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Obesity and the bottom line
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Who's to blame for the current obesity crisis in the US? photo courtesy of photobucket.com
In a recent report, researchers stated that the obesity problem in the US is costing the healthcare industry $147 billion per year. That is the bottom line. And, the sad truth is that obese individuals spend around 10 percent more overall on their healthcare than other people of normal weight. Currently, over 26 percent of Americans are considered obese. Experts are now looking for ways to reduce this burden on our nation.
Senator Harkin (D) of Iowa, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committee used this last statistic to emphasize his point that prevention should be a key component of the new national healthcare plan. He stated, "Report after report shows that if we fail to take meaningful steps now on prevention of chronic disease like obesity, healthcare costs will continue to spiral out of control".
So how did we get to this point of crisis? Was it an insidious process that spanned decades? Actually, the most startling statistic of all is how rapidly the obesity rate has gone up in recent years. One study, by Dr. Eric Finkelstein of RTI and researchers at the CDC and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found U.S. obesity rates rose 37 percent between 1998 and 2006, which has resulted in an 89 percent increase in spending on medical care for obesity-related diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and arthritis. While Americans may have been developing unhealthy habits for decades which have created the current problem, the sharpest increases in obesity rates have occurred in the last decade. What has changed?
A quick look over the shelves at any corner store, quicky-mart or super market will shed some light on this question. Our markets are filled with products which are not only devoid of nutritional content, but high in calories, chemical additives and preservatives. Americans are looking for products that are quick, tasty and low cost. The result of these demands have provided Americans with over-processed, high calorie, low quality foods to satiate our grab-n-go, dollar menu, value meal cravings!
What, then, is the solution? A return to the basics! A study of one group of Americans, the Latter-day Saints (also known as "Mormons") reveals an interesting trait. Latter-day Saints, as a group, tend to have longer life expectancy and lower rates of heart disease, of which obesity is a major contributor. There are several factors which contribute to their good health:
1. Avoidance of harmful substances - Latter-day Saints are forbidden to consume alcohol, tobacco in any form, coffee and black tea.
2. Regular fasting - Latter-day Saints are encouraged to fast one Sunday a month, in that they do not consume any food or drink during that time.
3. A healthy diet - a specific health code is outlined for Latter-day Saints in one of their texts called the "Doctrine and Covenants". It specifically states:
"And again, verily I say unto you, all wholesome herbs God hath ordained for the constitution, nature, and use of man—Every herb in the season thereof, and every fruit in the season thereof; all these to be used with prudence and thanksgiving. Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I, the Lord, have ordained for the use of man with thanksgiving; nevertheless they are to be used sparingly".
Could this be the magic formula- no harmful substances, regular fasting and cleansing, and eating wholesome herbs, fruits, vegetables, and very little meat? The above example of Latter-day Saints is just one example of a group of people with higher life expectancy and less incidence of chronic diseases such as obesity. Some others include Seventh Day Adventist and Hindus. The common thread is a health code which has been implemented as a formal rule and standard for living. In each of these cases, the followers must exercise discipline and control when it comes to what they put into their bodies and how they treat their physical "temples".
This philosophy is also parallel with the teachings of natural health. From a holistic perspective, obesity represents an extreme physical imbalance, often brought on by lack of discipline, poor choices in food and drink, and unhealthy lifestyle practices (such as lack of exercise). The real solution to our current obesity epidemic may very well be found in the individual. Perhaps it is time for each of us to take a breath, slow down, think about the choices we are making and get back to the basics. Controlling obesity and preventing obesity have the same approach: Eat whole foods (fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, whole grains, etc.) Avoid excesses of meat, sugary treats, and avoid harmful substances when at all possible. Get plenty of regular exercise. It doesn't even have to be a formal exercise routine, but look for opportunities to exercise each day. Take long walks, take the stairs instead of the elevator, park on the outer edge of the parking lot, the list goes on and on. Be creative!
We cannot wait for the government, medical community or some external agency to find a solution to our obesity problem for us. The solution lies within each of us. We each have the power to overcome and prevent obesity and other chronic diseases. And when we have overcome our individual problems, we must reach out and teach others, especially our children, so that we can prevent future problems.
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