Complete video at: fora.tv Former US Surgeon General Richard Carmona examines America’s ongoing obesity epidemic. —– Prevention: The Key to Heading off a National Health-Care Crisis with former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, MD Carmona describes the current health crisis as preventable and reversible. He notes that chronic disease accounts for 7 in 10 deaths and 75 cents of every dollar spent on health care in the United States. As 17th US surgeon general, Carmona worked to revise our nation’s approach to health by emphasizing the importance of increasing prevention, eliminating health disparities and improving health literacy. Carmona’s rise to being “doctor of the nation” is particularly remarkable because of his disadvantaged childhood. He was homeless at age 6 and a high-school dropout at 17. Join us to hear Carmona’s insights about our health-care challenges and opportunities – The Commonwealth Club of California Dr. Richard H. Carmona was born to a poor family in New York City. Dr. Carmona experienced homelessness, hunger and health disparities during his youth. The experiences greatly sensitized him to the relationships among culture, health, education and economic status and shaped his future. After dropping out of high school, Dr. Carmona enlisted in the US Army in 1967. While serving, he earned his General Equivalency Diploma and went on to become a combat-decorated Special Forces Vietnam veteran. After leaving active duty, he was able to attend Bronx …

President Clinton launches the Alliance Healthcare Initiative with insurers, employers, and national medical associations to combat childhood obesity, on February 19, 2009, in Harlem, New York City.

Eric Finkelstien of RTI International discusses his latest study on the real cost of obese population on the government.

I’m doing a persuasive paper. Can you tell me why you would care if obesity is a disease or not? I know very little about it’s role in health insurance. Then I also know that the pharmecuetical companies would make loads of money off of obese people.

Further those please.

From this morning YAHOO news, "Already, six percent of health costs in the WHO’s European region, which includes Central Asia, come from obesity in adults, the organization’s data show.

In 1992 obesity cost France .1 billion in direct costs alone, while in 2000 obese and overweight people cost the state of California billion, including indirect costs, Shekar said.

Obesity is also expected to reduce life expectancy, which could have a knock-on effect on the economy. A recent UK study forecast men would live five years less by 2050 if current trends were not reversed."

What I don’t understand why those news people talk about anAmerican Fat Beauty. There is more fat, obese (not feeling well, not want to do much) people in this country then take all countries together. For some strange reason they always talking about other countries, like Europe where people are much skinner and healthy and they do have HEALTH INSURANCE!
YEAHHHHH…???

Im writing a paper on how fast food causes obesity. (Cause and Effect paper). Does this sentence make sence?
P.s im not ragging on overweight people, its just the assignment
Thank you.

Because fast food is making people obese and more people are having health problems, this is also affecting our society when insurance premiums are rising because of costs of health problem of people who are overweight.

I’m not thinking about those people who are obese because of a pre-existing condition like diabetes or a side effect of a medicine.But consider that most obese people are at a much higher risk of getting sick, while taxpayers-based health insurance like Medicaid must pay for their problems. So if you have a person who eats fast food junk everyday and weighs 300 pounds, should they pay some additional tax and why?

I have United Health Care Choice Plus and I really want to have Lap-Band/weight loss surgery. I went to a seminar today and I just looked at my policy and it says that WLS is excluded. Is it worth appealing? Any suggestions on how I can get them to pay?

PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME AN ANSWER LIKE "GO TO THE GYM" OR "EAT LESS". ONLY ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, PLEASE.
And don't tell me NOT to do the surgery. I'm not asking your opinions on weight loss surgery and dieting. I need some advice regarding my insurance. Thanks.