Obesity and how to stop it

Research Paper A person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) measures weight in relation to height, and if a person exceeds their BMI, they are considered obese. Adults with a BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 are normal. Adults with a BMI between “25.0 and 29.9 are considered overweight, those with a BMI of 30 or more are considered obese, and those with a BMI of 40 or more are considered extremely obese” (Nations). Childhood obesity is soaring with “Type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis and obesity related cancers” (Nations). The prevalence of obesity among children has tripled since 1980. Sadly, “6.5 percent of children ages 6 through 11 were obese, while 5 percent of children ages 12-19 were also obese. Increasing in 2008, 19.6 percent of children ages 6 through 11 and 17 percent of children ages 12 through 19 were obese” (Nations). Obesity is a dangerous epidemic, and “obese children are more than twice as likely to die before age 55 than those children whose weight is in a healthy range” (Nations).
Having the lifestyle of an obese person can lead to dangerous and high risked conditions when undergoing certain kinds of surgeries. Conditions associated with obesity that could increase heart risks in surgery include: heart failure, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, heart rhythm disorders, history of blood clots, poor exercise capacity and pulmonary hypertension related to sleep apnea. Today there are four main principles used for the analysis of medical ethics. Respect for Autonomy, which is that the patient has the right to refuse or choose their treatment, Beneficence, which is that a practitioner should act in the best interest of the patient, Non-maleficence, which means “first, do no harm”, and Justice, which is the fairness and equality based on the decision of who gets what treatment. The significance of those four principles is simply to apply medical knowledge and treat the patient in the safest way. That is why doctors should have the privilege to decide whether to treat a patient or perform certain kinds of surgeries based on whether the patient is obese or not. One reason a physician should participate in lifestyle rationing is because a doctor’s job is to make sure the patient goes into a surgery with the confidence that they will come out safe and healthy. If a physician has any irresolution in performing a surgery and they go through with it, they are breaking the principle Beneficence. If the doctor’s best interest is to keep the patient alive and healthy and there is a high possibility that expectation won’t be met, than they should deny the permission for the operation. No patient should have to go into surgery thinking in the back of their mind they might not make it. Some obese patients believe getting certain surgeries, such as gastric bypass surgery, is worth the risk of losing their lives. If the surgery is successful, they will lose their excess weight and they will achieve the outcome that they wished for. However, a recent study by researchers at the University of Washington found that, “1 in 50 people die within one month of having gastric bypass surgery” (Cbs). Dave Weindel was one of them. Dave had been morbidly obese for most of his life. So he was eager to have this surgery to help him lose weight, get healthy, and live longer to watch his four young children grow. The doctors told Dave and his wife, Cathy, that the surgery was major, but they also said he would be home in three days. Weindel's surgery was July 17, 1998. His stomach was reduced to the size of an egg and his intestines were re-routed. The surgeon told Cathy Weindel the operation went well. But within days, Weindel's health worsened. He was transferred to a second hospital, where a CT scan revealed a large abscess. Weindel was treated, but his health continued to decline. Dave Weindel, age 38, died three weeks after his gastric bypass surgery. Unfortunately, going through with the surgery, Dave was not there for his daughters 8th grade graduation, senior prom, or her wedding day to walk her down the aisle. Dave could have attended all three of these events if the doctor told him his state of health was too dangerous for the surgery. The doctor should have given Dave a recommendation on what to change with his lifestyle habits to become healthier and lose the weight he desired, instead of turning to a dangerous surgery for results. If physicians participate in lifestyle rationing, it can save many lives and insure that the outcomes of certain surgeries performed on obese people will be safe and that the patient is healthy. Another reason a physician should participate in lifestyle rationing is because being obese is a self induced lifestyle. School kids have been complaining that the portions they receive with their cafeteria lunches don’t contain the enormous portions they eat at home or out at restaurants. With that, the federal government wants to increase and fatten the portions. Larger portions of school lunches can only lead to larger and larger people. Unlike many other medical issues, obesity can be controlled and prevented by simply having a healthier diet and by avoiding a sedentary lifestyle. If someone who is obese demands surgeries, such as a kidney transplant, a doctor should be able to deny it because they would be breaking the principle of Justice. The obese patient doesn’t deserve another chance after misusing their intrinsic body parts, when a perfectly healthy human being needs one for other medical reasons. There are, “more than 92% of candidates on the waiting lists for a kidney transplant” (Fox) Giving the patients new essentials that they have already abused would prevent the fair opportunity to give them to patients who are obtaining a good healthy lifestyle but need them for some other medical reason. Some people think if they are paying for the operation, they should be able to receive it. That statement is 100% correct, but, “More than 1.2 trillion dollars spent on health care each year is a waste of money” (Money). Repeating certain kinds of surgeries on patients who have already had it done multiple times is a waste of money and unfair to patients who haven’t even received it once. If physicians participate in lifestyle rationing, it can encourage obese people to adapt to a new healthier lifestyle when they are denied for certain kinds of surgeries. With that, it can decrease the high amount of money hospitals waste daily, and decrease the shortage for organ transplants.
