24/08/2010 14:25:10
gymnag_Paul
Administrator
Posts: 87
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I watched an interesting programme on Channel 4 last night, The Hospital, about the increasing number of young people needing liver transplants and how this is caused by lifestyle choices. It raised an interesting dilema regarding the role of personal responsibility towards your own health and the state's responsibility, through the NHS, to treat people who have essentially made themselves ill and ignore advice and warnings to change their behaviour.
The topic relates to the increasing numbers of obese people, both young and old, in the UK and the debate will continue on where responsibilities lie. We all should now be aware that eating too much processed food, too little exercise and other activities such as binge drinking and smoking are bad for our health. However, what can be done about it? How do we get the message across to convince (I think convince rather than force is more effective) to change their ways? Should the state be there to pay for the health care costs? Should the people who have been warned by doctors to change, but ignore the advice, be made to pay or contribute to their treatment? Can we make people more active without them realising it? Should we legislate on food standards to improve the nutritional value?
The one thing I'm sure we can all agree on is that something needs to be done sooner, rather than later. Otherwise, it's a timebomb waiting to go off...
Share your views on this important topic.
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Paul
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25/08/2010 16:38:29
gymnag_Rob
Posts: 102
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My opinion for what it's worth is that it all comes down to individual responsibility or in the case of kids the responsibility of their parents.
I don't think people should be made to pay for healthcare costs though. They pay taxes too and i think it would be the thin end of the wedge and an ideal excuse for the government to start squeezing more cash out of the public. First overweight people, smokers, drinker's people with dangerous job's or high risk hobbies etc etc.
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27/08/2010 22:16:37
Guest
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I agree with @gymnag_rob - we already pay enough out!
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29/11/2010 12:46:05
Guest
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according to a study in the USA, obesity costs $168 billion a year already...17% of healtcare budget!
http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Science-Nutrition/Cost-of-obesity-as-high-as-168bn-a-year-says-study
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