Obesity in America

Obesity in America Medical Ethics Fall 2007 Nicole Reske

Obesity Trends in America • http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/trend/maps/index.htm

Obesity leads to a higher risk of… • Hypertension • Dyslipidemia (for example, high total cholesterol or high levels of triglycerides) • Type 2 diabetes • Coronary heart disease • Stroke • Gallbladder disease • Osteoarthritis • Sleep apnea and respiratory problems • Some cancers (endometrial, breast, and colon) http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/index.htm

What is Obesity? • Obesity is defined as “an excessive amount of body fat or adipose tissue in relation to lean body mass” • Body mass index is used to express weight status – it uses a ratio of weight to height • Keep in mind, BMI is not always accurate Picture: http://health.howstuffworks.com/bmi3.htm F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America pg. 9

Body Mass Index BMI = • Below 18.5 = Underweight • Between 18.5-24.9 = Healthy weight • Between 25-29.9 = Overweight • Over 30 = Obese http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/index.htm

Children are at risk too… Prevalence of Overweight Children NHANES: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey • http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/obesity/childhood/prevalence.htm

Is obesity an epidemic? • Epidemic: affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent. • Disease: a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment. www.dictionary.com

Not an epidemic but a disease… • Speaking in terms of definitions, obesity is not considered an epidemic • But it can be considered a disease Picture: http://www.longwoodsystems.com/

Is the state currently involved in preventing obesity? Actually, it is (well it’s trying) Picture: http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/us-mi.html

National Governors Association • NGA launched Healthy States Grant Program • It has provided 13 states up to $100,000 for community or worksite wellness efforts • Michigan is included as one of these states Picture: http://www.nga.org/portal/site/nga

Snack Taxes • Currently 17 states and D.C have snack taxes • States include: Arkansas, California, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Rhode Isalnd, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia Picture: http://www.greetingbaskets.com/html/uniqueandpractical.html

Obesity Liability • States have begun to pass legislation to prevent individuals from suing the food industry for making them fat • States include: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, MICHIGAN, Missouri, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming Picture: http://www.dailyspeculations.com/wordpress/?cat=263

Diets influenced by subsidized foods… Corn, wheat, soybeans, rice, and cotton are “program crops” that receive government subsidies from 10 to 25 billion a year http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/fasinfat2007.pdf

Obesity adds risk to pregnancy • Obese women are more likely to have children with • Spina bifida • Omphalocele • Heart defects Obese women are also more likely to deliver premature and need an emergency C-section Picture: http://www.wichitatreehouse.com/ http://www.rwjf.org/files/research/fasinfat2007.pdf

Health care costs increase for businesses • Obese workers have 21% higher health care costs • Obese workers lost 183.63 workdays per 100 full time employees compared to 14.19 in normal employees • Obese workers also have higher workers compensation rates Picture: http://www.lesgilbertson.com/workcomp.htm F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies are Failing in America

America’s Opinion • 85% of America’s believe obesity is an epidemic • 56% support government funding to combat obesity • Despite rising obesity many Americans are aware of steps to avoid obesity • As income level increases the desire for government involvement decreases Picture: http://www.thisnext.com/item/DF338374/Dunkin-Donuts-Breakfast Survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Inc found in F as in Fat: How Obesity Polices are Failing in America

The Right Action • Obesity leads to many undesirable effects • Most Americans agree that there is a obesity epidemic and that the government to some level should be involved • But what is the right action to eliminate or reduce the prevalence of obesity in society? Picture: http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/Drama/nwdc1.html

Should government be involved at all? • The non-consequentialist would say no, it interferes with our autonomy and our confidentiality to live the way we prefer and make our own food choices Picture: http://www.takechargeonlinetherapy.com/PrivacyPolicy.htm

Utilitarian • The utilitarian would say that in any case where government involvement increases the amount of health and happiness it should be allowed to interfere • It would mean better health, productivity, lower health insurance costs, longer life expectancy Picture: http://www.theonion.com/content/node/30263

How far should the government be allowed to interfere? • Should they control what we eat? • Regulate what is sold in stores? • Provide financial incentives for people under a certain weight or BMI? Picture: http://sc94.ameslab.gov/TOUR/whitehouse.html

Complications of government involvement in what we eat • Eating habits may be more than lack of will power • Comfort food – depression • Many people many different diets – vegan, vegetarian, allergies, diabetics • Affect food market – loss of revenue or even jobs • Food lobbyists in D.C. giving money for campaigns Picture: http://www.icanefile.org/index2_0.asp?caller=347

So what do we do? • In my opinion, we need to make small choices that will affect the many Picture: http://www.pensionriskmatters.com/articles/retirement-planning/

Like what? • We need to begin to subsidize the local farmer – those who participate in farmers markets • This is a good way to get fruits and vegetables to many people without the large costs of shipping and handling and by cutting out the middle man Picture: http://lancaster.unl.edu/food/ftjul06.shtml

What else? • We also need to control the large corporations of America that have a monopoly on the market like PepsiCo Inc. and the ingredients that they are putting into their products Picture: http://www.pepsi.com/pepsi_brands/product_info/index.php

Put a stop to HFCS! • We need to stop producing HFCS! • HFCS is a caloric sweetener that leaves you feeling more hungry then when you first started eating which increases your appetite and desire to eat • Don’t buy foods with HFCS – perhaps this will affect the market Picture: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/02/business/yourmoney/02syrup.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Realize Your Power • Consumers have a large influence on the market!! • If there is a large demand there are business people out there ready to make it happen! • Buy healthy foods – we will see more of them Picture: http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November06/DataFeature/

Overall • Although obesity cannot technically be considered an epidemic it needs to be given attention • Happenings on both the federal, state and individual level in order for things to get better Picture: http://mwcfootball.wordpress.com/2007/08/06/its-official-utes-to-open-2008-at-michigan/

Obesity in America