Obesity Surgery triples amoung U.S. teens

[somdebay]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070305/ap_on_he_me/diet_teen_surgery

I don't understand this at all...there are a few cases where it is understandable...disease...but the fat kids who just wont get off their azzes to do anything about their state of health...they should be denied surgery. They got themselves there and need to learn exercise and self control. Although, parents who do not control their children when young should be to blame as well.

And welfare moms have kids on welfare
And fat parents they have fat kids too
You know it's never gonna end
The same old cycle's gonna start again
What comes around well it goes around

 

[Coventry17]

One of the biggest factors in the likelihood of obesity is income. Lower income families tend to be more overweight. Unfortunately, "bad" food is cheaper than more nourishing, lower calorie food. Since low income children tend to become low income adults, it becomes a vicious cycle. Add to that the fact that Americans on the whole are working more hours than ever. With the workload, the lowest number of vacation days on the average than any industrialized country in the world and the fact that over half of employers in the U.S. offer NO paid sick days, Americans are just plain tired when they get home. Once again, sedentary adults tend to raise sedentary children.

 

[mAlice]

One of the biggest factors in the likelihood of obesity is income. Lower income families tend to be more overweight.

This is I come from a low income family, and my family isn't obese. Bad food is not cheaper. It's quicker and easier. My mother had a hot meal on the table every night, even if it was just beans and rice or beanies and weenies.

 

[SamSpade]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070305/ap_on_he_me/diet_teen_surgery

I don't understand this at all...there are a few cases where it is understandable...disease...but the fat kids who just wont get off their azzes to do anything about their state of health...they should be denied surgery. They got themselves there and need to learn exercise and self control. Although, parents who do not control their children when young should be to blame as well.

And welfare moms have kids on welfare
And fat parents they have fat kids too
You know it's never gonna end
The same old cycle's gonna start again
What comes around well it goes around

The article doesn't give enough information to make a serious comment. Generally, doctors are against the idea of performing the surgery for mere cosmetic reasons, and insurance won't pay for it at all without a significant pile of evidence and tests to prove it is necessary. So the mere fact that the surgeries are "tripling" is not evidence that they are being performed too much. There's a sense for those unfamiliar with the surgery that it's purely for vanity. For example, if a similar article said that chemotherapy or quadruple bypass operations had tripled in teens the FIRST thing that would come to mind is, what the hell is happening to our teens that this is necessary - and not that insurance companies are approving something not medically necessary.

What also is not mentioned are statistics of teens who are super or morbidly obese and get no treatment - and who die from weight related complications. I've seen data I've read and written papers over the last ten years supporting the fact that teen obesity has definitely tripled since the beginning of the 90's. I have relatives who died from diabetes - which is a horrible way to go - and heart disease. Obesity surgery would not have made them thin again, but it would have given them more years to do that on their own. The problem many *middle-aged* people face is that the time needed to remove the weight by conventional means could well take longer than they have left to live.

I tend to think that teens are probably not good candidates for surgery, but every teen I KNOW that has had it was so seriously overweight they could never have exercised enough to change it. A very light program sent their blood pressure skyrocketing, their heart rate dangerously high and often resulted in injury.

I'm the result of WLS surgery, and after having lost and gained the same 100+ pounds repeatedly for twenty years, my health had deteriorated to the point where exercise and diet alone would not have been enough.

 

[ylexot]

This is I come from a low income family, and my family isn't obese. Bad food is not cheaper. It's quicker and easier. My mother had a hot meal on the table every night, even if it was just beans and rice or beanies and weenies.

Rice is one of the cheapest foods you can get. It's what? $20 for a 50 lb sack?

 

[virgovictoria]

Eating healthy is extremely more expensive than not. But, obesity, as mentioned, is not to be blamed on diet alone. The two siblings that I maintain contact with and my nieces that are my age COULD let it go, but choose to stay active. As the cycle continues, all of my great nephews are fairly active - playing football (on teams as well as outside at holidays, etc). I am posting this because their families are not made of money; they basically make the most of what they have.

I hate the thought of so many obese children. Even having surgery won't change their mentality. And that's got to come from within - the willingness to change permanently.

 

[vraiblonde]

Lower income families tend to be more overweight.

You should tell that to all those Ethiopians.

 

[RoseRed]

You should tell that to all those Ethiopians.

:snort:

 

[virgovictoria]

You should tell that to all those Ethiopians.

 

[mAlice]

Eating healthy is extremely more expensive than not.

I wish I had time to find out...play around in the grocery store with a pretend budget.

Another thing I don't understand...can you buy prepared foods with food stamps (or whatever they're called)?

 

[LordStanley]

Turn off the Xbox360, turn off the TV, get the fat kids off the couch and make them go outside and play.

Ride a bike- they dont cost anything to purchase at walmart.
Stop shoving twinkies down your throat by the box load.
You dont have to eat girl scout cookies just cause they are there.
Parents, stop buying junk food!!!!

Go for a walk with your kids, get some freaking exercise. Stop blaming everyone else, and blame yourselves for raising a tub-o-lard!!!!!

