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

beekay70

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.)

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

JUDDDing

For me, obesity fits the definition of "disease" as much as alcoholism

Yeah, but are we assuming that decision wasn't wrong too?

Eating disorders are not considered a "disease" are they? I thought the classification was "mental disorder".

LJSmith1989

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.

God it annoys me when someone arrogantly puts "End of debate".
No, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I don't think obesity is a disease... end of debate

Frank_Just_Frank

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.)

I don't even believe obesity is causal to any of those other diseases. Obesity is a symptom, not by the root cause itself.

JUDDDing

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

Drinking too much is an activity and not a condition right?

beekay70

For me, obesity fits the definition of "disease" as much as alcoholism

Yeah, but are we assuming that decision wasn't wrong too?

Eating disorders are not considered a "disease" are they? I thought the classification was "mental disorder".

Mental disorders can and have been classified as disease.

louiselebeau

I am obese. I do not feel diseased and am kind of pissed about this whole thing. I didn't choose to be big, I always have been and had a lower BMI than many of the girls in my PE class in high school even though I wore a size 14 and they wore a size 8. I work out, lift and eat pretty healthy. I have been doing so most of my life. There have been years at a stretch when I do not eat right or exercise (when I am in a relationship, hence I shall be single until Mr. Fitness pops in) I am currently working off a bad relationship and childbirth right now, I will probably get to about a size 14... that is where I generally peter out...still obese.

I know with a serious amount of work and effort I could get smaller but if I am healthy I don't mind being larger. I just want to be able to kick *kitten* and take names, not look good naked.

I dislike being "diseased" even when I am more in shape and healthier than lots of smaller people I see every day.

They should label products and teach nutrition in school and teach kids how to make a grocery list and follow it and what is healthy and what is not. How many different names do they have for sugar that they put on labels of things at the grocery store so they can appear better for you than they are???? What about cooking??? Make that mandatory and part of the same class! Follow that class with a life skills PE where it tells you how to stay in shape at home and shows you different things you can do that way to promote lifetime activity!


The disease is not obesity. The disease is in the minds of people who do not know what kinds of filth they are shoveling into their mouths and do not know how to shop, eat, cook or maintain any kind of healthy lifestyle.

Go 'Murica! More proof that we are becoming dumber and dumber with time.

beekay70

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

Drinking too much is an activity and not a condition right?

Drinking too much does not qualify as alcoholism.

JewelsinBigD

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.

not aimed at you personally, but at everyone expressing a similar sentiment to that quoted

where in the definition of "disease" does it say it's necessary for the cause to be no fault of the sufferer's own? Scurvy is a disease caused by not eating enough vitamin C. If you get scurvy in spite of having access to foods containing vitamin C, it's your fault that you got it. That doesn't change the fact that it's a disease. There are all kinds of diseases that you can get through making bad lifestyle choices. The fact that for the majority of obese people, their obesity is solely the result of bad lifestyle choices, does not mean that obesity isn't a disease or that it shouldn't be considered as such.

Additionally, just because something is considered a disease does not mean that the sufferer can't fix it through making good lifestyle choices, in some diseases this can fix it. For example if someone has scurvy, they can take high dose vitamin C supplements initially, and then start eating fresh fruit and vegetables. So again, just because obesity is considered a disease, does not change the fact that for most people it can be cured through making better lifestyle choices, just as scurvy can be cured by eating fresh fruit and vegetables. In the few cases where the obesity is caused by another medical issue (e.g. thyroid) that would have to be fixed before lifestyle choices make much difference.

Something is a disease if it's a harmful and abnormal state for the human body to be in, or if something harmful/abnormal happening within the body. Whether that came about because of pathogens, genes or lifestyle choices does not determine whether it's a disease or not. the question of whether obesity is a disease or not depends on whether you consider it to be a normal, non-harmful state for the human body to be in or not. It's interesting that the same people who object to obesity being normalised and considered an acceptable, non-harmful thing, are the same people who are also objecting to it being classified as a disease.... make your minds up.....!

I think it's absolutely vital, if obesity is considered a disease, that it should be diagnosed based on body fat percentage and *NOT* BMI charts. Additionally, I think more research is needed to determine exactly what body fat percentages are actually harmful, and which are okay. At the moment 35%+ body fat is considered obese for women (I think it's 30%+ for men), but without any peer reviewed studies to back it up, those numbers seems pretty arbitrary. But yes, I think there is a point where the body is carrying so much excess fat that damage is being done, and then it should be considered a disease. I just don't want to see perfectly healthy, very fit athletes with healthy body fat percentages and large frames and lots of muscle mass being diagnosed with an illness based on BMI charts, because that would be truly ridiculous.


TL;DR carrying so much body fat that it's damaging your body is pathological and should be considered as a disease and the fact that in most cases it's caused by poor lifestyle choices does not change that one little bit.

Amen

Mlkmaid

No. Two-thirds of Americans don't overeat and avoid exercise because they're diseased. Obesity may cause or exacerbate many diseases, but obesity is not itself a disease. This is about making money for big drug companies and doctors, who will now prescribe surgery and medication for every fat person they see. It also removes any personal responsibility from the patient, i.e. it's not the 4 bacon cheeseburgers he ate for lunch, he's got a disease. Please.

