There have been a slew of articles in the local paper about the overweight problem around the world. I just had to leave my opinion in the space they provide on their website....

One of the problems, as I see it, is that people feel they have a right to be overweight if they want to. 'They are people too.' Which is all well and good, or would be, if they weren't putting a burden on our system. They also feel, not just overweight people, but society in general, feel they have a right to burden our system. A person in our society, after getting themselves into a situation that causes them health problems, feels they have a right to the same health care as a healthier person.

'Oh, but they can't help it, it's a MEDICAL problem.' That just does not wash anymore.

A city bus driver made a comparison for me the other day. He had to lower the wheelchair lift for a woman on an electric cart. Those things barely fit because the wheel base is bigger. It took 5 minutes just to get it situated on the lift. Mind you, other passengers are on the bus, watching and waiting.

Finally she gets it on the bus, secures it, then WALKS to a seat.

He compared this to a guy in a wheelchair, because his legs were missing. He gets on the bus with the lift, and the driver is required to strap the chair down. The passenger waved him off, slipped out of his chair, walked on his hands and stumps, dragging the chair with him. He got to a seat and folded the chair, holding it next to him as he sat in a regular seat.

The point is, he had a medical condition and was still self-sufficient. Most people that are obese are not burdened with a medical condition, yet feel others are obligated to make allowances for them.

Will power is not the answer, if it were society would not be dealing with this issue. When it is acceptable for someone other than a doctor to tell a person their weight problem is not only harming themselves but is a burden on society, then we may start to see results. A lot of people think it is perfectly ok to get into this condition, and then put the responsibility for fixing it on society. The man with no legs has an obvious handicap, but insists on taking responsibility for himself.

The problem isn't that people are getting fat, the problem is that people feel society is responsible and obligated to do something about it once they are in such a situation. The only weapon that will work is putting responsibility where it belongs, requiring people to take responsibility for their actions.