That… actually sounds like a good idea in principle. Someone smarter than me know how it will blow up in our faces?
Nice-Substance-gogo on
Mandatory – sick because they are fat or fat because they are sick?
Emotional_Menu_6837 on
‘We’re going to stop your unemployment benefit if you don’t take this medicine that could potentially harm you’ feels very dystopian to me.
Obviously, like everything, it won’t start like that but it’s an obvious win the next time some politician feels like punching down, see the fatness=laziness comments below for why. Make these jabs more available on the NHS surely is a better policy.
padestel on
Bad shit – voluntarily taking hormones for your mental health.
Good shit – government mandated hormones to make you work.
Dry_Sandwich_860 on
Of course there are people whinging, but I think we should give it a go. I don’t know what the numbers are like now, but last time I heard (before the pandemic), the UK had the second-highest rate of obesity in Europe. It is very noticeable that people on the street look unhealthier and unhappier and we all know it’s a problem that so many are out of work because of health problems.
For so many years, we’ve been dealing with crisis after crisis and public health has been ignored. This initiative wouldn’t solve all the problems, but I bet it would give some people the start they need.
AdministrativeShip2 on
Until recently I was very much against the weight loss jabs. Framing my argument around access to the drugs for diabetics and obese people not being able to control their appetite.
Then I started seeing a massive black market springing up, with people buying from sketchy suppliers. But at the same time several of my larger acquaintances saying hey were taking it, losing decent amounts of weight, which in turn, made them feel good and actually start being active.
Now I’m firmly in the regulation and OTC sales mindset to ensure that a demand is safely met.
The bonus is all the impacts of weight related diseases would be reduced saving lives and the NHS budget in the long run.
Dependent_Good_1676 on
It’s not going to make them not lazy. They’re fat people and unemployed for a reason
bluecheese2040 on
I’m torn… many people work hard to be able to pay for wegovy… a perk of not working is to get something that people that work pay for….
That said…ultimately this is about getting people to work and out of the GP or hospital. Obesity is largely normalised in society, but it shouldn’t be. If wegovy helps, we should use it imo. But tbh I’d start by offering it to those with high bmis irrespective of work status.
My problem is that without mental health support, dieticians, and education the day you stop taking wegovy, your hunger returns, and it causes major yoyo dieting.
So are! the government planning the whole thing?
TheGing3rBreadMan on
Pretty smart if there’s enough supply.
With the way they work the jabs have also had positive effects on users mental health.
That coupled with significant weight loss could definitely see these ppl return to work
kilpin1899 on
People need to start taking responsibility. I find this sort of news embarrassing to be honest.
jkcr on
I’m not going to comment on the relative merits of this drug or not, but the whole thing feels like a way to treat the symptom not the cause.
Surely we need to address the lack of daily exercise baked into most people’s lives, we should be allowing for more active ways for people to get about vs the drive through culture we seem to be adopting. I saw a scary statistic the other day that 80% of traffic in my city was for less than 3 miles. These journeys can easily be replaced by a bike or walking if we provide the safe facility for it.
Add to that better education on how to cook and some form of subsidy on fresh veg, tax on junk, or both.
No matter what drugs you give people, unless you treat the causes people will still end up fat when they stop taking the drug, or as a nation we’re stuck having to take drugs (and pay for them) for the rest of their life.
JotiimaSHOSH on
Being overweight is often linked to bad mental health, helping with weight loss is great, expecting people to work is a whole different thing. The system is so shit for supporting people, one of the worst in Europe it’s shamefull.
Ebeneezer_G00de on
Why not force the ‘plus size’ unemployed and feckless to the gym or face losing their benefits? The treadmills and rowing machines could be adapted to generate electricity to charge electric vehicles used by benefits frauds investigators.
This would have the added benefit of helping meet Net Zero targets as well as promoting healthy lifestyles.
TheBrassDancer on
The only laziness I see is the idea that being inactive is inherently lazy.
I have friends who are overweight or obese **because** of disability. To write them off as lazy is an utterly ridiculous notion. And even if they did lose weight, it doesn’t mean that they are suddenly able to work like an able-bodied person.
