Yenki Ng English 1102 Fran Voltz 28 October 2013 Life Changing Decisions There has been an official breakthrough

in medical news: in June of 2013, The American Medical Association (AMA) voted to label obesity as a disease. People can now ease up on trying to lose weight and let the doctors handle all the work. There is no need to grind out on exercising or eating healthy anymore, so now anyone can just lay back and let medicine run its course. This announcement means that there will be a major change in society with no effort from the people and it will benefit everyone. Or will it? Obesity has been an issue around the world for many years, especially in the United States. Some medical documents stated that it is a genetic disorder while in most cases it results from the lack of nutrition and exercise. Obesity can cause heart diseases and strokes, which are the leading causes of death (Leading Causes of Death). Although it is a problematic situation, the obesity rate continues to increase year after year. Since the 1960s, the obesity rate for adults has more than doubled from 13% to 35% (Hellmich). These percentiles are even more devastating than it seems because as the rate increases, so does the overall population. Now there is a debate on whether obesity should be labeled as a disease or not. The purpose of labeling the chronic illness as a disease is to push doctors into getting more people to use medical treatments to deal with their weight problem. Supporters of this decision feel that obesity is hereditary, impairs the normal functioning of a body, and decreases life expectancy. Those who oppose feel that obesity is a personal responsibility, does not necessarily impair the normal function of the body, and it is a preventable risk factor (Is Obesity a Disease?). Both sides have their supporting arguments and solutions, but at what cost? Before deciding which is

the best choice, people should focus on the consequences, expenses, and long-term effectiveness of what each side presents. Medical treatments have now expanded since the announcement of labeling obesity as a disease. People can either decide to go through surgery or use prescription medications and over the counter drugs. Two of the most common surgical procedures are liposuction and gastric bypass. Liposuction is the removal of excess fat using a small suction tube. Gastric bypass (stomach stapling) is the contraction or the removal of part of the stomach pouch so that a person can eat less and feel fuller. As for prescriptions and drugs, there are a wide variety to choose from. In the article, Prescription Medications For the Treatment of Obesity, The Weightcontrol Information Network stated that the prescription drugs can work in one of two ways: some drugs can make a person feel less hungry or feel full sooner and others may make it hard for the body to absorb fat from the food that is being consumed. Some of the drugs that are used include Orlistat, Lorcaserin, Phentermine-topiramate, and appetite suppressant drugs. If people decides not to use medical treatments, there is a different approach to weight loss. The more natural approach to losing weight is eating healthier and changing lifestyle. Since everyone has to eat for survival, making healthier food choices is a must for controlling weight. There are several ways a person can accomplish this: 2000 calories daily, the food pyramid, or dieting. Diets are probably the most effective option because they help someone determine the specific types of food that he or she should eat. Under the section, Weight Loss and Diet Plans, WebMD displays all types of diets that a person can get on such as low-carb, Mediterranean, macrobiotic, etc. Making the right food choices is arguably the most difficult thing for a person to do in the US. Since a lot of people buy food on a budget, they tend to turn to fast food chains because it is very cheap and it is more affordable than buying fresh produce

from a market. Exercising is also an important asset that everyone needs to incorporate in their daily lives. Any physical activity such as recreational sports, lifting weights, or even yoga can help with weight loss. The most powerful of all exercises that everyone must do is walking. It is recommended to walk for at least thirty minutes to an hour daily. The problem with exercising is that people either do not have the time or the commitment to try and do the work. It takes sheer determination to accomplish these tasks. It is not difficult; people make it seem difficult because they are afraid to try it. Knowing the possible consequences of both sides is very important. Side effects can have a temporary or lasting impact on anyone. The side effects from medical treatments can range from being low and moderate to becoming very severe. The side effects for prescription drugs include dizziness, dry mouth, headaches, constipation, etc. In rare cases, a person can have severe liver injury (Prescription Medications). Surgical procedures have more intense side effects. Liposuction can lead to blood clots, skin or nerve damage, persistent swelling, etc. (Liposuction). Gastric bypass can lead to stomach pouch problems, hernia, vomiting, kidney stones, and gallstones (Healthwise). As for eating healthier and exercising, there is no actual side effects that can actually harm a person. The side effects for healthy eating are increase in nutrients, normal bowel movements, and adequate tasting food. Fatigue, soreness, and perspiration result from exercising due to effort. It is also safe to assume that it is cheaper to eat better and exercise more than receiving medical treatments. Money is also an important matter when discussing the issue of labeling obesity as a disease. Receiving medical treatments for obesity is very expensive. Rick Ungar stated that obesity has added an astounding $190 billion to the annual national healthcare price tag. He also said that compared to an average person, an obese man racks up an additional $1152 while an

