Obesity is a disease?
Poll
Obesity is a disease?
Proponents contend that obesity is a disease because it meets the definition of disease; it decreases life expectancy and impairs the normal functioning of the body; and it can be caused by genetic factors. Opponents contend that obesity is not a disease because it is a preventable risk factor for other diseases; is the result of eating too much; and is caused by exercising too little.
Yes or no? Thoughts?
Yes or no? Thoughts?
Scroll to see replies
Original post by neb789
Proponents contend that obesity is a disease because it meets the definition of disease; it decreases life expectancy and impairs the normal functioning of the body; and it can be caused by genetic factors. Opponents contend that obesity is not a disease because it is a preventable risk factor for other diseases; is the result of eating too much; and is caused by exercising too little.
Yes or no? Thoughts?
Yes or no? Thoughts?
no because obesity is a ****ing life choice, for example you don't choose your genetics, so if you're born with a disease then yes, that's a disease, but a life choice which most people choose themselves is not called a disease, it's called no willpower idiocy and foolishness.
Eidt: sorry for rant, i hate it when people think obesity is a disease and needs to be treated as a disease.
Original post by C-rated
The day I can catch extremely high cholesterol off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease
High cholesterol can also be genetic
Original post by C-rated
The day I can catch extremely high cholesterol off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease
Many disease aren't contagious. So I don't know what point you're trying to make.
Yes, it is a disease by definition. But it isn't contagious, its almost exclusively a consequence of poor life choices.
Whether its a disease or not shouldn't take away from that point.
Edit: BTW, thank you to OP for repping me up to an 8th gem <3
Whether its a disease or not shouldn't take away from that point.
Edit: BTW, thank you to OP for repping me up to an 8th gem <3
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by BristolFresher15
Many disease aren't contagious. So I don't know what point you're trying to make.
Agreed. I have condition that has the word disease in it which is not contagious.
Original post by C-rated
The day I can catch extremely high cholesterol off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease
I see his logic. The day I can catch extreme lack of intelligence off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease.
Wait, whats that? Global warming doesn't exist? Vaccines causes autism? Big Pharma trying to poison us all? Chemtrails? I think claiming obesity is a disease is just a propaganda scheme by those pesky scientists who want us to "eat more fruits and vegetables" or "do more exercise". Needless to say the only exercise I'll be doing in a while is to play FIFA on my PS4...
Therefore, Obesity = Stupidity, and since getting something like your pinky finger fractured because it got trapped in your grandmother's drawer can be considered stupid, obesity is most definitely real.
Spoiler
(edited 8 years ago)
I understand why people might say that and I don't actually know how medics would go about classifying a disease so I'd probably agree with what the 'experts' say about the matter.
But personally, it is not a disease - it's a lifestyle choice and a bad habit. I think there are rare cases of diseases which would cause someone to be obese - but this just proves obesity is the effect of something, not a disease itself.
Though of course metaphorically speaking, obesity certainly is a 'disease to society'.
But personally, it is not a disease - it's a lifestyle choice and a bad habit. I think there are rare cases of diseases which would cause someone to be obese - but this just proves obesity is the effect of something, not a disease itself.
Though of course metaphorically speaking, obesity certainly is a 'disease to society'.
Original post by amazingusername
I see his logic. The day I can catch extreme lack of intelligence off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease.
Wait, whats that? Global warming doesn't exist? Vaccines causes autism? Big Pharma trying to poison us all? Chemtrails? I think claiming obesity is a disease is just a propaganda scheme by those pesky scientists who want us to "eat more fruits and vegetables" or "do more exercise". Needless to say the only exercise I'll be doing in a while is to play FIFA on my PS4...
Therefore, Obesity = Stupidity, and since getting something like your pinky finger fractured because it got trapped in your grandmother's drawer can be considered stupid, obesity is most definitely real.
Wait, whats that? Global warming doesn't exist? Vaccines causes autism? Big Pharma trying to poison us all? Chemtrails? I think claiming obesity is a disease is just a propaganda scheme by those pesky scientists who want us to "eat more fruits and vegetables" or "do more exercise". Needless to say the only exercise I'll be doing in a while is to play FIFA on my PS4...
Therefore, Obesity = Stupidity, and since getting something like your pinky finger fractured because it got trapped in your grandmother's drawer can be considered stupid, obesity is most definitely real.
Spoiler
Great bait, I'm sure your parents must be so proud of you.
I was merely suggesting that obesity does not meet one of the definitions of a disease and since I'm here, it also doesn't count as a genetic disease which is another definition. Yes, high cholesterol is a genetic factor passed on, but that does not count as a genetic disease imo since exercise and a good diet can remove the effects entirely; whereas something like asthma or Cystic Fibrosis cannot be removed entirely.
Original post by C-rated
Great bait, I'm sure your parents must be so proud of you.
I was merely suggesting that obesity does not meet one of the definitions of a disease and since I'm here, it also doesn't count as a genetic disease which is another definition. Yes, high cholesterol is a genetic factor passed on, but that does not count as a genetic disease imo since exercise and a good diet can remove the effects entirely; whereas something like asthma or Cystic Fibrosis cannot be removed entirely.
