I’m not fat, I’m just economical…
Posted by Kelly Adams on February 5th, 2008 
Print This Post
I came across an interesting post on Wired today, referring to a Dutch study that just made me shake my head. The study found that obese people actually save society money versus healthy, thin people. While they are alive the fat people cost more, but since they die younger they end up being cheaper overall versus the healthy people who live longer and require care as they age.
I guess that this means that we should all live fat, die young, and save society from the cost of supporting us in our old age. Yeah, that sounds like a really good idea… and if I start smoking heavily, I can die *really* young and save society even more money!
I can picture an ad campaign from a fiscally responsible government already. The camera pans slowly to show the expansive dimensions of a family of huge people scarfing down super-double-extra-biggy-sized burgers and fries, slobbering and snorting as the shove vast quantities of food into their gullets. The Dad keels over dead, and the family keeps on eating without skipping a beat. Text gradually fades in saying “The Johnsons are doing their best for Canada’s future… are you?”
February 5th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
“Sex Drugs and RocknRoll” has become “Viagra, Cheetos and Dip”
February 5th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
Heheh
Yeah, something like that.
I guess the study isn’t really much different from most such studies: that is, subject to interpretation. It may be good to have a glass of red wine each day, but that doesn’t mean it is good to drink the whole bottle. And the reality is, the more healthy people we have, the longer they will live, and the more expensive health care will become.
February 6th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
A big factor in those calculations is Dementia. Because of where I work I see how many people we have that are more or less healthy physically, but out of it mentally. And that means they require total care. A mentally aware person can do things for themselves unless they are extremely ill. And even then they can still do things with assistance.
And it seems that we are rapidly reaching the stage where most of us will now outlive or mental faculties.