We all enjoy getting something for nothing, dodging the bullet especially when it involves the pleasure of sweetened foods or drinks. Human beings are 100% motivated by desires; it's why millions of people fall for the zero calorie advertising: Zero Calories means Zero Fat! Dieting without giving up that sweet hit!
I call this 'Pick Pocketing the Future'. Even to some extent, people with Diabetes are trying to obviate the same desire but for medical reasons. It's no different than gambling.
These little mini victories only make us want to do it again - it's like the buzz of stealing - if you don't get caught you want to do it again; and again. It's addictive. The worst thing about playing Russian Roulette is there is a very good chance the barrel is loaded; artificial sweeteners like Aspartame are that bullet. Some people are even aware that the next shot could be the one that blows your brains out but they still pull the trigger! Aspartame is addictive! (see Why Aspartame laden diet drinks should be in the Alcohol Aisle of the Supermarkets).
But why do we risk the lives of ourselves and our loved ones? What is the psychology behind it?
The world, particularly the West is a nation of people obsessed with body image. We even have numerous terms for obesity that we'd never think of calling people with other medical problems:
Morbidly obese, severely obese, grossly obese, obesity, overweight, fat, chubby, plump, stout, heavy-set, heavy large, solid, chubby, portly, rotund, flabby, paunchy, pot-bellied, beer-bellied, dumpy, meaty, broad in the beam, of ample proportions, Falstaffian, buxom, corpulent, bloated, gross, gargantuan, elephantine, fleshy, tubby, roly-poly, beefy, porky, blubbery, poddy, chunky, well padded, well covered, well upholstered, podgy, fubsy, lard-arsed, sonsy, pursy, couch potatoes, abdominous, stoutists...
In the 1970's in the UK, the word 'Spastic' was an acceptable word for people with Cerebral Palsy - there were charity shops called 'The National Spastics Society' no-one thought about it but it was eventually considered to be an offensive word, so in 1994 it was changed to 'Scope'. All this came about to stop the awkwardness and negativity around people who suffered from disabling conditions like Cerebral Palsy; to recognise that people shouldn't be marginalised because of their disabilities.
This isn't the case with people who are regarded as; let's use the word 'obese' - in fact, society is quite happy to use these descriptive words. Billy Connelly once said in a comedy sketch while holding a pretend piece of belly fat: 'This must be the morbid bit.' We all laugh. Why do we laugh? There are some people with thyroid problems or other medical reasons they're overweight but they are immediately judged as just 'fat'. They must be gluttons. They obviously don't exercise. They are Couch Potatoes. They MUST be!
We would never call a smoker a morbid smoker, a gross smoker - we might label them a 'Chain Smoker' but that's hardly as offensive as being called 'blubbery' - yet the possible outcome from chain smoking for decades has been death! Cigarettes are now the next demon and suffers the same 'disgusting' label that obesity does - it doesn't fit the 'beautiful body' image and it's taken society decades to finally wake up from the illusion that it's safe. It's all about how it's advertised to us and the 'image' that society adopts and regards as 'acceptable'. Obesity (I hate the term) has become the visible icon for all the things we shouldn't do. Why? Because it's shamefully visible. And I use the word 'Shame' because that's one of the strongest human motivators - it's what this diet fad is all about: Shame. It's shameful to be overweight. It's shameful to have a spare tyre. It's sinful to be fat. The worst thing about the condition of being overweight is the 'visibility factor' - you can't hide it!
Society has decided that people who put on weight must be shamed because they do not fit the accepted shape that society requires and demands. Doctors will shame us (they are the worst) friends and family will shame us. Magazines and advertising will only show the beautiful people and if they're not beautiful at least they're not fat! Being fat is worse than being ugly in the mind of society! And if you're fat and ugly? You haven't got a chance!
What we are not admitting to is that the diet industry is big MONEY!
Global Weight Control Products Market was valued at USD 350.21 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 693.74 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.94 % from 2019 to 2026. - HERE
The shame that society make us feel causes us to find sneaky ways to still consume sweet products without the guilt, so when acceptable tasting diet drinks came on the market in the 1980's: Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke - the world heaved a sigh of relief! (read my comic about how Aspartame was approved for soft drinks).
