The case for declaring obesity an official disease status

¶ … Obesity a Disease?

Introduction, Background, and Definition

Persuade the scientists

Persuade the advocacy groups

Persuade the federal agencies

Persuade the insurance companies

Persuade the drug makers

Visual: Charts

Recommendations & Conclusions

Is Obesity a Disease?

What is a disease? According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the second two definitions of "disease" are "2: a condition of the living animal or plant body or of one of its parts that impairs normal functioning: SICKNESS, MALADY; 3: a harmful development (as in a social institution)" (Merriam-Webster OnLine, 2003). Definition number two describes how the being is personally affected by a disease, and definition number three describes how society as a whole is affected by a disease. It is recommended that the epidemic of obesity in America be given a disease status to confront this "harmful development" that "impairs normal functioning" in society.

By declaring obesity a disease, American society can face up to obesity as an epidemic in our nation. Just as those with a new disease eventually overcome the denial they harbor within about the reality of the disease, with the support of all parties, the obese in America will be able to overcome their denial in America and take the proper steps to lose the extra pounds. This also puts them in a better position to teach the correct ways to the next generation resulting in a myriad of benefits from a variety of viewpoints.

This paper is written with intention of presentation to a regular board meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA). The group present would include a variety of professionals, ranging from physicians, researchers, business people, governmental representation, and interested special groups including pharmaceutical representation and advocacy groups.

The intent is to persuade the interested parties that obesity should be considered an official disease in order to facilitate support for those seeking treatment, which is only the beginning. By tackling, instead of ignoring, this problem now, the next step is ready to be taken toward improving the physical, as well as emotional and mental, health of the citizens. America can beat obesity before it makes it to the next generation and becomes embedded in American culture as defining of its people. Defining and declaring obesity a disease is the only way to confront the situation on such a mass scale.

Persuade the Scientists

Forty years ago, cigarettes were not considered such a health risk. Kids of any age could purchase a pack of cigarettes, and pregnant women even smoked with babies in their wombs. However, scientific research and development has proven the lethal qualities of cigarettes. From this discovery, political action was taken. Laws concerning the creation, packaging, and sale of cigarettes have forced those consumers to look the dangers right in the face.

This would be similar to what would happen to obesity in America should it be given official disease status. Government could enter the arena and create legislation that determines the parameters of obesity. Once that occurs, great desire, interest, and need becomes apparent in the pharmaceutical industry for treatment of obesity. From this, researchers and scientists should see vast improvements and augmentations in the amount of monetary support given to develop and create innovative drugs and therapies.

Therefore, the determination of obesity as an official disease would be beneficial to those in the science arena.

Persuade the Advocacy Groups

By officially declaring obesity a disease, avenues open for special interests groups to promote their ideas concerning our lifestyle, culture, and way of life in America.

According to an article from American Family Physician, "the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity reflects changes in society and behaviors over the past 20 to 30 years" (Lyznicki, Young, Riggs, & Davis, 2001). This clear transition in American culture is a warning sign to all concerned to combat the spread of obesity by ignorance and avoidance.

According to Bonnie Liebman, a Nutrition Action representative, "300,000 [people] die from diet-related diseases and a sedentary lifestyle" each year. (Brownell, Liebman, 1998) This is a self-induced condition which advocacy groups such as Nutrition Action have set itself out to combat. People need to put down the fast-food that is clearly unhealthy and embrace a lifestyle filled with fruits and vegetables and other natural products.

If obesity were augmented to the status of an official disease, there would be an immense rise in not only government support but also corporate support as well. As companies turn an intense focus toward community action, an attempt to rekindle the well-being of America would be of great interest. There has already been government pushes for a more fit and healthy America. "A good example is the Shape Up America! Program, which is spearheaded by former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop. Its basic message is that the American public should weigh less and exercise more." (Brownell, Liebman, 1998) This is inevitably the mere beginning of such initiatives from the governmental level as obesity weighs on the entire nation to force change in our society. Therefore, the declaration of obesity as an official disease would be of great interest to advocacy groups of a variety of interests.

