Vern's Verbal Vibe

Singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist and purveyor of folk 'n' roll: spirit-filled sad songs made better.

May 03, 2007

Fat Chance

If health professionals were as concerned about the obesity "pandemic" as they claim to be, they'd figure out which of the many weight-loss programs actually work and subsidize them. One of the few things the experts and I agree on is the correlation between obesity and poverty, and isn't it funny how those who could most benefit from a structured, medically supervised weight-loss program can't afford it? Instead, the health industry prefers to shame, blame, and engage in trans-fat witch hunts.

This fear-mongering ties in with the industry's love of hyperbole. This week's pandemic was last week's epidemic and the previous week's crisis. Back in the days before doctors, nutritionists, and wellness fanatics hijacked public policy, we simply accepted that some people were thin, some fat, some average. Imagine that.