Disney Movie "Predicts" Future of American Health?

[Christopher.Collins]

I guess my only question is what do we define as fat and obese? I dont think I know many people who maintain their actual body weight... annorexics included.

~~~~~~~~

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/07...=1&mbid=yhp

The blockbuster Disney movie, Wall-E, was criticized for its portrayal of a future in which not just some humans, but all of humanity becomes obese. A new study from Johns Hopkins, however, finds that its depiction comes uncomfortably close to projections from public health researchers.

As one of our commenters wrote, echoing other critics, "The future presented in the film was ridiculous and over-the-top in how unlikely it was, and portrayed humans as fat, disgusting, and stupid animals (which may be true of some people, but not of many)."

The new study, however, finds that if something doesn't change with the American food system, almost 9 out of 10 Americans will be fat by 2030.

“National survey data show that the prevalence of overweight and obese adults in the U.S. has increased steadily over the past three decades,” said Youfa Wang, MD, PhD, lead author of the study and a professor at Hopkins' Center for Human Nutrition. “If these trends continue, more than 86 percent of adults will be overweight or obese by 2030."

It's not just an aesthetic problem, either. The health risks associated with obesity are well-known and the researchers say treating obesity-related conditions could result in nearly one trillion dollars of added health care costs.

The projections appear in the July 2008 issue of the journal Obesity.

Image: The Captain from Wall-E. Via Worstpreviews.com.

WiSci 2.0: Alexis Madrigal's Twitter , Google Reader feed, and webpage; Wired Science on Facebook.

[LifeSavR]

I can attest to the fact that being overweight causes other illness. Before I lost 130 pounds with diet and exercise, I had high blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, high cholesterol and high triglycerides. Now they are all gone!

Off the subject: Is your real name Christopher Collins? Just wondering as my last name is Collins. :wink:

[Just Plain Ruff]

yes, it does predict the future, plus we will all be living in one huge ship because due to global warming we had to move because we didn't want to get the fever the earth had.

[Eydawn]

The movie Wall-E makes a definite political statement. Capitalist consumerism is going to result in high levels of obesity and poor environmental conditions unless we take responsibility for what is going on around us... there's no robot to dump the problem on, and doing so could even be dangerous.

Notice how it had the humans regain control, in the end? They came back to work on the earth and try to fix the problem... but it took conditions getting so terrible before anyone paid attention... Also, pay close attention to how everyone is glued to a screen 24/7 instead of talking face to face with people around them, even though they're in the same SPACESHIP... there's another statement for you.

I don't think it predicts the future, I think it provides good social commentary on what's going on right now.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Upton4785]

did you also notice how happy the two humans were when they were accidentally "unplugged" and started looking at their world with their own eyes?

It's nice to get away from the cell phone and the computer screen and just take a look around. If you haven't done it yet today, get outside for a few minutes, rain or shine, take a deep breath and just look around.

[Just Plain Ruff]

The movie Wall-E makes a definite political statement. Capitalist consumerism is going to result in high levels of obesity and poor environmental conditions unless we take responsibility for what is going on around us... there's no robot to dump the problem on, and doing so could even be dangerous.

Notice how it had the humans regain control, in the end? They came back to work on the earth and try to fix the problem... but it took conditions getting so terrible before anyone paid attention... Also, pay close attention to how everyone is glued to a screen 24/7 instead of talking face to face with people around them, even though they're in the same SPACESHIP... there's another statement for you.

I don't think it predicts the future, I think it provides good social commentary on what's going on right now.

Wendy

CO EMT-B

Actually "Miss Voice of Reason at EMTCITY"(I say that with complete respect for you Wendy) this movie is a comentary about current times rather than future.

Obesity - current epidemic

Garbage - current major problem

no face to face time - I know this is an issue as I'm sitting in a training room right now emailing my colleague who is sitting in the next row up and we are the only two people in the room.

Additional non face to face - I was in a small class and I was texting one person in class and that person was sitting right next to me

Social commentary - yes, applicable to current circumstances in the world today? ABSOLUTELY

[Eydawn]

Ruff... you missed part of my post obviously....

Eydawn wrote:

I don't think it predicts the future, I think it provides good social commentary on what's going on right now.

You just repeated what I said! They do say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery... but I think you just needed more coffee!

Wendy

CO EMT-B

[Just Plain Ruff]

No Wendy, I didn't miss your post, I thought mine was more eloquent.

I have had a crappy travel day, first my expenses were not put in the bank today due to an error on my companies part.

Then some of my expenses came in from two weeks ago that were incorrect by the companies I dealt with and they overdrew my account, and now I have been without food and drink except for water since 8am today. My sugar is running a bit low, being a diabetic and all. So I'm crabby.

[Eydawn]

*Hugs Ruff* that really sucks. Go get something to eat before you crash yourself!

I hope everything works out soon. Financial worries suck big time.

--Wendy

[Michael]

Capitalist consumerism is going to result in high levels of obesity and poor environmental conditions unless we take responsibility for what is going on around us...

Hi Wendy - What exactly, please, is capitalist consumerism, and what form would such responsibility take? Thanks.