Roly-Poly Yanks

I read an article today about Americans being fat. It was one of the oddest articles I have ever read; I am sure it is propaganda, but I have no idea what I'm being persuaded of. (And I stole this picture from the article... just felt I ought to include that.)

Basically, it discusses the opposing camps of dieters and fat people. Both sides want the other to be converted to a Zen like understanding of weight, beauty, and food. I find it all a little odd. I mean, I can understand that being fat is bad even taking away any notions of beauty, it's just plain unhealthy. But why is it my business if you're fat or vice versa? The dieters apparently are boycotting the fact that America produces too much food, that fast food places have supersize options, and that "a third of the country is currently obese... the fat are fast becoming a majority." Ignoring the horrible maths skills there, I still don't see where this has anything to do with me. Just because the food industry makes food doesn't mean I have to eat it. Just because I can supersize my food doesn't mean I am forced into obesity. And mostly, it just plain has nothing to do with me. The article also mocks the new McDonald's policy that posts its caloric content on the wrappers of the burgers. Our author thinks it's preposterous that you must first pay for the food before you find out it's 730 calories. Ah yes, how many of us have been similarly deceived: What?! This isn't a non-fat, soy burger? This thing dripping with grease and cheese is... gasp... bad for me?

As for the fat camp, they are trying to say that dieting only makes you fatter, as "one activist" says: "The way to fatten an animal is to starve it and then re-feed it. Your metabolism slows down when you're eating less. People on diets are predisposing their body to gain more weight." Now, again, I am not sold on this at all. Dieting doesn't mean starving yourself anymore than the existence of supersized meals creates fat people. The logic is horrible. The thin are yelling at the fat for being fat (for what reason again?) and the fat are yelling back at the thin (again... why?) and everyone's yelling at The Corporation for making us all so unhappy.

I'm all for health, but since when is it anyone's business? If people want to eat themselves to death, who assigned you Saviour? I don't want people telling me how to eat - and that goes for the thin and the fat. Don't call me a sellout because I try to eat healthy and don't call me crazy for sometimes ingesting (God forbid) pizza. I'd say the real crisis here is how much influence we feel that we can make in other people's lives. Well, that and the horrid writing of the article.