December 13th, 2011
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If you are following the debate over health care reform and the Republican presidential race, you know that governmental mandates are a hot issue.
Michele Bachmann (R-MN) made Texas Governor Rick Perry’s mandate that girls in Texas receive the HPV vaccine a big issue. Michele Bachmann’s mistakes pile up – The Washington Post Now comes a Florida Republican legislator, Larry Metz, is so opposed to government mandates he has introduced legislation to repeal the state’s requirement for physical education for 6th to 8th graders. Bill would cut physical education mandate – UPI.com Newt Gingrich, according to ThinkProgress, has called for government mandated physical education, K through 12, as a way to combat obesity. He also has called for soft drink companies to develop healthy alternatives or have reduced access to the youth market. Gingrich Supported Expanding Federal Physical Education Mandates In 2008 | ThinkProgress
Meanwhile, ThinkProgress quotes Rick Santorum as saying, “If hunger is a problem in America, they why do we have an obesity problem among the people who we say have a hunger program? Santorum: We Don’t Need Food Stamps Because Obesity Rates Are So High | ThinkProgress. Well, part of the answer regarding the food stamp program, now called SNAP, can be found at SNAP to Health! | Snap To Health
December 3rd, 2011
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November 29th, 2011
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It has been well documented that obese workers are paid less than their co-workers for the same job. But is this because employers are deducting for lost productivity and higher health care costs or because of bias against persons with obesity. The best expert in the field lends his conclusion at The Obesity Wage Penalty – Room for Debate – NYTimes.com
November 22nd, 2011
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Simulation model predicts increased health care costs and utilization in rising obese populations in the United States and the United Kingdom, predicting 65 million more obese in the US and 11 million more in the UK, meaning 6 to 8.5 million cases of diabetes, 5.7 to 7.3 million cases of heart disease, 492,000 to 669,000 additional cases of cancer in the US and UK combined. The combined health care costs increases are $48-66 billion per year in the US and by £1·9-2 billion per year in the United Kingdom. Health and economic burden of the projected obesity t… [Lancet. 2011] – PubMed – NCBI
November 20th, 2011
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No doubt by now you have heard that House Republicans attached a provision to the government funding bill to un-do a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulation calling for more nutritious school lunches, paid for by the USDA. The politics of pizza (and ketchup, too) – Charleston Charleston Democrat | Examiner.com
There is more than enough shock and outrage to go around following this decision. See the clip from NBC News’ Brian Williams below.
The predictable story line is that special interest groups, in this case the pizza/French fries industry has overcome the USDA and the Obama Administration by campaign donations and lobbying. Fair enough but only part of the story.
The facts are that Congress has established, and USDA continues to support, agricultural commodity groups whose sole purpose is to increase consumption of their product, usually by creating ‘partnerships’ with fast food industry. These groups are funded by ‘assessments’ imposed on almost all producers and enforced as federal taxes. The money is given to private industry groups with little to no accountability to the public or even within the government. And while we can all smirk that Congress declaring pizza a vegetable, millions of dollars are spent by such groups. For example, the National Dairy Council (NDC) (the people who brought you the milk moustache ads) promote the use of cheese on pizzas. According to NDC, 25% of all cheese manufactured in the U.S. is used on pizza. Their 2010 report to Congress states, “Research showed that negative pizza cheese volume trends were having an impact on the dairy industry. As a result, dairy producers partnered with Domino’s to reinvigorate the pizza category and launch American Legends, a line of six specialty pizzas that use up to 40% more cheese than a regular Domino’s pizza.” Agricultural Marketing Service – Report to Congress at page 8.
The U.S. Potato Board promotes potato chips. To see the work of their “Chip Committee,” follow this link:United States Potato Board – Chip-Stock
While the nutrition folks at USDA sincerely want to use their resources to improve public health, the ‘other’ hand at USDA is doing everything it can to promote more and more human consumption of their commodity. Why, at this point in the obesity epidemic, do we have any governmental program ( even if not funded by taxpayers but using the federal government’s coercive power to collect funds from producers) to encourage people to eat more, not only in the United States but internationally?
