With the economy tanking, it’s been easy to forget about that other little disaster lurking in America’s wings: the obesity epidemic. But it’s still raging on, popping up in places like Army recruitment offices and pediatric clinics at breakneck speed. Rather than let the problem run free and pray that it takes care of itself (a philosophy that worked oh so well for the economy) state and federal governments have been trying out various regulations aimed at curbing the rampant weight gain that’s sweeping the nation.
But is legislating how, where, and how much people eat a massive crimp in our civil liberties? Paul Hsieh at ABC News thinks so, and is tossing fire and brimstone at any and all food regulation lest it turn the U.S. into a fascist freedom-stomping regime:
Many American cities ban restaurants from selling foods with trans fats. Los Angeles has imposed a moratorium on new fast food restaurants in South L.A. Other California cities ban smoking in some private residences. California has outlawed after-school bake sales as part of a “zero tolerance” ban on selling sugar products on campus. New York Gov. David Paterson has proposed an 18 percent tax on sugary sodas and juice drinks, and state officials have not ruled out additional taxes on cheeseburgers and other foods deemed unhealthy.
These ominous trends will only accelerate if the US adopts universal healthcare.
Just as universal healthcare will further fuel the nanny state, the nanny state mind-set helps fuel the drive toward universal healthcare. Individuals aren’t regarded as competent to decide how to manage their lives and their health. So the government provides “cradle to grave” coverage of their healthcare.
Nanny state regulations and universal healthcare thus feed a vicious cycle of increasing government control over individuals. Both undermine individual responsibility and habituate citizens to ever-worsening erosions of their individual rights. Both promote dependence on government. Both undermine the virtues of independence and rationality. Both jeopardize the very foundations of a free society.
Sure, the idea of regulating what we eat can evoke plenty of scary Orwellian imagery. But as with everything in government, the questions “How much would we regulate?” and “In what way?” and “Would the benefits of regulation outweigh the gains?” are just as important as “Will it constrict rights?”
In obesity’s case, the alternative Hsieh and his fellow anti-regulators present is: Do nothing! Let the changes in modern lifestyle continue to drive the population into greater levels of abysmal health, further crushing our already foundering health care system. Whether we enact universal health care or not, the U.S. is already heading into a medical disaster zone that could buckle with or without regulation, and the epidemic is growing at pretty astonishing rates. Given the choice between trying to do something about it and not, we think we’d take the latter. Particularly if all it means is a higher price on a liter of Coke.
Related:
RB: Who’s the Fattest of Them All? Obesity Rates Rise in 37 States
RB: Should Obesity Be Treated Like an Addiction?
RB: Obesity May Be In Your Genes, But It Isn’t Your Destiny
January 13th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
The arguments for regulating what people may eat in order to prevent obesity sound very much like the arguments made in favor of Prohibition to prevent alcoholism. That didn’t work either. A saner approach would be to implement a public information campaign alerting people to the dangers of obesity, coupled with legislation requiring restaurants to provide nutritional information about their food offerings. Such a campaign dramatically reduced the health problems associated with smoking. A similar approach, enabling individuals to make intelligent, informed nutritional decisions, would prove equally effective in dealing with obesity.
January 13th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I don’t know what fantasy this Hsieh guy has about a ‘free society,’ but everything’s already regulated, and that’s a good thing. If things were regulated more intelligently and more often we’d have less of these problems. Companies don’t act in the public’s best interest. It’s up to the government to keep them in line and watch after the regular people, and successful countries excel at that. Insuring millions who can’t currently afford it gives them freedom. Protecting people from bad food and helping them have healthy lifestyles gives them freedom.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I have to agree with Kuyper. Paul Hsieh is right in a lot of ways. Many are content to let the government manage everything, even their own lives (as is the case with this discussion). Now I know his do-nothing approach is absurd, which is why I whole-heartedly support a public information campaign. After all, informed citizens are the heart of democratic society.
January 13th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
I think there are better ways to achieve these goals, without resorting to instituting new laws. As a nurse, this sort of topic comes up frequently, since many of the patients we deal with are overweight and/or diabetic. I think limiting poor quality foods in exchange for healthy choices in schools is one great idea. Another is further subsidizing of healthy foods – make it more affordable for people to eat healthier, fund more programs with lower income families to teach them to make healthier meals. And of course, developing more programs to encourage physical activity in children and adults, whether that be after-school programs, or a portion of the work-day that is allotted for physical activity and wellness programs of employees.
There are ways to achieve the goals without attempting to make every personal choice by law.
January 13th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
@Jeff
You’re right that regulations should be implemented intelligently, but so many regulations seem to be a response to someone saying “There outta be a law!” based on some aspect of someone else’s life they don’t agree with. I’m all for providing incentives to help people lead healthier lives, but when it comes to out and out bans, or punishing people for making their own choices? I can’t support that. As far as I’m concerned, I won’t ask you to change your lifestyle to suit me, so don’t ask me (or worse, use force) to change mine to suit you.
January 14th, 2009 at 12:30 am
The good news is that I know how to cook “unhealthy” food at home from perfectly “healthy” ingredients. If these guys get their way I’ll soon be operating a fried chicken smuggling ring. I’ll be rich!
Until the guys proposing these rules can learn to tell the quacks from the docs and understand some basic medical science, I don’t want them anywhere near my diet.
January 14th, 2009 at 4:20 am
Public health campaigns have been going on for years, and it was not done any good. People are still getting larger. Every tried to make a really healthy meal? It can be expensive! Raise taxes on foods containing an extreme amount of fat, just like a lot of countries do with tobacco, and use that to help lower the cost of healthy food. See how that works and then start thinking about laws.
January 14th, 2009 at 9:50 am
I think obesity is a good thing and should be encouraged. This could be the energy solution we’ve been looking for.
Think about it, let people achieve optimal size, say 6 or 700 pounds.
They can then be stripped of thier blubber, which can be melted down for biofuel.
Obesity and energy problem solved in one shot!
January 14th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Jeff–you are the fascist, man! Mussolini himself could not have said it better.
Why screw around with trivia like freedom to eat yourself into an early grave. Actually, I think we should tax people over a certain diameter–they take up excessive space on the sidewalk, beat the crap out of sofas and bus seats. Let’s face it, we can “pc” this thing but the reality is most people are fat because they eat a lot and sit on their butts too much. But now they are the latest new victim and the lefties are rushing to pander to the fatties.
I’m not sure about fatties, but smokers, bec they die earlier, actually take up less medical spending than well people. Obviously we should tax wellness!
March 21st, 2009 at 3:36 pm
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