Obese people may get paid to lose weight
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7204257.stm
I just read that this morning and as far as I'm concerned everyone's entitled to do what they like with their own body. And whatever you decide to do, whether the consequences are positive or negative for your own health and general well-being, it's 100 % YOUR responsibility.
But is it right to pay them to shift a few pounds or stone?
I just read that this morning and as far as I'm concerned everyone's entitled to do what they like with their own body. And whatever you decide to do, whether the consequences are positive or negative for your own health and general well-being, it's 100 % YOUR responsibility.
But is it right to pay them to shift a few pounds or stone?
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Comments
Well no not really! Who is to say that they won't start over eating again once they stop getting paid. It's a waste of money in my opinion.
They should be losing weight for their health, not their wallet!
they might buy cakes and a never ending circle will ensue!
then the universe will explode or something!
Clothing alteration services, perhaps.
:eek::mad::eek::mad:
Exactly! The fit and healthy aren't using tax money with being in and out of hospital with weight related conditions or on weight loss surgery!
By 2050 it will cost £45 billion a year if the epidemic isnt brought under control.
If a cash incentive works to help peeps lose weight & get healthier - then it's money well spent.
now that's a better idea
I guess they have worked out that it's going to be cheaper to persuade people to slim down that to pay for their treatment on the NHS.
They wouldn't be able to use these vouchers to buy whatever they wanted would they? And, I imagine, that the councils won't have to pay full price as it will be a positive thing for the gyms as well (ie they will hope that once the vouchers run out, some individuals will continue to pay for it themselves, or even whilst using the vouchers they will pay for extra services themselves ...)
NOTE - I haven't stated whether I am for or against this because there isn't enough information yet. It's just a load of blurb right now in my opinion, and is far too early to put wholehearted support or opposition for it.
Fair enough but what happens when the money stops? It's unfair to say they all will go back to eating too much, but some will, and what about those who are thin now but may become obese later? Will they start getting money the same time as the already obese? No.
Obesity is still and growing problem and for as long as there is fatty foods in the world, it always will be. If millions lose weight, fantastic, if millions more put on, not so great!
But they will use these vouchers so they don't have to pay, when they run out, they may not want to start paying as some gym memberships can be quite costly.
I cant see them working in the UK. Too much health and safety. Someone will hurt themselves and then sue no doubt. So not worth doing.
You can already get free gym memberships on a prescription from your GP anyway.
also it's hard to work out in a duffle coat
Then why not charge the obese for the costs they incur?
Similar to making smokers pay for their own health care etc.
Personally I think it would be more of an incentive to lose weight if they are responsible for the financial cost of their obesity.
Yeah but people are obese for different reasons. Not everyone is obese because they eat too many cream cakes and family sized bags of crisps. Some people are obese due to medical conditions which cripples their metabolism. Not fair to charge them when they need curing.
Plus addiction to eating is a mental illness like annorexia. Or Addiction to gambling, or drug addiction etc.
Fair enough but then I would like to see these schemes available to everyone and not just the obese.
I loathe the gym myself but even more so for the fact that I have to pay extortionate prices for them.
Why should someone, who led an unhealthy life (and I'm talking about those without a medical condition) be entitled to these options when someone who has worked hard to be healthy lose out?
No. If they want to be obese, that's their choice, but they're already going to be a drain on the NHS, they don't deserve any more money. Some of then would undoubtedly end up spending the money on food! And while I'm on the subject, the NHS should stop handing out gastric bypasses as a solution to obesity - it's a waste of resources when the problem could be solved equally efficiently, safely (all surgery carries a risk, especially in our MRSA ridden hospitals) and much more cheaply by the obese person going on a diet. But in today's quick-fix society, people think it's their 'right' to be thin, even if they stuff themselves from morning to night - and to be thin NOW.
Quite. I don't think anyone is reading the article...