Obesity is a disease in the US. Should it be?

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  • l_clc
    l_clc Posts: 126 Member
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    Disease:

    1. A pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.

    2. A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful.

    3. Obsolete Lack of ease; trouble.


    The problem is that "disease" does not mean what we think it means. I believe that people tend to think of disease as something that goes wrong with your body that can not be altered or reversed. It is thought to be a process that we have no control over. Once you have a diagnosis of a disease, most feel there is nothing you can do except get a prescription from your doc to control the symptoms.

    When I was a kid and we would get a coke, it was six ounces. Now it's a liter and a half. Mcdonald's served hamburgers. Period. Now a meal there is over a thousand calories, easily. Don't forget your apple pie.

    We used to play outside. We didn't watch TV all day because kids shows were only on for four hours on Saturday (unless you counted Davy and Goliath, which came on earlier). Sure. Some people were fat, but not to the degree that we are now. Google the Skipper from Gilligan's Island. He was FAT. Look at his photos from the show. He would not even register on today's scale of fat.

    The human spine and skeletal system were not made to support 300 or more pounds. Pure and simple physics. It's no wonder we are sore, sick and mentally depressed. We are like coat racks trying to support a polar bear without collapsing. It doesn't work. :noway: :noway: :noway:

    Does that mean that some people simply can't lose weight? Yes, but not because of disease. Because of the quackery that puts out crap about weight loss in books, media and television and calls it "science".

    Here is sound science. Eat less and move more. Journal every freaking bite. Watch your "disease" go away.

    Sure wish we could do that with CANCER. Now that's a disease.

    I love this, well said!
  • foxro
    foxro Posts: 793 Member
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    All is does is open the doors to drug companies to discover the magic pill. That creates an economy and associated business. The merchants of snake oil will get rich as they have the magic pill. Why take responsibility for youself ? Just sit back and wait for the magic pill, and pay big bucks to use it.
  • sw33tp3a11
    sw33tp3a11 Posts: 4,646 Member
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    Nope it shouldn't. All these people want is our money . more medicine more problems more money.
  • onwarddownward
    onwarddownward Posts: 1,683 Member
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    What they want is for insurance companies to have to foot the bill for more bypass surgeries, tummy tucks afterward (because it's not OUR fault our skin got all stretched out - it's the fault of the disease) and maybe even gym memberships.

    Doctors, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and diet "aid" companies are salivating at the idea that money would become available to pay for things that right now are either not covered or tightly regulated.

    And who is going to really pay for it in the long run? It's going to be the taxpayer, the employers (in the form of higher premiums) and the subscribers (in the form of higher deductibles and copays).

    There is no such thing as a free lunch.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Yes it is. End of debate.

    PS you all pay taxes everyday to keep people alive on dialysis many of who got that way because of poor choices. No one is complaining about paying for dialysis, so why would that be any different for someone who is suffering from obesity. If I hear one more it's gonna cost the tax payers more I'm going to rip out all my hair, join a Buddhist convent and chant everyday for karma.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    It's a conspiracy on the part of the AMA to put weight loss clinics etc out of business.........if it's a disease anyone other than a doctor "treating" the disease would be be practicing medicine without a license. :wink:

    thank God it's about time no more fad diets!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    My main concern is that by giving it a label of a "disease" society will shift away from the "I'm putting on a few pounds here, probably should put down the fork and go for a walk" to "nooooo I can eat these two cakes and a mars bar, its not me its the disease!" Where people will sit back and demand the doctors fix it with quick operations and pills rather than put in the hard work and sweaty exercise themselves.

    If a doctor told you that you had Diabetes or Celiac's would you go "welp, I've got a disease nothing I can do about it." No you would follow the dietary prescriptions to manage your disease.

    I hate this argument, "oh great now all the fatties are going to use this as an excuse."

    I'm obese there's a huge population on MFP that is obese trying to manage his/her disease, and I happen to believe it is very much so a disease. In fact a world wide epidemic affecting mortality rates. Individually it reprograms cells, the brain, hormones, and in fact some studies have shown obesity can reprogram genes. There's ever a few studies out there who link viral infection to obesity.