The last reason physicians should participate in lifestyle rationing is because it can reduce medical malpractices and make sure the patients’ satisfaction is fulfilled. Medical malpractice occurs when a hospital, doctor or other health care professional, through a negligent act or omission, causes an injury to a patient. The negligence might be the result of errors in diagnosis, treatment, and aftercare or health management. Certain questions a patient should ask their physician before surgery include: How many surgeries of this kind have you done? What is your complication rate? And what is your mortality rate? After asking these questions the patient will normally precede with the operation even if the doctor has made it clear that it is very dangerous and life threatening. When the patient experiences a medical error from their surgery, they decide to file a law suit against their physician. Between, “15,000 and 19,000 malpractice suits are brought against doctors each year” (Wiki). Margaret Swink underwent a medical procedure involving her pacemaker on June 11, 2003. Court documents say that Margaret Swink’s heart stopped beating and that she also stopped breathing during the procedure, which was performed by Dr. Richard Weintraub. Margaret Swink was eventually stabilized, but she was brain-dead. She later died after her family consented to the removal of her life support, according to court documents. Paul Swink sued Weintraub and the Greensboro-based Southeastern Heart and Vascular Center P.A. for medical malpractice and won a $1 million verdict in March 2007. The simplest surgeries can have the most complex outcomes. Many people believe that every human being of adult years has a right to determine what shall be done with their body. That is true; nothing is more precious than having the freedom of choice. But when the operation does not go as planned, “one in 14 doctors face a malpractice suit every year” (Insurance). That is why physicians should participate in lifestyle rationing. They can reduce the number of lawsuits and also the number of medical errors, making everything safer for the patient.
Reducing obesity can be a key solution for doctors so they don’t have to deny treatments for patients. There are many ways to reduce obesity with the help of the government, parents, advertisement and the obese person. Over the past few years, obesity has become a protruding issue, prompting increasing numbers of organizations, interest groups, and government officials to propose ways of dealing with the epidemic. One solution to reduce obesity that the government can do is introduce food taxes. There’s been much discussion about the price of less-healthy food options such as fast food and junk food. Several studies have revealed that diets of less-healthy food options are less expensive than diets of healthier food options. This has left some people to propose increasing the price of less-healthy food through a “sin” tax similar to those already levied on alcohol, lottery tickets, and cigarettes.
Another way the government can help reduce obesity is by making a common policy proposal for tackling children's inactivity. In particular, the government should require physical education and activity in schools. Higher levels of activity have been related to a decreased likelihood of being overweight or obese, and vice versa. A full spectrum of government departments such as DHHS, CDC, FDA, USDA should provide free information about healthy living. This education process needs to be carried right into the school classroom from kindergarten on up through high school. And it needs to be fun and engaging to keep it memorable and important to kids and teens. Families together need to have better access to this kind of education so that whole communities can adopt healthier habits.
The next thing that the government can do is provide physical infrastructure. If there’s no sidewalk, it’s a challenge to walk. If there’s no park, there’s no play. The same holds true for biking, walking, and hiking paths. Only the government can provide these invaluable gifts to any community. Following are some facts and statistics and what the government can do to change this and reduce obesity. CDC YRBSS data shows, “approximately 20% of students consume 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables” (new). The government can support increased fruits and vegetables in schools via school lunches. They can also support farmers markets, community gardens, and other programs that increase access to fruits and vegetables. In 2007, YRBS studies show, “approximately 35% of teenagers drink at least 12oz of soda per day” (news). The government can reduce this by having low and no calorie drinks available at reasonable cost in equal variety in all public buildings. They can also set nutrition standards for all food/beverages sold/served during school. YRBS studies all show in 2007, “35% of teenagers watched more than 3 hours of TV per day.” (news). The government can regulate advertising/marketing associated with screen time to temper impact of the medium and also limit screen time in regulated settings such as daycare and schools.