Where there is a fat kid, there is a fat parent behind them, with a shovel full of junk.

 

[SamSpade]

I wish I had time to find out...play around in the grocery store with a pretend budget.

Another thing I don't understand...can you buy prepared foods with food stamps (or whatever they're called)?

If it's food intended for human consumption, it's legit. Even junk food, and I've seen it happen.

You can't buy dog food or alcohol or tobacco with them. Kinda weird to see someone buy a bunch of junk with 40 bucks' worth of food stamps - and then reach in the wallet to buy a carton of smokes. It almost makes sense to provide some means to better feed the poor than just give them money.

 

[RoseRed]

I wish I had time to find out...play around in the grocery store with a pretend budget.

Another thing I don't understand...can you buy prepared foods with food stamps (or whatever they're called)?

I had steamed lobster and crab legs with asparagus last night for dinner.

 

[mAlice]

If it's food intended for human consumption, it's legit. Even junk food, and I've seen it happen.

That's too bad. We never had junk food as kids. It was an adventure every Saturday to scout the neighborhood for soda bottles to turn in for deposit at the candy store, then turn around and spend it on candy. That's the only way we could get it.

 

[mAlice]

I had steamed lobster and crab legs with asparagus last night for dinner.

You could have invited me.

 

[RoseRed]

You could have invited me.

The guy at the Giant seafood counter enticed me.

 

[SamSpade]

That's too bad. We never had junk food as kids. It was an adventure every Saturday to scout the neighborhood for soda bottles to turn in for deposit at the candy store, then turn around and spend it on candy. That's the only way we could get it.

If it weren't for soda cans, I'd have never had money in college. A couple rounds through the campus early Sunday morning with a couple huge leaf bags, and I was set.

We plan to be careful with our kids - Bluejay doesn't want our kids to be addicted to junk. I'm not sure how to plan it out, but my dad bought groceries every week on the same day, and only ever bought a limited amount of cookies and snacks. If they were gone in a couple days, that was it. A good friend of mine at the time had a interesting rule in his household - small dessert for *every* dinner but no snacks. It had the effect of keeping everyone at the dinner table.

I'm lucky in that I was never able to find the appeal in video games. I still don't.

 

[virgovictoria]

I wish I had time to find out...play around in the grocery store with a pretend budget.

Another thing I don't understand...can you buy prepared foods with food stamps (or whatever they're called)?

I don't have a clue.

 

[SamSpade]

That's too bad. We never had junk food as kids. It was an adventure every Saturday to scout the neighborhood for soda bottles to turn in for deposit at the candy store, then turn around and spend it on candy. That's the only way we could get it.

I got curious and found out that some jurisdictions in the country have restaurant programs for food stamps, since some recipients are homeless ( or disabled) and therefore they don't have a kitchen to make food. The restaurateurs are compensated for their participation. I don't know how efficiently this uses Food Stamps, but it least helps some get a decent meal.

 

[Toxick]

One of the biggest factors in the likelihood of obesity is income. Lower income families tend to be more overweight. Unfortunately, "bad" food is cheaper than more nourishing, lower calorie food.

Buying everyone in your family a Burger King Quad-Stacker meal with extra bacon and supersized Fries with a 64 oz bucket o' coke may be cheaper than buying them all a lean sirloin streak with new potatoes covered in creamory butter and parsley with baby asparagus sprouts and a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon - and Dasani bottled water for the children.

But it is most definitely not cheaper than buying a pound of lean ground beef at Food Lion, a loaf of bread from Wonder, and 5 pounds of greenbeans at the Farmer's Market, where you can also buy something like a dozen apples or a dozen ears of corn for a buck and a half.

Unfortunately, stopping off at BK and getting whoppers for the gang is much EASIER and requires much less effort than going to food lion, wonderbread and the Farmer's market.

That's where the problem lies.

It's not a lack of money - it's a lack of effort. Plain and simple.

Since low income children tend to become low income adults, it becomes a vicious cycle.

When I was very young, my parents didn't have two nickels to rub together. We were poor as dirt until about the time I was in junior high and they started to bring home decent money.

And not one meal ever went by that I didn't have greens on my plate - usually with my parents forcing me to eat it against my will.




It took me way too long to figure out that chugging hot lima beans down with milk was a lot better than being stubborn until they were cold and even nastier. But I digress.

Add to that the fact that Americans on the whole are working more hours than ever. With the workload, the lowest number of vacation days on the average than any industrialized country in the world and the fact that over half of employers in the U.S. offer NO paid sick days, Americans are just plain tired when they get home.

After I left my parents, I was dirt poor myself - until I worked my way up and started making decent money.

Even when I was working 4 - count 'em four - low income, no benefit, no vacation, no sick-day jobs, I managed to eat decent food.

I didn't always CHOOSE to eat the good food I had... a 21 year old bachelor doesn't always make the correct nutritional choices. But it was cheap enough that I could and did get it when I found a few minutes to go shopping. And still have a couple bucks for a mai-tai and Coronas!

Once again, sedentary adults tend to raise sedentary children.

This is a sad true fact of life.

IMO It shouldn't be used as an excuse, but its true.