4 ms·

Considering the fact that obesity rates continue to climb despite approximately everyone knowing that eating too much sugar is bad for them at some point you ne

Considering the fact that obesity rates continue to climb despite approximately everyone knowing that eating too much sugar is bad for them at some point you need to acknowledge that a systemic problem requires a systemic solution. Education is great, but seems insufficient when pitted against companies actively trying to ensnare and addict the populace. We decided that the harms done by cigarettes and drug addiction were bad enough that an intervention was necessary to stop the pervasive abuse of the public by their purveyors. Companies do not have some sacred inalienable right to actively harm their customers so long as the invisible hand of the market allows it, the only question is whether the harms of sugar or social media addiction meet a threshold such that action is warranted.

notyourwork 2y ago
As an American who travels to Europe from time to time, I find the prevalence of smoking in Europe to be what I used to experience as a kid in the states in the 90s. I always wonder why that is when I visit.
- idle_zealot 2y ago
  Do European countries require printing pictures of diseased lungs on the side of cigarette boxes? Because if not that might have something to do with it. Nudging is quite effective at influencing average behavior.
  - brtkdotse 2y ago
    > Do European countries require printing pictures of diseased lungs on the side of cigarette boxes? They do.
  - notyourwork 2y ago
    I see these all over in Italy and Germany. Still confused by the youthful smokers.
- rawgabbit 2y ago
  When I visited Paris and Rome last summer. I was pleasantly surprised to find little to no smoking among the young people. Only old people continue that habit as far as I could see.
skocznymroczny 2y ago
"approximately everyone knowing that eating too much sugar is bad for them" That's not really the case. For many people, if they know that too much sugar is bad for them, they think of sugar as in white sugar they add to the coffee or in terms of candybars, when instead they should think about carbohydrates as a whole. Replacing soft drinks with orange/apple juice many people would consider a healthy choice, but in the end you're still trading sugary water for sugary water (unlike eating whole fruit which has fiber and other elements to balance out the fructose). Then you get into potatoes, pasta, rice and bread which don't help when trying to lose or maintain weight. Ask around amongst your friends and family. Tell them that you're trying a low fat diet. They will congratulate you on your life choices. Tell them you're trying a low carb diet. They will tell you you're killing yourself and you should stop because body needs energy to survive. Most "diet" products replace fats with carbs, which may even be a net negative in some cases when trying to diet.
- everforward 2y ago
  The average knowledge of dietary advice is poor at best. I’ve heard so many people tell me that the vegetable for their meal is potatoes that it stopped being funny years ago. I don’t even blame them. I was taught similar in high school, and I specifically recall them suggesting juice over soda as if there was a big difference. The sugar industry paid for the early studies that blamed fat for weight gain and resulting health issues. That’s why everyone hates low carb diets. I still think there needs to be a tobacco industry level lawsuit against and crackdown of high sugar items. I also don’t think anything containing high levels of sugar should be marketed as for children. Look at the absolute trash they market to children, and half of them claim to be healthy! Fruit juice, fruit snacks, sugary breakfast cereal, garbage drinks like Capri Sun, Oreos, chips, etc. Practically the only healthy thing marketed to children is pre-packed apple slices (as if apples dont come in natural packaging, sigh). Why can’t we market healthy stuff to kids? Whole grain breads can be good in the right sandwich. There’s gotta be at least one veggie they like, there are like a billion different vegetables. Olives are delicious.

notyourwork 2y ago

As an American who travels to Europe from time to time, I find the prevalence of smoking in Europe to be what I used to experience as a kid in the states in the 90s. I always wonder why that is when I visit.

idle_zealot 2y ago
Do European countries require printing pictures of diseased lungs on the side of cigarette boxes? Because if not that might have something to do with it. Nudging is quite effective at influencing average behavior.
- brtkdotse 2y ago
  > Do European countries require printing pictures of diseased lungs on the side of cigarette boxes? They do.
- notyourwork 2y ago
  I see these all over in Italy and Germany. Still confused by the youthful smokers.
rawgabbit 2y ago
When I visited Paris and Rome last summer. I was pleasantly surprised to find little to no smoking among the young people. Only old people continue that habit as far as I could see.

skocznymroczny 2y ago

"approximately everyone knowing that eating too much sugar is bad for them" That's not really the case. For many people, if they know that too much sugar is bad for them, they think of sugar as in white sugar they add to the coffee or in terms of candybars, when instead they should think about carbohydrates as a whole. Replacing soft drinks with orange/apple juice many people would consider a healthy choice, but in the end you're still trading sugary water for sugary water (unlike eating whole fruit which has fiber and other elements to balance out the fructose). Then you get into potatoes, pasta, rice and bread which don't help when trying to lose or maintain weight. Ask around amongst your friends and family. Tell them that you're trying a low fat diet. They will congratulate you on your life choices. Tell them you're trying a low carb diet. They will tell you you're killing yourself and you should stop because body needs energy to survive. Most "diet" products replace fats with carbs, which may even be a net negative in some cases when trying to diet.

everforward 2y ago
The average knowledge of dietary advice is poor at best. I’ve heard so many people tell me that the vegetable for their meal is potatoes that it stopped being funny years ago. I don’t even blame them. I was taught similar in high school, and I specifically recall them suggesting juice over soda as if there was a big difference. The sugar industry paid for the early studies that blamed fat for weight gain and resulting health issues. That’s why everyone hates low carb diets. I still think there needs to be a tobacco industry level lawsuit against and crackdown of high sugar items. I also don’t think anything containing high levels of sugar should be marketed as for children. Look at the absolute trash they market to children, and half of them claim to be healthy! Fruit juice, fruit snacks, sugary breakfast cereal, garbage drinks like Capri Sun, Oreos, chips, etc. Practically the only healthy thing marketed to children is pre-packed apple slices (as if apples dont come in natural packaging, sigh). Why can’t we market healthy stuff to kids? Whole grain breads can be good in the right sandwich. There’s gotta be at least one veggie they like, there are like a billion different vegetables. Olives are delicious.