It's all down to 'size matters'. We're obsessed with our body size. Doctors are even more obsessed with it. Models are skinnier than ever. Teenagers are happy if they can feel their ribs. If it didn't hurt us, I'm sure we'd slice off our skins to gain a leaner profile. Being obese in the 21st Century is worse than being a murderer. It's no wonder people risk consuming artificial sweeteners. People refuse to listen to the facts and stories about these chemical time bombs. They even lie to themselves about how much they consume when confronted with the facts; especially that it's addictive.
None of that matters, as long as they don't gain weight (even though medical studies tell us that Aspartame can make you crave carbohydrates, thereby making you eat more and gain weight).
According to the world, we have a severe obesity problem, well, with virtually every soft drink on the world-wide market using Aspartame, and products like zero-calorie chewing gum, desserts and it's even in medications - it's no wonder! (important article about Aspartame and obesity - HERE)
Why do we trust that zero calorie drinks won't hurt us? Doesn't the English phrase: 'Don't get owt for nowt,' make sense any more? (You don't get something for nothing). Why do we think we can cheat our bodies into thinking its receiving sugar? There is a price to pay because the body is a chemical factory; it thinks its receiving a hit of sugar and sends out insulin to deal with it - but guess what? There is no sugar, so what are the possible effects of increased insulin in the body?
So, if we become hypoglycemic, what do we do? We eat something. We eat something we didn't need to eat because a chemical made our bodies think we need it. Excuse me for logical thinking, but isn't that the start of consuming excess food and thereby gaining weight? Hello? Yet people who are dieting will consume diet or zero calorie products thinking they're helping their bodies lose weight!
Yes, too much sugar is bad for you - no-one is contesting this, especially white sugar products but hey, why don't we do things the old fashioned way: cut down on your sugar intake, don't cheat! You don't get something for nothing!
Ninth Circuit Shuts Down Claim That "Diet" In Diet Soda Is Unlawfully Deceptive - HERE
...In the Food Court
Becerra filed suit in the Food Court (Northern District of California) alleging the defendant's use of "diet" in Diet Dr. Pepper was a false or deceptive promise that the soda "would 'assist in weight loss' or at least 'not cause weight gain.'" Diet Dr. Pepper would not assist in weight loss, Becerra claimed, because it contained aspertame, a sugar substitute that some studies associate with weight gain. After allowing Becerra to amend her complaint three times, the district court ultimately ruled the lawsuit failed to state a valid claim and dismissed it with prejudice. Becerra appealed.
In the Ninth Circuit
The three-judge panel not only affirmed the Northern District's decision, it also selected the opinion for formal publication in the Federal Reporter. Why is this significant? The Ninth Circuit has developed an unfortunate preference of not formally publishing its decisions on food-labeling consumer-fraud cases. "Unpublished" decisions don't have precedential effect, though parties can cite them in court papers. Becerra stands as binding precedent for all district courts in the Ninth Circuit.
The opinion focuses on the reasonableness of Becerra's belief that the term "diet" implies the product will assist in weight loss. Under California law, plaintiffs alleging deception must establish a probability that a "significant portion" of consumers, "acting reasonably under the circumstances," could be misled. As we've written previously, too many trial judges in the Ninth Circuit have held that a jury, not the court, should make the "reasonable consumer" determination in consumer-fraud cases.
A rehearing was denied. 3rd February 2020 - HERE
I call this 'Pick Pocketing the Future'. Even to some extent, people with Diabetes are trying to obviate the same desire but for medical reasons. It's no different than gambling.
These little mini victories only make us want to do it again - it's like the buzz of stealing - if you don't get caught you want to do it again; and again. It's addictive. The worst thing about playing Russian Roulette is there is a very good chance the barrel is loaded; artificial sweeteners like Aspartame are that bullet. Some people are even aware that the next shot could be the one that blows your brains out but they still pull the trigger! Aspartame is addictive! (see Why Aspartame laden diet drinks should be in the Alcohol Aisle of the Supermarkets).
But why do we risk the lives of ourselves and our loved ones? What is the psychology behind it?
