Comments on: Depression will cure our obesity? http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/11/22/depression-will-cure-our-obesity/ A posting every day; an interesting idea every three months... Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:53:43 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David Wihl http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/11/22/depression-will-cure-our-obesity/comment-page-1/#comment-94300 David Wihl Mon, 24 Nov 2008 14:51:16 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/?p=1133#comment-94300 A simpler solution: Sweeney Todd! Would solve the traffic and environmental problems too... Meat pies in aisle 4. A simpler solution: Sweeney Todd! Would solve the traffic and environmental problems too…

Meat pies in aisle 4.

]]> By: Cincy Steve http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/11/22/depression-will-cure-our-obesity/comment-page-1/#comment-94278 Cincy Steve Sun, 23 Nov 2008 14:48:12 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/?p=1133#comment-94278 History would indicate population obesity increases with financial hardship. Obesity is much more common in poverty stricken areas in the United States. Rather than heading to Chez Felipe for a fancy dinner with smaller servings, low income families head for Burger King where $20 buys a gut busting meal instead of an appetizer. Your $1.50 Costco meal is a great example. Certainly hunger exists in the United States but the abject poverty with inability to buy any food is a small percentage of the population easily outweighed by generously sized Americans. Financial recession/depression is associated with increased psychiatric symptoms of depression which is then in turn also associated with obesity. For the lucky few not succumbing to depression or a need for deep fat fried somethings, that Curves monthly gym membership begins to look a bit extravagant which contributes to the problem as well. Currently the U.S. spends over 200 billion/year on diabetes. http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/cost-of-diabetes-in-us.jsp A large share of diabetes is due to obesity, inactivity, and poor diet. I wonder what the cost of diabetes will be next year? History would indicate population obesity increases with financial hardship. Obesity is much more common in poverty stricken areas in the United States. Rather than heading to Chez Felipe for a fancy dinner with smaller servings, low income families head for Burger King where $20 buys a gut busting meal instead of an appetizer. Your $1.50 Costco meal is a great example. Certainly hunger exists in the United States but the abject poverty with inability to buy any food is a small percentage of the population easily outweighed by generously sized Americans.
Financial recession/depression is associated with increased psychiatric symptoms of depression which is then in turn also associated with obesity.
For the lucky few not succumbing to depression or a need for deep fat fried somethings, that Curves monthly gym membership begins to look a bit extravagant which contributes to the problem as well.
Currently the U.S. spends over 200 billion/year on diabetes.
http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/cost-of-diabetes-in-us.jsp
A large share of diabetes is due to obesity, inactivity, and poor diet.
I wonder what the cost of diabetes will be next year?

]]> By: GB http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/11/22/depression-will-cure-our-obesity/comment-page-1/#comment-94268 GB Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:15:34 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/?p=1133#comment-94268 Although rice and beans beat chips and soda in nutrition and cost. Poor folks and folks feeling poor usually make the worse choice in food. Something about no joy in life so a tasty bag of chips will have to do. I believe Dickens wrote something about poor immigrants spending excessive money on tea. Timeless human logic failure. You'd think Dunkin Donuts 99 cent lattes would be a big hit... Although rice and beans beat chips and soda in nutrition and cost. Poor folks and folks feeling poor usually make the worse choice in food. Something about no joy in life so a tasty bag of chips will have to do. I believe Dickens wrote something about poor immigrants spending excessive money on tea. Timeless human logic failure. You’d think Dunkin Donuts 99 cent lattes would be a big hit…

]]> By: Sean http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/2008/11/22/depression-will-cure-our-obesity/comment-page-1/#comment-94265 Sean Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:05:50 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/philg/?p=1133#comment-94265 The Costco hot dog costs the same amount in 2008 as it did in 1995 (and in 1995, I only got 12 oz. of soda rather than 20). Too bad the rest of the economy hasn't been able to control inflation so well. The Costco hot dog costs the same amount in 2008 as it did in 1995 (and in 1995, I only got 12 oz. of soda rather than 20). Too bad the rest of the economy hasn’t been able to control inflation so well.

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