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Federal incentives target obesity rates



 
 
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  #1  
Old September 24th, 2003, 08:14 AM
Steve Chaney, aka Papa Gunnykins ®
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates

Federal incentives target obesity rates

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Years of dire warnings about obesity's dangers don't
seem to be shrinking Americans' girth. Now federal health officials hope
programs that target different communities' special needs -- plus financial
incentives like Pacificare Health Systems is about to offer -- will work
better.

"This is the most difficult thing anybody can ever try to do, to get people
to change their habits," says Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy
Thompson.

This week, communities in Michigan and Boston become the first of about a
dozen recipients of $13.6 million in federal grants to target unhealthy
habits locally. It's a program poised to become the government's
centerpiece in the obesity fight, if Congress grants Thompson's request for
$125 million more next year to fund dozens more so-called healthier
communities.

He envisions cities eventually will compete to be called the healthiest.

At the same time, Thompson wants health insurance companies to offer
discount programs similar to Pacificare's. The California-based
managed-care company will soon let patients compete for prizes like a
mountain bike or, for some, a discount on premiums if they lose weight and
exercise. Thompson hopes that a price break from an industry patients love
to hate might be the final push some need to shape up.

Critics call those programs too soft and want the Bush administration to
back some tougher solutions.

Make it easier for consumers to learn how many calories are in restaurant
meals, urges Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
She says people might not super-size a cheeseburger meal if its 1,600
calories were posted right on the menu.

Or, she says, put more realistic calorie counts on snacks, such as
deli-sold chips and 20-ounce soft drinks, which are labeled as containing
two or more servings but that most people eat all at once.

"We are looking at what we can do to help get information to people who eat
out," responds Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Mark McClellan. He
just ordered an agency task force to hunt new anti-obesity measures, from
better food labels to speeding development of diet drugs.

But federal officials argue that ultimately, city-by-city involvement may
prove which programs really help residents improve health habits.

********

-- Steve
º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤º
Steve Chaney

Remove "Vegetus." to get my real email address
See the soc.singles HALL OF STUPID:
http://member.newsguy.com/~gunhed/hallofstupid
"If only sheep could cook, we wouldn't need women at all! 8)" - Dizzy,
Message-ID:
"Outside of this group, I don't remember hearing anyone in RL say that fat
people are worthless." - some anonymous coward admitting the truth,
Message-ID:
"I watched The Accused last night with Jodie Foster. Tough movie. I was
wondering what people felt as to whether or not they feel she deserved what
happened to her." - Brenda Lee Ehmka, Message-ID:

"Jade, your whole existence is spent trying to find people you can justify
vetting your rage toward thorugh all forms of harassment. Do you realize
that?" - Sunny, on Jade's life in a nutshell





  #2  
Old September 24th, 2003, 08:36 AM
Proton Soup
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates

You can use government to cure obesity today. It's simple, really.
Just have Congress pass a law making a person's percent body fat equal
to their tax bracket. If you've got 10% body fat, we'll tax you 10%.
At 40% body fat, you get taxed 40%. Every fatass in America will find
a way to lose weight, and the dollars spent on health care will be
halved.

Proton Soup

On 24 Sep 2003 09:14:31 +0200, (Steve
Chaney, aka Papa Gunnykins ®) wrote:

Federal incentives target obesity rates

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Years of dire warnings about obesity's dangers don't
seem to be shrinking Americans' girth. Now federal health officials hope
programs that target different communities' special needs -- plus financial
incentives like Pacificare Health Systems is about to offer -- will work
better.

"This is the most difficult thing anybody can ever try to do, to get people
to change their habits," says Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy
Thompson.

This week, communities in Michigan and Boston become the first of about a
dozen recipients of $13.6 million in federal grants to target unhealthy
habits locally. It's a program poised to become the government's
centerpiece in the obesity fight, if Congress grants Thompson's request for
$125 million more next year to fund dozens more so-called healthier
communities.

He envisions cities eventually will compete to be called the healthiest.

At the same time, Thompson wants health insurance companies to offer
discount programs similar to Pacificare's. The California-based
managed-care company will soon let patients compete for prizes like a
mountain bike or, for some, a discount on premiums if they lose weight and
exercise. Thompson hopes that a price break from an industry patients love
to hate might be the final push some need to shape up.

Critics call those programs too soft and want the Bush administration to
back some tougher solutions.

Make it easier for consumers to learn how many calories are in restaurant
meals, urges Margo Wootan of the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
She says people might not super-size a cheeseburger meal if its 1,600
calories were posted right on the menu.

Or, she says, put more realistic calorie counts on snacks, such as
deli-sold chips and 20-ounce soft drinks, which are labeled as containing
two or more servings but that most people eat all at once.

"We are looking at what we can do to help get information to people who eat
out," responds Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Mark McClellan. He
just ordered an agency task force to hunt new anti-obesity measures, from
better food labels to speeding development of diet drugs.

But federal officials argue that ultimately, city-by-city involvement may
prove which programs really help residents improve health habits.

********

-- Steve
º¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤º
Steve Chaney

Remove "Vegetus." to get my real email address
See the soc.singles HALL OF STUPID:
http://member.newsguy.com/~gunhed/hallofstupid
"If only sheep could cook, we wouldn't need women at all! 8)" - Dizzy,
Message-ID:
"Outside of this group, I don't remember hearing anyone in RL say that fat
people are worthless." - some anonymous coward admitting the truth,
Message-ID:
"I watched The Accused last night with Jodie Foster. Tough movie. I was
wondering what people felt as to whether or not they feel she deserved what
happened to her." - Brenda Lee Ehmka, Message-ID:

"Jade, your whole existence is spent trying to find people you can justify
vetting your rage toward thorugh all forms of harassment. Do you realize
that?" - Sunny, on Jade's life in a nutshell





  #3  
Old September 24th, 2003, 04:20 PM
Art S
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates


"Proton Soup" wrote in message news
You can use government to cure obesity today. It's simple, really.
Just have Congress pass a law making a person's percent body fat equal
to their tax bracket. If you've got 10% body fat, we'll tax you 10%.
At 40% body fat, you get taxed 40%. Every fatass in America will find
a way to lose weight, and the dollars spent on health care will be
halved.

Proton Soup


Not only that, but think of all the idiots we would lose when they try to
get their bodyfat to 0%.

Art


  #4  
Old September 24th, 2003, 04:41 PM
David S.
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates

"Proton Soup" wrote in message
news
: You can use government to cure obesity today. It's simple, really.
: Just have Congress pass a law making a person's percent body fat equal
: to their tax bracket. If you've got 10% body fat, we'll tax you 10%.
: At 40% body fat, you get taxed 40%. Every fatass in America will find
: a way to lose weight, and the dollars spent on health care will be
: halved.

That's a great idea in theory, but how would you enforce it? I might owe
40% at tax time, but by the time the IRS got around to an audit, I may be
down to 20%. Heck, the whole process could even backfire. What if I paid
40% at tax time and got audited when I was down to 20%? The government
would owe me money.

That, of course, is good for me but bad for the maintenance of the
government. The health care industry would be thriving, but the military
(and other essential government services) would collapse. In order for your
theory to work, we would need a dedicated, incorrigible, higher-income,
obese community that the government could depend on to pay the taxes.

Otherwise, we'll be the healthiest group of socialists or communists or
peons or serfs the world has ever seen. Nah. Your theory is much too
healthy and hence too costly to government.

David


  #5  
Old September 24th, 2003, 04:45 PM
BJ in Texas
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates

Steve Chaney, aka Papa Gunnykins ® wrote:
Federal incentives target obesity rates

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Years of dire warnings about obesity's
dangers don't seem to be shrinking Americans' girth. Now
federal health officials hope programs that target different
communities' special needs -- plus financial incentives like
Pacificare Health Systems is about to offer -- will work
better.


A government program - spend lots of money and don't accomplish anything..
LOL BJ


  #6  
Old September 24th, 2003, 05:45 PM
Kathy
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Federal incentives target obesity rates

"Proton Soup" wrote in message
news
You can use government to cure obesity today. It's simple, really.
Just have Congress pass a law making a person's percent body fat equal
to their tax bracket. If you've got 10% body fat, we'll tax you 10%.
At 40% body fat, you get taxed 40%. Every fatass in America will find
a way to lose weight, and the dollars spent on health care will be
halved.

You want *our government* - that is, the USA government - to do that? First
they'd test everyone using BMI, and bodybuilders would land in the obese tax
bracket. Then perhaps they'd tax "bad" foods, raising the price on protein
supplements, meats, nuts, and fats - such as fish and flax oil - which would
drop the price on "good" foods like low fat breakfast cereals and
snackwells. Maybe you could get a tax credit for pedaling a stationary bike
at "fat loss cardio" level while reading a magazine. Americans may be
getting fatter, but the last thing we need is help from the government.

Kathy


 




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