Scare Tactics
In this article, which offers the revolutionary advice to "stop overindulging and start moving," we are told that "[Being] overweight will kill far more Americans each year than any terrorist would dare dream of taking out." and "by 2050, nearly all Americans will be overweight or obese. This would surely break the proverbial bank and totally collapse our health-care system."
Don't raise the terror level yet; a counterpoint can be found here: "Last year, life expectancy in America reached an all-time high. Death rates among all age groups have been in decline for decades. That's true across all races and both sexes. In fact, the life expectancy gap between black and white is narrowing, even though African-Americans are fattening at a greater clip than white Americans. The two diseases most linked to obesity -- heart disease and cancer -- are in rapid decline.
The article admits that advances in medical technology are responsible for much of this, but also says that if obesity is going to cause this huge public health crisis, and if we are fatter than ever, there should be some sign of it by now, and there's not. Hmm. True?
Another interesting point from the article is that "Black women, for example, don't have the same increases in mortality at higher weights than white women do. Campos believes this is because black women have healthier attitudes about weight -- they don't diet as frequently, and eating disorders are rare."
Also that the original figures about deaths from obesity are inflated. Well, yes.
Then again, this article puts a positive spin on the weight problems of those in lower socioeconomic brackets, which as we know is its own can of worms. "Let them eat Big Macs!" isn't exactly the answer either.
Don't raise the terror level yet; a counterpoint can be found here: "Last year, life expectancy in America reached an all-time high. Death rates among all age groups have been in decline for decades. That's true across all races and both sexes. In fact, the life expectancy gap between black and white is narrowing, even though African-Americans are fattening at a greater clip than white Americans. The two diseases most linked to obesity -- heart disease and cancer -- are in rapid decline.
The article admits that advances in medical technology are responsible for much of this, but also says that if obesity is going to cause this huge public health crisis, and if we are fatter than ever, there should be some sign of it by now, and there's not. Hmm. True?
Another interesting point from the article is that "Black women, for example, don't have the same increases in mortality at higher weights than white women do. Campos believes this is because black women have healthier attitudes about weight -- they don't diet as frequently, and eating disorders are rare."
Also that the original figures about deaths from obesity are inflated. Well, yes.
Then again, this article puts a positive spin on the weight problems of those in lower socioeconomic brackets, which as we know is its own can of worms. "Let them eat Big Macs!" isn't exactly the answer either.
posted by mo pie at 5:44 AM
4 Comments:
That makes a lot of sense, because I know several overweight people who have developed Type II diabetes. That's an excellent point.
Well, life expectancy is only part of the equation. Sure, we may be living well past 80, but what's the quality of that life like for people with Type II Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart diseas, etc.?
Longer life expectancy itself is a lot more likely to collapse our health care system. We are quickly becoming too many.
One of the reasons diabetes rates are up is because it is being diagnosed earlier. And people are living long enough to get it. Also they redefined the definition of diabetes with lower blood sugar levels (so they can sell more drugs!) And to the previous poster, being fat has not been proven to cause diabetes, it is associated with it. Any article that says it causes it is not based on science. Period! You are right, this is nothing but pure scare tactics. Years ago, fat people lived well into their 80 because they didn't have all these pseudo professionals telling them they couldn't.
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