# Treating Obesity Doesn't Reduce Health Costs



## Observer (Feb 5, 2008)

Successfully treating obesity will not save health systems, or the insurance companies, money, according to this study. In a macabre twist it concludes that while reducing obesity might prolong lives, the people involved will then run up bills for other maladies.


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## comperic2003 (Feb 5, 2008)

That is a very interesting study but the fact that their healthy group was, "thin and non-smoking," is flawed. As we know, weight is not a good indicator of health. Did these thin people eat a proper, non-government supported, diet, did they exercise regularly, or where they just naturally thin? And another thing, something a lot of thin people do; they have low dietary intakes of cholesterol. Why? Because the government tells them to. But what have many studies found? Low cholesterol leads to an increase in strokes.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Feb 5, 2008)

Observer said:


> Successfully treating obesity will not save health systems, or the insurance companies, money.




Careful there, Observer! The article says it won't save money for health systems, but it doesn't mention insurance companies! I suspect this is because the Netherlands has a national health system. Things are way different in the US, since health insurance is furnished by private companies: they can refuse to insure obese persons, or they can force them to pay higher rates. Either way, the insurance companies will get theirs. Count on it.


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## TearInYourHand (Feb 10, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> And another thing, something a lot of thin people do; they have low dietary intakes of cholesterol. Why? Because the government tells them to. But what have many studies found? Low cholesterol leads to an increase in strokes.



Source, Mr. Pre-med?


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## comperic2003 (Feb 10, 2008)

TearInYourHand said:


> Source, Mr. Pre-med?



Here you go madam, 

Cholesterol Reduction and the Risk for Stroke in Men
A Meta-Analysis of Randomized, Controlled Trials
David Atkins; Bruce M. Psaty; Thomas D. Koepsell; W. T. Longstreth; and Eric B. Larson
Annals of Internal Medicine 15 July 1993 | Volume 119 Issue 2 | Pages 136-145


The ongoing natural experiment of cardiovascular diseases in Japan
H Blackburn and DR Jacobs, Jr
Circulation 1989;79;718-720


WHY IS LOW BLOOD CHOLESTEROL ASSOCIATED WITH RISK OF 
NONATHEROSCLEROTIC DISEASE DEATH?
David R. Jacobs, Jr.
Divisiono f Epidemiology School of Public Health, Universityo f Minnesota,
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55454
Annu. Rev. Publ. Health 1993.14.95-114


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## Observer (Feb 10, 2008)

Well, I looked up some links only to find I was beaten to the punch on the low cholesterol = stroke issue, which has been common knowledge for awhile, but here they are anyway:

CNN article

diagnose-me.com

second opinion

Interestingly these reports also show a correlation between low cholesterol (<180) and certain types of mental disorders, suicide, and cancer.


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## love dubh (Feb 12, 2008)

Too little and too high of anything is problematic. Eating a "low cholesterol" diet won't lead to a cerebrovascular disorder; eating a diet *too low* in such a macronutrient is problematic. These rates are determined by your age, weight, gender, and predisposing factors.

Blanket and sensationalistic statements there, Compy. Watch out.

You know what would be real neat? If we had a nurse or two on this forum. Man, that'd rock.


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## comperic2003 (Feb 12, 2008)

love dubh said:


> Too little and too high of anything is problematic. Eating a "low cholesterol" diet won't lead to a cerebrovascular disorder; eating a diet *too low* in such a macronutrient is problematic. These rates are determined by your age, weight, gender, and predisposing factors.
> 
> Blanket and sensationalistic statements there, Compy. Watch out.
> 
> You know what would be real neat? If we had a nurse or two on this forum. Man, that'd rock.



By "sensationalistic," I am assuming you mean sensational. If that is correct, I fail to see how my statement was sensational. And as far as a blanket statement, all dietary guidelines are blanket statements. According to the research, low serum cholesterol, whether naturally occurring or obtained through a low cholesterol diet, increases one's chance of having a stroke.


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## love dubh (Feb 12, 2008)

comperic2003 said:


> By "sensationalistic," I am assuming you mean sensational. If that is correct, I fail to see how my statement was sensational. And as far as a blanket statement, all dietary guidelines are blanket statements. According to the research, low serum cholesterol, whether naturally occurring or obtained through a low cholesterol diet, increases one's chance of having a stroke.



Thanks for the grammar correction.


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