The American Medical Association recently reclassified obesity as a disease instead of a major public health problem. This change has been heavily discussed in my household over the past few weeks.
On the positive side, this reclassification can be a “wake-up call” to those people classified as obese. By telling people that they have a disease, many will seek treatment for it. Those who haven’t considered their weight to be a problem may decide that they need to make changes in their lives to reduce their weight. This change will also make more treatments and procedures available to them.
On the negative side, how will our already-over-extended healthcare system handle more treatments and procedures? Will some with the disease see themselves as victims and demand a higher level of care and consideration? How will insurance companies handle the change in classification? And as we transition into our new healthcare system, how will this new classification affect treatment plans and insurance rates? Our household is curious to see how this decision plays out. How about yours?
