Should overweight and obese people have special rights or the same rights as healthy-sized people?   Are large people responsible for their condition?    This site came about because of an article in the newspaper about an oversized person being charged double for an extra seat on an airplane.   Someone felt they were being discriminated against on the basis of size and that their size was something they could not help.   I thought it was someone expecting special treatment on the basis of being avoidably overweight.  In other words, they were expecting a special right.  

It is not my intention to be hostile or judgemental towards large people.  I really hope large people will perceive this as an attempt by one vegan to reach out and show some understanding.    It doesn't bother me that large people exist.  It doesn't bother me that they seek to be treated with respect.  I think they should be.   But I really wish society overall would give veganism more consideration.  

In the Food Revolution, vegan author John Robbins points out that vegans average 10-20 pounds lighter than nonvegans.   I would like to see the general idea of what is normal food completely changed around.    Today, less than 50 % of America adults smoke.   Very few people dispute that smoking is very unhealthy.    I would like to see animals products follow the same trend.  I would like to see over 50% of the world become vegan.  Once that happens, vegans will be thought of as normal, and nonvegans will be the minority.  

Of course, it is possible to be vegan and be overweight or obese.  I am not suggesting that veganism is a cureall for these conditions.   But according to Robbins, only 2% of vegans are obese,  while 6% of vegetarians are obese, and 18% of people in the general population are obese.    If this is true, people would be lighter overall if veganism were the norm in this country. 

Of course, people can choose to eat whatever they want.   And exercise is just as important as diet, and in fact, for weight loss, might be more important.

The point is, I say, people are responsible for their weight.  Certainly, in some instances, people may be medically unable to slim down.   But I would wager only a very small number of people fit that description.   If someone is medically unable to slim down, I would not charge them for two seats on a plane.   But they should have to prove that a doctor found them medically unable to lose weight, and in my personal opinion, they should have given a raw food, vegan diet and exercise an adequate try before they should be given special rights.  

Links

The Rave Diet.

Eat to Live by Dr Joel Fuhrman