Obesity
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Last updated on: 4/12/2011 7:46:40 AM PST

Is obesity a disease?

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PRO (yes) Comments (17)

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  • +7 +18 -11 faith Jul. 16, 2012
    "Being obese myself, I know its a disease. Maybe not a physical disease but but a mental one. I was diagnosed with Rhuematiod Arthritis and Polycysistic Ovarian Snydrome at age 18. At the time I was 300lbs, the doctors told me I probably sped up my diagnoses by being so over weight. But I couldn't help it. I was obsessed and addicted to food. I hated anything healthy. I was depressed, angry, going through high school, was bullied, and was confused about my future. So I ate and ate and ate. I couldn't get out of my bad habits. Even though my joint health and my future with children depended on me losing weight. Then I joined a zumba class. I met my wonderful instructor who taught me that even with my medical problems I am beautiful, unique, and she believed in me. With her help so far I have lost 60lbs. I needed help. I needed someone to diagnose my bad self esteem, my thoughts of self worthlessness, and help me fix it. It is a disease. Of the mind. Many obese people have mental needs that need to be addressed. I still have days of doubt where all I want is cake. But there are people who support me now. And when I need a hand, give it. I believe I haven't been completely "cured" yet. But I am on my way."
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  • +3 +41 -38 Erik Apr. 27, 2011
    "Obesity can and should be considered as a disease. Obesity comes from how a persons body metabolizes foods. There are some that have fast metabolisms and some are slower. The slower the persons metabolism the more fat they will gain.

    How can you explain obesity in a child that has siblings that are smaller and yet they experience life the same? They eat the same foods and does that same amount of physical activity. The characteristics of obesity a far greater than fat. Larger people are predisposed to many other illnesses as well as early death.

    When discussing this, most people tend to discuss the cause and how it can be controlled yet isn't those the same factors of many other diseases. Therefore it should be considered a disease."
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    • +2 +3 -1 Maya Jan. 2, 2012
      "Obesity is not a disease at all. Saying that it is just because some people's bodies react differently when experiencing like situations as their family is like saying the child who wears glasses or is short in a family of tall people is diseased. It is simply a difference in genetics which isnt critical. The obese can change their size with motivation and drive, ultimately they are the only ones standing in their way. The larger child could be explained by their parents being a carrier of a slow motabolism like that of one of their parents or grandparents.

      To say that it is a disease even though it can be controlled because other diseases can be controlled is not a good arguent. Measures can be taken to avoid the common cold like washing your hands and having good hygiene, but it is not considered a disease. Also, a lot of diseases are contagious in some way, however obesity is not."
    • +1 +3 -2 Jester Mar. 2, 2012
      "I truly don't believe that obesity is an actual disease, it's a behavioral thing.
      Do you ever see obese monkeys out in the wild? Do you ever see chimpanzees driving through McDonald's every 3days?
      No"
    • +1 +1 0 Esther Jan. 21, 2012
      "I absolutely agree with the pouint that a person can have siblings and they are the only one that has this problem. I am one of seven and as you said we all ate the same food, breathed the same air, yet I have this problem and they never did."
    • 0 +1 -1 Larry Feb. 16, 2012
      "Obviously if the child is obese then he or she is not eating the same amount of food as the siblings because they eat more.
      It all depends on how you take care of yourself and for the parents who allow this to happen to their children it is cruel punishment because you are giving your child more problems then it can handle."
    • 0 +1 -1 John Jan. 13, 2012
      "How can YOU explain the fact that the US is experiencing an obesity rate that far exceeds other developed nations'? Is it that US citizens have a much slower rate of metabolism from other countries? Or is it that we as a society reinforce the choice to eat more and exercise less by doing things like declaring the problem a disease... instead of correcting the actual source of the problem which is a series of lifestyle choices and poor education."
  • +2 +6 -4 Namara Feb. 12, 2013
    "Obesity is not only a disease of the body, but one of the mind as well. If one is bullied in school for being obese, one may turn to food or suicide. Obesity lowers life expectancy and isn't always caused by lifestyle."
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  • +1 +12 -11 hannah May. 31, 2012
    "I read the book "Why we Get Fat" which says getting fat is the first sign of diseases commonly associated with obesity. We have had it backwards. Obesity doesn't cause heart disease and diabetes. We are already getting sick from eating too much sugar. Our insulin levels go awry. Our body stockpiles fat. Calories from sugar and carbs do not burn efficiently. The only way to correct our system is to cut out foods that turn to sugars, including most fruits.

