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That is why there needs to be some visible and lasting penalties...as in if you have a disease like diabetes that you can prevent or fix by simply eating better and not eating so much - then you are responsible for any and all medical costs associated with it. We don't allow insurance claims if you purposefully wreck your car or burn your house down; why do we allow this when it comes to your health?

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If you think "simply eating better and not eating so much" is "simple", you don't understand people. All our evidence is that it is by no means simple for most people. It's a problem that's about as hard to deal with as drug addiction.

Furthermore, it is a social problem, in that we as a society allow businesses to exploit peoples weaknesses without covering the social costs of the problems they are causing, and given that how people around you act strongly influence how able people are to stick to a diet.

To then act as if this is down to some imaginary free will is irresponsible.

Well I "simply" don't eat the stuff or over eat. O.k so maybe I am some anomaly but I don't think so. Sure some people take a little more incentive and that is why I propose to provide them with some incentive - which would be that if they knew, or saw, that their health care costs are no longer covered if they cause their health issues then a large amount of people would start changing their ways. People need to be made responsible for their decisions; this means they must pay for their actions - if they are not held accountable then they, in general, will not act in a responsible way. Making people responsible will turn the social tide.

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