Obese Nation

May 8, 2012

The Numbers for Today:

• Fasting Blood Glucose Level:  97 mg/dl
• Weight: 188 lbs
• Exercise:  45 minute bike ride, somewhat cool this morning.
• Mood:  7.5  Why, considering I am looking for a job?  My blood pressure has noticeably dropped.  Take the good with the bad, I say.

 The Menu for Today:

• Breakfast:  Leftover cornmeal/whole wheat pancakes from the weekend, which I am happy to add, were a big hit and Usual fruit medley.  My niece and nephew where getting seconds. 
• Lunch:  Leftover pinto beans and rice.
• Dinner:  Leftover chicken for a chicken salad.
• Snack:  A slice of cheese and a four, count 'em, dried apricots.

Obese Nation

From the USA Today, by 2030, up to 42% of the population of the USA could be obese according to a study to be presented at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's "Weight of the Nation" meeting.  

This, I think, this is the where and when of the study's presentation.  I can't find the study on line anywhere, so I am assuming this is all in a press release that the USA Today is presenting, and the paper is just dutifully reporting it back.  

It all sounds so nicely dire.  Action must be taken.

Sorry, I get suspicious when I hear numbers such as this.  Scary numbers and precious little fact, good for attracting readers and little else. At best these are SWAGs presented as fact.  They may turn out to true.  The nation has been getting steadily fatter since the 1980's, when the percentage of obese people was about 15%.  It's now up to 36%.  

Don't get me wrong, this is a dry statistical summary of a serious financial and health problem.  Yet, the money and effort to treat obesity are resources treating  problems that didn't have to be there in the first place. These are sins of commission, the collective results of a lot of bad choices individuals have made.

This is a condition caused by choice, not fate, and individuals can make other choices.  I did. I chose to get better.  It takes effort, but it is not all that hard really.  Brain cancer is hard.  Cystic fibrosis is hard.  Losing weight takes some time, patience and better choices, but it's not hard. 

What really worries me are statements such as this from Eric Finkelstein, a health economist with Duke University Global Health Institute and lead researcher on the new study in the article:  "The obesity problem is likely to get much worse without a major public health intervention."

What does that mean?  The government is going to start making new rules and guidelines that will be followed or else?  I don't know, but from something called the Global Health Institute, whatever that is, I don't doubt it. I fear this is the real point of the study. Something must be done and if the government is paying the bill as in England, well, the government is going to set some rules.

People can't be trusted to make their own choices to get better. 

If that happens, I can guarantee one thing, it won't work.  Watch for a black market in Coke, Churches Chicken and Twinkies.

Update
As soon as I published this post, I found this article on Yahoo. Yes indeed, can I call 'em or what? "Weight of the Nation" is cited. The government is going to fix the obesity problem, just like it fixed poverty, education and energy, I guess.

There is a plan forming out there for the government to manage how we eat.  We can't do this by ourselves, the argument goes, people can't control themselves and so the government has to create and set the appropriate policies.  Personal responsibility does not work.  We need the guiding hand of the government to solve the problem.  That is scary.

The  Institute of Medicine (IOM) in a report "argues that multiple strategies will be needed to make the U.S. environment less 'obesogenic.'"  The IOM said the obesity problem is so bad that it will "take dramatic and systemic measures - from overhauling farm policies and zoning laws to, possibly, introducing a soda tax - to fix it."

Oh, this is going to fail.  Black market Big Macs anyone?  Doritos sold in plain paper bags?