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by The head of the British Medical Association is fed up with obesity. Dr. Hamish Meldrum argues oftentimes fat people are "just greedy" and the medical community should stop offering pills and overly medical terminology like "hyper-appetite problem." Meldrum is highly critical of the effectiveness of anti-obesity drugs. Furthermore, he believes using "fancy labels" creates a false sense the condition is an exclusively medical problem, when it is also very much societal. Use of anti-obesity drugs is way up in the U.K., but Meldrum contends these are only effective if people also alter their lifestyle. He urges people take responsibility for their health and insists surgeries and medications "offer limited benefit, even to the grossly obese."
The World Health Organization says one in four adults and an equal number of children in the U.K. between 11 and 15 are obese. Currently medical guidelines allow for children from 12 on to be able to get anti-obesity drugs or stomach surgeries.
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The many factors of obesity by PsychmajorNC :: NR2 :: on 03 August 2007
Obesity is a multi-faceted issue. There are many solutions to this ongoing problem, however, many of these solutions are not effective long-term. The only solution is to address the actual factors that have led to the growing problem. It is not only the overconsumption of food that causes people to gain weight. Lack of physical activity is a contributing factor to this problem. Additionally, processed and ready to eat foods of all kinds are full of calories (not to mention sugar, fat, and chemicals). The media also has been a major component in using psychologial warfare on society with continuous ads for restaurants, snacks, junk foods, etc. Add in the fact that technology has increased our mental activity, however, it has also increased the amount of time individuals sit down at computers, video games, television and the like.
This is not to place blame or responsibility on those factors. We are all individually responsible for our actions and choices we make regarding our health and wellness. The only blame we can place is on ourselves, should we be overweight or obese. Educating oneself on basic nutrition and health is very simple. Making a committment to live responsibly is the area of most trouble because it takes a consistent effort regardless of one's surroundings.
Of course, the medical community has developed many ways to remove excess weight. The initial purpose of these advances in medicine were to assist already overweight people. They were not designed to encourage weight gain and offer an easy solution. Unfortunately, many individuals believe that these surgical and pharmaceutical methods are the easy ticket to weight loss. The truth is, any procedure or pill has risk involved. The current track concerning obesity is to deem it a disorder or disease. This does nothing but provide overweight and obese individuals an excuse for the problem. The blame will now be on the disorder or disease, not the actions and decisions of the individual.
The obesity problem shows no signs of slowing down. As with any other aspect of an individuals life, the choices each individual makes with either benefit or harm them. Self control is vital for all human beings.
This only scratches the surface of this issue and much more elaboration is necessary. The psychological aspect alone is very complex. That needs to be understood first if we as a society are to slow down this growing problem.
RE: The many factors of obesity by markmcb :: NR7 :: on 04 August 2007
It's interesting from an individual standpoint. As stated by Dr. Meldrum, a top doc in the UK, "We are saying, 'This patient has a hyper-appetite problem' rather than, 'They are just greedy.'"
It's interesting to me that drugs like cocaine can be made illegal given their quick detrimental effects on individuals and society. However, it's ok for someone to eat over the course of 10 years and weigh 500+ pounds despite clear negative effects on individuals and society as well. Granted, no one is going to fear being held up at gun point by a fat man who needs money for some more burgers, but I still wonder if we're too lenient as a society with what people can do to themselves at the cost of others.
factors smacktors by Anonymous :: NR0 :: on 06 August 2007
I'm completely for the obese getting help, but they shouldn't be treated like people with diseases. A cancer patient and a fat guy are not the same. Being fat is completely, 100% avoidable. People may yell that it's not as easy for them to stay thin as it may be for someone else, but, hey, that's life. Everyone has their weaknesses. Deal with them. I'm not a doctor, but as far as I can tell, you can't gain weight without eating. No one got fat from breathing too much.
RE: factors smacktors by Anonymous :: NR0 :: on 06 August 2007
I think it is also important to recognize the difference between not being 'thin' and being obese. Anyone can agree that it is hard to be as thin as models and others who are on TV/magazines, but being obese means that you are beyond overweight. The factors involved are generally pretty lenient in granting you are just overweight as opposed to obese.