    I went from eating very little but being unable to lose weight for several years to eating three meals a day and losing ten lbs in a couple of months. I didn't change my habits except to eat more, but none of the food was bread, rice, pasta, or sugar. I've been eating fruit, though.

    This is my experience with my experiment on myself. I have always had to watch what I eat because I put on weight easily despite being active and eating sparingly most of my life. I had been having heart palpitations which stopped when I quit sugar. I think obesity is a sign of impending disease and should be treated as such, NOT as a matter of willpower. Malnourishment and obesity often coincide."
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  • 0 +14 -14 cher Jun. 1, 2012
    "I believe it is a an addiction therefore it is a disease similar to drug addiction and alcoholism."
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  • 0 +16 -16 Maegan Wilson Feb. 1, 2012
    "Obesity is a disease! Many do not recognize alcoholism as a disease but it is as well. Out side factors do increase both of these diseases just as getting sunburns may trigger skin cancer but the matter of it is that it's beyond control of the patent. If it's in your DNA you are more of a candidate point blank!"
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  • -1 +1 -2 kiiyah Apr. 16, 2013
    "yes because it effects your health like any other disease"
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  • -1 +1 -2 Anita Apr. 11, 2013
    "I'm pro because I believe we can seriously reduce diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesteral before they happen. It will also reduce health care costs and respond to treatments earlier."
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  • -1 +7 -8 Lauren Dec. 10, 2012
    "Obesity is in fact a disease. The definition of disease from Wikipedia states "A disease is an abnormal condition affecting the body of an organism." It disables you from doing some everyday activities, it disables everyday body functions as well (overproduction of certain molecules and mediators), "which lead to abnormal regulation of food intake and energy expenditure." Like other diseases it affects your life expectancy, it is hereditary, even the FDA, NIH, and IRS have said that obesity is considered a disease. Yes, you do have a choice whether or not to make healthy choices but you also have the choice to smoke cigarettes that cause lung and gum diseases. So, obesity is a disease, but it is a disease that you have a choice whether or not to have."
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    • +2 +2 0 Robert Dec. 24, 2012
      "I can think of plenty of abnormal conditions affecting the body and disabling one from everyday activities that may not be considered diseases. Are all injuries diseases? Is wearing high heeled shoes a disease? Is being in a high noise environment a disease? Is being under anesthesia a disease? How about being drunk?"
    • 0 0 0 Jen Apr. 16, 2013
      "You went to wikipedia? I could change the definition of disease so it'll specifically state obesity is not a disease. Why would you go there? It's the worst place because it can be altered."
  • -1 +12 -13 jeremy lovin May. 10, 2012
    "Yes, I believe obesity is a disease and like certain diseases it carries a stigma with it. Studies show that 95% of American's can not lose weight or they gain it all back. In the United States we have thousands of different kinds of weight lost programs; yet, none them seem to be effective. Most people have continuing problems for the rest of their lives, no one just has weight problems for a year or few months. Being overweight is a stigma in the US because the christian bible associates it with one the seven deadly sins of gluttony. People who are over weight even for a short period of time are always thought of as over weight. Being overweight is such a physical and mentally painful condition why would any body truly choose to be overweight if it is so easy to lose weight. Doctors don't really have a clear idea of exactly what causes excessive weight gain or a clear idea of what cause diabetes. Doctors don't even have a clear cut index for, which weights are normal for different people. Many people in society treat the obese with negative reinforcement as if it's some unofficial written law of how to talk to obese people and act confused when the obese react with anger towards being mistreated."
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  • -4 +16 -20 Nikki R. Hyden Feb. 16, 2012
