The CDC announced new numbers today about the nations obesity rates. A solid 1 in 4 adults are obese, meaning their BMI is over 30. There are 9 states reporting over 30% of it's population as being obese last year. In 2007 only 3 states reported over 30% and in 2000 there was not a single state in our nation that could say the rate was that high. Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee and West Virginia were the states showing the highest numbers.
Now there is plenty of speculation about the economy making us fat. We are poorer and therefore cannot afford to eat good foods. I would like to say yea I agree, but frankly that's a sorry ass excuse. People are saying it is cheaper to go to a fast food joint and feed their family. I will say that for JUST Skip and I to eat at lets say Burger King, we are still shelling out nearly 18 bucks. I can go to the store and get pasta and veggies and have enough for dinner tomorrow on that. I shop once a week for Aiden and I and I typically spend $60-$75 on FRESH food! I shop the outside isles away from all the processed stuff that is kept in the middle of the store. Yes I throw some Pop Tarts in there, some cereal and fruit bars, but over all we aren't eating all that crap. I can afford to eat on a budget, so can you or anyone else. Healthy food IS affordable.
Now tell me, do you want your doctor to tell you that you are fat? Overweight? Unhealthy? Would you want your doctor to voice concern or perhaps give you some education without you asking? I know I would. My BMI is currently 30. That put's me on the edge of overweight and obese. Of course no one will say to me, " DAMN girl you are looking obese, you should eat a few less fries." I wouldn't say I am obese, but I am certainly overweight and I know. I have lost 15ish pounds this year and I intend to lose more. I have NEVER had a doctor express ANY concern over my weight. That pisses me off. It is their job to monitor my health when I make a yearly appointment. I would gladly accept any info they gave me on nutrition, weight loss etc. If they suggested a referral to see a nutritionist I would go and thank them for practicing preventative medicine. But I guess that's just it, we are not a country trying to PREVENT illness we treat it once it happens.
I bring all this doctor stuff up because whether we like it or not our government is going to start playing bigger and bigger roles in our healthcare. Michele Obama is still on her mission to stop childhood obesity and there are more talks about what we do about adults. Typically you see a fat kid and their parents aren't much better. Do you think it would be fair if your doctor gave you a mandatory referral to see a nutritionist if you came into the office with a BMI over 30? Would you kick and scream the whole time? Would you be offended? Or do you think you might go and try to learn something? Would it really be that bad if they started putting some rules out there through the use of healthcare to make us a "thinner" nation?
I say put a gym in every hospital and if you get referred, you should have rights to use it without a fee. It should be part of your treatment. We need to start treating it like an illness before it turns into a real money sucking investment. Parent should be held responsible for causing their children harm where they cannot help themselves. Fat should not be the new normal. We should not be embracing this lifestyle as if it is some designer fashion.
And I am NOT saying to be ashamed of being fat, overweight, obese, thick, chunky or whatever you choose to call it. I am saying be aware of it. Be aware of your health. Be aware that it CAN and SHOULD be changed. KNOW the long term health effects. Our doctors should be educating us and we should be receptive. This is one thing it is time to stop being politically correct about. Sooner or later your taxes and mine are going to being for the issues of the 500lb man or woman sitting next you at the movie theater. Is that really what you want to see it spent on??
Thursday, August 5, 2010
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2 comments:
If other people's money weren't being taken at the point of a gun to pay for their health problems then it wouldn't be that much of a problem. But since it already is the case, and going to become moreso in the not too distant future...
Also, a big problem comes in when they try to say what foods you can and can't eat. There is a vast gulf between the vegan diet and the Atkins and Paleo diets. I foresee the gov pushing towards the vegetarian/vegan diets and limiting the amount of meats that people can eat, despite mounting evidence that many of our health problems are from depending too much upon a plant based diet.
I hope the government doesn't start telling us what we can and cannot eat.HOWEVER it would be nice to see something that would gear people to WANT to eat the better foods. Like I dunno....tax the shit out of everything we don't need. Sorry soda drinkers, I'd like to see you pay out your wazoo to have a coke. Or snack cake or cookies or what ever else junk food we don't NEED to survive. That's my humble 0.02 worth anyways.
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