Persuade the Federal Agencies

As Americans grow from the waistline, the image, integrity, and stability of the American is publicly suffering. "The University of Colorado's James O. Hill, says that if obesity is left unchecked almost all Americans will be overweight within a few generations" which, according to Professor Hill, will result in obesity as "a normal response to the American environment" (Critser, 2000). An unfit and unhealthy society has a grim outlook for the future. Time has come for the authorities to take action for the sake of the future of the nation.

The institutions of America have already begun to show their support for advocating a slimmer, more fit America. "The Internal Revenue Service ruled last year that, for tax purposes, obesity is a disease, allowing Americans for the first time to claim a deduction for some health expenses related to obesity, just as they can for those related to heart disease, cancer, diabetes and other illnesses." (Stein, 2003) With such steps being taken by official governmental institutions and the recognition of weight-reduction expenses for tax purposes shows the attitude already possessed by the authorities. The obese public needs to be stimulated to lose weight, and they are now confronted with options that virtually bribe them to shed some pounds. Once the work needed to be put in for success is realized to be less than that of being unhealthy, American society should quickly "snap out of it" and shape up!

Persuade the Drug Makers

Pharmaceutical firms and research companies would benefit most of all from an official declaration of obesity as a disease. First of all, the possibilities for treatment would be demanded to increase. With a demand from society for new and improved methods of treatment of obesity comes more work for pharmacists and salespeople working in this field. Sales would drastically increase as America attempts to loosen their belt buckles with the rest of the nation in an attempt to improve their health and defeat any possibilities of this "disease" ever affecting their lives.

This has already started to prove correct in the pharmaceutical industry. "To further enhance physician understanding, training modules accredited for CME by the University of Minnesota will be distributed to interested physicians with materials on the importance of recognizing obesity as a chronic disease, the role of lifestyle intervention, and the value of the team practice approach -- involving nurses and dietitians -- in the patient's management." (Business Wire, 1998). Not only has the potential for booming need for pharmaceuticals specifically to treat obesity already been envisioned, but there is also much action to gaining the regular acceptance of society's critics.

This chart will help the reader to determine his or her own BMI (Body Mass Index). The reader should take his or her height in inches and weight in pounds to determine his or her BMI. Find the row that accurately measures your height in inches and follow that right until you reach the closet weight in pounds. Then, follow that box upwards until you are at the top of the list and reach a number 19-40, your BMI. Once you obtain this information, continue to the second chart to determine your risk for associated disease resulting from obesity.

BMI kg/m2)

Height in.)

Weight (lb.)

The following chart is a depiction of the BMI (Body Mass Index) measurements that are considered underweight, normal, overweight, obese, and extremely obese for both women and men and the resulting amount of risk that individual has for potentially acquiring a disease associated with obesity. One is to take his or her BMI (figured using the previous chart) and his or her waist size (greater or less than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women) to use this chart to learn his or her risk of having other complications arising from obesity.

Risk of Associated Disease According to BMI and Waist Size

Waist less than or equal to 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)

Waist greater than 40 in. (men) or 35 in. (women)

18.5 or less

Underweight

Normal

Overweight

Obese

40 or greater

Extremely Obese

Extremely High

Both charts obtained at the Partnership for Healthy Weight Management Website at http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm (2003)

Recommendations & Conclusion

Each and every single American, whether young or old, thin or obese, needs to take a conscious step to become a part of the solution. Everyone needs to begin in their homes, with the children. "Pressuring kids to eat their vegetables is not nearly as effective as eating them yourself." (Malin, 2003) The author of this statement is attempting to exploit this win-win situation; parents begin to eat healthier in order to correctly teach nutrition to their children, and inadvertently, improve their own lives. If the whole of American society could adopt such a philosophy of parenting and teaching nutrition, society would improve itself. Obesity is a disease that is debilitating our nation's people and it is time to declare it as such in order to take the most important steps to the reversal of this epidemic.