Obesity Is Considered A Chronic Disease

----------------------------------------- Chris Rosenbloom, PhD, RD says obesity is considered a "chronic disease, it has actually been classified a disease. It's probably biggest chronic health problem that we have in United States." Rosenbloom is an associate professor of nutrition at Georgia State University in Atlanta.

Rosenbloom says obesity can lead to high blood pressure, increased risk for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and possibly even certain types of cancers. According to AOA, about 55% of U.S. adults are overweight or obese. The health care costs for treating diseases caused by obesity, such as diabetes and heart disease, was over $100 billion in 1999 alone.

Medicare And Medicaid Next?

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Downey says AOA is "working with some of managed care associations and Medicare. We're going to be looking at Medicaid hopefully in near future. We obviously want to see them provide better coverage." But Downey says IRS and insurance industry are two very different issues. The IRS is more cut-and-dry, and questions associated with it are not as complex.

The IRS has to interpret obesity as a medical problem. Until it does, it is doubtful that tax relief will come. Even though medical deductions qualify after seven and a half percent of your adjusted gross income. If you were making $100,000 a year, you would have to have over $7,500 before you could deduct it. Most people don't.

Downey agrees "it's a very small category, but in our view, particularly for people who need bariatric [obese-specific] surgery, which is going to be $8,000 to $12,000, or so and frequently is not covered by insurance plans, that probably is individual who is going to benefit from this change. Most middle class people would have to go to a lot of Weight Watchers meetings to get up to that level."

There has been a 40% increase in number of obese people since 1980 and incidence of obesity in children is rising. This is an issue that needs to be addressed.

About The Author

After seeing a few, reputable Neurologists, I was additionally diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis (TM) and a 'bulging disc' (herniated disc). This explained why I had been encountering all these unrelated physical problems.

Giving Up

I guess when I first sat in my wheelchair, I instinctively gave in to my physical condition. Why bother living anymore, I thought. I couldn't function properly and felt like a complete invalid. How was I going to make my household payments? How was I going to care for my two, then elementary schoolers? How was I even going to live? While all these thoughts ran through my mind, I was becoming an emotional wreck.

Because of my health, I was taking so many medicines that I couldn't tell if I was coming or going. I would take one medicine for this, one for that, one to counteract effects of another, and another to counteract effects of a different one...and so on. And thanks to all of these wonderful conventional medicines, I returned to hospital because one of them nearly killed me. It was then that I knew I had to find a different way.

Starting Over

Going against medical advisement, I literally stopped all of my prescribed medicines at once. I became acquainted with International Disability Coalition and got into band, strengthening excercises and virtually re-taught myself how to walk - without help of any medical professional. I also incorporated a 'mind-over-matter' attitude that I believe, enabled me to step out of wheelchair and back into life.

It's been about 3 years now, and I still live daily with back, neck, shoulder and sciatic nerve pain. I sporadically suffer relapses where I can't walk, or I can't move my arms or hands. BUT, I am no longer a walking or wheelchair-bound zombie. I swim and practice water exercises when weather is warm to build muscle strength. And there are still times when my pain gets better of me and I still go through emotional ups and downs. And like most conditions, they flare up more often with cold weather, emotional and physical stress, and lack of rest. BUT I am alive today, I am a survivor, and though I may have fibromyalgia, Transverse Myelitis, migraine, disc herniation, and restless leg syndrome - these disorders do NOT have me.

In Closing

Living with my chronic disorders and illness has taught me to be more patient...more loving...more giving. I now share my home with not only my human family, but have adopted several rescue dogs - who I also compliment for adding so much love and compassion to my emotional wellbeing. And so long as there is a purpose on this earth for me to exist, I will attempt to make most of it. Every hour. Every day.

Living with Chronic Illness & Disorders: Are You a Survivor? Copyright 5/2005 - All Rights Reserved by C. Bailey-Lloyd aka. LadyCamelot