    "I would have to say that obesity IS a disease. Why? Because due to extremely poor eating habits and never working out, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes back in April 2009. Within less than 8 months of being diagnosed, I gained 121 pounds and got up to 311 pounds. I had been confronted with exactly what I asked for throughout the years that I ate so unhealthy: obesity and major health complications! I then decided that my health was VERY important so I went on a low calorie diet and began working out for a minimum of 30 minutes per day, 5 days per week. After several medication changes, going off the birth control shot I had been on for 11 years and replacing it with an IUD, and several other changes, I had lost 25 pounds. But I couldnt seem to get past that point. So I began using Herbalife products. I am now back down to the size I was before I was diagnosed and am working hard to get down to my target weight range that is necessary for my height: 135 pounds. Obesity had a HUGE effect on my life a LOOONNNNGGGG time though and I now am much more conscious of my health for that very reason."
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    • +4 +4 0 Sue May. 11, 2012
      "You stated that due to "extremely poor eating habits and never working out" (your words) caused your Type 2 Diabetes which in turn caused weight gain. You are admiting to the the fact that you freely chose to have unhealthy habits thus causing your medical problems and weight gain - and we should call obesity a disease because of this? It sounds like you are making smart decisions on eating and exercising and general health which is awesome but your weight gain is not a disease - your weight gain was a choice!
      Let me contrast that with my disease which is cancer. My cancer is a REAL disease - one that is uncontrollable, unpreventable and uncurable. If there was some lifestyle choice that I knew was "causing" my cancer I would happlily make changes to it but there isn't. I have always eaten right and exercise on a regular basis (and am not nor have I ever been over weight). If only it were SO simple."
    • 0 0 0 Jen Apr. 16, 2013
      "See quote on line 2 "...due to extremely poor eating habits and never working out..." These are your own words, therefore you conflicted them upon yourself and you knew what you were getting into. You were 190? cool I'm 170, and I work out everyday."
    • 0 0 0 Jeff Mar. 5, 2012
      "You had all the key elements to not become obese before. Just because it was hard to take off the weight doesn't mean it was a disease that struck you. It was your lifestyle. Obesity is not a disease. However, it does contribute to ACTUAL diseases. Individual responsibility is the key to every human being never becoming obese. It IS possible for everyone to be at a healthy weight. Congratulations on losing all the weight and keeping your health as the top priority in your life though."
  • -4 +18 -22 Vincent Vallentine Jan. 12, 2012
    "obesity is a deisease becouse it impares bodily function as well as certain other side effects"
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  • -5 +23 -28 Patricia Apr. 27, 2011
    "I believe obesity is directly related to a persons hormones. When the hormones are regulated to the individual person, activities remain the same, and eating habits remain the same a person will not gain nor lose weight as they age. Therefore, I believe obesity is a disease that should be treated as such."
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  • -10 +21 -31 Cookie Sep. 27, 2011
    "Yes Obesity is a disease even if its not like other diseases!"
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  • -11 +20 -31 Anonymous Apr. 27, 2011
    "To me it makes sense that it is a disease. A disease is something that you can't control without medical help or medical supervision and I totally believe that there are people that will never be thin without help. Or even healthy for that matter. It is not a choice. Nobody would chose to be obese. Its a trap that you get into, not unlike alcohol or drug addiction. Once you are in the trap, you have to have help to get out."
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    • +3 +3 0 John Jan. 13, 2012
      "First, alcohol and drugs are also not diseases, they are choices.

      Second, obesity CAN be controlled without medical help. Suggesting that it cannot is to remove personal responsibility from the equation, which is part of the problem, not the solution."
  • -15 +14 -29 hffuu Dec. 1, 2011
    "yesssss! obesity is a disease some people cant help it."
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  • -16 +21 -37 Lynette May. 2, 2011
    "I'm pro that it is a disease, because of obesity I developed high blood pressure, asthma and had to have gastric by-pass surgery in order to start moving to loose weight, which by reduced my high blood pressure and asthma symptoms, all but vanished. I feel obesity is an eating disorder and should be taken seriously and treated as a medical condition, not only with surgery but psychiatric evaluation as well."
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    • +3 +3 0 your fault Feb. 24, 2012
      "Who's fault is it?"