The world, particularly the West is a nation of people obsessed with body image. We even have numerous terms for obesity that we'd never think of calling people with other medical problems:
Morbidly obese, severely obese, grossly obese, obesity, overweight, fat, chubby, plump, stout, heavy-set, heavy large, solid, chubby, portly, rotund, flabby, paunchy, pot-bellied, beer-bellied, dumpy, meaty, broad in the beam, of ample proportions, Falstaffian, buxom, corpulent, bloated, gross, gargantuan, elephantine, fleshy, tubby, roly-poly, beefy, porky, blubbery, poddy, chunky, well padded, well covered, well upholstered, podgy, fubsy, lard-arsed, sonsy, pursy, couch potatoes, abdominous, stoutists...
In the 1970's in the UK, the word 'Spastic' was an acceptable word for people with Cerebral Palsy - there were charity shops called 'The National Spastics Society' no-one thought about it but it was eventually considered to be an offensive word, so in 1994 it was changed to 'Scope'. All this came about to stop the awkwardness and negativity around people who suffered from disabling conditions like Cerebral Palsy; to recognise that people shouldn't be marginalised because of their disabilities.
This isn't the case with people who are regarded as; let's use the word 'obese' - in fact, society is quite happy to use these descriptive words. Billy Connelly once said in a comedy sketch while holding a pretend piece of belly fat: 'This must be the morbid bit.' We all laugh. Why do we laugh? There are some people with thyroid problems or other medical reasons they're overweight but they are immediately judged as just 'fat'. They must be gluttons. They obviously don't exercise. They are Couch Potatoes. They MUST be!
We would never call a smoker a morbid smoker, a gross smoker - we might label them a 'Chain Smoker' but that's hardly as offensive as being called 'blubbery' - yet the possible outcome from chain smoking for decades has been death! Cigarettes are now the next demon and suffers the same 'disgusting' label that obesity does - it doesn't fit the 'beautiful body' image and it's taken society decades to finally wake up from the illusion that it's safe. It's all about how it's advertised to us and the 'image' that society adopts and regards as 'acceptable'. Obesity (I hate the term) has become the visible icon for all the things we shouldn't do. Why? Because it's shamefully visible. And I use the word 'Shame' because that's one of the strongest human motivators - it's what this diet fad is all about: Shame. It's shameful to be overweight. It's shameful to have a spare tyre. It's sinful to be fat. The worst thing about the condition of being overweight is the 'visibility factor' - you can't hide it!
Society has decided that people who put on weight must be shamed because they do not fit the accepted shape that society requires and demands. Doctors will shame us (they are the worst) friends and family will shame us. Magazines and advertising will only show the beautiful people and if they're not beautiful at least they're not fat! Being fat is worse than being ugly in the mind of society! And if you're fat and ugly? You haven't got a chance!
What we are not admitting to is that the diet industry is big MONEY!
Global Weight Control Products Market was valued at USD 350.21 Billion in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 693.74 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 8.94 % from 2019 to 2026. - HERE
The shame that society make us feel causes us to find sneaky ways to still consume sweet products without the guilt, so when acceptable tasting diet drinks came on the market in the 1980's: Diet Pepsi and Diet Coke - the world heaved a sigh of relief! (read my comic about how Aspartame was approved for soft drinks).
According to the world, we have a severe obesity problem, well, with virtually every soft drink on the world-wide market using Aspartame, and products like zero-calorie chewing gum, desserts and it's even in medications - it's no wonder! (important article about Aspartame and obesity - HERE)
Excess insulin in the bloodstream causes cells in your body to absorb too much glucose (sugar) from your blood. It also causes the liver to release less glucose. These two effects together create dangerously low glucose levels in your blood. This condition is called hypoglycemia. Your blood needs the right amount of glucose for your body to operate properly. Glucose is the body’s fuel. Without it, your body is like a car running out of gas. The severity of the situation depends on how low the blood sugar level goes. It also depends on the person, because everyone reacts differently.
So, if we become hypoglycemic, what do we do? We eat something. We eat something we didn't need to eat because a chemical made our bodies think we need it. Excuse me for logical thinking, but isn't that the start of consuming excess food and thereby gaining weight? Hello? Yet people who are dieting will consume diet or zero calorie products thinking they're helping their bodies lose weight!
