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srkad t1_ix0shl1 wrote

Reply to comment by jabberwockgee in Writer wears Lizzo's dress to red carpet gala after an unusual request | CBC Radio by ChrisOntario

The cost of the American healthcare system is 4.1 trillion

https://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/Statistics-Trends-and-Reports/NationalHealthExpendData/NationalHealthAccountsHistorical

So 173 billion is a whopping 4.1% of all healthcare costs. I’m sure if we got all obese people skinny that 4.1% would really cut everyone’s costs.

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jabberwockgee t1_ix0tmzh wrote

So might as well encourage 'big and beautiful' to get that number up, right?

Edit: there's no arguing with you, but I don't think 4% is 'almost completely irrelevant' when talking about healthcare. Do you know how many health issues there are and how bad it is if ONE health issue takes up 4% of the cost?

Insanity to think it's not a big issue. Don't worry about obesity folks, only worry about cancer and heart disease or whatever, even though they're a lot harder to tackle. Don't worry about obesity and encourage people who promote it.

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srkad t1_ix0u3yw wrote

We might as well mind our own business and let people live the way they want to live because in the end it has next to 0 effect on your daily life.

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elixier t1_ix12ckh wrote

Ok let heroin addicts inject their way to the grave, after all, its their bodies :DDDDD

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srkad t1_ix1419t wrote

Do you go out to all the homeless people and yell at them for injecting heroin or do your mind your own business and move on?

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elixier t1_ix155c9 wrote

I support volunteer groups that try and get people off the streets, just like I would support campaigns trying to help curb obesity. Its fucking insane how saying "I don't support people dying from heroin overdoses" leads you to saying "Do you yell at them then?!?!". Americans in a nutshell lol

I don't go out insulting fat people, but when people say "being fat is perfectly fine and you can be very healthy whilst being huge and you gotta respect that, and you look just as pretty too" then no I don't support that message. You can surely rub those 2 braincells together and see the difference right?

If someone is fat but gets the issue with it and just lives their life, then its not like I have any power or say over their life, since they know its an issue themselves. But when people lie and maybe convince other people who could start a weight loss journey to essentially not bother because being fat is fine then that's not good at all.

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jabberwockgee t1_ix24h94 wrote

I might get annoyed if famous people got on their bullhorn to spout 'high and beautiful' rhetoric.

Or should we encourage that too? 🤔

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jabberwockgee t1_ix0ulbn wrote

You're excellent at using weasel words.

'almost completely irrelevant'

'next to 0 effect'

You can't argue with someone who won't make an actual statement.

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srkad t1_ix0v99r wrote

Would you rather I say it has exactly 0 effect so that you can push up your glasses and say “AcShUAlLy”? I use those words because obviously it’s effect is not 0. But it’s effect is pretty fucking close to 0 when it comes to your life and how your are effected.

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jabberwockgee t1_ix0xhnc wrote

So it's an opinion and not arguable.

4% is huge. But to you, it's next to nothing.

Why not introduce more bad habits and have famous people promote them?

If the total burden to the healthcare system is 4% or less, it's A-OK.

What a bizarre argument.

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KarateKid72 t1_ix19ns1 wrote

It’s a straw man argument. He’s been making several of those already, like the alcohol argument.

What we can anticipate is increased costs as obesity increases as a percentage of the population. Things like joint replacements. Cancers. Respiratory and circulatory issues. Not surprisingly, it’s also a strong indicator of economic disparity in this country.

What I’m surprised we haven’t heard is some sort of BS about the metabolically healthy obese individual. I hear that a lot in body positivity groups, despite research to the contrary.

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srkad t1_ix0yen0 wrote

4% is huge? Lmao alright bro whatever you say. Keep raising your blood pressure over what strangers put in their mouth.

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tim-405 t1_ix1tute wrote

Honestly can’t believe how one can claim that 4% is insignificant when talking about the equivalent 173 billion dollars it represent. First off all 4% is not insignificant by any definition of that word but you probably wouldn’t know that. Nor is 173 billion, there are literally countries worth less, by ANY definition it is a huge amount. You’re probably trolling but damn what a braindead comments. Imagine thinking 4% is insignificant and repeating it multiple times with such confidence.

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[deleted] t1_ix1wxo3 wrote

[removed]

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tim-405 t1_ix20j88 wrote

>It’s insignificant in context but I know context is probably extremelyhard for you to understand. When I say “someone being obese has noeffect on you” and someone replies “yes it does, it makes my insurancepremiums more expensive because of fat people’s cost on the healthcaresystem.” That 4% IS insignificant.

It literally isn't as proven 10 times in this thread, the 173 billion dollars required to pay for it doesn't just fall out of the sky? That has to be paid by taxes or personal contribution, either way it HAS to be paid someway which means I will either way foot the bill either by inflation or (in)direct contribution. That is indisputable. You can make all kinds of mental gymnastics or share your invalid opinions but the fact still is that it cost money and affects our economy (meaning it isn't insignificant) as literally said by the cdc themselves; https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/about-obesity/why-it-matters.html. It is beyond me how you cannot fathom that increased healthcare needs does result in extra cost for (healthy) people but maybe that is to much to ask from an average redditor.

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jabberwockgee t1_ix1uoa5 wrote

What percentage of the total healthcare spending does a single health issue need to take up before it's a 'big problem' according to you?

50%? (aka no health issue is a problem since none take up 50%)

25%? (aka 1 or 2?)

20? (maybe 3?)

15? (4? 5?)

10? (maybe 6 health issues total?)

Like I'm not sure if you just don't understand percentages or what...

4% is a big percentage, especially for something that's preventable via a person's life choices.

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srkad t1_ix1x7jb wrote

The claim was that fat people make health insurance more expensive. So yes it would have to be much more than 4% of health related costs for me to consider it significant enough to make an impact on how much you pay for health insurance. You can keep trying to change what this argument has been about all you want though.

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jabberwockgee t1_ix224ku wrote

So you don't consider 4% a big enough increase. We get it, we get it.

What would be a big enough increase?

I just think you are trying to justify letting obesity run rampant regardless of costs and using weasel words to prevent an actual discussion about it.

You think 4% isn't a big increase but then say it's not actually increasing costs at all, which is just lies.

So disregarding the fact that you refuse to have an honest discussion, what percentage increase would make you think twice about celebrities endorsing obesity as a healthy lifestyle?

Like 50%?

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