CON (no) Comments (47)


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  • +32 +66 -34 Kelly Apr. 27, 2011
    "Obesity is not a disease. Obesity is a body characteristic, not a character flaw. People come in diverse heights, weights, colors, etc. Size diversity is the nature of human beings. It is a prejudice and stereotype that all fat people are lazy and glutinous. The medical community and media use large body size as short hand for overeating and sedentary. It is not. When people eat healthy and exercise regularly, some will be small, medium, large, and very large.

    ...When people have poor dietary habits and sedentary lifestyles, independent of size, they will have more illness and shorter lives. When people of any size improve their actions of self-care, they will improve their health."
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    • +3 +3 0 truth Feb. 13, 2012
      "you just stated that people come in all different shapes and sizes, so by saying this you just said that obesity is a genetic disorder because they were born to be that size."
    • 0 0 0 Anonymous Oct. 18, 2012
      "The debate over whether or not obesity is a disease is not meant to determine the character of obese individuals or to point them out as inferior.
      The debate is rather the charactersitcs of obesity- a severe excess amount of adipose (fat) in the body (and all of the health risks that are the results of that) are great and common enough to be classified as a disease.
      I completely agree that we should embrace the diversity of people. However, I do have to agree that obesity is a disease due to the medical evidence that supports it. The definition of disease is something that "alters the function of the human body for the worse[...] and is a result of environmental charactersitcs such as malnutrition or even genetics." So based on this defintion established my the medical community around the world- I believe obesity must be classified as a disease due to the simple fact that it causes a drastic increase in the chance of death and puts an extremely negative strain on a person physiological systems."
    • -5 +1 -6 only the facts Dec. 5, 2011
      "so what else that causes illness and shorter lives can you think of that isnt a desies? Obesity is caused by poor choices and self neglect, or one could argue that it is also caused by an addiction to food. If i dont wash my hands and im addicted to putting pennies i find on the floor in my mouth, i will get sick. I would throw up get a fever and just be nasty all togather, but because it was caused by choices and can be logicly explained its not a desies? People suffer from obesity, their families suffer and it is no life to live. Most cannot simply choose one day to quit being obese and need some kind of help/ intervention and until we view this as a serious medical condition they will not receave the help that they need."
  • +16 +33 -17 Alina Rozental Jan. 10, 2012
    "Obesity is the result of chosen lifestyles, whereas a disease is something you can't chose to have"
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    • 0 +1 -1 Laura Romagnoli Mar. 27, 2012
      "i totally agree with you. if you are obese then stop eating so much food or eat healthier if you care! i know it can be hard, but if you love yourself you have to make sacrifices"
  • +12 +37 -25 Elizabeth Apr. 27, 2011
    "...in relation to the so called 'obesity epidemic' of today it is clearly not a disease, but rather a greed of this country's government and big agri-businesses that supply this country a diet of HFCS, starch, flour, fat, artificial color and flavorings instead of healthy nutritious food just for profit and political gain. It is called Exploitation not Obesity."
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  • +11 +37 -26 Anonymous Apr. 27, 2011
    "Whether weight is lost or gained is pure chemistry: calories( food energy) in= calories (physical & chemical work) expended: no weight gain. There were no over-weight people in Nazi Germany's extermination/labour camps. Excess food is the problem. Obesity reflects a food addiction, but it is not a disease."
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    • -2 0 -2 Anonymous Oct. 18, 2012
      "I disagree based on evidence that contradicts that. If you look under pro-con quotes. The World Health Organization is quoted for the pro-side basically stating that while obesity occurs in developed countries, it also occurs in third world countries. In the large majority of third world countries (as I'm sure you know) people living there do not even have a fraction of the opporotunities that we have in developed countries- including food. This points to a greater problem- such as a genetic connection- leading to the assumption that obesity is indeed a disease."
  • +10 +23 -13 Sue May. 10, 2012
    "Are you kidding me? Obesity as a disease???? I have an idea how about we limit the amount of TV, computers, video games and cell phone usage. Second, eat a well balanced meal three times a day with two healthy snacks in-between. And last, get off the couch, out of the car and spend some time exercising! Leave the "disease" category to those of us who have real, uncontrollable, unpreventable diseases that we did not ask for and would do anything in our power to change if we could!"
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  • +9 +28 -19 noel Dec. 4, 2011
    "Obesity is not a disease, everyone in the world can gain weight, some people's genetics make it harder to stay at a healthy weight but it's not impossible. It's all about motivation, we need to make healthy food more affordable and you don't need a gym to exercise. Calling it a disease is just an excuse to give these people the wrong state of mind to actually lose weight"
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  • +8 +26 -18 Meghan Nov. 10, 2011
    "Obesity is not a disease. Diseases typically cannot be cured easily (if at all), but obesity can be cured with alteration of diet and adding exercise to one's routine. However, binge eating disorder (BED) is a disease that can at times lead to obesity. In that case the eating disorder is the disease, though, not the obesity it may or may not lead to."
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  • +5 +16 -11 mandy mulan Mar. 8, 2012
    "it is not because it is how a person choses to live"
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  • +3 +12 -9 AlexHunter Oct. 3, 2012
    "To quote Ricky Gervais: "No its not, is it?"

