Obese America a problem of will, not fries

Please be on high alert: The War on Waistlines has escalated from orange to red. United States Surgeon General Richard Carmona has called obesity today’s greatest threat to public health. This summer, the federal government named obesity both an “epidemic” and a “disease.” According to the American Medical Association, obesity-related illnesses kill more Americans every year than AIDS, cancer and all accidents combined.

Obviously, this is a serious problem. But obesity is neither an epidemic nor a disease. As Americans we often blame our surroundings, complaining that we have few choices about what we eat, that we are trapped in a society in which food is too tasty, too cheap, and much too convenient for our own good. As harsh as this may sound, obesity, although sometimes linked to genetic factors, is largely self-inflicted.

Sure, affordable food, delectable choices and convenience do exist. But the real cause of obesity is that people are eating too much and exercising too little. Despite this truth, some people seem to revel in making excuses and assigning blame for their condition.

The popular McDocumentary, Super Size Me, is a classic example of such misplaced blame. Morgan Spurlock stormed the movie theaters in June arguing that the fast food industry is responsible for American obesity. He went on a McDonald’s-only, exercise-less diet for 30 days to prove that eating the restaurant’s food would make a person fat. Well, of course he gained some weight. But it was Spurlock who elected to dine each day at the golden arches; those cheeseburgers weren’t chasing him down. Ultimately, Spurlock’s weight is his responsibility, not McDonald’s.

Having identified the culprit, many activists insist that the government must come to rescue consumers from the evil forces that make them fat. While obesity is a serious health issue, it is the result of private choices. Why must it be classified as a public health issue?

Some in government propose to win the war on waistlines through a combination of taxes and regulation. According to a Feb. 16 Forbes article, one of the tastier ideas recently put forward by legislators in many states was the “Twinkie tax,” a proposal to levy higher taxes on food with little nutritional value. Supporters suggested that such a food tax should be levied to encourage healthier eating habits among all Americans. Great idea? It is if you want the government involved in yet another component of your already-federalized life.

Moreover, if we give the government a limitless license to tax, regulate or ban any behavior that might lead to disease or injury, the United States is in for a logistical nightmare. Portion sizes in the United States, for example, are larger than in France. Should we sue restaurants for serving us “too much food?” Should the federal government take an interest in how much sleep we get, what kind of sex lives we have or whether we brush our teeth twice a day?

If we inject more unnecessary politics into issues of food consumption like creamy filling into a Twinkie, the result will be more public service diet announcements and warning labels. That doesn’t make us safer or healthier.

While a skinnier America is probably a healthier America, improvement must be achieved through personal initiative, individual choice, and, most of all, a generous dash of restraint. It is time Americans finally reversed their trend of absolving self-responsibility. The answer to controlling one’s weight is simple: proper diet, regular exercise and a dose of self-control. On the subject of obesity, I tend to agree with Burger King, “Have it your way.”

Jo Kent is a Baker College junior.

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