As for advertisement, there are countless examples of places where leaders in society can inspire others to change. Let’s Move has helped raise awareness about childhood obesity and opened a national dialogue. When public officials, health care providers, and sports and entertainment celebrities are seen being physically active, they help inspire others. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition offers the President’s Active Lifestyle Award to individuals and families who commit to get more active. TV advertising is a main cause believed to drive the obesity epidemic. Lisa Powell, a researcher at the University of Illinois, found “fast-food commercials account for as much as 23 percent of the food-related ads viewed by children. Others claim children see fast-food commercials tens of thousands of times a year” (daily). If we reduce the number of fast-food commercials, children wouldn’t be so tempted to eat the unhealthy food.
For parents, there are four main strategies to reduce childhood obesity. Strategy one is stop including soft drinks in their child's diet. Carbonated soft drinks or sodas are one of the biggest contributors to childhood obesity. Kids can easily eliminate soft drinks in fast foods and even in their own school. In order to prevent childhood obesity, they need to eliminate sodas from their kid's diet. Not only are these drinks fattening, but they have absolutely zero nutritional value. Physicians and nutritionists have always been very vocal about the negative effects of soft drinks. Abolishing them from the diet is a good way to combat childhood obesity. But of course, doing this is not an easy task, especially if the child is constantly exposed to these drinks. It is easier if the child is still at the age where he or she does not make the decision in what is consumed. All the parent has to do is to stop serving sodas and replace them with healthier drinks. Strategy two is limit consumption of fast food. It would be best to completely eliminate foods such as burgers, fries, fried chicken, ice cream, and other high calorie foods once the parent notices that their child is already showing signs of obesity. This may be difficult though if fast food has been a part of the child's life. Some experts suggest that consuming fast food once a week is still acceptable. A parent should explain to their child how fast foods contribute to obesity. Strategy three is to limit the child's TV viewing time. It is unrealistic to totally eliminate the television viewing time of the child. But it is very important that a parent limits sedentary activities including TV viewing and other forms of technology such as Internet, DVD, and video games. Studies have shown that kids spending too much time in front of the television weigh more than those who aren't. Lastly, strategy four is to get your kids to exercise. The lack of activity in children is another contributor of childhood obesity. This is usually attributed to the introduction of technology which has altered the way kids live their daily lives. Parents can get their kids to participate in sports. If not, try to encourage them to walk to school, join community activities or any other activity which involves physical effort.
One of the main reasons doctors deny treatment to a patient is not only because it is unsafe, but also because obesity is a self induced life style. There are many ways obesity can be reduced because people are in control of their bodies. Following a healthy lifestyle can help a person prevent overweight and obesity. Many of these adapted lifestyle habits begin in early childhood. Therefore, parents and families should encourage their children to make healthy choices, such as following a healthy diet and becoming physically active. One way you can improve a healthy lifestyle is by following a healthy eating plan. Make healthy food choices and keep calorie needs in mind. Focus on portion size by watching the portion sizes in fast food and other restaurants. A person can be active by finding activities that they will enjoy that involve physical activity. Reduce screen time by limiting the use of TV’s, computers, DVDs and videogames. Also, keep track of weight, body mass index, and waist circumference. But most importantly, have the confidence and attitude that it can be accomplished. Many physicians feel that giving treatment to those that fall into the categories of smokers and obese are unlikely to work. Obesity can make operations more dangerous. According to Dr. Clare Gerada, Chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners, “If a patient is unwilling to change his or her lifestyle of being inactive and carelessly eating, then the patient should not get a treatment that could possibly worsen the situations” (CNN). This will cause the physician to consider what is best for the patient, which follows the basic principle of Beneficence. A spokesperson for the Department of Health agreed that there are some situations that have clinical reason to ask a person to take action to change their lifestyle prior to a treatment or a surgery. Until patients have changed their lifestyle the doctor is prompted to deny the treatment to the patient. If a person really wants to get better, they will do what is in his or her ability to get better. A careless attitude cannot be the only thing that is looked at in a patient. Physicians should look at how much the patient eats and how often they do, and if the patient has taken any efforts to stop over eating and have a healthier diet. These considerations are important because these can affect the course of treatment. It is still important that the patients are given time to consider what they need to do. A good doctor will not deny the patient care without conferring with his/her patient in their options. In these cases, the patients’ options would involve losing weight, controlling eating habits, and exercise.