    Obesity is just a product of lifestyle. Its not contagious and its not embedded in blood or tissue (obese organ donors don't pass on obesity to patients). Gym junkies don't suffer from obesity"
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  • +1 +12 -11 The American Plan May. 18, 2012
    "Obesity isnt a disease it is a plague in result of the system. Obesity is the result of a perfect storm of not enough being done by the gov, large corporations, the economy, and bad parenting. How to fix it tax corporations that offer "bad foods" to make it econmically less expensive, put restrictions on what people can buy with food stamps, better educate parents, and give tax exemptions to healthy foods."
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  • 0 +7 -7 Anonymous Sep. 28, 2012
    "Obesity is not a disease. People choose to be fat and lazy right? Some people argue that it is sometimes just genetics and maybe it is but the people choose to become fatter and fatter and not excersize. I think it can be treated, but it shouldn't be considered a disease."
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  • -1 +1 -2 C Apr. 18, 2013
    "It cant be a disease. The fact is that gaining wait is the person's fault unless they inherit a bad metabolism. Even then you can still control the weight by watching what you eat. I myself have been gifted with an insane metabolism and i realize i still need to watch what i eat because i had gotten an acid reflex before. Plus if you call it a disease you are just trying to blame it on someone or something else other than yourself. Two of my friends were obese as they told me an now you would never tell because they worked their fat off. My brother feels as if he is fat but when you watch him he still eats unhealthy food and continues bad habits. But he wants to just blame it on his body not what he is eating. I used to be the same way until i hit a growth spurt and became as thin as a rail. It just takes dedication and maybe some help. Not trying to put anyone down who is overweight though because you can overcome it."
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  • -1 +8 -9 Jada Brooks Dec. 10, 2012
    "I am con because obesity is caused by someone with a bad diet or exercise and if they are born "obese" then they can at least try to lose the weight."
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  • -1 +7 -8 shelby terry Dec. 10, 2012
    "Obesity should not be considered a disease. Just because people say something is a disease does not mean that it is an actual disease. The pro argument is weak because all they keep doing saying is that people say that it's a disease. People make the choice to sit on couches and pig out. I understand that some people can't help it, but there are people who can choose not to. Genetics can play a part into some people being obese. Obesity is like smoking because it all starts with a choice, which is potentially fatal, but you can choose not to do it. People should pay more attention to what they are putting into bodies and should not spend all of their time playing video games or watching tv. Obesity is not a disease but it can cause several different ones that can kill you."
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  • -1 +10 -11 jason Sep. 11, 2012
    "no, because people chose to eating unhealthy foods and eat to much of it. People just need to not overindulge on foods and eat healthy foods and exersice more"
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  • -1 +11 -12 Gabriel Jul. 28, 2012
    "Obesity isn't a disease, it's a self-inflicted condition. End of story."
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  • -1 +10 -11 Denetria Wilder Jul. 12, 2012
    "Obesity is not a disease although it can cause diseases such as diabetes, heart problems, etc."
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  • -1 +9 -10 daisey winthrope May. 15, 2012
    "it can be stopped if you eat healthy and prevented as to diseases dont neccesarily have to do something to get it."
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  • -1 +12 -13 Anonymous Mar. 4, 2012
    "Taking in more calories than you burn can lead to obesity because the body stores unused calories as fat. Obesity can be caused by:

