2016 elections - because it's never too early

[Barrister]

I was not aware that particular demographic had weight problems more severe than the other demographics.

It doesn't have to.  We're talking about changes, so the starting points matter.  The other demographics may be catching up to the other advantages that while middle-aged males already had, which could be offsetting the bursting bulges.  As for the age part of it, the middle age is where you would expect the Type 2 diabetes generation to start dropping like flies.

Interesting article in The Atlantic about this:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/boomers-deaths-pnas/413971/

It seems to put the increased mortality rates not so much on lifestyle factors, but on drug overdoses, suicides, and liver diseases.  The rates of diabetes on the other hand have been quite constant.

[Razgovory]

I was not aware that particular demographic had weight problems more severe than the other demographics.

And it's something no politician can do anything about.  The GOP has been lying to it's rank and file since the 1970's, tell them that they would eventually rectified knowing full well that that it is legally impossible to do.  It's not a matter of lacking political capital, (though that is an issue), it's a matter of governmental structure.  It's all but impossible to make the supreme court go over the same issue and promise and get a reversal.  The fact that this will never happen and the Republican party and its members lied to their voters over this and other issues is finally understood by the rank and file.  Now they see it slightly differently then I do.  They see it as the Republicans have betrayed their ideals.  The result is basically the same.  They want to elect someone who isn't actually a politician.  I think they see it as the solution.  They are getting very close to rejecting politics all together.

[DGuller]

Interesting article in The Atlantic about this:

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/11/boomers-deaths-pnas/413971/

It seems to put the increased mortality rates not so much on lifestyle factors, but on drug overdoses, suicides, and liver diseases.  The rates of diabetes on the other hand have been quite constant.

Woah, that is pretty bleak, definitely looks more than just not giving a shit about one's health.  I'd be curious to see all causes, not just the selected ones, just for the full context.

[dps]

Woah, that is pretty bleak, definitely looks more than just not giving a shit about one's health.  I'd be curious to see all causes, not just the selected ones, just for the full context.

Actually, in a way, it's kind of encouraging.  If you don't OD on recreational drugs, don't drink yourself to death, and don't deliberately off yourself, you should be OK.

[viper37]

Yeah, I think extremism does lend itself to the American model of government.  There is no such thing as a government losing confidence votes and so there is no incentive to elect members to a government that can actually govern. 

On the hand, in the British system we inherited, once a party has the majority of MPs, the PM is free to assign his friends to important position without any kind of oversight.  Ministers are drawn solely from the majority party and we then delve into pure partisan politics.  The rethoric is not as bad as in the US, but the problems similar.

While you can not paralize a majority government and minority government are rare things, being a appointed minister is more a reflection of your ties to the party than your skills to do the job.

[DGuller]

Woah, that is pretty bleak, definitely looks more than just not giving a shit about one's health.  I'd be curious to see all causes, not just the selected ones, just for the full context.

Actually, in a way, it's kind of encouraging.  If you don't OD on recreational drugs, don't drink yourself to death, and don't deliberately off yourself, you should be OK.

Depends.  People don't just decide to become alcoholic or suicidal.  They slowly slip into such states due to other factors that are sometimes not in their control.

[Barrister]

Woah, that is pretty bleak, definitely looks more than just not giving a shit about one's health.  I'd be curious to see all causes, not just the selected ones, just for the full context.

Actually, in a way, it's kind of encouraging.  If you don't OD on recreational drugs, don't drink yourself to death, and don't deliberately off yourself, you should be OK.

But... why are so many middle-aged Americans doing these things in increasing numbers?

The article suggests it's financial strain.  Not sure though why we wouldn't see a similar increase in Canada, which has a similar economy.

[Ed Anger]

Chronic Liver Disease represent!

[crazy canuck]

Yeah, I think extremism does lend itself to the American model of government.  There is no such thing as a government losing confidence votes and so there is no incentive to elect members to a government that can actually govern. 

On the hand, in the British system we inherited, once a party has the majority of MPs, the PM is free to assign his friends to important position without any kind of oversight.  Ministers are drawn solely from the majority party and we then delve into pure partisan politics.  The rethoric is not as bad as in the US, but the problems similar.

While you can not paralize a majority government and minority government are rare things, being a appointed minister is more a reflection of your ties to the party than your skills to do the job.

I am not sure what point you are trying to make and some of what you are saying is simply incorrect.

"without any kind of oversight"  for example.  What are you thinking about there?  What do you think all the Parliamentary committees do?

Ministers are normally drawn from the governing party yes.  But there is no constitutional requirement that only government side MPs be appointed and there have been exceptions.  Having said that I think that it is very much a strength of our system that the cabinet is drawn from elected MPs.  Not sure why you think it is a weakness.  Lastly given the number of MPs who are newly and appointed as ministers your final sentence is, at best, dubious.

[crazy canuck]

Woah, that is pretty bleak, definitely looks more than just not giving a shit about one's health.  I'd be curious to see all causes, not just the selected ones, just for the full context.

Actually, in a way, it's kind of encouraging.  If you don't OD on recreational drugs, don't drink yourself to death, and don't deliberately off yourself, you should be OK.

But... why are so many middle-aged Americans doing these things in increasing numbers?

The article suggests it's financial strain.  Not sure though why we wouldn't see a similar increase in Canada, which has a similar economy.

There has been some good research done on the degree to which a public health care system moderates the effects of poverty on health outcomes.  Poverty still creates adverse health outcomes but they are lessoned to a statistically significant degree by having access to free medical care.

Those stats you posted are indeed alarming.

[The Minsky Moment]

But... why are so many middle-aged Americans doing these things in increasing numbers?

The article suggests it's financial strain.  Not sure though why we wouldn't see a similar increase in Canada, which has a similar economy.

Pure anecdotal speculation - but the US appears to be on the leading edge of the new trend of instability in employment and also stands out for having less of a social safety net than other OECD countries.    The 45-54 demographic is arguably the last to grow up with the initial expectation of "good jobs" and a rising tide to lift all boats.

[DGuller]

Beeb's chart only represents ~25% of the deaths, just to keep it in perspective.  It would've been more illuminating to see all the causes, not just the ones with the sharpest upward spikes, and for different demographics and countries just to compare.

[Zanza]

Is there any good site I could read about Carson's or Trump's foreign policy stances?

[LaCroix]

anecdotal, but i've seen divorce in that range group lead to lots of drinking (both women and men). plus, there doesn't seem to be much savings culture there. i'm sure that adds to stress, which turns into drinking.

also, has enough time passed where we'd start to see serious consequences of lifelong obesity?

[DGuller]

That's why I want to see the other 75% of deaths.  Sometimes attempts to reconcile movement in overall numbers can be surprisingly deceptive.  Sometimes some individual reason can account for 200% of the total change.