First Person: My Obesity Is My Disease and My Problem

The American Medical Association last week declared obesity a disease. That's a step, doctors say, that will help medical professionals better treat a condition that affects 78 million adults and 12 million children. Yahoo News invited Americans who qualify as obese -- those with a BMI above 30 -- to share their story and perspective on the news. Here's one.

FIRST PERSON | I have been fighting fat ever since I turned 30. Prior to that time, my adult weight had been a steady 126 pounds. That was a healthy weight for someone who is 5 feet 5 inches tall. But when I turned 30, everything changed. I began gaining weight quickly, and I am now 55 years old and weigh 220 pounds. That puts me well above the obesity threshold.

I have occasionally won battles, but not the war. In 1999, I went from 208 pounds to 141 in just six months. As a result, I ended up with acute gallbladder disease that landed me in the hospital for four days.

The American Medical Association (AMA) recently voted to recognize obesity as a disease. This is of particular interest to me since I have been fighting obesity for the last 15 years.

One of the AMA's hopes in this landmark decision is that doctors will now begin to take obesity in their patients more seriously, counseling them rather than just telling them they need to lose weight. I'm cautiously optimistic that this will be the case. When I first started to gain weight 25 years ago, three different doctors told me that all I could do was eat less and exercise more.

Being obese has stripped me of my confidence and happiness.

I now suffer from anxiety and depression and avoid meeting new people or gathering with old friends. It is the number one challenge in my life, yet I cannot seem to conquer it. My situation is not unique. Obesity often leads to other health issues, both physical and emotional. For these reasons, in addition to the health consequences of obesity itself, recognizing it as a disease seems warranted.

I disagree with the Council on Science and Public Health, however. Their assessment is that recognizing obesity as a disease would "reduce the stigma of obesity that stems from the widespread perception that it is simply the result of eating too much or exercising too little." This stereotype and its resultant discrimination are just too deeply engrained. More likely, those of a health weight will be resentful that their medical insurance costs may rise because now they have to pay for treatments to help fat people lose weight.

One thing's for sure though: If insurance companies begin to cover medications and treatment costs, pharmaceutical companies will no doubt rev up their research and development for real treatment options for the obese.

And where there's money, there's hope.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/first-person-obesity-disease-problem-172500446.html

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