Off-Topic Preventable chronic disease

[bluejeff]

It's easy to pin chronic health problems to personal responsibility. Whilst there is an element of that to any and all behaviour, it is wealth and health inequalities that enable choice and opportunity.

This. Yes, ultimately, it is one's personal decision to take responsibility for themselves. But the effects of inequality and the scale of that inequality bring with them a long, long list of psychological effects. Access to healthcare not being the only one.

As @IMayAgainKnowChris put:

I can only imagine if I went to 250 or 300 or suffered some kind of real health issue. Or was on a terrible food budget. Or only had a dollar general nearby to buy groceries where the “healthy” options are like low-fat microwave burritos. I don’t know if I would have had any motivation after hitting a certain point.

Also, I would add that shame is huge factor. Fat shaming is not going to help anyone. Explaining the health risks of being very overweight is one thing, but shaming someone, making them feel like they are worth less as a person because of their weight, that is what drives negative behavior. Shame, seemingly counterintuitively, makes people dig their heels in.