From the Anchorage Daily:
When the American Medical Association this past week declared obesity a disease -- a move that instantly labeled one-third of Americans as sick -- it launched a controversy not seen since alcoholism received the disease designation.
Hailed by some obesity experts as a long-overdue victory, the news from the nation's largest and most respected medical group was denounced by others who say the move fuels the stigma against obese Americans.
Fat activists promptly started the .IAmNotADisease hashtag on Twitter, and a petition demanding that the AMA reverse its position, which had nearly 1,200 signatures by Friday.
...In making the call, the AMA aims to reduce the incidence of obesity-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, said AMA board member Dr. Patrice Harris in a statement accompanying the announcement.
More than 35 percent of Americans are currently obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But that doesn't necessarily mean they're sick, many argue.
"We don't see ourselves as diseased," said Peggy Howell, spokeswoman for the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, a 44-year-old nonprofit that works to improve the quality of life for people of large size.
Dr. David Katz posting on The Healthcare Blog warns of the potential for medicalization of obesity.
Why is the medicalization of obesity concerning? Cost is an obvious factor. If obesity is a disease, some 80 percent of adults in the U.S. have it or its precursor: overweight. Legions of kids have it as well. Do we all need pharmacotherapy, and if so, for life? We might be inclined to say no, but wouldn’t we then be leaving a “disease” untreated? Is that even ethical?
On the other hand, if we are thinking lifelong pharmacotherapy for all, is that really the solution to such problems as food deserts? We know that poverty and limited access to high quality food are associated with increased obesity rates. So do we skip right past concerns about access to produce and just make sure everyone has access to a pharmacy? Instead of helping people on SNAP find and afford broccoli, do we just pay for their Belviq and bariatric surgery?
Dr. Katz goes on:
None would contest the medical legitimacy of drowning. If you drown, assuming you are found in time, you will receive urgent medical care — no matter your ability to pay for it. If you have insurance, your insurance will certainly pay for that care.
But drowning is not a disease. Perfectly healthy bodies can drown. Drowning is a result of a human body spending a bit too much time in an environment — under water — to which it is poorly adapted.
Dr. Katz' analogy seems apt. From cradle to grave, we are drowning in a sea of calories. Perhaps now, our educators, health officials, and food purveyors will re-evaluate how we got to this point and where we go from here.
Stay tuned.
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