Obese people may get paid to lose weight

AngryBadger · 23-01-2008 03:32PM #1

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7204257.stm

So apparently the morbidly obese will now be paid to lose weight.

Does anyone else feel this is just another step into the mire that is our current "nanny-state" society?

Just so there's no confusion, as far as I'm concerned everyone's entitled to do what they like with their own body. And whatever you decide to do, whether the consequences are positive or negative for your own health and general well-being, it's 100 % YOUR responsibility. So if you're morbidly obese, then it's your job to cut back on the pies and hit the track every once in a while.

I don't think it's very fair that government funds be used to bail people out of a completely avoidable health situation like this.

Come on, it's like rewarding people for being lazy.

P.S. I realise this is a british scheme, but ultimately we tend to follow suit, so I think it bears consideration.

green123 · 23-01-2008 03:36PM

kinda makes sense
save on healthcare costs

Overheal · 23-01-2008 03:40PM

What happened to survival of the fittest? Why give failed specimens of humanity the opportunity to pass on their flaws?

Might sound vindictive and taboo but honestly thats the truth: why keep someone born with heart problems alive? What will they contribute to the gene pool?

Maximilian · 23-01-2008 03:41PM

Like they won't spend that money on Big-Macs and Special K...

No, wait, I don't think I meant to say the second one.

johnp · 23-01-2008 03:41PM

Maybe they should flip it around. Tax people for being obese, or give incentives for not being obese.

Meh, actually, there'd probably be a bunch of lawsuits :rolleyes:

Gillo · 23-01-2008 03:43PM

Definetly sholdn't be paid to lose weight; I watch what I eat, don't smoke, drink in moderation and work out 5 days a week, surely I should be paid / rewarded for not being a burden on the health service.

[Apart from the consequense's of double posting, I'd be very interesed to restart this thead both in the Fitness and Food forum's (is the the plural?) and see how the two threads develope.]

Gillo · 23-01-2008 03:45PM

johnp wrote: »

Maybe they should flip it around. Tax people for being obese, or give incentives for not being obese.

Meh, actually, there'd probably be a bunch of lawsuits :rolleyes:

Refit all the courts with narrow doors!!

AngryBadger · 23-01-2008 03:46PM

green123 wrote: »

kinda makes sense
save on healthcare costs

We'd save even more on healthcare if they just lsot the weight themselves.

I don't want to seem too harsh, but I definitely think there are far more deserving medical demographics that could use this money.

johnp · 23-01-2008 03:48PM

gillo wrote: »

Refit all the courts with narrow doors!!

gracehopper · 23-01-2008 03:53PM

green123 wrote: »

kinda makes sense
save on healthcare costs

I agree with the OP. If the government wants to save on healthcare costs why dont they just sack the entire management of the HSE. Non-medical people shouldnt be managing the health system.

Taxpayers shouldnt have to pay for fat camp. end of story!

Ghost Train · 23-01-2008 03:54PM

well morbidly obese I guess its a good idea

would be better if they could make it into some sort of entertainment gameshow where the morbidly obese fight it out for the prize money

Dragan · 23-01-2008 03:55PM

Hmmm.....if they bring that in over here and the payments are high enough then maybe i can stop training for a while and atrophy my way all the way to the bank.

Gillo · 23-01-2008 04:07PM

Or maybe we can set up some sort of scam the pie people get their gym memberships paid for and we buy the membership from them at a reduced price. I like the game show idea, how about putting them on "Takeski's Castle".

18AD · 23-01-2008 04:10PM

Fat man on the side of the road: Spare some change for the gym.
Model Citizen: No!

He'll just spend it on food.

Wossack · 23-01-2008 04:12PM

mary harney trying to sneak in another pay rise?

arybvtcw0eolkf · 23-01-2008 04:13PM

Wossack wrote: »

mary harney trying to sneak in another pay rise?

That deserved to be made bold and bigger (no pun intended)!..

LMAO.

Morlar · 23-01-2008 04:17PM

Instead of paying them to lose weight why not charge them per pound for being overweight.

