Politics Why Do Obese Patients Get Worse Care? Many Doctors Don’t See Past the Fat

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/26/health/obese-patients-health-care.html?_r=0

One in three Americans is obese, a rate that has been steadily growing for more than two decades, but the health care system — in its attitudes, equipment and common practices — is ill prepared, and its practitioners are often unwilling, to treat the rising population of fat patients.

The difficulties range from scales and scanners, like M.R.I. machines that are not built big enough for very heavy people, to surgeons who categorically refuse to give knee or hip replacements to the obese, to drug doses that have not been calibrated for obese patients. The situation is particularly thorny for the more than 15 million Americans who have extreme obesity — a body mass index of 40 or higher — and face a wide range of health concerns.

Part of the problem, both patients and doctors say, is a reluctance to look beyond a fat person’s weight. Patty Nece, 58, of Alexandria, Va., went to an orthopedist because her hip was aching. She had lost nearly 70 pounds and, although she still had a way to go, was feeling good about herself. Until she saw the doctor.

 

Government dietary policy has created this obesity epidemic and it's costing the taxpayer and stupid ObamaCare.

 

Yeah, it doesn't have anything to do with people buying junk food and being couch potatoes. It's that damn government!

Whatever happened to the 'individual responsibility' mantra? Did the big bad government force you to eat twinkies (or whatever it is you have decided is the culprit), Denny?

If the government didn't force you to eat a particular diet, then what are you complaining about? You are a free man, eat what you please, and blame yourself.

barfo

 

When government subsidizes 1/2 of food production, they have a say. Hell, government drives the use of corn for fuel. Ethanol.

It's true that people are eating more calories, but almost all of the increase vs. 30 years ago is pure sugar.

Because of the government, if you were to remove all the foods with high fructose corn syrup, there would be 20%, maybe, of the foods left. Sure people don't educate themselves on what to eat, but they don't expect the foods promoted by government to be toxic.

People weren't obese before the McGovern Commission.

The damage caused is reflected in our health care expenses. Just brilliant social planning in action.

 

Read up on the McGovern Commission.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Senate_Select_Committee_on_Nutrition_and_Human_Needs

 

The only people that matters, reading the report, is the food producers. They're filling the stores with government approved foods. Low fat. Farms have bred pigs for lean meat. Without fat, you need 2x the carbs or protein in replacement, to come up with the same number of calories as the high fat diet. Without fat, food tastes like crap, so they add the hfcs and sugars.

Get government involved, and it will get bought.

 

The obesity rate was well under 10%, maybe 5% even. It's 33% now. Go ahead and quibble.

 

From your link:

I really don't know what you have to complain about. The government didn't force you to eat a bunch of sugar. They told you not to. You did anyway.

A libertarian should know that responsibility comes with freedom.

barfo

 

No. it is not natural. Quite the opposite.

They're making food in laboratories and factories, instead of growing it or feeding it.

What happened in 1980? McGovern.

 

Keep reading.

Under heavy pressure, the committee held further hearings, and issued a revised set of guidelines in late 1977 which adjusted some of the advice regarding salt and cholesterol and watered down the wording regarding meat consumption.[2]

The government made 80% of food in the stores full of sugar. That's a fact.