The profit from obesity.

[silverweb]

A very interesting article on the _Science and Development Network_ website:

What is really driving the obesity epidemic is not increased dietary intake, or decreased activity levels, but the web of economic strategies and commercial interests that cause individual people to change or maintain certain behaviours.

<snip>

The foods that maximise profit just happen to be those high in sugar or fat. They are cheap to produce, easy to brand and market, and easy to stock in supermarket aisles. And there are numerous ways to encourage people who are pre-obese to buy these foods.

Sedentary behaviour is also profitable, and encouraged by industry. A moped is more glamorous than a bicycle. A new computer game will re-invigorate peoples' interest, but not their bodies.

<snip>

Capitalism out-competes other economic systems, as evidenced by its worldwide spread. So on purely economic grounds it is successful. But the costs may be expressed in other currencies, such as the prevalence of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Capitalism has been studied primarily by economists. It's time health researchers got in on the act.

_source article_

Makes perfect sense to me.

Bring "health care" and Big Pharma into the act to modify obesity-related illnesses, as well as industries catering to diet and exercise programs, and it would seems that a very large part of our economy is devoted to (1) making people obese and (2) combatting obesity.

These may be unintended consequences of the original pursuit of profits, but they're quite real nevertheless.

[grannie4peace]

1. thank you

obesity is such a complex issue-- it is good to see these insights-- all these insights :):)

[silverweb]

2. You're welcome!

It is a very complex issue. This article confirms some things I've believed for a very long time and offers new insights, as well.

Welcome to DU, grannie4peace! :hi:

[Lydia Leftcoast]

3. What a racket: Encourage foods and types of sedentary life that

make people put on pounds, and then make them feel "bad" and "ugly" so that they buy your weight loss products.

[silverweb]

4. Exactly.

Have you ever browsed the covers of women's magazines in the grocery store line?

They're the perfect pictorial juxtaposition of "delicious desserts for your family!" next to guilt-inducing photos of svelte models and weight-loss plans -- a snapshot of the schizophrenic commercial world we live in.

It is a racket and we are the marks.