RALEIGH – Obesity is a growing health problem in North Carolina. I hope that state policymakers can resist temptation of a different sort by saying no to any policy responses that imperil freedom and personal choice.
With the release of an annual report card on child health on Wednesday, the trend became a bit clearer. About 23 percent of children aged 5 to 11 were considered overweight in 2003, up from 17 percent in 1998. While I tend to agree with those who argue that commonly measurements of excessive weight and obesity are somewhat biased – some muscular adults, at least, are wrongly being labeled overweight – the problem remains real and is likely getting worse.
Among adults, some analysts forecast that it won’t be long before diseases related to obesity and lack of exercise kill more American each year than disease related to tobacco abuse. They are already a more deadly scourge that alcohol-related crashes and diseases, by a long shot. When you add to the mortality figures the other deleterious consequences of being overweight – the other health problems, lack of mobility, concerns about appearance and self-image – the situation is a dire one, indeed, for many people.
The public-policy dilemma arises because these serious costs are not all borne by those who, for whatever reason, find it difficult to keep off the excess weight. In my view, a free society allows individuals to make their own decisions and reap the rewards and punishments. But when Americans today make choices that lead to unhealthy lifestyles, for adults or children, government programs impose some of the costs on others. Medicare and Medicaid, for example, serve to socialize health risks. No matter how much of one’s health conditions are the result of personal behavior, “free” treatment is available from tax-funded programs.
It sounds compassionate, but be careful. If treating your disease is now my responsibility as a taxpayer, I have every moral right to start asking you some tough questions. When are you going to start exercising? How many nights a week do you pig out at the pizza parlor? How’s that low-carb diet coming?
Before you say it’s none of my business, check your premises. Your personal health certainly is my business if I’m being coerced to pay for your care.
It is this principle that has led some activists to propose highly intrusive public policies. We already have motorcycle-helmet laws and other intrusions because, the argument goes, those who choose dangerous behaviors shouldn’t be allowed to impose costs on us. The principle is no different with fatty foods and sedentary lifestyles. Some have argued for steep excise taxes on high-fat foods, restraints on restaurant and grocery advertising, and punitive damages in court. Having nabbed Big Tobacco, they now want to bag Big Farm and Big Mac.
By all means, let’s spread the word about the consequences of obesity. I do not, however, want to see local, state, or federal governments attempt to engineer our weight through fat taxes, restrictive school lunches, draconian development rules designed to force us out of our cars, and other assaults on personal freedom. If the goal is to reduce the harm that the poor choices of some impose on everyone else, let’s focus our attention on the government programs that socialize risk and invite such dangerous encroachments upon our liberty.
Hood is president of the John Locke Foundation and publisher of Carolina Journal.