Disability for obesity related health problems

F

faire_jour

New Member
Joined
Apr 26, 2008
Messages
7,188
Reaction score
3
Should people whose only health issues are directly related to their obesity be able to collect SSDI? Sure, they can't work, but isn't that because of the choices they made? Aren't you incentivizing being obese?
 
A lot of consideration has to be taken into this question. Many obese people cannot walk, and have other health problems. Food can become an addiction in their childhood and follow them into adulthood.
 
If the obesity came first, and caused all their problems, no.

But some people who can't move around well because of disability become obese too.

And then there is SSDI granted for mental illnesses also, and some people might be able to argue their obesity is due to mental illness.
 
I don't know what I think....

On one hand, it is totally preventable and reversable. Even if they have health isuues, they *can* lose the weight and their health would start to return.

On the other hand, they can't work. What are earth should they do??

Also, there is the issue of the way that our economy works, crap food is way cheaper than healthy food, so poverty is another issue...
 
faire_jour said:
I don't know what I think....

On one hand, it is totally preventable and reversable. Even if they have health isuues, they *can* lose the weight and their health would start to return.

On the other hand, they can't work. What are earth should they do??

Also, there is the issue of the way that our economy works, crap food is way cheaper than healthy food, so poverty is another issue...[/QUOTE]

I was thinking exactly the same thing when I read this thread. It seems like it could be a vicious cycle..

Also, do you think there is discrimination among many employers when it comes to hiring obese people? If they do go out and try to find jobs but wont get hired due to discrimination, then how can they support themselves?

It is a sticky situation that I would prefer not to make judgements because I have never lived in their shoes.
Click to expand...
 
faire_jour said:
I don't know what I think....

On one hand, it is totally preventable and reversable. Even if they have health isuues, they *can* lose the weight and their health would start to return.

On the other hand, they can't work. What are earth should they do??

Also, there is the issue of the way that our economy works, crap food is way cheaper than healthy food, so poverty is another issue...
Click to expand...

First.....Crap food being cheaper is a myth for the lazy. Souggy has posted many options in the past. Second, You may get chubby from crap food......but not Obese. Obese only comes from overdoing it and with the amount one would pay for enough crap food to become obese they could afford sensible portions of healthy food.
 
Junk food has more tax on it than healthy food, at least it's the case in Australia.

Other posters made valid points.

If they had diseases or injuries that made their movements limited therefore causing obesity, well they could claim for SSDI.

But what about those people who are proud to be obese?
 
Miss-Delectable said:
Junk food has more tax on it than healthy food, at least it's the case in Australia.

Other posters made valid points.

If they had diseases or injuries that made their movements limited therefore causing obesity, well they could claim for SSDI.

But what about those people who are proud to be obese?
Click to expand...

Food is taxed the same where I am from.

I don't think being proud or not should be a factor. It is just self-acceptance, like Deaf pride.

I'm of two minds about it...
 
In Texas sales tax is charged on chips,candy and soda.......No sales tax on most other foods.
 
As for me, I think obsese people have problems with their health and could not afford to go to the doctors for medical help when it is not the eating disorder. There are diseases that cause them not to work at all.

Also, like Shel90 say that there is discrimination for companies who won't hire obsese people, just like employers refuse to hire Deaf or HOH people to work because of hearing loss. They want us to use the phones and to expect us to understand them by lipreading which it is impossible as it is 30% which we can make out.

The only advice is to get the unemployment help with getting a check from them and also maybe go on welfare. There might be a few obsese people who might go into SSDI or SSI if the Social Security Administration say it is okay when given the notices by their doctors. Being unemployed is very hard to take when no one want to hire them and very few get hire for reasons like job experiences. :dunno:
 
many people with mental illness are on SSI or SSDI. I already know a few who always been on SSI because of mental illness, and a few who got fired because of their mental illness (they were so bad off that they weren't working at all. Everything was being neglected. His job was to keep thing clean and sterilized for the customers and he was just too zone out)

Being extremely overweight to the point they can't move is obvious a eating disorder and mental illness and they need rehab.
 
I'm sure there are people who are proud of being big. They even have porns. But it is just unhealthy and they're risking their heart.

But one thing I don't want is food stamp covering junkfood, or empty calories food.
 
A said:
I'm sure there are people who are proud of being big. They even have porns. But it is just unhealthy and they're risking their heart.

But one thing I don't want is food stamp covering junkfood, or empty calories food.
Click to expand...

I agree with the foodstamp point. Why on earth can you buy chips and soda and even BEER (but not toliet paper!) on food stamps? I think it should be more like WIC and have "covered" and "not covered" food choices. It would help the poor to choose better food and perhaps learn about healthy food choices.
 
I don't think it's clear cut. On the one hand, I agree with some of you that says that obesity is totally preventable. Eat right and in moderation, and you'll keep your weight within a healthy limit for you. But, I also agree with those of you who state that obesity can stem from other illnesses. Medications to treat various mental illnesses can cause weight gain. In fact, a lot of them do. So, I don't know.


I don't think this is a black/white issue that can be easily debated or solved in a day's time. I would like to add that I agree with the point about food stamps as well. Why on Earth someone can buy Twinkies is beyond me? Probably because junk is cheaper than fresh produce. This is all apart the problem and we sure as heck aren't gonna all solve this one!

Good luck debating this. I think I'm bowing out now since I'm one of those people that this affects and this could get very personal for me.
 
Last edited:
I think is should depend why a person is obesity, if someone just love lot to eat a lot and got so fat they can't walk , they should not get SSDI.
 
TXgolfer said:
In Texas sales tax is charged on chips,candy and soda.......No sales tax on most other foods.
Click to expand...

My state Massachusett want to put a tax on junk food so people eat less. But some people will just drive over to NH and stock on junk food tax free.
 
There's more than one scenario possible.

1. Person is obese, which in turn has possible disabling effects on heart, diabetes, mobility, etc. Disability payments could be for the secondary conditions.

2. Person has an existing mental or physical disease which causes obesity. Disability payments could be for the primary existing disease.
 
faire_jour said:
I agree with the foodstamp point. Why on earth can you buy chips and soda and even BEER (but not toliet paper!) on food stamps? I think it should be more like WIC and have "covered" and "not covered" food choices. It would help the poor to choose better food and perhaps learn about healthy food choices.
Click to expand...

I hate to make judgements but there was this lady in front of me who was using food stamps and she was using it to buy bags and bags of chips. I dunno if it is for a party or for her own diet. I just thought it was odd to buy so much junk on food stamps. Oh well...
 
Reba said:
There's more than one scenario possible.

1. Person is obese, which in turn has possible disabling effects on heart, diabetes, mobility, etc. Disability payments could be for the secondary conditions.

2. Person has an existing mental or physical disease which causes obesity. Disability payments could be for the primary existing disease.
Click to expand...

I agree with this.
 
Back
Top