Obesity is a significant
contributing factor for many diseases including heart disease and diabetes so
it should come as no surprise that obesity has been looked upon as a risk
factor by the medical community. Approximately
30% of our nation is considered obese with another 40% considered overweight
and statistically moving towards obesity.
With the cost of obesity-related disease surpassing tobacco-related
diseases for the first time in years and with the bulk of our nation’s medical
expenses related to preventable conditions, it wasn’t shocking to learn that
the AMA finally labeled obesity as an official disease. Was this a good move? What does this mean for treatment and how
might this impact our already struggling health care system?
First of all, this move has upset many individuals
including some that argue that one shouldn’t have to maintain a supermodel
figure in order to fit in with mainstream society or in other words; big can be
beautiful. Others have commented that it
is an individual choice to eat and live as they please so why should they be
labeled as having a disease? Let’s be
honest, the media is chalked full of models, sexually suggestive ads and
stereotypes leading to a distortion of healthy body-image and an unclear
message of what it means to be healthy. And
while it is our choice to eat as we please the food system has become one of
convenience and poor in nutrients so choosing to eat three square meals from
the drive through doesn’t carry a strong argument.
I agree that media has done us a disservice when it comes
to body image. It’s ironic that the same media advertises nearly impossible and
statuesque physiques in one commercial yet we’re now told to eat at the newest
fast food burger chain or feed our kid’s the latest sugary beverage in the next. Regardless of obesity’s new designation
hopefully we can eventually address our perception of ideal weight, overweight and
obesity as we move closer to a healthier generation.
As a
health and fitness expert I think we’re talking about two extremes to the same
issue. Meaning it is extreme and
potentially unhealthy to strive for a supermodel body and simply unhealthy to
be overweight or obese. If ones body-fat percentage (the ratio of organs,
bones, lean muscle mass & fat mass) or BMI (body-mass index or ratio of
height and weight) falls into the overweight or obesity category than we are at
risk for developing heart disease, diabetes and a host of other problems. Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to
liver disease and too much sun exposure can lead to skin cancer. Simply put a lifestyle of excess can be
dangerous for all of us.
It
is understood that obesity is a link to life-threatening diseases and now that
obesity is considered a disease our medical community will be forced to
recognized it and treat it; something not necessarily required in the past (doctors
don’t want to call us fat and haven’t had the time to prescribe a fitness regimen). We can now expect and only hope that our
doctor will provide counseling for obesity and weight-management services,
treatment plans and medication (yet hope they don’t promote medication over
lifestyle changes).
In
the short run I’m certain insurance claims will go up, prescriptions will be
doled out as a quick fix and insurance premiums are likely to continue to
increase. However after a significant
amount of time, education, treatment and guidance I’m hopeful that some time
over the next decade we’ll start to see a promising new trend towards national
health and vitality. Who knows, someday the
headlines in 10-20 years will read, “U.S. Obesity Rates Fall to Record New Lows.”
