Hi,

This is not really on the subject but I felt I needed to write about what AntiM said.

I agree with her about society. I am sure most of us can identify with the pain society has placed on us as "large" people. I fail to see why society in general can not seem to grasp that people with a weight problem are not that way by choice. I think that is part of why Dr. Atkins was so professionally outcast..he dared to
put forth the concept that people who are over weight have a medical condition, not a mental condition or simple greed.

I personally dont see a day when people are not judged by their size due to the overwhelming media presence in our society. Younger and younger people are turning up with eating disorders in an attempt to look the like half starved models on runways and in print articles, bodies that are for the majority physically unattainable. I find this trend to be in all very sad......Having been an overweight teen was very difficult but in this day and age it must be sheer hell.

But in someways I see that the problems that seem to be growing in terms of obesity are very much related to our "modern society". Convenience has taken over, foods are no longer prepared from fresh ingredients, walking has become a thing of the past (when I lived in Europe you walked everywhere) and people have become increasingly sedentary in their general lifestyle. Not to say that you are not responsible for your own body because your health is your business. And in this day and age there is help out there. I think that society needs to be less focused on size and more focused on health and I dont see how this can be accomplished. I am truly saddened that people can be so cruel to each other, but we see it about religion, skin color, economic differences, clothing, not just weight issues.

In a perfect world we would all be judged by our hearts and minds, but until then one person can make a difference by speaking up, by telling someone a joke is inappropriate, writing to your congressman about health care, or mentoring a child with a weight issue......now there's an idea......a program that pairs people who have overcome their weight issues with children who are struggling and need a kind and helping hand, because after all children are our future.

Thank you for listening while I let out my feelings, who better to understand how I feel that you all???