Stupid law in Mississippi-----targets the obese!

The state of Mississippi House of Representatives is trying to pass House Bill 282 (HB 282) which prohibits certain food establishments from serving food to any person who is obese based on criteria prescribed by the Mississippi State Dept of Health! This is such discrimination! Can you believe this as an acceptable solution to obesity?  Yep, simply tell McDonalds and other restaurants they are not allowed to sell to the obese people that come in their doors and then poof...there will be no more fat people in Mississippi! I am sooooo glad I do not live there, where the backwoods idiots run the government! You can read more at www.obesityaction.org Bonnie RNY 6/3/05 264/155

WTF?????!!!!!!!! It's not just MS, it's everywhere. Being obese is against the law ya know. I think they better get after the makers of EVERYBODY that puts corn syrup in everything, aspertame and others that make people sick. A lot of huge companies would be out of business.

OMG! How ridiculous! And yes, that IS discrimination! BIG TIME! I can't imagine these fast food companies going for this though! They will not stand for losing that kind of revenue and they have LOTS of money to back them up in getting this bill thrown out. All of us here know that forcing someone to stop fast food isn't going to "cure" obesity.

I don't know where you grew up in the 50's and 60's but in my neighborhood obesity was very much present and there was not a fast food place in sight. You did not hear a lot about obesity in the past but since we now know that it lead to other medical problems it is news worthy. Just like no one food can "cause" obesity fast food is not the cause of obesity (watch all the "thin" people going in and out of McDonalds)

I grew up in the south.  I rarely saw an obese person.  Not until  fast food has the problem of obesity been such a problem.  There was not a problem with obesity in the 50's and 60's.  You didnt hear about it 'cuz there wasnt a problem.

I'm a home health therapist, my husband a physician.  Combines 60 years of medical care. 30 years of therapy, I can tell you obesity has grown epidemically. People didnt have the video games, there wasnt anything on TV to speak of for children.  Early morning cartoons and the kids were outside for the rest of the day. Something needs to be done.  What, its difficult to say.

Personally, I think the state should tax fast food. On the consumer side.  There really wasnt any real obesity during the 50,60's.  Its the advent of fast food that has made our lives more difficult.  Look I'm a conservative as heart.  Companies should be able to make as much money as they want.  I myself among other people have stocks in some form of fast food or corp. in their 401, IRA's or pension plans. They need to lower the fat and sugar in their food offerings. Or someone needs to start a resturant that is strictly healthy.  But, then again, nobody would eat there.  Its a dilemna.

"Personally, I think the state should tax fast food. On the consumer side. " Every year, lawmakers hike cigarette taxes. No one is really quitting. If someone wants something, they will pay for it. Besides that, I don't like having the crap taxed of out people -- especially not as a form of punishment for unwanted behavior. The government is not my babysitter. "They need to lower the fat and sugar in their food offerings." YES. It is not necessary to have a burger that is 100g of fat in it!! Where in the WORLD is it coming from?? I believe they are adding for taste to cover the fact that it is bland processed crap because fat and sugar tastes fantastic to our taste buds, nevermind whatever else is going down with it! Not to mention how much more it saves them to offer 20% food and 80% cardboard (and I think I am being nice with that estimate! in their meals. And also they're doing it for a host of other reasons that is too long to get into here. Point being, it does not need to be as unhealthy as it is. I don't see why THEY can't change too! They offer these "health" menu's and when you actually read the numbers, they are no healthier than a box of chicken nuggets. I noticed, right after surgery, just how many fast food ads were really on television. Every 15 minutes I was bombarded with marketing messages and images of food. That does stuff to your mind. Then they tell the public, "well we didn't put a gun to their head and force feed them!" Nope, they did even better than that. "Or someone needs to start a resturant that is strictly healthy.  But, then again, nobody would eat there." That is absolutely untrue. I live in Colorado where people love their health food. There's health food stores all over the place from the chains like Whole Foods to little mom and pop ones. I can also rattle you a list of a dozen truly healthy places off the top of my head and I know there is in reality 3 times as many as I can actually remember. From ethnic to vegan to American, you name it. There would not be that many if they weren't popular. There's towns out here that are "slow foods only"  like Telluride. You would have to leave, drive through the mountains for 70 miles to get fast food. NOT kidding. And I don't know why anyone would want to... dear heavens there's some great food there. And yes, most people are thin there because it's a very ACTIVE, sporty kind of place along with being a rich place and you can likely afford a trainer or some liposuction or something, LOL. Their lack of fast food is ONE aspect of their lifestyle of this small ski town. There's many other factors that contribute to their general good health -- or, normal BMI anyway.

Congrats!! on your weight loss.  My surgery is Feb 19th and plenty scared.  All those things are true.I suppose it comes down to self control and if you'd like to live a healthy life.  It might be easier to live there.  But, hell it's so damn cold.  I dont want the government in my life either, but something has to be done about all the fast food that is so unhealthy.  I think some of them are trying offering salads, etc. but as long as there is a big juicy hamburger listed above the salad..........forget it!!!

Thank you! Your surgery will go fine. It will be here and over before you know it and you'll be home starting that weight loss journey. I cannot believe I am 9 months out as of Thursday. The time goes so fast. I had some problems really early on (like, at the hospital) and it almost seems like it never happened. Colorado is funny about temperature. It's not the Alaska of the lower 48 that it seems... but SOME areas really are. There's places that don't really get that cold and snowy. Some of my favorite places to hang out around here (not for food, outdoor stuff!) easily gets into the 100's in the summer. There's other places I've been to with healthier lifestyles too. New England for example. Pacific Northwest. California. These places have fast food too and fat people, but they also like their health food. New England is great about country farm stands where you can buy food straight from the farm. I got some apple cider to die for (or is it live for?) that way. Not to mention the apples that grow wild out there are the best I've ever tasted. Maine I know prides itself on local grocers. Even though I was 6 months out from surgery when I went, I did have  a good time at meals! Of course Oregon and Washington has alot of the same granola types as Colorado. I guess at heart, I'm a granola type too, LOL. I just don't care what it's called as long as I'm healthy and happy. I'm from the south originally, I know all about Southern cooking. My grandmother raised me on the real old fashioned stuff. Which means fried in Crisco and "saved" bacon grease and buttermilk and cream and all that stuff. And I learned how to cook exactly like that. And did for the first few years on my own. Between that, genetics, being inactive, having other health problems that made life kinda suck, and my love for fast food and sugar, I was getting fat. Erm, fatter. Even if I cut out the fast food, I would have gotten fatter. Sugar on the other hand.... it's my personal demon. That RNY has exorcised. Oh and I have big juicy burgers too! That I make at home on the grill. Costs less (I think!) and is far more healthy and far more tasty. Sorry to all  you vegetarians out there, I do love my veggies, but there's nothing like a medium well cow coming fresh off the home grill. Woo!

Actually, I my husband and kids vacationed a few times in Beaver Creek a years back. Very pretty. Loved going there!! Genetics are a factor in my decision to have RNY. Smallest person in the immediate and extended family. I used to work really work, but so discouraged this summer after I returned from Italy. I just lost all motivation. Dont know why, just did.