. Now I have a second child and my weight has stabilized at 25# or so over what I was after my first. I have tried exercising, I kept a food journal (wherein I saw that I was eating not only healthy but my caloric intake was extremely low - I wasn't even getting the 2000 calories that most people are suppose to because I only eat when I'm hungry!). Should I be punished because I can't lose weight? Now, granted, I live in America and not Japan so this measure wouldn't affect me, but it just makes me think of the women over there who have had a couple children and who's bodies haven't ever given up the weight. Now, not only they but their entire family will be basically kicked out in the cold because they decided to have kids and the woman couldn't lose the hormone weight afterwards? That just seem cruel to me. And those BMIs don't take anything into account that I've ever seen. What about bone and muscle mass? Did you know that Michael Jordan is clinically obese according to the BMI? For women, what about our breast size? I once read that a D cup breast weighs 20# (so 40# for the set). That could send many people over into the "obese" category. And just as a note: Marilyn Monroe wore approximately a dress size 12 (by today's standards). Do you realize that that size is often put in the "plus" area in a lot of stores? With all these unhealthily thin (and YES there is a thing and YES many celebs and models fall into this category, imo) role models making average size women feel fat and doctors contributing to the problem by failing to take into account so many factors when they chart up your "weight and height" on that messed up BMI it's no wonder that so many of our girls are growing up with eating disorders and a warped view of themselves. I would rather, instead of people focusing on "obesity", that we focus on actual health. If you are an overall healthy person and taking care of yourself (ie eating well and getting exercise and such) that THAT should be the focus, rather than what shows up when you step on a scale. Sorry if that ended up a little ranty... guess I'm a bit sensitive about the whole thing. :blush:
"Does bouncing count?" - Silk, Magician's Gambit by David Eddings
People who actually can't lose the weight are statistical outliers. I agree with you that these people will be punished by the Japanese system, but you can't say it's common, because it's not.
I know that hormonal issues can cause you to gain and retain weight, but I have a hard time believing someone when they tell me they can't lose the weight. I know it gets harder as you get older, and under differing circumstances, but here's what you do:
1. Exercise daily. At LEAST 15 minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity daily. If you're fit enough to do yoga, do the sun salutation (while focusing on proper breathing) 12 times in a row (or work up to that). That takes 15 minutes, and about 1 x 2 meters of floorspace. Also, a rowing machine or an elliptical crosstrainer is a good way to simulate running-style cardio without blowing your knees.
2. Shift your diet toward proteins. Shift simple carbs to complex carbs. Shift towards eating more insoluble fiber. If you're willing to pick up exercise, a generalized Zone-style diet of 40% calories from protein, 30% carbs and 30% fats will do wonders.
3. Build muscle. Muscle increases your metabolism, gives you energy, and makes you stronger so you can exert yourself more often without injuring yourself.
4. Eat 5 times a day. Eat right when you wake up, and space it evenly until 6pm or so (this is assuming a "normal" schedule). And don't eat for 3 hours before you go to sleep. So if you're eating 1500 calories, you get 300 calories/meal. You get stuff like 2 cans of tuna fish, a tablespoon of olive oil and 1 slice of whole grain bread. Eating that meal is goddamn rough when you're not hungry, let me tell you.
And then tell me you can't lose the weight. I lost 65 lbs (that's putting on maybe 10-20lbs muscle), and completely changed my metabolism from one where I couldn't lose weight to one where I could eat anything I wanted and not gain weight. Admittedly, I was young.
I don't want to sound like I'm on your case, because I realize you're sensitive about it. I just can't believe you, based on what I know. I also wanted to put this here as much for anybody who comes along and reads your post so there's decent information for them. And of course, I could be wrong about you. I've been wrong once before. :-)
Cheers,
Nathan
Please stop stalking me, bro.