Will Americans become fatter? Definately because its good for medicine!

Nurses General Nursing

Published

According to the survey 47% of the population in the USA would eat the Monster Thick Burger......

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6505575/

No wonder healthcare is private....the US government cannot be blamed!

At a time when TV stations in the UK are being dissauded from advertising junk food - is anyone bothered in the US?

Yes, we're bothered by it. Tremendously so.

But I don't agree it's good for healthcare because many of the people who would even think to eat that junk don't have any type of insurance, so hospitals end up absorbing the costs to take care of these people.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

I'm deeply distrubed by the obesity epidemic.

I'm getting a little weary of your USA trolling and bashing and am not going to get defensive.

The UK and Europe has an obesity problem as well.

The USA has many many problems. Feel free to point them all out to us.

I'm deeply distrubed by the obesity epidemic.

I'm getting a little weary of your USA trolling and bashing and am not going to get defensive.

The UK and Europe has an obesity problem as well.

The USA has many many problems. Feel free to point them all out to us.

I happen to support Bush and the US democratic way of life

I merely brought up obesity, because its a problem here, and the news here covered a reporter eating one of your burgers!

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

Your burgers????

NO, obesity is NOT good for medicine.

The increasing problem is a strain on our already stretched healthcare resources.

It costs more time, resources, nurse's back's, and money to treat a severly obese patient than it does to treat a normal sized patient. I don't know about anyone else here, but, I haven't heard yet that Medicare will reimburse a hospital more money simply because the patient is obese. It IS a factor in increasing cost, but not a factor for reimbursement as far as I know.

It's pretty sad to have a healthcare specialty of 'Bariatrics'. There are companies researching new and improved equipment specifically for use with severely obese patients. Even Operating Room tables are being manufactured to be able to sustain increasing amounts of weight. I think our highest weight tested OR table at my facility used to be 500lbs. Now, you can find tables weight tested for 1,000lbs!

Specializes in 5 yrs OR, ASU Pre-Op 2 yr. ER.

The title of your thread, Larry, is offensive. Not to mention that you seem very targeted at the USA (as were a few of your other comments at other thread after i looked them up), when in fact the obesity problem is not exclusive to the USA.

In other words, i, for one, will no longer feed into this, because i smell a troll.

http://www.consumerfreedom.com/pressRelease_detail.cfm/release/73

Posted On November 11, 2004

More Big Fat Lies

Obesity Statistics Are As Bogus As Weight-Loss Scams

Washington, DC - The weight-loss industry is finding itself in the crosshairs of the Federal Trade Commission's "Operation Big Fat Lies"--a crackdown on slimming down pills, powders and patches that are too good to be true. The Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) recommends that grossly exaggerated statistics and hype from pharmaceutical and weight-loss companies about the nation's so-called "obesity epidemic" also be placed under the federal microscope.

"An Epidemic of Obesity Myths," a recently released CCF report, highlights the pharmaceutical industry's influence in the obesity debate. The report challenges popular obesity statistics by citing a wide array of health, exercise, and nutrition experts at leading universities, as well as the former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine. It further exposes the pharmaceutical industry's influence on these statistics -- drug makers stand to reap great profits if its obesity hype leads Medicare and private insurance to cover their weight loss medications.

Obesity causes 400,000 deaths each year This statistic originated from research by David Allison, who has received funding from at least 20 companies involved in weight loss products. Among many other flaws, Allison's study used data from as far back as 1948 and failed to account for any of the improvements in medical treatments over the last 50 years.

65% of American adults are overweight or obese Xavier Pi-Sunyer, who has also received significant funding from the makers of anti-obesity drugs and is currently promoting anti-obesity drug Acomplia made by Sanofi, chaired a key National Institutes of Health obesity panel, which in 1998 instantly cast 30 million Americans into the "overweight" category by changing the government's definition. That group includes presently "overweight" stars like Will Smith, Pierce Brosnan, Tom Brady, Kobe Bryant, and even President Bush.

Obesity costs the United States $117 billion each year Graham Colditz, co-author of a 1998 study that is the single source for this figure, has received funding from Roche Laboratories, maker of the anti-obesity drug Xenical. His study acknowledged "double-counting of costs" which "would inflate the cost estimate."

"While the federal government is scrutinizing weight-loss scams, it should take a close look at the 'Biggest Fat Lie' of all--the so-called 'obesity epidemic,'" said Center for Consumer Freedom senior analyst Dan Mindus. "The Feds should remember that industries seeking a windfall from this 'epidemic' have spent a fortune to hype the obesity problem."

The Center for Consumer Freedom is a nonprofit coalition supported by restaurants, food companies, and consumers, working together to promote personal responsibility and protect consumer choices

Specializes in ER.

It is easy to fall into unproductive USA bashing, because that is what we are fed from our media.

I do not support Bush and do not know what to think of the direction US democracy is taking, but we should not offend each other. Many of the problems we are facing and will face ahead are global and we need to work together.

Like 3rdshiftguy said, obesity is a problem everywhere in the western world. We can work harder on information and education, it will take some time.

Is it true that McD in USA doesn´t sell supersized meals any more after the movie "Supersize me"?

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.
I happen to support Bush and the US democratic way of life

I merely brought up obesity, because its a problem here, and the news here covered a reporter eating one of your burgers!

Perhaps, I'm reading too much into your posts. But there have been a few that were clearly anti-American, which is o.k. as that is your right. I'm merely not going to get too defensive in discussing your issues.

Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Steph, interesting that many of the studies on obesity were funded by drug companies. I didn't know that.

Steph, interesting that many of the studies on obesity were funded by drug companies. I didn't know that.

me either .... . :)

steph

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