Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Fatty McOversized, On and On
What Dr. Rangel says. It makes me crazy that people, especially health scientists and researchers, keep insisting that just being thinner is the be-all-end-all goal, as opposed to being healthier. So we've learned that liposuction doesn't help disease risk. Well, duuuuuh.
Since I spend a not insignificant portion of my professional life looking at morbidity numbers for people with (too often stupid and easily preventable) conditions like obesity and hypertension, it boggles my mind. WHY THE FUCK would liposuction lower cholesterol?!?! If not purely dietary, hyperlipidemia is a liver problem. I can understand why one might suppose it might lower blood pressure: less distance to cover, less stress on heart. But, that doesn't address the state of the blood vessels (let alone the heart) themselves. This is why behavioral modification by public health education and outreach is so critical. The ONLY WAY to lower cholesterol and diabetes and heart disease risk is with diet and exercise. Drugs are probably not as safe as we're told so far, and how is that a real solution anyway?
Since I spend a not insignificant portion of my professional life looking at morbidity numbers for people with (too often stupid and easily preventable) conditions like obesity and hypertension, it boggles my mind. WHY THE FUCK would liposuction lower cholesterol?!?! If not purely dietary, hyperlipidemia is a liver problem. I can understand why one might suppose it might lower blood pressure: less distance to cover, less stress on heart. But, that doesn't address the state of the blood vessels (let alone the heart) themselves. This is why behavioral modification by public health education and outreach is so critical. The ONLY WAY to lower cholesterol and diabetes and heart disease risk is with diet and exercise. Drugs are probably not as safe as we're told so far, and how is that a real solution anyway?
Comments:
Post a Comment
