Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Basically they want doctor's to be willing to say "Your weight is causing this, we need to deal with it." and patients to understand how serious the health impact of their weight can be. That is probably a misperception on their part though, addicts are often know the impact of drug use as well or better than the general public. I'm sure the same is true of the obese on average.
Imo that is not actually an issue in practice, rather the opposite is more common, i.e. valid medical issues being overlooked because of or reduced to "It's just the weight, you need to lose it that's all"
Originally posted by Bardock42
Imo that is not actually an issue in practice, rather the opposite is more common, i.e. valid medical issues being overlooked because of or reduced to "It's just the weight, you need to lose it that's all"
But you're German, your idea of "fat" is our idea of "bodybuilder".
Though, yes, I can see the reverse being a problem. Statistics seem to say Americans aren't listening to such advice.
interesting discussion on Bill Maher last night about potential financial motivations to label obesity a "disease", ie: now products can be aimed at, or doctors can be paid to treat, obesity as a disease rather than as an outcome of lifestyle choice. /shrug
The term "disease", especially coming from a mental health perspective, has always been a bit "grey" around the edges, so I'm not really against this as some type of purist, I just really don't understand the point. I suppose it is sort of like I mentioned before, are we really operating under the assumption that people don't know being overweight has negative health consequences?
I tend to see overeating as being markedly different from smoking in this regard. For any host of reasons, people are much less willing to give up eating far too much crappy food and living sedentary lifestyles than they were cigarettes.
Originally posted by Oliver North
I suppose it is sort of like I mentioned before, are we really operating under the assumption that people don't know being overweight has negative health consequences?I tend to see overeating as being markedly different from smoking in this regard.
If these two sentences are supposed to be connected I'm sure smokers know how bad cigarettes are for them. People with harmful behaviors are usually aware of the risks.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
If these two sentences are supposed to be connected I'm sure smokers know how bad cigarettes are for them. People with harmful behaviors are usually aware of the risks.
they were made aware of it, yes, and there was an associated drop in people's smoking. For a very long period of time, people weren't aware of how bad cigarettes are for you.
Actually, this may address a point that came up on Maher's program. If the education campaign was focused on nutritional content of food, eating habits, etc, it might be much more effective than calling obesity a disease. I'd be surprised if people were actually aware of how bad certain foods are for them, and for what reasons.
My point was there are probably reasons outside of habit or addiction that will make it harder for people to give up fast food or poor dietary choices than there were with smokers, which I don't think more awareness of obesity will fix.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Lung cancer is just a problem based on choices.
Some very specific choices can cause lung cancer.
But, no, you cannot say lung cancer is a problem based on choices. Some can smoke their whole life and not get cancer: though this is rare. Some can never smoke or do anything that would harm them and they can still get lung cancer. However, if you overeat (but do not practice vomiting 🙁 ) your whole life, you WILL be obese.
Even if you were born with a low amount of brown adipose tissues, hypothyroidism, Cushing's syndrome, and Prader-Willi Syndrome, being morbidly obese is still a choice. It's one of the rare "diseases" that is still 100% preventable even if the genetic odds are stacked horribly against you.
Most people just don't make the effort, even if they are diagnosed with some of the things I mentioned above, to prevent their life-threatening obesity.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
Should we act as though it isn't a disease?
Treat the cause, not the symptom. I know, I'm crazy for thinking like that (this is not sarcasm...some think it puts the cart before the horse). Getting over obesity requires a behavior change: sometimes a severe behavior change.
Originally posted by Symmetric Chaos
But you're German, your idea of "fat" is our idea of "bodybuilder".
lol! Touché
True, just look at this fat German guy: