Comments on: Obese? Get to the back of the line, thanks… http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/ A Nursing Blog about Nursing In Australia Wed, 03 Mar 2010 04:46:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Sandra http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-8636 Sandra Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:37:30 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-8636 Well.. yeah It'd definitely be difficult to clarify.. But then That's the Doctors job. I tend to think that after seeing a patient for a few times they'd be able to make out whether the problem is simple negligent obesity or a health problem.. If something like that does get implemented.. the few people that are in fact penalized will become examples for others. I don't mean that in a mean way though.. but we all know the strain the cause to the system. I'm sure if we put our minds to it.. we could come up with a more realistic soultion... Well.. yeah It’d definitely be difficult to clarify.. But then That’s the Doctors job. I tend to think that after seeing a patient for a few times they’d be able to make out whether the problem is simple negligent obesity or a health problem..

If something like that does get implemented.. the few people that are in fact penalized will become examples for others. I don’t mean that in a mean way though.. but we all know the strain the cause to the system.

I’m sure if we put our minds to it.. we could come up with a more realistic soultion…

]]> By: Ross http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-8632 Ross Sun, 07 Feb 2010 14:18:41 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-8632 @Sandra - Hi there, thanks for taking the time to comment! It's great to have some feedback on this issue - definitely a tough one. I like how you've come up with one idea, and that is to identify those who are contributing to the problem by self neglect, and penalise them accordingly. One of the problems that arises out of this is identifying these people. How on earth would you begin to clarify who fits into this category, and who is exempt? I imagine it would be a very difficult process! Regardless, thanks for your thoughts.... @Sandra – Hi there, thanks for taking the time to comment!
It’s great to have some feedback on this issue – definitely a tough one. I like how you’ve come up with one idea, and that is to identify those who are contributing to the problem by self neglect, and penalise them accordingly.
One of the problems that arises out of this is identifying these people. How on earth would you begin to clarify who fits into this category, and who is exempt? I imagine it would be a very difficult process!
Regardless, thanks for your thoughts….

]]> By: Sandra http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-8600 Sandra Sat, 06 Feb 2010 02:10:27 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-8600 My first comment here.. Read your blog a fair bit from time to time though..more of a lurker I guess. I couldn't resist not commenting on this. I tend to feel a little sympathtic to obese people. If you look at it from a monetary view point then yeah.. the system is losing money, but: The problem with an approach like this is that the minority will suffer. there are a minority who are obese due to medical problems and not because they just didn't take care of their diet .. You can't really begin to ask people why they're obese before you put them behind the line.. it just isn't practical. If you do it without discrimination I.e every fat person should go behind the line.. then you'd be infringing the rights of the minority. Now.. how do we solve the problem? I'd say Doctors should single out people who are obese due to their own neglect. These people can then have some sort of "punishment".. perhaps a decrease in health benefits or something like that. My first comment here.. Read your blog a fair bit from time to time though..more of a lurker I guess.
I couldn’t resist not commenting on this.
I tend to feel a little sympathtic to obese people. If you look at it from a monetary view point then yeah.. the system is losing money, but:
The problem with an approach like this is that the minority will suffer. there are a minority who are obese due to medical problems and not because they just didn’t take care of their diet ..
You can’t really begin to ask people why they’re obese before you put them behind the line.. it just isn’t practical. If you do it without discrimination I.e every fat person should go behind the line.. then you’d be infringing the rights of the minority.

Now.. how do we solve the problem? I’d say Doctors should single out people who are obese due to their own neglect. These people can then have some sort of “punishment”.. perhaps a decrease in health benefits or something like that.

]]> By: Ross http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-8253 Ross Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:59:41 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-8253 Hi Gabriela - thanks for your thoughts, definitely a complex problem, that's for sure.... Hi Gabriela – thanks for your thoughts, definitely a complex problem, that’s for sure….

]]> By: Gabriela http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-8161 Gabriela Thu, 21 Jan 2010 05:21:01 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-8161 What to do about this problem? - The Australian federal and state governments could start by subsidising naturopaths' consultations and medicines - as it is subsidising pharmaceutical and high-tech medicine - and thus enable a broader clientele to become educated about how to achieve their health goals. Clearly, whatever has been done over the past 30 years or so has not worked. There are healthy and empowering alternatives available: "Seeing the lighter side of overweight": http://www.brisbanenaturalmedicine.com.au/Artemisia_Natural_Medicine/Healthy_Weight_for_Life.html What to do about this problem? – The Australian federal and state governments could start by subsidising naturopaths’ consultations and medicines – as it is subsidising pharmaceutical and high-tech medicine – and thus enable a broader clientele to become educated about how to achieve their health goals. Clearly, whatever has been done over the past 30 years or so has not worked. There are healthy and empowering alternatives available: “Seeing the lighter side of overweight”: http://www.brisbanenaturalmedicine.com.au/Artemisia_Natural_Medicine/Healthy_Weight_for_Life.html

]]> By: Ross http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-7577 Ross Sat, 26 Dec 2009 13:45:44 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-7577 Hi Kate - some fair and valid point that you've raised. There's no denying that obesity leads to massive expenditure in health care facilities across Australia. Limiting limiting services or "getting tough on the obese" however becomes a whole lot more challenging due to the myriad reasons for obesity, as you mention. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Hi Kate – some fair and valid point that you’ve raised. There’s no denying that obesity leads to massive expenditure in health care facilities across Australia. Limiting limiting services or “getting tough on the obese” however becomes a whole lot more challenging due to the myriad reasons for obesity, as you mention. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

]]> By: Nurse Kate http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/obese-get-to-the-back-of-the-line-thanks/comment-page-1/#comment-7574 Nurse Kate Sat, 26 Dec 2009 08:47:40 +0000 http://www.nurseinaustralia.com/?p=1514#comment-7574 Much as it would be nice to be able to but down our health care costs, this approach simply doesn't take into account the myriad of reasons for obesity. While many obese people simply chose not to restrict their diet, many are ignorant of how to, are subject to myths about food, cannot afford to eat healthy, or have illnesses that make it impossible for them to lose weight. I admit that it is hard for me to feel sympahty as I bust my butt to keep my weight and cardiovascular health optimal. However, I am lucky to have a naturally medium sized body type so I can hardly say what I would look like had I been born with a tendency to be larger. Much as it would be nice to be able to but down our health care costs, this approach simply doesn’t take into account the myriad of reasons for obesity. While many obese people simply chose not to restrict their diet, many are ignorant of how to, are subject to myths about food, cannot afford to eat healthy, or have illnesses that make it impossible for them to lose weight.

I admit that it is hard for me to feel sympahty as I bust my butt to keep my weight and cardiovascular health optimal. However, I am lucky to have a naturally medium sized body type so I can hardly say what I would look like had I been born with a tendency to be larger.

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