Yes, too much sugar is bad for you - no-one is contesting this, especially white sugar products but hey, why don't we do things the old fashioned way: cut down on your sugar intake, don't cheat! You don't get something for nothing!
We often judge people by their appearance.Here's an experiment.
If I were to show a group of people two photos, one is a picture of a very overweight person eating a cream-cake next to a plate on the kitchen table laden with several more cream cakes and alternatively, a picture of a beautiful, slim woman drinking Barcardi dressed in a swimsuit next to a pool, and asked the group which picture they thought was a more pleasing image, I can guarantee that most people would pick the slim person. Now what they don’t know, is that the person drinking the Barcardi is an alcoholic and because of this has lost her children, her job, her house, but we do ‘know’ that it’s disgusting that someone so large is eating a cream cake; whether or not they intend to eat the rest of the cakes is only an assumption. The person could be celebrating eating a cream cake because they have just received a doctorate in law. Eating a cream cake is not the norm for them because actually they are overweight because of a thyroid problem but we would not conceive of this notion at a glance due to social conditioning. We have seen the ‘apparent' evidence that this person is fat due to eating cream cakes and there are more cream cakes on the table.
We judge people all the time. It’s a survival instinct because of the society we live in – is this person someone I might be able to trust? Is this person OK to talk to? This person is overweight because they are lazy, greedy and have no self-control - not a person I'd like to have as a friend...
If the people of the world have a serious weight problem then why do we have so many cooking programs on the TV? Why do we advertise gluttonous eating at Christmas? Advertising and selling equals profits and Money. We'll get you to pay for eating that 2000 calorie Christmas dinner - you can join our diet club in January. Now you're in another club that tells you that fat is bad and there's a good chance you have to pay to be lectured about it. Apparently it's perfectly acceptable to have a large appetite for sex; we'll snigger about that. It’s acceptable to obsessively love football but 'disgusting' 'gross' 'unacceptable' 'unforgivable' 'greedy' to enjoy eating Mars bars.
If the people of the world have a serious weight problem then why do we have so many cooking programs on the TV? Why do we advertise gluttonous eating at Christmas? Advertising and selling equals profits and Money. We'll get you to pay for eating that 2000 calorie Christmas dinner - you can join our diet club in January. Now you're in another club that tells you that fat is bad and there's a good chance you have to pay to be lectured about it. Apparently it's perfectly acceptable to have a large appetite for sex; we'll snigger about that. It’s acceptable to obsessively love football but 'disgusting' 'gross' 'unacceptable' 'unforgivable' 'greedy' to enjoy eating Mars bars.
Interestingly enough, the article doesn't say WHY it matters for society... it's just scandalous that people will apparently be overweight!
To get it out of the way: it’s a tired joke that Americans are too heavy. The medical community is also plagued by a disturbing trend in which doctors obsess over their patients’ weight rather than offering any real medical advice or care
I rest my case. Well - almost, until I read this...
Ninth Circuit Shuts Down Claim That "Diet" In Diet Soda Is Unlawfully Deceptive - HERE
by Glenn G. Lammi (contributor) Washington Legal Foundation Contributor Group, Chief Counsel, Legal Studies Division
Becerra filed suit in the Food Court (Northern District of California) alleging the defendant's use of "diet" in Diet Dr. Pepper was a false or deceptive promise that the soda "would 'assist in weight loss' or at least 'not cause weight gain.'" Diet Dr. Pepper would not assist in weight loss, Becerra claimed, because it contained aspertame, a sugar substitute that some studies associate with weight gain. After allowing Becerra to amend her complaint three times, the district court ultimately ruled the lawsuit failed to state a valid claim and dismissed it with prejudice. Becerra appealed.
The opinion focuses on the reasonableness of Becerra's belief that the term "diet" implies the product will assist in weight loss. Under California law, plaintiffs alleging deception must establish a probability that a "significant portion" of consumers, "acting reasonably under the circumstances," could be misled. As we've written previously, too many trial judges in the Ninth Circuit have held that a jury, not the court, should make the "reasonable consumer" determination in consumer-fraud cases.
A rehearing was denied. 3rd February 2020 - HERE
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