Feeding Obesity

Wires in Kathmandu, Nepal - photo by JoAnn Sturman

Scott Sturman
fliesinyoureyes.com

Public health policies and government sponsored social programs are often at odds with sound medical judgment. In fact these programs which intend to benefit recipients often jeopardize the well being of those receiving assistance. Unless sensible health practices are implemented, costs will continue to soar. A major culprit adversely effecting health across all ages, sexes, and races is obesity, the primary cause of self induced morbidity in the country. Ironically, government run nutrition projects contribute to the epidemic.

I see him at the gym when we exercise on the Stair Master. As he begins his routine, his initial comments never change, “This machine is a killer, but seven years ago I lost 109 pounds in seven months without pills or surgery. I felt horrible and was disgusted with myself, so I talked to my doctor about a diet and exercise program. I stopped drinking alcohol and started coming to the gym three times a weeks for two hours each session. It's not easy, but I'm a new person now.”

The Stair Master is a killer. At level 8 without arm support a 20 minute work out burns about 250 calories. Sadly enough, these calories can be replenished in seconds with a 20 ounce soft drink or a panoply of fast food readily available on the way home from the gym.

Not long ago when I had children at home, I visited the grocery store every week. On one particular occasion I noticed a very large customer with her very large children at the check out counter with a shopping cart brimming with candy, soft drink, chips, and cookies. She paid with food stamps and left the store with virtually nothing of nutritional value.
When it was my turn to check out, I asked the clerk, “Are there any restrictions on products which can be purchased with food stamps?”
“Only cigarettes and alcoholic beverages.”

If society has a moral responsibility to provide low income people with adequate nutrition, then is it equally immoral to encourage them to indulge in eating habits which are detrimental to their health?

Public service announcements proclaim the importance of eating wisely and maintaining proper weight, yet food stamp programs allow acquisition of limitless quantities of junk food. It is as if one were told to empty a full bathtub with the faucet turned full open – the outflow of exercise and metabolism cannot compensate for the inflow of unrestricted caloric intake. As a consequence rampant obesity devastates many low income citizens. Heart and kidney disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and joint failure are inevitable and very expensive to treat.

Food stamps or their equivalents should be used to purchase only healthy foods sanctioned by the American Dietetic Association. Bar coding and modern cash registers allow retailers to identify these products and to receive payment for them from debit cards which maintain a running balance of credits on the account. To minimize fraud the recipient should not be eligible for a “cash back” option, and the card must be presented with a valid photo identification.
The adage “physician do no harm” can just as well apply to government welfare programs.