Is obesity a left-wing issue? (Query about Fox news)

[Hosakawa Tito]

Obesity and Food Culture. An interesting article. I must leave for work so I will comment later.

[Fragony]

if the french have such great taste for food then what are they doing in french restaurants, rather bland menu they all serve the same crap. Restaurants are much better here, both in quality and diversity. The only acceptable place I know in Paris is the grand louvre and I have six places vastly superior in my street alone.

[InsaneApache]

As Jo Brand famously said. "Inside every fat person ther is a thin person trying to get out, because they ate them".

My particular favourite one was the T shirt I saw on an obese bloke. It read; I beat anorexia!

Not sure on this one. The libertarian in me says, so what! It's their choice what/how much they eat. The fascist in me says wire up their teeth and keep them away from melted butter.

As for the aeroplane thingy. Ask yourself this one. Would you like to share a row of seats with someone who weighs in at 25 stones? Blimey, it's bad enough travelling 'cattle class' as it is you've hardly enough room to twiddle your toes.

The Fox news interview sounds bit like a python sketch.

[Rhyfelwyr]

My particular favourite one was the T shirt I saw on an obese bloke. It read; I beat anorexia!

There is definitely a cultural problem with obesity though, reflected as Frag said, mostly in the working classes. When you're working long days on a shipyard or in a coal mine, you can get away with going to the chippy every night. But when the big industries disappeared and now those ex-workers sit in their house all day watching cable TV, then fast food starts to take its toll on them.

The government should help to tackle such cultural problems, nanny state style I guess. But I'm libertarian when it comes to the businesses, nobody should get told who to employ, it's their business, not the governments. Fat people are just not ideal for certain jobs, and I guess working in such a confined space as a plane would be one of those examples.

[Mooks]

What can the goverment do that effectively combats obesity? Im guessing absolutely nothing.

Personelly I fall into the catagory where im eating 5000-6000 calories a day but I do my best to run/work out/sweat it all out. I love me food.

my particular favourite one was the T shirt I saw on an obese bloke. It read; I beat anorexia!

Nah, its "I wupped anorexia's ass"

[Centurion1]

There is no British host on Fox News. Maybe they have a separate European Outlet. Sounds like O'Reilly though. He has a very obnoxious interviewing style, i watch but sometimes i end up screaming at him.

Obesity is bad in America. Really bad. however, i don't think the governemnt shouls control my weight. It is perceived as being a left issue currently because obama has been trying to tax sugary foods ie sodas, candy, etc. with a sin tax. Much like liqour and cigarettes. I think it is bull and persons weight should be a personal issue. I am currently trying to gain weight for football and i eat thousands of calories a day but i'm still skinny. You really can't judge the issue without looking at things like metabolism and such. True, fast food doesn't help but there are other factors to be included into the equation.

[Fragony]

I don't think this can be solved and you should just stop trying. Healthy lifestyle is promoted enough as it is, I really can't think of a European checking out how many calories a certain hamburger has, an inquiry would certainly get you some funny looks. What more can you do, beats me. Some will eat that crap, Darwin at work.

[Meneldil]

if the french have such great taste for food then what are they doing in french restaurants, rather bland menu they all serve the same crap. Restaurants are much better here, both in quality and diversity. The only acceptable place I know in Paris is the grand louvre and I have six places vastly superior in my street alone.

If you're looking for good restaurants in Paris, then I don't know what to say

I'm not saying french food is superior to all other foods (though I think it's superior to what north-americans and britishmen call food), but we have a real food culture. Travelling all around France to try local dishes is an awesome thing to do. But then, yes, if you're eating in half-arsed restaurants that effectively serve the same crap, you won't find anything good (though still centuries ahead of anglo-saxon food).
Note that I've also been served the exact same crap in Belgium, Switzerland, Spain and your country (in typical half-arsed restaurants). I'll try your street next time.

[Fragony]

If you're looking for good restaurants in Paris, then I don't know what to say

Glad I am not imagining things, dear god terrible, really terrible everywhere. They eat it fine but not me. The food you get in the shops is terrific though.