I found this recent NY Times article both interesting and informative.
I have always been interested in the potential causes and cures for obesity as my younger brother died young (30 years ago) from it and there is a similar victim in each preceding generation of my mother’s family for as far back as we have been able to trace that lineage. My other younger brother is also morbidly obese.
I have personally been weight conscious and have maintained a low weight and good fitness through my life. However I appreciate this may be more challenging for others. I was surprised to see that bariatric surgery is performed on teenagers but the article convinced me of its worth in certain circumstances.
I don’t see any problem with it. It’s not like they’re giving kids liposuction because they just “got fat” and send them off to get fat again. At least in the example detailed there was a 6-9 month program to follow first.
I have a friend who was very healthy weight, perhaps 130 lb 20 year old female. Then she came down with some endocrine issue and became around 350 pounds in under 2 years. Sure, she’d have some pizza and a beer, but I never saw her be ridiculous like is needed for that and don’t believe she binged.
Then she got bariatric surgery and now is like 110 pounds.
I’m ok with it. Most people’s knees cannot handle that stress for 30+ years.
Some combination of psychological and hormonal issues are at hand, though. Not helping are the types of food that adversely affect hormones and (sometimes) psychological issues. Looking at you, ice cream, temptress of the devil!
Getting this surgery AND getting help with these issues can get people healthier.
Disclaimer: I’m not a doctor in real life. Hardly one here TBH.
Our 40-something daughter had it, inherited obesity from her dad (my wife’s ex, who is slowly dying from obesity-related causes). Her surgery required a total diet change, but it has made her a much happier, energetic person.
It could possibly have saved my ex-, whose weight doubled during two quick pregnancies. She had severe post-partum depression (which nearly nobody knew about in the mid-1970s), was periodically hysterical about the weight she couldn’t lose. She passed at 72.
Personally I’d rather try semigultide/ozempic before something as invasive as surgery and afterwards you still can’t eat what you want! Sounds tortuous
Anyways what I learned from my 600 pound life is bad parenting is the cause of obese children
The mom in the article had cake and ice cream laying around when her daughter is clearly addicted to sugar. Wtf mom lol
I have cousins (only 1-3 years age difference) who were morbidly obese in a country where obesity is very rare. Because of them I was always very wary of how much I ate from a young age. We had similar genetic make up but vastly different outcomes. My one cousin ended up getting bariatric surgery and dropped from 400 pounds to around 250, he’s playing basketball now - so I guess it works
I think bariatric surgery has a huge relapse rate. My sister had it done, and it didn’t last.
The new drugs hold a lot of promise. Unfortunately you can’t get ozemoic right now for love nor money.
Speaking as someone who’s been heavy all my life, despite a reasonably intense fitness regime. If I cycle three hours a day or train for a half marathon, I can get my weight down to 250-260, and with my build I’m actually trim at that weight. If I stop, which happens, it’s exceedingly difficult to haul all that mass on a treadmill for an hour a day, and then keep it going for years. Doc says there’s definitely a hereditary component. Plus a football player build doesn’t help.
You sound like a less extreme version of my younger brother.
He was a defensive lineman on a good university football team and carried his playing weight well. Strong as an ox: won both the bench press and beer chugging contest on the football team.
However, after his playing days, he kept putting on weight and stopped the exercising. Wouldn’t get professional help and was dead at 38. Surprised more college football players don’t meet the same fate.
That’s why I started ozempic. Better to take an expensive drug, and not have a heart attack. I simply can’t keep up enough of an exercise regime to stay at a palatable weight, not enough hours in the day. And I don’t always eat ‘well’, but I don’t overeat hugely.
Ozempic is way too expensive in the US for most people. I don’t believe many insurance plans cover it. For me it would be around $1100/month out of pocket. And I’m not even sure I qualify since there is thyroid cancer in my family.
Ozempic is about US$ 200 per month in Canada but some provincial medical plans might cover that cost.
The Federal Liberals have promised to introduce a universal drug plan requirement but that initiative has stalled. (Maybe waiting until closer to the next election to unveil it so it would require they be re-elected to make it happen?)
