Let's Fine the Fatties

[Cave Johnson]

Who's with me?

Why are the Japanese so slender? There are three reasons, and none of them has to do with genetics. One is the traditional Japanese diet, which is heavy on fish, vegetables, and rice. The second is Japan's mass-transit-centered urban design, which encourages Japanese people to walk a lot more than Americans. But the third factor is paternalism. Japan's government takes an active role in combating any hint of an upward trend in fatness.

In 2008, Japan's diet passed a law designed to combat "metabolic syndrome," which is known to Americans as "pre-diabetes." The so-called "Metabo Law" requires overweight individuals, or individuals who show signs of weight-related illnesses, to go to dieting classes. If they fail to attend the classes, the companies that employ them and/or the local governments of the areas in which they live must pay fines to the federal government. In addition, companies with more than a certain percentage of overweight employees are fined directly.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/...ng-fat/261940/

[KILLER_CLOWN]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

Cheeseburger tax at the level we tax tobacco. Tax soft drinks at the level we tax beer.

Problem solved.

This makes as much sense as the mailman i bumped into that was voting for Obama. He's gonna make them oil companies pay by raising taxes on them!

We'll just tax everything we like so high we can no longer afford to live, that'll show em'.

[jiveturkey]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

Cheeseburger tax at the level we tax tobacco. Tax soft drinks at the level we tax beer.

Problem solved.

What if someone eats a lot of cheese burgers but is fit and has great blood work?

This type of thing should really be tied to an annual health assessment. If you want to smoke and eat a pound of sugar everyday you're free to. You're just going to pay higher premiums.

The current group health set up causes the one's with great health to pay more for the one's that make poor choices.

[Luke Warm]

Originally Posted by Spott

Lighten up, Francis.

How the hell did you know I named my gigantic mini-me Francis?

You obviously don't know Francis too well if you're asking him to "lighten up". That's only possible post-orgasm....anything before that is....well.....imagine making Bill Bixby VERY angry.

[Luke Warm]

Originally Posted by tooge

calm down there slim

I'm calm as a cucumber in Rome.

[qabbaan]

Only about half of us pay taxes anymore, and I'm betting that fat people are over represented in the doesn't-pay half, so a fat tax wouldn't be effective.

[Frosty]

Originally Posted by Luke Warm

I'm calm as a cucumber in Rome.

Sure thing, Yogi.

[vailpass]

Originally Posted by qabbaan

Only about half of us pay taxes anymore, and I'm betting that fat people are over represented in the doesn't-pay half, so a fat tax wouldn't be effective.

Exactly. The food stamp pigs would keep being food stamp pigs on our dime.

[qabbaan]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Exactly. The food stamp pigs would keep being food stamp pigs on our dime.

Have another litter, dont cost nothin'!

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by KILLER_CLOWN

This makes as much sense as the mailman i bumped into that was voting for Obama. He's gonna make them oil companies pay by raising taxes on them!

We'll just tax everything we like so high we can no longer afford to live, that'll show em'.

Totally not the same thing. One set of folks are smart about their health and deserve a break on health care. The others, not so much.

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by jiveturkey

What if someone eats a lot of cheese burgers but is fit and has great blood work?

This type of thing should really be tied to an annual health assessment. If you want to smoke and eat a pound of sugar everyday you're free to. You're just going to pay higher premiums.

The current group health set up causes the one's with great health to pay more for the one's that make poor choices.

This. And I'm surprised the politicos haven't brought this up (that I know of).

[Johnny Vegas]

I'm not really sure if its the fatties costing others money. Remember the 750 billion dollars wasted yearly by insurance companies through mark-ups, fraud and other deceivable paper work?

[Frosty]

I wish I still had a link but I read an article a while back that made a compelling case that people that do unhealthy things like smoke or overeat actually cost less in terms of health care in the long run because they tend to die much younger. If a fatty keels over at 45 from a heart attack they don't take as much care as someone that gets into their 70's - 80's and starts having frequent problems, needs joint replacements and/or gets some long, lingering disease.

I don't know how true that is but it's interesting to think about. Also, iirc, the author lumped in some other dangerous actions like driving with no seatbelt or helmet, which may have skewed the curve since they tend to go suddenly.