You can't turn on the news on any channel and not hear about Health Care Reform, Medicaid costs and obesity. You can't watch a morning news show without a section on the show dedicated to healthy eating.

If you're not noticing all this 'talk' going on, then, you are not paying attention. We have entered a full blown health care crisis which will affect everyone, especially the obese, the unemployed, the elderly, the uninsured and those people whose pockets are going to pay for the care.

Let's talk about medical spending and the rise in obesity rates. It is not a secret that in the United States the obesity rate has swelled to 37% by 2006. One recent study by the Miliken Institute lists overweight and obesity rates as high as 66%. This means that anywhere from one third to two thirds of the people you know right now are overweight.

A recent research article published in Health Affairs estimated that in 1998 the costs of being overweight or obese ran as high as $78.5 billion dollars and half of that was financed by Medicare or Medicaid. Since that time their estimates have indicated that medical costs have increased to 10% of all medical spending, rising to 147$ billion by 2008.

For example: Medical costs for people with diabetes runs 190.5 billion. And, here's something to think about: The study goes on to say that although not all of these costs are attributable to obesity, excess weight is the greatest single predictor of developing diabetes.

So, here we are, paying huge amounts of money to treat the health problems that are associated with obesity. Now, I come from a medical background professionally and my opinion is that the standard in medical practice for so long has been that medicine treats the symptoms of the problem and not so much the cause.  And what is the cause? We eat too much food or unhealthy food. 37% to 66% of everyone you know is overweight or obese.  We are eating more fat and calories than our bodies need and we are making ourselves very sick as a result.

I am glad to see a growing number of physicians taking steps to educate people on better nutritional practices but I am also reminded that in order to truly address the obesity problem in the country, in your neighborhood, at your house and with your friends and family the responsibility to eat healthy and manage weight wisely must lay at the feet of each and every one of us.

Coach Marji

Tags: Obesity Medicaid Healthcare