Automation can solve our obesity problem

[Unity+]

So, I was watching this documentary about the obesity of a truck driver:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTAEvlKvRv8

 

Summary: A truck driver(the focus of the discussion) is obese because he is forced to unhealthy foods due to the requirements of his job.

 

I think a way to solve a part of the obesity problem is to automate the movement of products geographically. The problem is the American economy relies on transportation of goods in order to keep the system moving as it is. I think the broad solution is to automate jobs that relate to this movement of goods. This would mean that people would have the ability to spend more time on their health rather than on tasks that involved 24/7 movement, such as truck driving.

 

What is your opinion? Is there a deeper problem than this?

Edited May 29, 2015 by Unity+

[Sato]

I don't think that the proletariat of the goods-transportation industry make up a significant portion of the obese population; there are many more who have a daily diet of McDonald's and have less transport intensive jobs.

 

Automating goods transportation, such as by truck, shouldn't be done, at least for the purpose of avoiding obesity. It will probably happen some day soon, with the advent of self-driving cars, but for efficiency. Taking people's jobs may make them unemployed and hungry, which is much worse, I think, than employed and fat.

[Externet]

A contributor to obesity is the laziness of people, and the addiction for comfort and pleasure.

Laziness... Everyone buys a car only if has electric windows and airconditioner. Pushing a button instead of cranking the window. Not even that little exercise ! And sweating is no-no.

Comfort... Check how many people runs in circles in a parking lot looking and waiting for the parking spot nearest to the entrance... of a gymnasium ! Or parking and walking to a MacDonald. Instead, use the drive-in lane.

Pleasure... People will not eat foods unless they taste superb, no matter how lean or nutritive a not-so-great flavor be. Eating for pleasure yes; for nourishment no.

 

So, let them be obese.

[pavelcherepan]

Hilarious! I have been working in mining industry and know a lot of dump truck drivers and yes, the obesity rates among them are huge. But some of the truckies are not obese and do you know why? After the work shift when all other guys go to the pub and sit around drinking beers and eating chips these guys go for a run, or the gym or to play some team sports. And they are in perfect shape.

 

Also, I've been doing a lot of driving around Australia and eaten quite a few times at truck stops and on the menu they have a lot of very tasty and healthy options, but truck drivers for some reason pick the most unhealthy stuff like fish and chips and burgers, while reasonable way to keep energy levels up during long drive is to eat more carbs and long-digesting foods.

 

Anyway, it's always easy to blame someone else for your problems, but really most obese people are obese because they are lazy, don't exercise and they eat and drink too much. Automation is not much help here. Will the said truck driver suddenly lose weight if he's out of job and sitting at home on his couch watching TV? I seriously doubt that.

 

The video says that 60% of truck drivers are obese, but according to WHO 74% of US population are overweight. Does this mean that truck drivers are in fact better than average?

 

 

EDIT: Watching the video. Some interesting quotes:

0:35s - "There's no limit. I love eating food!"

1:56 - "This right here is a heart attack in the bag and it's my favourite"

Edited May 30, 2015 by pavelcherepan

[swansont]

If truck drivers were the only obese people, then this might work. But that's just not the case.

A contributor to obesity is the laziness of people, and the addiction for comfort and pleasure.
Laziness... Everyone buys a car only if has electric windows and airconditioner. Pushing a button instead of cranking the window. Not even that little exercise ! And sweating is no-no.
Comfort... Check how many people runs in circles in a parking lot looking and waiting for the parking spot nearest to the entrance... of a gymnasium ! Or parking and walking to a MacDonald. Instead, use the drive-in lane.
Pleasure... People will not eat foods unless they taste superb, no matter how lean or nutritive a not-so-great flavor be. Eating for pleasure yes; for nourishment no.

So, let them be obese.

For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple, and wrong.
— H. L. Mencken

 

Ironic that you cite lazy as a reason, when that answer is itself lazy. It's a convenient narrative that ignores the actual problems that are present.

[John Cuthber]

 

 

Summary: A truck driver(the focus of the discussion) is obese because he is forced to unhealthy foods due to the requirements of his job.

 

 

But not all truckers are obese, yet they all have the same job and are, therefore, subject to those "requirements".

So the causal link can't be right.

 

You might also want to consider how both automation and obesity have changed over the years.

Broadly jobs are becoming more automated and people are becoming fatter so it's clear that, at best, automation doesn't stop people gaining weight as much as something else is making them do so.

A credible causal link is that automation makes people fat.

Edited May 30, 2015 by John Cuthber