It’s time to take a lesson from smoking, and apply it to fat.

Smoking was an acceptable facet of American society for over 100 years. 

As the evidence mounted on how unhealthy it was, that information alone drove many smokers to quit. 

But those that lacked the desire or willpower to quit needed a push. 

So society marginalized smokers, making tobacco use socially unacceptable. 

(This is in response to a recent rrspin column. We welcome feedback such as this)

Smoking bans in the workplace and public spaces, and higher cigarette taxes, continued to make tobacco use less convenient and attractive.

We didn’t eliminate smoking, but we significantly reduced the percentage of people who smoke. In doing so, we also lowered incidences of lung cancer, emphysema and other smoking-related illnesses.

Maybe it’s time to make obesity as socially unacceptable as smoking, partly because of the sheer pressure the condition is going to have on our health service.

Obesity raises the risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. 

Many hospitals in the U.S., especially those in the south, see 75 to 80 percent of their admissions due to conditions, which are self-inflicted as a result of being obese. 



Unlike smoking, the proximity of a fat person isn't going to have a direct effect on your health.

But the effect of widespread obesity on our healthcare system is incredibly damaging, and affects us all. 

Healthcare services are expensive, and they are not unlimited. 

The costs of caring for obesity-related illness reduce the availability of services for those whose illnesses are not self-inflicted in this way. 

It’s time to set aside political correctness, and just as we have smoke-free workplaces, we can demand obesity-free workplaces. 

If we made obesity socially unacceptable today, we might be a healthier nation in future.

But let’s be honest, the majority of Americans do not demonstrate the ability to make the right choices when it comes to their diets.  If they did, fast food establishments wouldn’t line every main road in every town in the nation.

So perhaps it’s time to bring strong social and economic pressure to bear on obesity, as we did with tobacco. 

People want to be healthy, so to persuade someone that they ought to want a good diet and exercise for themselves should not be difficult.  

But, like smokers, those that choose to ignore this fact need a strong message that obesity is not socially acceptable any longer. 

Junk food with high fat and empty calories should be excessively taxed. 

There is no reason any restaurant should be allowed to serve a 1,740-calorie meal with 2,640 mg sodium and 83 grams of fat (2 grams of which are trans fats).

But if you want one, you should have to pay a premium for it. 

You’re welcome to have your Big Mac, but it’s now $25. 

As with cigarettes, if you choose to keep using these products, at least the tax revenue will offset the future costs of your medical care. 

Michael Procino is a medical doctor, chief of medical informatics and a healthcare management consultant.