Obesity: A BIG Problem
The Affordable Care Act; the NRA and gun rights; genetically-modified food stuffs; climate change and environmental policy change linked with the use of fossil fuels...each of these issues have created strong and divisive political and cultural movements in the last several decades. Often, the debate centers around the desire of (overly-?) ambitious liberal do-gooders to stand up to a very powerful entrenched lobby, clashing with radical Republicans afraid of the Big Bad Government and deluded into thinking they need to protect these lobbies for the sake of the 'free market,' which is actually far from free.
Generally speaking, I like to attribute all of this hullabaloo to a lack of decent primary education, critical thinking skills, and knowledge of recent news. (I'm actually a real believer in humanity; I'd rather think we're ignorant than purposefully destructive and careless.) However, I think I'm ready to add another 'ULTIMATE PROBLEM' to the list: Americans' poor health. Whether cause or effect of all these policies, it should come as no surprise to anyone that Americans are the most unhealthy nation in the developed world, on almost every level. We have the highest rates of obesity, of diabetes, of car accidents, of gun accidents. Our small children have the lowest chance of reaching adulthood in the first world, and our teenagers die at the highest rates. The one exception is that, if we reach the age of 75, we live the longest. Of course, then you are more likely to suffer from dementia, Alzheimer's, or malnutrition. In my opinion, the article doesn't go far enough. Although the following items do not necessarily support the claim that the US is the 'worst in the first world,' they still offer a scary picture of our future.
1. The number of people who have Alzheimer's today is 5.4 million (one of eight). Care payments were $200 billion in 2012. Between 2000 and 2008, the number of deaths from Alzheimer's has risen 66%. By 2050, we will spend an estimated $1.1 trillion a year (in today's dollars, and including Medicare and Medicaid) to support those who suffer from Alzheimer's. Evidence is mounting that lifestyle factors play a large role in the number of people suffering from Alzheimer's, which makes intuitive sense. Brain-healthy diets tend to avoid foods with saturated fats and high levels of cholesterol. Smoking, diabetes, and obesity are contributing factors. With such rationale, as baby boomers age, we are likely to have more and more people suffering from Alzheimer's and dementia.
2. One in four adults (57.7 million Americans) suffer from a mental health disorder in any given year. One in 17 (5.8%) live with a serious mental disorder such as schizophrenia. One in ten (10%) children have a serious mental disorder. That is a generational increase of 72%. Major depressive disorder affects 6.7% of Americans, and a recent New York Times article suggests that 1-3% of preschoolers suffer from depression. 24% of those in state prisons have a mental disorder, and over 70% of juveniles in detention or jail have a mental disorder. Most recently, the Newtown shootings have drawn attention to this growing problem, but a better understanding of the issue is needed.
3. In addition to mental illness, the number of children with learning disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has risen by 78% between 2002 and 2008. Granted, a large percentage of these kids may not have intellectual disability; instead they may suffer from disorders that produce social ineptitude, such as Asperger's. Also, better and earlier diagnostic techniques have undoubtedly influenced the numbers significantly. Nonetheless, even half of the reported increase should be enough to cause alarm.
4. The number of cancer patients in the US is expected to rise by 55% in the next two decades, to over 2 million diagnoses in the year 2030. The American Institute for Cancer Research has declared that almost one third of these cases could be prevented by changes in diet and exercise habits ().
Overall, we should not be surprised by any of this. Anyone who has been to Europe or Asia for a long period of time, and then returned to the United States will marvel over the size of our portions, the prevalence of big pieces of red meat, the giant people who waddle down our streets. In fact, we proudly display our bad health as part of our culture (Ron Swanson anyone? Turduckins?). However, if we are determined to idolize those destructive elements which are leading to unprecedented levels of illness and early-death in our country, we should be prepared for the consequences.
