Is Obesity a Disease? And What Should Be Done About It?

You have noticed your obese friend suddenly slimmer. You want to know what she's doing, but you don't want surgery or side effects.

My Miami patient Marcia weighed 303 pounds. She noticed newly trim, formerly 325 pound Kim walking the golf course, and asked her how she'd lost weight. Marcia now weighs 190, has quit smoking and a year later, has gained control.

Labeling Marcia and Kim as diseased only makes them victims, and medicalizes their problems. Deciding obesity is a disease stigmatizes the obese, as if they didn't feel enough unwanted attention already.

The "disease" label is about money, not health. It's about getting insurers, including Medicare, to pay for remedies. It's about creating a so-called "fat tax." It's about tariffs on fast food sales and food production. And it's about promoting expensive lifestyle drugs, still being tested. Many doctors do not recommend any obesity drugs, and are worried about their side effects.

Some people think that fat is in their genes. And genes are everything-for infants. For people over age 50, however, 80% of your health is your choices. What you eat changes the proteins your genes make, and help your body protect itself against actual diseases to which you're susceptible, such as heart disease and cancer. Knowing what's in what you eat and finding nutrient-rich, calorie-lean food are personal responsibilities.

The science of obesity is new. Olympian Maurice Greene (5'9" 176#) is overweight, because his Body Mass Index is over 25 kg/m2. Although muscle weighs more than fat, he would be labeled "overweight": an insurance risk. Lenders, employers and insurers may use that diagnosis against you unfairly. Weight distribution and body fat-not pounds alone--should be measured before labeling people.

Neither Marcia nor Kim thought they had a disease when they came to see me. They felt well. Actually, very few obese patients feel ill. Yet they have-and now control-high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and osteoarthritis. They do it with their personal choices, including individualized diets, self-monitoring, accountability, and structured, step-by-step fitness.

Understanding the risk of overweight comes one person at a time. Obesity is not a disease of deranged genes, willpower or pseudoscience. Obesity is a problem of planning. That's what my patients Marcia and Kim needed. You need a plan-not a label--to succeed.

John La Puma M.D. is co-author of the NY Times bestselling RealAge Diet and Cooking the RealAge Way, with Dr. Michael Roizen. His published recipes are online, and he is Medical Director of CHEF Clinic (http://www.drjohnlapuma.com), a unique, referral-based, nutrition-only national medical practice with patients nationwide who want to lose weight no matter what it takes. He is also an Executive Member at Costco.

quick home cleaning Glenview ..
In The News:

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.
Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.
Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.
Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.
Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.
The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.
Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.
Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.
Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.
Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.
The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.
OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.
Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.
LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.
Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.
Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.
Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.
MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.
The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.
Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.
Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.
Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Can You Attain Weight Loss While Fasting?

Fasting, when done properly, can be a basic part of... Read More

Surviving September: The Dietary New Year

With summer completed and school back in session, it'll be... Read More

Hang In There Dieters, Help Is At Hand!!

I was thinking about diets and such and it occurred... Read More

Top 10 Points of Encouragement for Weight Loss

On the road to weight loss, fitness, and health,... Read More

Weight Loss Support Groups: Lose Weight & Keep It Off With Your Friends At The Phentermine Forum

We all know it's hard to begin losing weight, no... Read More

Breast Cancer - Another Obesity Victim

Obesity raises the risk of various types of cancer. And... Read More

4 Great Diet Tips

Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of... Read More

Motivation: Keeping the Fire Going in Your Fat Loss Plan

Motivation is a factor often overlooked when it comes to... Read More

Will I get faster results with a Personal Trainer?

If you pick the right personal trainer?you'll most definitely see... Read More

10 Surefire Ways To Survive Eating Out

I personally lost 60 pounds in 2003. Here are some... Read More

Weight Loss Issues - Can You Be Cellulite Free?

One thing I really must say at the outset of... Read More

VPX ZERO Carb Fat Incinerating Protein - Go ZERO!

It's always great to find a protein supplement with very... Read More

Exposed: The 95% Dieting Lie Thats Keeping You Fat

Repeat a lie often enough and people take it as... Read More

Burn More Fat With Insulin Control: The Secret Weight Loss Switch

If you're serious about losing weight and getting fit, you... Read More

Diet Tips for Weight Loss: Free Diet Tips Which You Cant Afford to Miss!

Obesity is a disease that is not caused by a... Read More

Gastro-Physics And Dietary Anti-Matter

Do a little people-watching, next time you're in the grocery... Read More

Dietary Recommendations After Gastric Bypass Surgery

When obesity gets out of hand, unresponsive to dietary, lifestyle... Read More

7 Keys for Reducing Calories While Eating Out

Here are seven tips for getting the calories out of... Read More

The Natural Truth About Quick Weight Loss

Actually, I was reading about fad diet and suddenly I... Read More

Brinks Unified Theory of Nutrition For Weight Loss and Muscle Gain

When people hear the term Unified Theory, some times called... Read More

BMI: Between Meal Intrigue Hits the Highway

If you've been pursuing a lighter, healthier version of yourself,... Read More

Top 5 Most Popular Diet Programs Reviewed

There are many subscriber programs available both online and in... Read More

The Best Diet/Way To Lose Weight

The diet that worked for meI have had a lot... Read More

Anorexia - a Game of Control!

Low self-esteem produces a game of control. It causes a... Read More

Weight Loss - Long Term Success Starts In Your Mind

Making the Decision:Whether you are interested losing ten pounds that... Read More

scheduled maid service Winnetka ..