Channel Button

There are 37 articles on this title. You are reading the article ranked and rated #28 by Helium's members.

Health & Fitness   >

Weight Issues

Get a Widget for this title

Obesity a growing problem

by Mutters

A report out of Australia recently has some very disturbing results. In it, there lies a claim that 70% of men and 50% of women are now classed as obese. Put another way, that's 60% of ALL people are obese a clear majority.
It has reached such proportions that specially constructed toilet seats are now being imported into Australia to cope with the increase girth of the average (it appears) behind. Humorously named the Big John', these bigger and stronger seats (from America, the fat' capital of the world) are designed to carry the extra weight, unlike their poor predecessors, which couldn't handle the increasingly weighty load.


There has been mention from some that the strength of the actual toilet bowl must be reconsidered as to its ability to stand the additional weight also.
If it failed at a crucial moment there's a mess I'd be unwilling to clean up!

It's just occurred to me Ive probably alienated half my audience (60% if we consider the Australians and the recent report). Let's hope their ability to understand is as big as their expanding person.

It raises a wider issue; that is these expanding behinds (entire frames actually) no longer fit into what has for decades been the accepted typical size of a given person a time when kids walked to school and climbed trees for fun.(And fell out of said trees without subsequently suing someone).
Aircraft seats are another example of trying to fit a square peg into a round hole', as it were. Not so much square' as enormous.
In fact, public transport in general faces this problem. Trains, buses even the entry styles to some stadia are too small for the truly obese.

The cost to economies, specifically the health systems of such, has reached billions globally (cause unsurprisingly it's not just an Australian issue) and has now surpassed the long-lived number one strain on the system namely that most disgusting of habits smoking. This alleged fact only applies (at this point in time at least) to the US.
Have we become such a not my fault' society that we won't even take responsibility for our own health? Instead choosing to blame the producers of the foods we shove en masse down our throats while we use our remote control to change channel as we rapidly balloon in size.

Just another symptom of the ailing state of the human condition as it cowers under the relentless onslaught of self-improvement and manipulated evolution.

Learn more about this author, Mutters.
Contact this writer Click here to send this author comments or questions.


Below are the top articles rated and ranked by Helium members on:

Obesity a growing problem

  • 1 of 37

    by Alicia Herring

    OBESITY: WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?

    Obesity is a growing problem in our nation today. Over the years, the number of individuals considered

    read more

  • 2 of 37

    by Angela Diggs

    Obesity is a growing problem in our country. According to a recent study, obesity is an illness that affects about 60 million

    read more

  • 3 of 37

    by Teresa Aira

    Obesity in the United States is a growing problem that is affecting children and adults in rising numbers. There are many

    read more

  • 4 of 37

    by Emmanuel Osondu

    There simply is no point living in denial. Obesity is already a very serious problem in American society. According

    read more

  • 5 of 37

    by Michelle Wilkinson

    Society has always contained a mixture of thin and fat people. The trouble is that today the balance is tipped in favour

    read more

View All Articles on:
Obesity a growing problem

Add your voice

Know something about Obesity a growing problem?
We want to hear your view. Write_penWrite now!

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Are there easy ways to lose weight?

Click for your side.

242491

Featured Partner

Teachers Without Borders (TWB)

TEACHER CONNECTIONS WRITING CONTEST: November 18 - December 9, 2009 Teachers Without Borders has partnered with He...more

What is Helium? | Buy Web Content | Contact Us | Privacy | User agreement | DMCA | User Tools | Help | Community | Helium’s Official Blog | Link to Helium

Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA