Does It Make Sense to Fine People Who Are Fat?
Obesity reach horrified level and there’s literally nothing we can do as population to help decrease this. Fast food joints and unhealthy habits make people more and more attracted to junk food. Along with no dieting and no sport activities it’s a “perfect” way for a tragedy. However does it really make sense to fine people in order to make them more healthy and caring about their conditions?
Some US states like Arizona made an idea recently to charge a fine to obese people who are not willing to change their life style. It’s a serious business since paying 50 $ penalty might be a high price for poor citizens. Not following a diet tips and hints given by your personal doctor might let you pay for it if you are in US. What’s the reason for charge dollars from fat people?
Main reason is definitely a fact of actual costs of all medical care for those citizens who need it regularly, is way much too high than budget. To rescue budget and help those who actual need advices and can’t get it by its own (poor citizens, jobless, homeless ones) government decided to fine all people who are not following diet regulations. Those with kids or obesity due to medical situation would be excluded from this project however smokers and diabetics will have to pay 50 $ as well. Is it fair to divide people like this? From one side yes, since families who have kids need more money than couples without children. From other side, why they should be excluded if they are not following diet rules and breaking the law same way as those who need to pay. It’s a very controversial topic and it’s hard to find any good solution here.
The crisis and uncontrolled rise of money needed for medical care in US, made government to not be afraid to talk about this issue. Government claim it might be perfect way to make people follow healthy lifestyle and lose weight since nobody like to part with hard- worked money. But is this really that great way? Despite the fact that some insurance companies are following similar penalty rules, Arizona is the first state to talk open this openly. Arizona itself has second highest proportion of money used for medical help for its citizens and government is planning for new and more innovative penalties as well. Seems like USA getting a new method for making money.
A better solution would be creating new work places around the state which would be available for obese people as well. This will decrease the percentage of jobless people and increase percentage of sports activities around Arizona.
However experts says that 50$ won’t change the way you had been living all the time and it might not be enough to change behavior and all that bad eating habits. From other hand doctors need to be more careful while talking to obese patients and give proper advices since not all people take professional’s help seriously.
Also read: What's the key to tackling obesity? FINE fat people if they don't exercise, say experts