I think that society has been far too protective of fat people, really.
There are major, known negative consequences for smoking, drinking, doing drugs, ect. However, when someone is fat, God forbid you deride them. Humiliation seems to be some sort of no-no in todays society. Maybe, just maybe, it could be a motivator if used properly?
I hate to be mean, but you Europeans seem to be far too thin-skinned when it comes to stuff like this. Fat people are fat 90% of the time, they simply eat too much and work out too little. It is a choice. A wrong choice. I am obese because I chose the lifestyle that I have. I should get the benefits from it (the joys of eating tasty fattening food) as well as the complications (health, public humiliation, lack of desirability from women, ect).
Life isn't about making bad choices, and having some thin-skinned shrink defend you. That's why were freaking obese in the first place. No one gets in kids faces and say 'your fat. Loose weight' like they ought to. Who cares if a few kids kill themselves knowingly via sucicide? I'd argue that far more die from congestive heart failure due to obesity than if there was actual shame involved in the obesity process.
Is unhealthy food cheap in America? Yeah. But guess what? Its cheap because its quick to make, and very tasty. If you cook your own food, which is a lost art in America, you can be very cheap, and very healthy. Blame the processed food families that have caused it.
I don't know how people get uber-fat. I have never looked at someone that is 350 pounds and felt pity for them. Its a total, flagrant lack of self-control. Sometimes, you just wish someone was in their life to force them to put the fork down, and pick up weights.
Trust me, losing weight is and can be very easy if you put your mind to it. I lost 20lbs in a matter of 2 weeks due to a crazy health issue that forced me to essentially stop eating for most of that time. I quit drinking HFCS-laden soda (and have since then, greatly reduced my intake), and starte caring about what I ate. If I go back to my old habits, its my own fault. Not Europe, not America, not Obama, not the FDA. Its MY fault. My responsibility. Dangit, you shouldn't rely on the government or someone else to make you put down the fork, or sue a company for making you fat. Last I checked, stores were chock full of incredibly healthy foods that are ripe for consumming. Its just a matter of taking 20-30 minutes out of your day, and make a REAL meal, rather than drive through a fast food joint, or popping a meal in the microwave.
I'm going to start learning to make sushi soon. I'd imagine that, for the most part, its healthier than a big mac or other such nastiness. Do you know what sushi costs to make in America? A person on minimum wage could eat all the sushi they wanted if they just knew how to make it. Food is very cheap in America. Even the healthy stuff. The honest-to-God truth is that people just don't want to get off their couch and make it.
/End rant
Back from the dead, I'm afraid.
