I want to respond to your recent flood of obesity-related articles ("Some push for fat studies class, Dec. 5). They seem to emphasize that being overweight and/or obese should be deemed as important as race, religion or sexual preference. Being obese is certainly not healthy, just like it is not healthy to be anorexic or bulimic. You don't hear anyone say that we should accept anorexia or bulimia. There is a reason the scientific community and doctors refer to the increase in obesity as an epidemic or crisis and not a trend. There is a reason why New York City just banned trans fat, McDonalds' are putting gyms in their restaurants, and why there is a wave of government officials trying to ban advertising sweets to children. I understand that not everyone is obese by a conscious choice and genetics play a part in how easily a person gains or loses weight. There is a time, however, to make a choice. I agree that a person should not be discriminated against for being obese, but I do not feel that it should be accepted. Obesity is becoming one of the predominant reasons for death. If smokers can be frowned upon for their health choices, I think obese people can be too.