Obesity

[La_LovelyLady]

In the United States there are 15M morbidly obese people. Being overweight or obese substantially increases the risk of sleep apnea hypertension, high cholesterol, type II diabetes, heart disease, stroke, gallbladder disease and osteoarthritis. Nearly 1 out of every 10 dollars spent on health care in the United States is due to overweight and obesity. This rivals the amount due to cigarette smoking.

Since 1980 in Louisiana alone the number of obesity in adults has doubled, in adolescents it has tripled. This state has decided to test the benefits of paying for stomach-stapling surgery for 40 volunteering obese state employees. The cost is $25,000 per person but if taken up nationally would be at a cost of approximately $15,000 for every person willing.

Could or would this actually be well spent tax dollars?

[alien37]

No, not well spent... Why? well tax dollars are NEVER well spent... but I guess thats another subject...

The reason is, stomach stapling doesn't really deal with the problem, which is why they were compelled to overeat in the first place. Obesity is caused by something... specifically caused by choosing to eat too much. (there may be reasons why one chooses that, but ultimately its a choice to eat too much...)

Surgery is expensive, can have expensive complications, and is not really a solution to the problem of a lack of self control.

I have a good friend who had this done... he did loose weight, then after a while began to gain again. Where there is a will there is a way...


Ultimately the solution to this (and many other problems) is for the individuals to take responsibility for themselves. Trying to solve problems like this by the government getting involved will not solve the problem, will cost US (the taxpayers... hey, where do you think the government gets its money???) and the cost will continue to escalate...

Well, that probably alienated everyone...

[Andytsi95]

I think will power and the thought of "i want to change" are the only things that will make a obese person loose weight on his/her own. they arent going to it to make someone else happy, they ultimately want to be happy with themselfs. So if they arent happy being obese then they need to do something about it.

Im not skinny kid either, but Im about 15 - 20 pounds overweight, but I enjoy it. I dont have being crawling down my back telling me to loose weight, if i decide i want to cut down to 180 or so ill do it on my own. But im happy being bigger, makes you look a little tougher... I think

[Juana!]

alien37

excellent post!!

personal responsibility is the key to fix a lot of our probelmes in our society...but then what would happen to democrats?

It's difficult. . . a lot of people are obese because they are lazy, but there are many who are also obese for biological reasons. I try not to judge in either case: it is definitely difficult to say who is at fault in a culture where we are presented with fast food on every corner but images of stick-thin supermodels when we watch TV, read magazine ads, etc.

I'm not a big fan of stomach-stapling. Self-control is a much better method! besides, just because you're skinny doesn't mean you're healthy. I work hard every day to stay in shape (I'd like to gain a few pounds, tho!). I also know a lot of people who are very skinny but are just as unhealthy as some of my overweight friends. . . it's all relative.

So I gues what I'm trying to say is. . . I don't have an opinion! :p

[DJSAD]

Well, You Could Say Having This Surgery Is A Risk Like Any Other. I Had It Done In Nov. 2002. I Went From 286# To 140#. I Lost All The Weight In 8 Months. This Was The Best Decision I Ever Made. I Tried All The Diets There Were And Nothing Worked. People Should Take Responsibilty For Themselves But Sometimes That Does Not Always Work. Metabolism And Heredity Has Alot To Do With It. I Am A Totally New Person And Healthy! You Just Have To Go Into The Surgery Knowing It Is Alife Changing Thing And You Have To Stay With The New Lifestyle Which I Have! So If It Helps Someone Who Is Close To Death Or Someone Who Is Very Sick Then It's All Worth It! I Never Had Any Complications But Some Have. Would I Do It All Over Again? In A Heartbeat! It think It Is Money Well Spent Especially for Happiness And Good Health!

[tmill]

I don't have a problem with fat people who have actual medical conditions causing
an obesity problem. It's the fat f#*ks who shovel 4-5 plate fulls at the Golden Corral
have to wear sweat pants all the time then throw a cigarette in their mouth while sucking down a Diet Coke I have a problem with. They can't get a job except delivering newspapers out of their 1984 escort wagon with a drivers seat built up with 2x4's because it's broke, have no insurance and go on medicaid wich taxpayers have to pay for.....but I do appreciate that the fat f#*k gets me the enquirer a 4:30 every morning.

[DJSAD]

Originally Posted by tmill

I don't have a problem with fat people who have actual medical conditions causing
an obesity problem. It's the fat f#*ks who shovel 4-5 plate fulls at the Golden Corral
have to wear sweat pants all the time then throw a cigarette in their mouth while sucking down a Diet Coke I have a problem with. They can't get a job except delivering newspapers out of their 1984 escort wagon with a drivers seat built up with 2x4's because it's broke, have no insurance and go on medicaid wich taxpayers have to pay for.....but I do appreciate that the fat f#*k gets me the enquirer a 4:30 every morning.

first of the word fat is a crappy word! second of all you cannot lump all "heavy" people together as "losers". some are lazy and don't want to help themselves! but even when i was heavy i worked full time everyday and hardly ever missed work. i always dressed nice and looked my best! i cared about what i looked like. i have always taken care of myself. now that i am thin i am still the same person but happier. please do not sterotype heavy people because unless you were in their shoes you have no clue!

