Knowledge Matters™

It’s been six days since I last blogged – partly because I’ve had writer’s block, and partly because I have been considering the political correctness of some of my thoughts and ideas. Those who know me well know that I am inclined to speak my mind, and have heard my fat tax idea. Obesity is a modern plague and mostly is preventable. Like smoking obesity costs our society billions of dollars in health services that could and should be spent elsewhere. I fail to see why those of us who don’t smoke and are not obese should subsidise those who are simply fat because they are lazy. These people should pay an extra premium on their health insurance, and I believe airlines should have special seating for them. Just like baggage if they can’t fit through a frame they should have to sit in a special area and pay an additional fare. Why should I pay for a seat that I effectively have to share with a stranger who oozes into my seat and makes the journey unpleasant?

Nowadays the notion of a fat tax is politically incorrect. As evidence I present the Canadian Transportation Agency’s “One person one fare policy ”. This policy says that:

“airlines may not charge more than one fare to persons with disabilities who are required by the airlines' domestic tariffs to be accompanied by an attendant for their personal care or safety on flights, or who require additional seating for themselves for air travel, including those disabled by obesity”.

Remind me not to travel on Air Canada, Air Canada Jazz or WestJet in the near future! My problem with this policy is the message it sends. Fat people now have the same rights as those who are blind, missing limbs, or born with some other disability. Fat people are now victims – it’s not their fault they’re fat! Now sometimes this is true, but for the vast majority they are fat because they choose to have an unbalanced diet, lead a sedentary lifestyle, and lack the will-power to say no.

Now what has this got to do with network analysis? Well this study published in the New England Journal of Medicine uses network analysis to aid understanding of obesity. It’s an interesting study because it looked at 12,067 subjects over a 32-year period. Some of the results are truly frightening – if you have a close friend who is obese the chance of you becoming obese increases by 57%! If your brother or sister becomes obese the chances of you becoming obese increases by 40%, and if your spouse is obese the probability of you becoming obese increases by 37%. Obviously there are social factors at play and it is not easy to attribute simple cause and effect. Then again it is a sound study and deserves not to be discounted outright. It’s also a good example of a lateral use of network analysis – I recommend you read the study .  

Clearly as a society we need to learn to say no and mean it. We need to take responsibility for our own actions and decisions. I don’t care if it’s politically incorrect to suggest a fat tax. If it takes a fat tax to save our youth, or to make a difference in our health system I say bring it on. If a fat tax means a thin person gets preferential surgical treatment because the success prognosis is greater then I say bring it on. Personal choice, responsibility and the ability to say no matters!

Regards Graham