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Monday, February 28, 2011

The Unintended Consequences of Government-Sponsored <b>Weight-Loss</b> <b>...</b>

Here’s how Darin McCloud, a 45-year-old man in Portsmouth, England, has been eating lately:

He has been scoffing three-quarters of a loaf of bread, several packets of crisps and bacon rolls every day, and tucking into chips, takeaways and junk food for his tea.

Why?

Because, according to the Mirror, he wants to lose weight.

And McCloud has apparently decided the best way to lose weight is to have gastric-bypass surgery. (We once wrote a column on this topic.) The problem is that, at 20 stones (280 pounds), he doesn’t quite meet the requirements for NHS-sponsored gastric surgery. So he’s trying to eat his way up to the limit:

“The reason why I want the operation is to help my diabetes. It will help me stop being on insulin and help me with my other problems. I have had diabetes for the best part of 15 years and I’m absolutely scared of being a burden on my family in the future.”

Can you imagine what would happen if Alcoholics Anonymous decided to require a certain level of alcohol intake?

(HT: Colin Gray)

Stephen J. Dubner is an author and journalist who lives in New York City. Follow @freakonomics on Twitter.


View the original article here

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