Still_Fluffy

I'm obese and have been all my life. I am not sick, I do not have an illness. I have made many bad choices. I could blame my parents who raised me on fatty foods and little exercise, I could blame the schools for not doing enough to teach me good eating habits, or I could blame any number of people, things or society. But in the end it's all CRAP!

I'm obese because I continued to eat like crap. I waited until I was nearly 30 to start eating better and exercising. American's tend to want to blame or problem/issues on something or someone. It's our bodies, it's our responsibility. If you have health issues that prevent you for working out or eating a certain way; that sucks it's hard for you, but it's still your responsibility to put in the work.

I do believe the BMI needs to be reexamined as well. If anyone with a BMI over 30 is obese nearly every professional athlete is obese. There is something wrong there.

43932452

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.

This ^^^^ makes sense to me.

I don't buy it as a disease. It's like nicotene with someones teeth, the tarninshing teeth is
a flaw the habit creates. Obesity is a result of too much bad food and not enough moving.

JewelsinBigD

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.

And I agree- Body Fat should be the measure- not BMI. Those of us who bulk up at the sight of a protein drink don't need BMI to put us into a category of obese. The problem with body fat is that it is not easy to measure- so they go the lazy route to make it easy even though inaccurate.

JUDDDing

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

Drinking too much is an activity and not a condition right?

Drinking too much does not qualify as alcoholism.

As soon as it negatively affects your health it does though. (Progressive, fatal, adverse consequences, etc.)

JUDDDing

For me, obesity fits the definition of "disease" as much as alcoholism

Yeah, but are we assuming that decision wasn't wrong too?

Eating disorders are not considered a "disease" are they? I thought the classification was "mental disorder".

Mental disorders can and have been classified as disease.

Which? And by whom?

(It's not fair to say alcoholism and the AMA )

beekay70

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

Drinking too much is an activity and not a condition right?

Drinking too much does not qualify as alcoholism.

As soon as it negatively affects your health it does though. (Progressive, fatal, adverse consequences, etc.)

Dependency on alcohol defines alcoholism, not the effect of alcohol on your health.

Ke22yB

It isn't always so simple since with some people there are underlying problems either physical or psychological that contributes to their being obese. I feel in most cases the effort isn't worth the result so people either give up or don't try at all
5 years ago I was very diseased I drank over a pint of gin a day and weighed over 366 pounds. Thats pretty sick if I do say so myself. I am surrounded by medical people wife daughter son in law Drs and Nurse but I felt pretty good " for my weight" so I didnt bother. Well one day I started feeling really bad and when I checked my BP it was thru the roof so it was time to heal myself.
Well now it is 5 years later and I am healed, havent had a drink since that day 5 years ago and lost alot of weight as well.
Today people see me and say hey whats your secret you lost alot of weight and I will tell them, well usually half way thru telling them about portion control and exercise their eyes roll and they either stop listening or start to edge away.
NO there isnt a magic pill or magic wand or any other magic treatment so they choose to stay DISEASED

JUDDDing

If "running" was a condition rather than an activity, this may make sense.

Drinking too much is an activity and not a condition right?

Drinking too much does not qualify as alcoholism.

As soon as it negatively affects your health it does though. (Progressive, fatal, adverse consequences, etc.)

Dependency on alcohol defines alcoholism, not the effect of alcohol on your health.

Physical dependence is NOT required. You only need 3 of the 7 criteria.

ETA:

We might be on to something - call the AMA: :drinker:

Develop tolerance for more exercise
Withdrawal symptoms (I get pretty irritable if something makes me miss a workout - this one's maybe a stretch)
Exercise in larger amounts or for longer periods than intended
Persistent desire for exercise
Time is spent exercising or recovering from effects
Social, occupational and recreational pursuits are given up or reduced because of exercise
Use is continued despite knowledge of exercise-related harm (physical or psychological)

ldrosophila

I think it's absolutely vital, if obesity is considered a disease, that it should be diagnosed based on body fat percentage and *NOT* BMI charts. Additionally, I think more research is needed to determine exactly what body fat percentages are actually harmful, and which are okay. At the moment 35%+ body fat is considered obese for women (I think it's 30%+ for men), but without any peer reviewed studies to back it up, those numbers seems pretty arbitrary. But yes, I think there is a point where the body is carrying so much excess fat that damage is being done, and then it should be considered a disease. I just don't want to see perfectly healthy, very fit athletes with healthy body fat percentages and large frames and lots of muscle mass being diagnosed with an illness based on BMI charts, because that would be truly ridiculous.


TL;DR carrying so much body fat that it's damaging your body is pathological and should be considered as a disease and the fact that in most cases it's caused by poor lifestyle choices does not change that one little bit.

My only problem with body fat % is currently most physician office dont have the equipment to measure body fat, and unless specifically trained calipers can get huge error rates.

I've not seen anything to discredit BMI as a predictor for comorbidities and mortality for the average population unless in the case of extremely muscular individuals.

I dont think a physician would diagnose an athlete as obese. I would hope not...you would question the physician then.

onwarddownward

So, running is a disease?

I knew if I joined MFP I was going to get infected with running. And I've passed swimming onto about five of my MFP friends!!!

There's no cure!