If we’re going to prescribe weight loss pills to ‘lazy’ people (by which they mean feckless), I can find a few hundred people in the halls of the Houses of Parliament who would benefit.
14 Comments
That… actually sounds like a good idea in principle. Someone smarter than me know how it will blow up in our faces?
Mandatory – sick because they are fat or fat because they are sick?
‘We’re going to stop your unemployment benefit if you don’t take this medicine that could potentially harm you’ feels very dystopian to me.
Obviously, like everything, it won’t start like that but it’s an obvious win the next time some politician feels like punching down, see the fatness=laziness comments below for why. Make these jabs more available on the NHS surely is a better policy.
Bad shit – voluntarily taking hormones for your mental health.
Good shit – government mandated hormones to make you work.
Of course there are people whinging, but I think we should give it a go. I don’t know what the numbers are like now, but last time I heard (before the pandemic), the UK had the second-highest rate of obesity in Europe. It is very noticeable that people on the street look unhealthier and unhappier and we all know it’s a problem that so many are out of work because of health problems.
For so many years, we’ve been dealing with crisis after crisis and public health has been ignored. This initiative wouldn’t solve all the problems, but I bet it would give some people the start they need.
Until recently I was very much against the weight loss jabs. Framing my argument around access to the drugs for diabetics and obese people not being able to control their appetite.
Then I started seeing a massive black market springing up, with people buying from sketchy suppliers. But at the same time several of my larger acquaintances saying hey were taking it, losing decent amounts of weight, which in turn, made them feel good and actually start being active.
Now I’m firmly in the regulation and OTC sales mindset to ensure that a demand is safely met.
The bonus is all the impacts of weight related diseases would be reduced saving lives and the NHS budget in the long run.
It’s not going to make them not lazy. They’re fat people and unemployed for a reason
I’m torn… many people work hard to be able to pay for wegovy… a perk of not working is to get something that people that work pay for….
That said…ultimately this is about getting people to work and out of the GP or hospital. Obesity is largely normalised in society, but it shouldn’t be. If wegovy helps, we should use it imo. But tbh I’d start by offering it to those with high bmis irrespective of work status.
My problem is that without mental health support, dieticians, and education the day you stop taking wegovy, your hunger returns, and it causes major yoyo dieting.
So are! the government planning the whole thing?
Pretty smart if there’s enough supply.
With the way they work the jabs have also had positive effects on users mental health.
That coupled with significant weight loss could definitely see these ppl return to work
People need to start taking responsibility. I find this sort of news embarrassing to be honest.
I’m not going to comment on the relative merits of this drug or not, but the whole thing feels like a way to treat the symptom not the cause.
Surely we need to address the lack of daily exercise baked into most people’s lives, we should be allowing for more active ways for people to get about vs the drive through culture we seem to be adopting. I saw a scary statistic the other day that 80% of traffic in my city was for less than 3 miles. These journeys can easily be replaced by a bike or walking if we provide the safe facility for it.
Add to that better education on how to cook and some form of subsidy on fresh veg, tax on junk, or both.
No matter what drugs you give people, unless you treat the causes people will still end up fat when they stop taking the drug, or as a nation we’re stuck having to take drugs (and pay for them) for the rest of their life.
Being overweight is often linked to bad mental health, helping with weight loss is great, expecting people to work is a whole different thing. The system is so shit for supporting people, one of the worst in Europe it’s shamefull.
Why not force the ‘plus size’ unemployed and feckless to the gym or face losing their benefits? The treadmills and rowing machines could be adapted to generate electricity to charge electric vehicles used by benefits frauds investigators.
This would have the added benefit of helping meet Net Zero targets as well as promoting healthy lifestyles.
The only laziness I see is the idea that being inactive is inherently lazy.
I have friends who are overweight or obese **because** of disability. To write them off as lazy is an utterly ridiculous notion. And even if they did lose weight, it doesn’t mean that they are suddenly able to work like an able-bodied person.
If we’re going to prescribe weight loss pills to ‘lazy’ people (by which they mean feckless), I can find a few hundred people in the halls of the Houses of Parliament who would benefit.