When
I hear strident voices arguing about options for healthcare reform, I picture
passengers arguing about the arrangement of deck chairs on the Titanic.
You
don’t have to be a math major to figure out that the majority of American
adults who are overweight (66 percent, or 200 million citizens) are
inadvertently putting themselves at risk for life-threatening,
expensive-to-treat medical problems. Surplus pounds increase the risk for
diabetes, certain cancers and stroke. And having even one of four factors
commonly referred to as the deadly
quartet (obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and high triglyceride
levels) increases the risk of heart disease. Combined, they are a likely
predictor of premature death.
The
number of supersized children is also worrisome: nearly one-fifth
of our nation’s 4-year-olds are obese. Since 1980, the number of overweight
children has doubled; for adolescents the number has tripled. The long-term
effects of childhood obesity (elevated blood pressure and cholesterol,
joint problems, type 2 diabetes, gallbladder disease, asthma, depression and
anxiety) will require intensive medical intervention. Researchers predict that
this may be the first generation in the past two centuries to have shorter lives
than their parents.
Given
this context, those debating the merits of various payment plans to reform our
current “disease management system,” as Dr. Andrew Weil labels it, seem to be
ignoring the reality that the ship is sinking.
Granted, we need to make medical care more accessible and
affordable and reduce unnecessary costs.
But far more importantly, we need to place people in lifeboats. We need to
figure out how to reduce lifestyle-related diseases that trigger the need for
expensive medical care in the first place. We need to lighten our fitness footprint.
I
coined this term to describe the impact of our personal lifestyle on health and
life expectancy, along with the global impact on the environment. A healthy
body on a healthy planet is the goal. But this goal can be achieved only if we
reverse the unchecked epidemic of obesity. As waists become
thicker, footprints become heavier.
Measuring
and taking stock can be life-saving. When I stepped naked on the bathroom scale
one morning and it broke, I knew I had to lose weight. What I didn’t know was
that 183 pounds on a 5-foot-2-inch frame placed me in the 90th percentile for
heart disease, cancer and stroke—plus a few other conditions that had yet to
show up on tests. (Evidently, most of the calories I burned were ones spent
digging my grave with a fork and spoon.) After changing my lifestyle and losing
weight, my forgiving body scored in the normal range, and I (and my insurer)
avoided thousands of dollars in medical expenses.
Until
that point, I failed to connect the dots. I failed to see the connection
between my lifestyle and the very real complications that would eventually play
out as life-threatening medical problems requiring expensive medical treatment.
I also failed to see the connection between my food choices and their impact on
the environment. My ignorance could have cost me my life, hence my passion for
encouraging others to take stock before it is too late.
Measuring
your fitness footprint is the first step in achieving a healthy body on a
healthy planet. Here are three areas to assess:
- Health
Risks: How does your lifestyle influence your blood pressure, body mass
index, body fat and risk of a heart attack, a stroke or diabetes? Are you
increasing your risk of life-threatening medical problems by indulging in
a sedentary lifestyle or too many burgers and fries? Are your medical
bills contributing to the estimated $147 billion
Americans will spend on weight-related medical care? To calculate your
risk for cancer, diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and stroke, go here.
- Longevity:
How does your lifestyle influence the length of your life? Do you eat
fresh fruits and vegetables daily? Are you connected in a meaningful way
to others? Do you exercise on a regular basis? How much alcohol do you
drink? Do you smoke? To calculate your physiological age and how long you
can expect to live given your current lifestyle, go here.
- Food
Choices: How does your choice of food impact the environment? What we
choose to eat is critical because the production and consumption of food
may account for one-third of
the total global carbon emissions. According to ecological measures, we
need all the farms we have now plus many more on nearby planets if we are
to sustain our current habits. To calculate the impact of your food
choices, go here.
It’s not difficult to lighten your fitness
footprint. You can begin by making a few simple, ecologically friendly food and
lifestyle choices part of your daily routine.
Follow the seasons when choosing foods and,
when possible, purchase produce from local growers. Make creative use of
leftovers so food is not wasted. Pick one day a week to enjoy a meatless meal.
Stop eating when you are no longer hungry rather than when you are full.
Integrate movement into your day, whether
that means pacing the floor when you talk on the phone or taking the stairs
instead of an elevator. Support community groups that are working to create
foot-friendly communities through the construction of trails, parks and bicycle
paths. Recycle your tennis shoes and carry a reusable water bottle. When
possible, go outdoors and exercise with a positive friend. Stay socially connected and laugh a lot.
It’s been over 97 years since the
Titanic sunk. I hope the acrimonious debate about medical care doesn’t take
that long. Fortunately for us, we don’t have to wait for its conclusion before
we begin our own healthcare reform. While there’s still time, we need to
lighten our fitness footprint so we are nimble enough to scramble into a
lifeboat.
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