What are your thoughts on fat acceptance?

[Seraphina]

My thoughts?   We can address the public health issue of obesity without making it personal by shaming fat people.   The former is compassionate, the latter is just a fucking dick move.

The fact that government nutrition recommendations encouraged people to load up on an unhealthy amount of carbohydrates is at least partially responsible for this as a public health problem.  Treating it as an individual moral issue isn't helping.

Our HR here was "threatening" to impose a surcharge on anyone who was above a certain BMI.  Completely aside from the fact that a person's medical issues are really none of their business, I'm not going to be OK with that unless they also don't same for other actuarial risks.  Hello, tobacco use, what about you?  They went so far as to try and require employees to participate in a wellness program that included weigh-ins, tracking vitals, etc.  Sorry, no.  Those things are between myself and my physician, and they are none of my employer's business.

My company adds a hefty medical insurance surcharge to employees who are smokers. I wouldn't be surprised if they start adding surcharges based on BMI in the future. They also dangle out cash payments to employees who do their "wellness" program and who get preventive tests like mammograms and colonoscopies. No way in hell am I telling my employer my personal health information. But a surprising number of people happily turn their personal info over for $$.

-Teresa

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Then he should get offered help and let it be his choice if he takes it or not.

So he - while being a significant actuarial risk - is not subject to the same surcharges as the others?

When I obtained life insurance I had to step on a scale and get my blood tested for tobacco and who knows what else. Given the unfortunate fact that obesity is a major factor in many common, chronic diseases, I think the day will come when surcharges are added for high BMIs.

-Teresa