Over the weekend I read an article in the New York Times, that was to me, quite disturbing. The article was about weight loss surgery and the increasing pressure from doctors to use it at younger and younger ages. Currently, the youngest a person can receive weight loss surgery at is 18 in the United States. If Allergan, the maker of the lap-band, has its way, it will be able to market its product to teenagers as young as 14. It is currently in the process of petitioning the FDA to allow it do just that. With the growing obesity epidemic we are experiencing in the United States, there has been a concurrent explosion in weight loss surgeries, totaling over 200,000 just last year. And its not as if the procedure is cheap, those 200,000 surgeries amounted to a cost of over $6 million dollars. No wonder Allergan wants to market its product to younger and younger obese individuals. Part of the problem with this influx in weight loss surgeries is that doctors have come to believe that dieting doesn't work for everyone and that this is a necessary procedure if we are to save individuals. Wait, dieting doesn't work? It seems to me there is a general problem with the way that doctor's are thinking. If you look back through the history of man kind, I can almost guarantee that during no other time has a person been able to reach a weight of 500, 600, or 700 + pounds. Yet in the United States, we are continually seeing people reach higher and higher weights. Is it a problem with dieting or with the type of foods that we eat combined with a lack of exercise that has contributed to the problem. There are many diets out there, so I can't generalize, but there have been thousands of success stories when dieting and exercising have been combined in an effort to shed unwanted pounds. I firmly believe that part of the problem arises with the type of foods that people eat. If a person on a diet simply reduces his/her caloric intake without regards to the types of foods they are eating, then no, the weight won't be lost. Exercise also goes a long way in getting rid of unwanted pounds. It doesn't even need to be extreme exercise, but something as simple as walking every day.
The article followed a young woman as she went through this weight loss surgery. It was first recommended to her at the age of 17 and finally performed when she was 19. A large part of the problem with her weight, over 250 lbs at a height of 5'1", was due to her inability to control her eating habits. When in consultation for the surgery, she even tried to diet herself, and before she left to embark on the diet, the doctor said, "It's not your fault, but your not going to be able to do it." Really? Since when have doctors been so crass and driven by money that they flat out tell people that they won't be able to lose weight through dieting. It turns out that this girl wasn't able to lose the weight and eventually had the surgery, but it still bothers me that a doctor would say that to a patient. It makes me wonder how much they are getting paid by Allergan to push this product. The procedure was minimally invasive, took 25 minutes, and cost only $21,369 dollars. If there was ever a case of robbing people, this has to be it. What surprises me more is that while doctors will tell you that dieting and exercise alone won't work, they won't tell you about the the enormous risks involved. A certain number of patients, a low percentage, never make it off the operating table because of death. Many others have complications with the procedure and have to return to either have the problem fixed or the device removed. It seems to me that if someone was truly dedicated to losing weight without the possibility of dying, then they would stick to a regimen of dieting and exercise.
Many people could criticize me saying I don't understand how hard it is to diet or how there is never enough time to exercise. Well, is there enough time for you to save up $21,000 for an operation that still requires you to diet and exercise? It seems to me that weight loss surgeries are simply thought of as an easy way out for weight loss. I am sure that other people might tell me about the studies that have been done citing the genetic disposition of some people to be obese. Well, just because there is a genetic disposition to a certain body shape doesn't mean that an obese person can't take matters into their own hands and change their future. A genetic disposition to be a certain way is an excuse. There have also been studies done showing that people are genetically more likely to be alcoholics, yet many find the strength to quit the habit and change their lives for the better. Can they do it alone? No, they find a community of like minded people to help them along. Why can't it be the same for weight loss. It seems, overall, that more and more people simply want an easier way out than true dieting and exercise. By reducing the amount of food they can cram in their stomachs, they think that they will have an immediate cure-all. But what about the necessary calories that they need to function every day? Does it account for the lost calories? Probably not. Let me sum this whole thing up by saying that I am not an obese person and as such do not know what it is like to go through a diet to try and lose weight. I am sure it is not easy, in fact, I am sure that it is downright hard. But if people are driven enough to quit drinking for good, then they can be driven enough to lose weight through diet and exercise alone. Lets hope that the FDA does not approve Allergan's petition to market their product to a younger crowd. Lets hope that teenagers, and for that matter adults, can find it within themselves to lead a healthier lifestyle without invasive surgery.
No comments:
Post a Comment