I was merely suggesting that obesity does not meet one of the definitions of a disease and since I'm here, it also doesn't count as a genetic disease which is another definition. Yes, high cholesterol is a genetic factor passed on, but that does not count as a genetic disease imo since exercise and a good diet can remove the effects entirely; whereas something like asthma or Cystic Fibrosis cannot be removed entirely.
You can't remove high cholesterol by having exercise or a supposedly "good diet" because you body just produces more cholesterol in the liver. In fact if you stop eating "high cholesterol" foods your body will produce the cholesterol it needs anyways which completely defeats the purpose.
Also depends on the type of cholesterol - High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) are the "good" cholesterol because they carry cholesterol from your body back to the liver to be broken down, but Low Density Liproproteins (LDL) and Very Low Density Liproproteins (VLDL) are considered "bad" cholesterol because they actually carry cholesterol from your liver to all around your body.
By the way, what do you define as a "diseease"? Just want to see what a layman's interpretation of this term is, not some scientific definition.
Original post by amazingusername
Just because it involves a life choice doesn't mean it isn't a disease - you could drink alcohol every day of your life and get liver cancer, and that is most definitely a disease.
Though I admit that some people get obese due to their own (frankly) stupid life choices, many people actually underestimate how hard it becomes to "lose that fat" again. Just remember that obese people are actually just like you and I - if they can't "cure" themselves even after 5, 10 or 20 years of trying, I'm not saying it's not completely their fault but something else must also be at play here.
Though I admit that some people get obese due to their own (frankly) stupid life choices, many people actually underestimate how hard it becomes to "lose that fat" again. Just remember that obese people are actually just like you and I - if they can't "cure" themselves even after 5, 10 or 20 years of trying, I'm not saying it's not completely their fault but something else must also be at play here.
i guess.....
yup most definitely but like someone else posted you can get rid of this "disease" by running and doing exercise
Original post by amazingusername
You can't remove high cholesterol by having exercise or a supposedly "good diet" because you body just produces more cholesterol in the liver. In fact if you stop eating "high cholesterol" foods your body will produce the cholesterol it needs anyways which completely defeats the purpose.
Also depends on the type of cholesterol - High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) are the "good" cholesterol because they carry cholesterol from your body back to the liver to be broken down, but Low Density Liproproteins (LDL) and Very Low Density Liproproteins (VLDL) are considered "bad" cholesterol because they actually carry cholesterol from your liver to all around your body.
By the way, what do you define as a "diseease"? Just want to see what a layman's interpretation of this term is, not some scientific definition.
Also depends on the type of cholesterol - High Density Lipoproteins (HDL) are the "good" cholesterol because they carry cholesterol from your body back to the liver to be broken down, but Low Density Liproproteins (LDL) and Very Low Density Liproproteins (VLDL) are considered "bad" cholesterol because they actually carry cholesterol from your liver to all around your body.
By the way, what do you define as a "diseease"? Just want to see what a layman's interpretation of this term is, not some scientific definition.
I count obesity as a condition rather than a disease because that's exactly what it is. The definition of obesity is being overly fat or overweight which is not a thing in terms of genetics, the genetic can give you an increased chance of being overweight. You can be born with asthma or Cystic Fibrosis, but there's no-one born with obesity. I count a disease as something you cannot remove the effects of, like Huntingtons disease, exercising can remove the obesity, it cannot remove a disease.
I take A2 biology but am no means an expert and the definition of disease here is my opinion. However, I can say that using the heartuk.org or some other websites page on cholesterol and copypasting it does not count as being a professional which is what you were implying by calling me a layman.
Although granted there's some obesity that cannot be removed, it's a state of body. It's like saying having a limb cut off is a disease.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by C-rated
The day I can catch extremely high cholesterol off of someone is the day obesity should count as a disease
I can appreciate some scepticism over the definition but not all diseases are communicable.
Think of autoimmune diseases, stroke, cancers, dementia or diabetes.
yes, obese people are a disease
nah just kidding - I don't think obsity is a disease
at least, not in a conventional sense - it's about self-control
I used to be fat and I had to go through a fundamental lifestyle revolution to become thin and fit
I never thought it was a disease - it was just force of habit that I loved unhealthy food
nah just kidding - I don't think obsity is a disease
at least, not in a conventional sense - it's about self-control
I used to be fat and I had to go through a fundamental lifestyle revolution to become thin and fit
I never thought it was a disease - it was just force of habit that I loved unhealthy food
(edited 8 years ago)
I think it should be treated as a mental health illness, I had been overweight for a while as a result of illness it was seriously horrible the mobility, confidence and general fitness you lose is horrible and for most I assume these factors accumulate and you put on more and more weight.
I can't imagine how difficult life is when obese but during my short stint as a fatty I don't think anyone should have to live like that.
I can't imagine how difficult life is when obese but during my short stint as a fatty I don't think anyone should have to live like that.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Kvothe the arcane
I can appreciate some scepticism over the definition but not all diseases are communicable.
Think of autoimmune diseases, stroke, cancers, dementia or diabetes.
Think of autoimmune diseases, stroke, cancers, dementia or diabetes.
I do agree with you, I was just using an example of one of the definitions of disease as a form of satire, I don't genuinely think that all diseases can be contagious
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