[Jordan1975]

What’s Your Price to Be Thin? By Daniel DeNoon WebMD Medical News

"...We're so afraid of being fat that we'd make tremendous sacrifices to avoid it, find Marlene B. Schwartz, PhD, associate director of Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, and colleagues.

Among the 4,283 people who participated in Schwartz's online survey, in order not to be obese:

46% said they'd give up a year of life.
15% said they'd give up 10 years of life.
25% said they'd rather be unable to have children.
15% said they'd rather be clinically depressed.
14% said they'd rather be alcoholic.
5% said they'd give up a limb.
4% said they'd rather be blind.
Moreover, 10% of participants said they'd rather have an anorexic child than an obese child. Eight percent said they'd rather have a learning-disabled child than an obese child. "

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/122/114699.htm

You know what i'd sacrifice to not be overweight anymore? processed sugar, caffiene, soda, butter, lethargy, painful joints, my size 18 pants...
wait. I already did.

[ellis]

Good GRIEF!! Blind?! Minus a limb?! Holy petolies!
I'm with you and your choices, Jordan.

[Jayde]

This just goes to show how miserable and hopeless many obese people feel.

I like your choices too Jordan. With your choices you are adding quality to your years not taking away from it.

I'm still shaking my head at what some people think they would or could give up. Sort of like Rumpletiltskin. Wouldn't they think twice after getting what they think they want in exchange..

[dragonwoman64]

46% said they'd give up a year of life.
15% said they'd give up 10 years of life.
25% said they'd rather be unable to have children.
15% said they'd rather be clinically depressed.
14% said they'd rather be alcoholic.
5% said they'd give up a limb.
4% said they'd rather be blind.


wow, the irony.

obesity takes years off of your life. it can effect fertility. It can make depression worse, if not cause it. Obesity increases your chances of getting diabetes, diabetes can lead to blindness and loss of limbs.

[jillybean720]

Originally Posted by Jordan1975

Moreover, 10% of participants said they'd rather have an anorexic child than an obese child. Eight percent said they'd rather have a learning-disabled child than an obese child.

This is the part that gets me...sure, being an obese child is a struggle, but I survived it and think I'm probably better for it--it made me stronger and made me realize what's really important in life. If I were anorexic instead, I likely would have been obsessed with food and physical appearance. being obese, food and physical appearance were less important to me--which is how I got to be obese in the first place, I'm sure Or a child with a learning disability? You'd rather have a child who can't learn properly than a child with a few extra pounds? I mean, losing weight can be a struggle, but you can lose it, whereas many people never fully overcome a learning disability (depending on the severity).

[Misti in Seattle]

Originally Posted by Jordan1975

You know what i'd sacrifice to not be overweight anymore? processed sugar, caffiene, soda, butter, lethargy, painful joints, my size 18 pants...
wait. I already did.

LOL for sure! If people were more willing to give up these, they would not need to think about giving up all those other things.

But the people who say they would give up these things have not tried living with those consequences, such as blind, etc. Talk is easy.

[KimmyKat63]

If I could eat what I wanted and be a permanent size 6, I would give up 10 years of life. In my family the women tend to live to mid-nineties! Well, ok, my mom died of cancer and I have diabetes so mid-nineties is probably out anyway.

Hey, notice that it said "in order not to be obese". I wouldn't give up anything to be overweight either. I'd have to be normal weight to thin!

[lilybelle]

I have lived with serious health problems for a few years now. I wouldn't choose any of those things listed above as trade-offs for being thin. The only thing I would give up is unhealthy eating. I seriously would not rather have an anorexic child than an obese child. I would never give up any of the years of my precious life in exchange for not being obese. Yes, being obese is difficult and I have been there, but being DEAD would be worse.