    Eating more food than your body can use

    Drinking too much alcohol

    Not getting enough exercise

    If obesity can be caused, it isn't exactly a disease... It's an acquired condition"
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  • -1 +12 -13 Lily Jan. 13, 2012
    "I don't think obesity is a disease.
    I just think that because, I believe that the person chooses to be that way.
    They can choose what they eat and what they don't.
    Sure they need help with making the decision, but its still there choice.
    That is the only reason why I don’t think obesity is a disease.
    Others do not have to side with me because everyone has there own opion.
    If you don't like your body the change it, but don't let others make the decision for you.
    You are the only person that matters."
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  • -1 +18 -19 Unknown Nov. 2, 2011
    "Obesity is not a disease. Although some facts such as genetics contribute to obesity, it is mainly the lifestyle that contributes"
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  • -2 +1 -3 Jen Apr. 15, 2013
    "I am in between the lines of being obese and being skinny, first of all I would like to state that being obese is and is not a lifestyle, so this could go either way, obesity is hereditary and it is also a chosen lifestyle. The reason I believe it is hereditary is cause I have a friend who is obese and he is in the Marines, and I also have a friend who is like a twig and she has heart problems. I have another friend who is obese cause she likes to eat, alot."
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  • -2 +5 -7 Sandi Jan. 31, 2013
    "obesity is not a disease it is your choice to be obese"
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  • -2 +5 -7 Steve Santellano Dec. 10, 2012
    "I do not think obesity should be consider a disease. Obesity is just a matter of self control and lifestyle choices. No one piles food into your mouth and tells you to eat. Its the person who chooses to go to eat all the fatty food and makes the choose to no work out. If we are calling obesity a disease now we should also be calling tobacco products a disease.Its all about the what you chose to do. Again no one tells puts food into your mouth or tells you to smoke a pack. You and only you can make that choose to be what you want to be. Yes there may be genetics and family history of obesity but what's to say you can change that.Start a new page in your family history book. Obesity is something you can choose to do while a disease is something you can not choose.Obesity is not contagious you can catch obesity. You do not just wake up one morning and become overweight. Its a life choose not something you caught."
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  • -2 +5 -7 Gustavo Macias Dec. 10, 2012
    "Obesity cannot be considered a disease. Obesity has to do with your fat and fat can be controlled. Obesity also does not just happen it takes time to fully develop. Obesity takes time to be developed, time that was wasted doing indolent activities such as: watch TV, play video games, or even lay around and indulge in foods. You can not consider obesity as a disease because it can be prevented. Obesity can be prevented through exercise and healthy foods, even if you inherit obesity you will be able to get rid of it. Obesity is like smoking and lung cancer, lung cancer can be prevented if you stop smoking, well if you stop eating so much well you can't get obese. Sometimes obese people do not develop diseases like diabetes from obesity and live long. Also, obesity does not really have symptoms or signs that it happens, the only symptom of obesity is the fat, but having excess fat is obesity."
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  • -2 +4 -6 Nobodyy Dec. 10, 2012
    "I do not believe that obesity is a disease because of the fact that it is in a person's will to eat or drink more or less. They have the right to eat as much as they want knowing what it could cause. You can even exercise to lose everything you ate. So no, it is not a disease.
    Obesity does not have symptoms like other diseases do. The only thing you can get from it is an excess amount of fat. Even though it is a risk factor for diabetes it can be prevented.
    If obesity is a disease, than does that mean tobacco use is too? Or what about smoking? Although smoking is a risk factor for Lung cancer it can be prevented. Smoking in this case is an addiction. so maybe obesity can be too. You could have an addiction for eating certain foods that increase your weight.
    It is all based on your lifestyle. If you choose to eat healthy, exercise, and not spend so much time on electronics then you most likely will not be overweight or obese. But if you just eat junk all day, spend time watching T.V. and sitting on the computer with no exercise your more than likely going to be overweight or obese. Its your choice on how fit you want to be."
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  • -2 +8 -10 hayden nester Feb. 10, 2012
    "I say no because most people get obese by not having any phisical activity or eating large amounts of fatning foods, which foods like twinky's, or other junk foods contain a large amount of suger and other fat producers."
