The executive director of Sweetgreen, Jonathan Neman, shared a text through the LinkedIn network that caused great controversy. It suggests that obesity is the “root cause” of health problems such as COVID. After the criticism received, Neman deleted his publication.
“ The 78% of COVID hospitalizations are obese and overweight people . Is there an underlying problem that we may not have paid enough attention to? ”Neman wrote.
Sweetgreen CEO noted that“ no vaccine or mask will save us from the virus ”and suggested that the best bet is to learn how to live better with it and “focus on overall health versus infection prevention.”
Tax processed foods and refined sugar
Within the published list, Jonathan Neman says that they have acted quickly to implement mask and vaccine mandates and unlimited money printed to soften the economic impact that the pandemic has left in the country. But he accuses that it is necessary to focus on the root problems.
Neman shared: “ What if we made illegal the food that makes us sick? What if we taxed processed foods and refined sugar to pay for the impact of the pandemic? What if we incentivized health? Repairing our food system could save us $ 2 billion a year in direct costs. ”
The Sweetgreen co-founder’s words upset several people who read it. Receiving a flood of comments from those who described his post as disgusting and even called him obesphobic.
There was also who agreed with Sweetgreen and pointed out that “ Normalizing obesity is tragic and should be criminal when considering how many people die due to health-related problems that originate from being overweight people. ”
Still others found that Neman’s suggestions for the country’s health and economy, such as a“ mandate for obesity ”would benefit companies like Sweetgreen . And they also offer a perspective that Americans would not be interested in reducing obesity. “Because if the 70% of Americans consider themselves obese, the overwhelming majority of them are mouth voting to say that there is no interest in an obesity mandate. ”
Obesity increased risk of becoming seriously ill with COVID – 19
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) note that being overweight and obese can increase the likelihood of becoming seriously ill from COVID – 19. They warn that the risk of becoming seriously ill increases sharply with a high body mass index.
While some seemingly neutral commentators recognized that obesity is unhealthy and is a risk factor for becoming seriously ill with COVID – 19, did not support Neman’s remarks regarding that obesity is the root of the disease d.
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