obese women accounts for an extra $3613 a year in medical spending (Ungar). An average cost for liposuction is $2852 and for a gastric bypass it is an estimated average of $15,000 to $35,000 (Liposuction Procedure). A person also has to pay for nutritionist appointments after a gastric bypass surgery which is an additional $50 to $100 per visit (Cost of Liposuction). The cost in medical spending is significantly greater than buying healthier food and exercising. On average, a person spends about $281 a month on food (Consumer Spending Statistics). As for exercising, a person can pay up to $20 a month to join a gym or he or she does not have to pay a single cent and just do his or her own workout routine. It is usually optional for a person to decide whether he wants to spend thousands on surgery, but if someone wants to save money, then it is best to just buy food that would benefit him. The management of money also helps the development of long-term effectiveness. Long-term effectiveness is the most important factor of whether labeling obesity as a disease is the right thing to do. The point of emphasis of long-term is about quality over quantity. Everyone who struggles with being obese wants to lose weight, and he or she wants to do it as quickly as possible. There is nothing wrong with getting medical treatment, but how long will the treatment actually last? It is still the responsibility of the person to maintain the weight he or she lost from the procedure. It is pointless to receive help if one doesnt follow up by helping themselves through living a healthier life. That means it is important to eat healthier and become more active. In the long run, these two factors will win the battle against medical treatments. Not only do they help people lose weight, they also help them build discipline. Labeling obesity as a disease is something that is really controversial. There have been rumors that the only reason why the AMA voted for this decision is to gain monetary profit. If that is true, the people should rebel against it. If it is not, then people need to understand about

their own personal preference. Will this actually benefit or harm them? Who is right: the supporters or the opponents? The consequences, expenses, and long-term effects are issues that needs to be considered when deciding. Whether this labeling decision is positive or negative, the most important thing is that the people who struggle with obesity should be the ones getting the better end of the deal.

Works Cited

"Consumer Spending Statistics." Statistic Brain. N.p., 19 Jul 2013. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.statisticbrain.com/what-consumers-spend-each-month/>. "Cost of Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass Surgery." Obesity Coverage. N.p., 26 Jan 2013. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.obesitycoverage.com/insurance-and-costs/how-much/averagelaparoscopic-gastric-bypass-prices>. Healthwise Staff. "Weight Loss Surgery Health Center." Web MD. Healthwise, 06 Apil 2011. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/gastric-bypass>. Hellmich, Nanci. "U.S. Obesity Rate Levels Off, But Sill an Epidemic." USA Today. Gannett Company, 18 Oct 2013. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/10/17/obesity-rate-levelsoff/2895759/>.

"Is Obesity a Disease?." . ProCon.org, 20 Sept 2013. Web. 8 Oct 2013. <http://obesity.procon.org/>.

"Leading Causes of Death." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, 11 Jan 2013. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/lcod.htm>.

"Liposuction Procedure." American Society of Plastic Surgeons. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/liposuction.html?sub=How much does liposuction cost?

"Prescrition Medications for the Treatment of Obesity." Weight-control Information Network. National Institutes of Health, 5 Jul 2013. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/prescription.htm

Ungar, Rick. "Obesity Now Costs Americans More In HealthCare Spending Than Smoking." . Forbes, 30 Apr 2012. Web. 8 Oct 2013. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/rickungar/2012/04/30/obesity-now-costs-americans-morein-healthcare-costs-than-smoking/>. "Weight Loss and Diet Plans." Web MD. N.p.. Web. 29 Oct 2013. <http://www.webmd.com/diet/evaluate-latest-diets>.