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  • -2 +9 -11 Claudia Jan. 13, 2012
    "I don't think obesity is a disease.
    People who have over weight problems, made it their choice to be that way. It's their life style and many don't have symptoms of a disease that is life threatening to hem. If people wanted to change their weight than they can if they wanted to but most are just happy as they are now. Some might not help it if that's the way of their genetics, it might be hard for those to lose the weight."
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    • 0 0 0 Laura Romagnoli Mar. 27, 2012
      "exactly, people choose to be obese. if thei care, they would change or at leat try to."
  • -3 +1 -4 Rainbow Dash Mar. 7, 2013
    "Are you kidding me?? Obesity is a result of people not getting off their fat flanks to exercise! Here's an idea for ya: try eating real food sometimes, not Chicken McNuggets! And try going for a run or two, it'll make a difference!"
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  • -3 +2 -5 buddha Feb. 7, 2013
    "i believe that obesity is a mixture of both bad eating habits and disease. that's just my one thought on it."
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  • -3 +6 -9 Anna Mar. 23, 2012
    "With few exceptions obesity in sedentary people can become disabling. But it can be corrected with lifestyle and eating and exercise changes, if a person CHOOSES and is willing to make those changes. Sometimes they give up. It annoys me that our medical insurance must go up to cover expenses that do arise in obese people from cardiovascular problems, bone/joint problems, and eventually becoming too disabled to work, and go on disability which taxpayers pay for."
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  • -3 +20 -23 Patrick Star May. 4, 2011
    "obesity is not a disease and if u think it is get off the couch and put away the potato chips. how about exercising?? just a thought......instead they wanna eat everything in sight and call it a disease....get on a diet"
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  • -4 +6 -10 charles Mar. 13, 2012
    "I am against it because people need to excercise, still be nice to them, dont make fun of them but people that are obese should excercise, eat healthy and do activities."
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  • -4 +7 -11 the Con Feb. 23, 2012
    "I believe that "Obesity" is NOT a disease... why?? Because they do not choose to be obese. Most of the time it's they're parents fault, because they're the ones who over feed them or make them want more food which later causes them to become obese. When you're a child you don't know what you are doing, you don't know the difference between Right or Wrong!"
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  • -4 +9 -13 Anna Nov. 3, 2011
    "Its not a disease because it doesnt have the any signs in it like diseases really do."
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  • -4 +12 -16 Shirley Nov. 3, 2011
    "NO - it is not a desease because you can control it by liefestyle choices. It may be more difficult to control due to genetics but you choose what you eat and how much exercise you receive."
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    • -1 +1 -2 anon. Dec. 9, 2011
      "but sometimes you can control from getting other diseases too. ever thought about that?"
  • -4 +13 -17 Karl T Jun. 1, 2011
    "Obesity is not a disease!. It's the overweight people who practicly sit on the couch and be no good.a couch potato.For the people who have a medical problem should work harder to acomadate them selvs"
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    • +2 +4 -2 Brennon Jun. 1, 2011
      "i agree its just people being lazy. Its called get off the couch and get some exercise!"
  • -5 +5 -10 @LoudAmerican May. 22, 2012
    "In my opinion: It's a 2-headed dragon.
    It's Poor Choices and Corporate Greed. My wife and son BOTH lost over 100 pounds (within a year) each by stopping the consumption of carbs and starches. We are a people who eat too much sugar (carb & starch) and salt.
    It is crudely comical and really sad as to how some people can not stand the taste of food without salt and sugar in it.
    BOTTOM LINE: Poor Choice is not a disease - it is an action caused by the lack of interest in doing what is right.
    For the record - I have recently become moderately fat and I refuse to change."
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  • -5 +7 -12 Ashley Feb. 2, 2012
    "Obesity is not a disease it is a result of poor diet and no phisical activity. can it be a hinderance? yes, its life style can be passed down in families and spread like a sickness but spreading like one and being one are two different things. obeseity is usally a result of deep depression,lazynees,mental issues and so on but it is a result of somthing eles wrong with that person not a spacific obese disorder in itself. Instead of trying to blame the obeseity problem on having a "Obeseity disease", which it clearly is not. why not try to fix the problem by encouraging people to eat better and be more active?"
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  • -5 +8 -13 John Jan. 13, 2012
    "Obesity is not a disease, genetic or otherwise.