    The lack of empathy makes me cringe.
  • grammiejul
    grammiejul Posts: 68 Member
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    I believe it is a disease for some and for others, it is lifestyle choices.
    For others still, it is a mixture of the two. Food addiction is one that comes to mind. It is very real, as real as any drug or alcohol addiction.
  • obeseandsassy
    obeseandsassy Posts: 118
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    http://ideas.time.com/2013/06/24/if-obesity-is-a-disease-why-are-so-many-obese-people-healthy

    Excellent article about this topic.
  • Aleta7
    Aleta7 Posts: 92
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    Obesity is -NOT- a disease. Obesity can be caused by real disorders...or it can be caused by a person's lack of exercise and/or overconsumption of calories...but by itself is not and should not be classified as a disease.




    I agree, it is NOT a disease. I got this way from overeating. Some, as you say have an underlying illness that causes obesity. Or, lack of movement.
  • toaster6
    toaster6 Posts: 703 Member
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    Side quotes:
    What is obese?

    The Body Mass Index (BMI) looks at a person's weight divided by height, squared. A BMI over 30 is considered obese.

    It often labels muscle-heavy professional athletes as obese, while classifying as "average weight" those who may have a slim frame but percentage of dangerous body fat.

    Medically speaking you wouldn't be using BMI alone to classify someone as "obese". Whether you are considered obese or not relies on how much body fat you have.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
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    Disease:

    1. A pathological condition of a part, organ, or system of an organism resulting from various causes, such as infection, genetic defect, or environmental stress, and characterized by an identifiable group of signs or symptoms.

    2. A condition or tendency, as of society, regarded as abnormal and harmful.

    3. Obsolete Lack of ease; trouble.


    The problem is that "disease" does not mean what we think it means. I believe that people tend to think of disease as something that goes wrong with your body that can not be altered or reversed. It is thought to be a process that we have no control over. Once you have a diagnosis of a disease, most feel there is nothing you can do except get a prescription from your doc to control the symptoms
    ....
    The human spine and skeletal system were not made to support 300 or more pounds. Pure and simple physics. It's no wonder we are sore, sick and mentally depressed. We are like coat racks trying to support a polar bear without collapsing. It doesn't work. :noway: :noway: :noway:

    Are you suggesting that the AMA meant definition #2 or #3?

    Because obesity does not fit definition #1.

    Obesity is not a flaw - your body is not malfunctioning, it is doing exactly what it is supposed to and stores the extra calories.

    Taken to extremes, this causes other problems - malfunctions.
  • babyluthi
    babyluthi Posts: 285 Member
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    Just FYI, pregnancy is listed as a disease.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
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    Just FYI, pregnancy is listed as a disease.

    And a pre-existing condition
  • Frank_Just_Frank
    Frank_Just_Frank Posts: 454 Member
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    If it is, the word "disease" needs to be re-defined or replaced with a new word that means "disease".
  • ohiogirl30
    ohiogirl30 Posts: 141 Member
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    Obesity is not an illness it's a life choice!

    Sorry... You're wrong on that one!
  • MadameLAL
    MadameLAL Posts: 108
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    No. It's an anatomical variant, SOMETIMES accompanied by diseases like diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, etc. Making obesity a disease opens up the door for drug companies and healthcare providers to make obscene amounts of money. And it's not as though they have such a great track record to begin with.
  • beekay70
    beekay70 Posts: 214 Member
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    From the television coverage that I saw regarding this, the intent was to spotlight obesity as causal for other preventable conditions: diabetes, heart disease, etc.

    I do take exception to using BMI as the indicator of obesity, as it does not consider body composition. I understand that, as an index, it is intended to provide a general indication that fits the majority, but there are many who fall into the "obese" or "overweight" category that have body fat percentages below 20%. And there are some that fall within the BMI guidance that have higher than recommended body fat.
  • beekay70
    beekay70 Posts: 214 Member
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    For me, obesity fits the definition of "disease" as much as alcoholism or eating disorders. It requires treatment, whether that be behavior modification or medical intervention.
  • JUDDDing
    JUDDDing Posts: 1,367 Member
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    From the television coverage that I saw regarding this, the intent was to spotlight obesity as causal for other preventable conditions: diabetes, heart disease, etc.

    So, running is a disease?

    It is causal, in some percentage of people, for a number of conditions (shin splints, stress fractures, etc.)

    (Yes, this is absurd. Yes, that is the point.)

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