Morlar · 23-01-2008 04:19PM

Offering fat people money to lose weight - you just know they will be straight down the sweet shop with that cash. Then we wil owe them more money when they get fat again. This could turn into a nice little earner.

Donegal Lass · 23-01-2008 04:19PM

Rofl!!!

23-01-2008 04:19PM

Wossack wrote: »

mary harney trying to sneak in another pay rise?

Haha excellent. I am annoyed I didn't get that in as I am hardly Morticia's biggest fan. O lads,

You'll LOVE this http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i84/Kag1888/bertie.jpg

Morlar · 23-01-2008 04:23PM

KaG1888 wrote: »

You'll LOVE this http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i84/Kag1888/bertie.jpg

Thats NSF Anywhere ever.

AngryBadger · 23-01-2008 04:23PM

KaG1888 wrote: »

Haha excellent. I am annoyed I didn't get that in as I am hardly Morticia's biggest fan. O lads,

You'll LOVE this http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i84/Kag1888/bertie.jpg

Aghghhhhh...just...aghhh...christ, that's brilliant! In a sick, sick kind of way

23-01-2008 04:27PM

I am not a drugs man by any means but it'd take all the acid in Amsterdam to get me to go near Mary 'Morticia' Harney. Is her husband related to Ray Charles by any chance?

kittensoft1984 · 23-01-2008 04:31PM

there are some "obese" people who cant help the way they are for medical reasons......so its not fair to tar them all with the same brush.

i wonder what they class as obese?

Dragan · 23-01-2008 04:32PM

kittensoft1984 wrote: »

there are some "obese" people who cant help the way they are for medical reasons......so its not fair to tar them all with the same brush.

Sorry , nobody hits 350 lbs becasue of a thyroid problem or water rentention.

It's because they eat too much.

EamonnKeane · 23-01-2008 04:34PM

Maximilian wrote: »

Like they won't spend that money on Big-Macs and Special K...

No, wait, I don't think I meant to say the second one.

Special K is advertised for diets but it's actually not much better than Frosties

AngryBadger · 23-01-2008 04:39PM

kittensoft1984 wrote: »

there are some "obese" people who cant help the way they are for medical reasons......so its not fair to tar them all with the same brush.

Had this out with someone else on here recently. That's all BS.

There are certain viral infections, and other physiological conditions which cna elad to water retention and faster weight gain than the average. But the bottom line is if you don't eat excessive amounts of food you won't become obese.

So I think it's perfectly fine in this instance to tar them all with the same brush. It's a lifestyle choice,not a mandate.

gracehopper · 23-01-2008 04:48PM

KaG1888 wrote: »

Haha excellent. I am annoyed I didn't get that in as I am hardly Morticia's biggest fan. O lads,

You'll LOVE this http://i70.photobucket.com/albums/i84/Kag1888/bertie.jpg

Ha Ha, thats actually a nice picture of harney!! shes way fatter than that i'd say!!

Tzetze · 23-01-2008 04:57PM

How about;

MacDonalds/Supermacs/BurgerKing/etc pay for the healthcare of the morbidly obese.

Philip Morris pays for the healthcare (worldwide) of lung cancer/emphysema sufferers.

AngryBadger · 23-01-2008 06:53PM

Tzetze wrote: »

Philip Morris pays for the healthcare (worldwide) of lung cancer/emphysema sufferers.

Which is also a load of crap and further feeding our current society wide victim-psychosis. If you smoke and get cancer, well ffs, the link is not a big secret!!! If you eat too much and get heart disease...do I even need to finish this?

If you insist on being reckless with your own health at least get some private health cover and don't force the rest of the world to pay for it.

Tzetze · 23-01-2008 06:58PM

AngryBadger wrote: »

Which is also a load of crap and further feeding our current society wide victim-psychosis. If you smoke and get cancer, well ffs, the link is not a big secret!!! If you eat too much and get heart disease...do I even need to finish this?

If you insist on being reckless with your own health at least get some private health cover and don't force the rest of the world to pay for it.

So, it's fine for those who profit from the deterioration of public health to continue to do so?

Obese people may get paid to lose weight

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