    If it were a genetic issue, why is the United States experiencing it at a rate far beyond other developed nations? Are U.S. citizens simply genetically inferior? Or does the problem rather have to do with an environment that supports the choices to eat excessively and exercise less? This very argument is a case for the latter."
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  • -5 +7 -12 Steven Crawford Jan. 12, 2012
    "obesity is not a disease becouse obesity can be gained from lifestyleas well as medical reasons my family has obesity and im healthy as a hores it is a way of life and the choices you make"
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  • -6 +2 -8 Jacob Neal May. 18, 2012
    "No obesity is not a disease, most of the time, but with people with an very low metabolism than that could be an exception. Other than that it is a choice, not a disease.All it is is a lifestyle decision. I don't believe they will prove that it is a disease, so this debate will go on for a long time"
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  • -6 +3 -9 Swenson Apr. 3, 2012
    "Obesity is caused by a form of lifestlye. Not by a disease. Many metabolisms are different and some people take up characteristics of their parents. As of being a taller or shorter. But some easier than others, will be able to burn fat. It is a choice if one wants to be overweight."
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  • -6 +3 -9 Laura Romagnoli Mar. 27, 2012
    "Obesity is not a desease. For some people it's hard to say healthy, but that can't be considere a desease, it's just a metabolism characteristic. Obesity it's a lifestyle, you decide to not care how you body looks and or if it healthy. You can't choose to have a deseade, but you can decide to take care of your body by training and eat healthy."
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  • -8 +14 -22 Joanne Apr. 27, 2011
    "There are metabolically normal obese individuals who do not suffer from any of the adverse effects of having large amounts of body fat because they are genetically predisposed to being large people, and they maintain healthy lifestyles, i.e. eat a nutrient dense diet and are physically active. On the other hand, there are obese persons who have large bodies as the result of unhealthy lifestyles, i.e. poor dietary intake and sedentary. These people will suffer the ill effects of having an excess of body fat. The mistake we have made is to categorize all large people as 'obese' and to ascribe the same health risks to both groups."
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  • -10 +7 -17 Angel Nov. 29, 2011
    "Obesity is a disease...a disease that attacks the mental part of people's brain. Everyone has a temptation in food, especially if the food is made to tempt people. We all have a will to overcome that temptation. We need encouragement for ourselves, not weight-loss programs or "special foods." By overcoming the challenge, people can fight the "disease" of obesity. Diseases are usually won with the mental part of the brain. If you believe you can do it, then you will. Life is tough, no doubt about it, but with trust and strength in ourselves, we can overcome any problem. Therefore obesity is not a disease, but something that people need to strengthen their minds. Obesity IS a disease...for the weak-minded..."
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  • -17 +10 -27 Tom Jul. 21, 2011
    "Obesity is caused by the way that we grow and feed our crops."
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