[comser90]

if public dollars are used for the solution to poor food/lifestyle choices than junk food should be taxed at a higher rate, similar to how cigarettes and booze are taxed in some countries...

[tmill]

Sorry DJSAD.. but i really do see that guy doing those things and he really does get my paper to me early. Next time I won't be so harsh on all heavy people.

[zzyzzgy]

i have seen a lot of people that have had the gastric bypass done
every one of them that i have seen has ongoing abdominal problems in regards to scarring and intestinal blockages and a vast majority of them are on some sort of antidepressant and/or mood stabilizers. granted, i am only seeing the ones that come into the hospital. there could very well be 10x that number that are doing fine but i dont see the benefit of that type of surgery. abdominal surgery can lead to too many complications. IMO, most of these people dont need surgery or the latest diet. they need an entire lifestyle overhaul. unfortunately, in this country, that would be too much work. easier to take a handfull of pills or go under the knife.

but thats just my $0.02...

[DJSAD]

Originally Posted by zzyzzgy

i have seen a lot of people that have had the gastric bypass done
every one of them that i have seen has ongoing abdominal problems in regards to scarring and intestinal blockages and a vast majority of them are on some sort of antidepressant and/or mood stabilizers. granted, i am only seeing the ones that come into the hospital. there could very well be 10x that number that are doing fine but i dont see the benefit of that type of surgery. abdominal surgery can lead to too many complications. IMO, most of these people dont need surgery or the latest diet. they need an entire lifestyle overhaul. unfortunately, in this country, that would be too much work. easier to take a handfull of pills or go under the knife.

but thats just my $0.02...

SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE ON GOING PROBLEMS AFTER SURGERY. THAT IS THE RISK THEY TAKE. THEY KNOW THE RISKS! I FOR ONE HAVE NEVER HAD 1 PROBLEM. I WAS BLESSED GOING TROUGH THIS SURGERY. MY BODY JUST WENT THROUGH IT WITH NO PROBLEM. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE THE BENEFIT? IT IS CALLED BETTER HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. I AM SILL ON CLOUD 9 WITH MY RESULTS. I HAVE NO HEALTH PROBLEMS AT ALL! AND ALSO STUFFING YOUR BODY WITH PILLS DAY AFTER DAY THAT IS RIDICULOUS! THAT WEARS HOLES INSIDE YOUR STOMACH. SO FOR YOU TO SAY THAT IS IGNORANT! SORRY BUT IT IS!

Well at least food has a purpose. I hate to see motorcycle riders with no helmets - especially on highways - while it might provide a freer feeling, you can get head injured or die sooo easily and it might not even be your fault, but tax dollars pay for that too.

[zzyzzgy]

Originally Posted by DJSAD

SOME PEOPLE DO HAVE ON GOING PROBLEMS AFTER SURGERY. THAT IS THE RISK THEY TAKE. THEY KNOW THE RISKS! I FOR ONE HAVE NEVER HAD 1 PROBLEM. I WAS BLESSED GOING TROUGH THIS SURGERY. MY BODY JUST WENT THROUGH IT WITH NO PROBLEM. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT! HOW CAN YOU NOT SEE THE BENEFIT? IT IS CALLED BETTER HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. I AM SILL ON CLOUD 9 WITH MY RESULTS. I HAVE NO HEALTH PROBLEMS AT ALL! AND ALSO STUFFING YOUR BODY WITH PILLS DAY AFTER DAY THAT IS RIDICULOUS! THAT WEARS HOLES INSIDE YOUR STOMACH. SO FOR YOU TO SAY THAT IS IGNORANT! SORRY BUT IT IS!

sorry if i riled you up on that. that is why i said that there could be 10x that number that are doing fine.
i am estatic for you that the surgery worked so well and you are having no complications. the fact remains that there is still a high risk for complications with this type of surgery. IMO, there are too many people jumping on the gastric bypass bandwagon.
as far as the pills go, that comment was a jab at the medical communities propensity to toss pills at every little problem and the publics appetite for simple solutions. (thats mostly the fault of the drug companies, but thats another thread)

[DJSAD]

Originally Posted by zzyzzgy

sorry if i riled you up on that. that is why i said that there could be 10x that number that are doing fine.
i am estatic for you that the surgery worked so well and you are having no complications. the fact remains that there is still a high risk for complications with this type of surgery. IMO, there are too many people jumping on the gastric bypass bandwagon.
as far as the pills go, that comment was a jab at the medical communities propensity to toss pills at every little problem and the publics appetite for simple solutions. (thats mostly the fault of the drug companies, but thats another thread)

DON'T APOLOGIZE. I JUST WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE THIS SURGERY DO SO FOR THE RIGHT REASON. THE SMALL PERCENTAGE DO IT BECAUSE THEY THINK IT IS THE QUICK FIX. THEY DO NOT REALIZE THAT THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THEIR WHOLE LIFE AFTER! THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLICATIONS. THEY STUFF THEMSELVES WITH FOOD AND BAD CRAP BECAUSE THEY DO NOT THINK THEY WILL REGAIN THE WEIGHT. THEY ARE VERY MISINFORMED! I THINK IT IS PRETTY STUPID TO GO THROUGH THE SURGERY I WENT THROUGH AND NOT TAKE IT SERIOUSLY.