Health Care Rationing Against Obese and Smokers in UK
So, the UK government has stated that the NHS may refuse medical treatment for smokers and the obese if their conditions might mean the treatment would be less efficacious or not cost effective. This is neo Puritanism. Following this logic, people with multiple sex partners should not be treated for VD, nor gay men and drug users treated for AIDS if their conditions would make the treatments less effective. If the government is going to invalidate a sick person's claim under government funding to medical treatment based on lifestyle choices, then it should be applied across the board to the politically connected and those with cultural panache as well as the politically incorrect. But of course, people should receive care when they are sick regardless of their lifestyle choices.
posted by Wesley J. Smith @ 6:14 PM
3 Comments
3 Comments:
The prevailing attitude towards people who are overweight is in fact unfair. There are people who are obese because they are on corticosteroid medication for their medical conditions. Some are obese because of genetic factors.
There are a number of other reasons that are in fact not connected to "lifestyle" choices, such as overeating.
When the obese are viewed as people who overeat and that they are lazy then they are constantly treated as though everything is their fault for being that way in the first place.
I am one who is in the category of obese. There are some factors that make it my fault, but there are other factors that are contributing to my inability to maintain a steady weight loss. I have a mild inflammatory arthritis. It affects my feet. That means it is extremely difficult to walk. During the summer season there is the added difficulty of fluid retention due to changes in barometric pressure. I retain fluid, and when that happens my weight goes up, and my legs and feet swell as a result of the fluid retention. My blood pressure is good, and I am not a candidate for blood pressure pills. I am under constant supervision to ensure that my blood sugar remains stable - there is age onset diabetes in my family and I take that very seriously.
It is only through a very careful study of my personal history that one sees how the weight stacked on in the first place. First there is the sore feet. I have to spend time off my feet to give them a chance to repair. Second, when I was pregnant I fell into the category of people who cannot even walk a short distance without medical problems (retching and the need to go to the toilet being the most obvious that lasted throughout the pregnancies). These problems were restrictive. I managed to lose weight between children one and two, but was not so successful prior to my third pregnancy and afterwards I have not lost weight.
I am conscious of the need to walk and to do light exercise. I have been consistently ensuring that I get some form of exercise. Yet I continue to be obese.
Should I be denied access to free health care because of some unknown factor that is preventing me from consistently losing weight.
Such discrimination is totally unacceptable. At least I am in Australia - but what happens if they follow Britain's lead?
I happen to think that people who are too thin are more of a problem than those who are overweight. This is the group that has no resistance to a number of difficulties e.g. osteoporosis. Being thin also cost my sister her life because she did not have the extra reserves to fight what turned out to be primary bone cancer. (At least I have some protection)
FAT FACTS:
Only 5% of the public has a medical excuse for obesity.
Obesity causes problems, which in-turn become the obese person's excuse not to exercise...thusly making things even worse.
For the vast majority, obesity is a choice. When the choice becomes longstanding and more permanent, then the obese person blames everyone else, they should not "discriminate" on the obese.
Take away obesity and government provided health care won't be a necessity.
COUNT CALORIES, don't blame others!
DAVID:
If you are going to make such a claim, please provide evidence.
Without such proof from reputable sources,your "FAT FACTS" mean nothing. They are nothing but mere speculation, which does not adequately contribute to this discussion.
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