AMA steps up fight against obesity
Lewis DiuguidMore than half of Americans are overweight, and a third are obese. How could health care professionals have missed this growing epidemic?
They are late to the game, but the American Medical Association finally has decided to get behind requiring yearly instruction for first- through 12th-graders on the causes, consequences and prevention of obesity. The Associated Press reports that doctors will be encouraged to volunteer time to help.
The AMA is pushing to support legislation that would require anti-obesity classes. One in five children, or more than 12 million kids, is obese.
This is a public health concern because of the rising incidence of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other ailments associated with too many people being overweight.
The AMA’s involvement is needed to counter the expected junk-food and fast-food lobbying push to prevent the anti-obesity classes, which will likely curb consumption along with company profits. But in the long run, health care costs will go down because of the education initiative and so will lost time in school and on the job because of chronic illnesses related to people being overweight.
Kent Mueller
11 months agoI’m not so sure the government has a long history of being good at giving classes on anything. Besides, isn’t this a part of a health class?
When you say the classes will likely curb consumption, you obviously believe they will work. Why should we believe they will work?