I want to clarify my thoughts below a bit.

I'm not arguing that people (rich or poor) are not responsible for their own behavior. My belief in such is one of the cornerstones of my view of government. The point that I was trying to make was in objection to Jane's assertion that the poor just seem to naturally make more wrong choices more often. They probably do, but that's only a part of it and that even if it doesn't relieve them of irresponsibility, money is a great weapon in the fight against obesity and the lack of it is a hinderence to it.

The best analogy I can come up with is chemical dependence. Nothing is simpler than not being al alcholic - all you have to do is not drink alcohol. But simple, of course, does not mean easy. Money can help, though. If you can afford 28 days in Arizona to dry out, your chances of beating it are a lot better than someone that can't. Another example is smoking: he who can afford Nicorette, acupuncture, and Welbutren is a lot better off than someone that can't. That's not to say that those that can't are doomed, but it is to acknowledge that their struggle is tougher than one without that help. Neither is easy and neither is impossible, but they are not the same.

And while it may be just as simple for the poor to be healthy, that doesn't make it as easy, either. The wealthy can afford a wider array of food to keep the diet interesting. That's not just a luxury, either: the more 'interesting' a diet is the more likely someone is to be able to stick with it. There's also gym membership and exercise equipment. Different things work with different people, and some people's options are limited.

From a policy standpoint, I'm not sure what this means (if it means anything at all). I'm not a big believer in redistribution of wealth and I do think that there are other factors so that even if they could afford more options, there'd still be a gap. I'm also loathe to argue that it's not their fault (and so society should be "compassionate" and "understanding") cause it is poor. That's why I agreed with Sammler and Linus even as we disagreed.

The only other thought I have on the subject is a grinning agreement with Dymphna:

You know those micro-credit programs that places like Bangladesh have? We need a micro-mentor program for the underclass. Someone who can show them how "the rich" (which is anybody with a home and a paid-for decent car and regular employment)make decisions.