November 17th, 2011
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Reed Abelson of the New York Times reports that that higher penalties for employees who are obese are coming. He writes, “Policies that impose financial penalties on employees have doubled in the last two years to 19 percent of 248 major American employers recently surveyed. Next year, Towers Watson, the benefits consultant that conducted the survey, said the practice – among employers with at least 1,000 workers – was expected to double again. “ Smokers Penalized With Health Insurance Premiums – NYTimes.com The article looks closely at penalties imposed by Wal-Mart on smokers.
The enhanced penalties are the result of the Affordable Care Act. Led by Steve Burd, CEO of Safeway Inc. a broad business coalition pushed a provision (of course called a “wellness” provision in Washington-speak) to allow employers to charge overweight employees higher health insurance premiums than those meeting the employer’s weight standard. President Barack Obama applauded incorporating this “Republican idea” into his health care reform legislation Republican Ideas Included in the President’s Proposal | The White House.
November 15th, 2011
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Time magazine blogger, Shannon Brownlee wants us to get serious about obesity with a ‘novel’ idea:
Shannon Brownlee
insulting, discriminating and penalizing persons with obesity. Boy, bet that will help. Shannon Brownlee: Let’s Stop Being Passive About Obesity | TIME Ideas | TIME.com
(Ever notice that the folks who espouse the most mean-spirited attacks on persons with obesity always think it is a novel idea? Why is that?)
November 6th, 2011
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Americans tend to think that obesity is a home-grown phenomenon, a reflection of our consumer-oriented society. Yet, obesity is a global phenomenon and not only in other Western industrialized countries. In fact, obesity is occurring throughout the world at a rapid pace and in a lot of countries you might not expect. Here’s a sample of some recent studies.
Obesity prevalence in male school children in Saudi Arabia was found to be 9.7% and 14.2% for overweight, approaching levels in developed countries. It was noted in the study that mothers of obese and overweight children had less education and worked more. The children also missed breakfast more, had frequent consumption of fast food and low daily consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products. Overweight and Obesity and their Association with Dietary Habits, and Sociodemographic Characteristics Among Male Primary School Children in Al-Hassa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
We have previously looked at increases of obesity in China. Now, there is a review article of the epidemics of obesity, diabetes and the metabolic syndrome The emerging epidemic of obesity, diabetes… [Cardiol Res Pract. 2012] – PubMed – NCBI Here’s a number of staggering proportions: the number of overweight or obese Chinese: 401 Million, a prevalence of 29.9%.
Greenland sees changes in physical activity among the native Inuit people who are experiencing rapid social transition. Compared to traditional hunters and fishermen, women in the latest stage of change engage in less domestic physical activity; men in less occupational physical activity. Physical activity patterns in Greenlan… [Scand J Public Health. 2011] – PubMed – NCBI
A study from western Iran found the incidence of type 2 diabetes was increased by obesity at all ages and by extreme leanness in childhood. Being obese throughout life doubled type 2 diabetes prevalence in women. And here’s something you don’t find in many studies: prevalence was increased by green tea and opium consumption. Diabetes mellitus and its correlates in an Iranian … [PLoS One. 2011] – PubMed – NCBI
A study of 14,425 subjects in Nepal found that 32% were obese, 28% were overweight, 6.3% were diabetic and 34% had hypertension. Prevalence was higher in the less educated, those working at home and women. Prevalence of hypertension, obesity, diabete… [Int J Hypertens. 2011] – PubMed – NCBI Nepal is one of the low and middle income countries hit with both infectious disease burden as well as rising incidence of non-communicable diseases frequently characterized by obesity. Low health literacy rates complicate strategies to address the challenges. Obesity prevalence in Nepal:… [Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010] – PubMed – NCBI
If you are wondering about Ubeki-beki-beki-stan-stan-stan, there is news there too. A national survey has found a strong association between obesity and hypertension in Uzbekistan. Epidemiology of obesity and hypertension and… [Eur J Clin Nutr. 2006] – PubMed – NCBI
