Dr. Marie-Ange D. Tardieu replies to the Financial Times re: US healthcare system at a record low among other countries. Is Obesity a culprite?

2008-01-20T15:13:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

Yesterday January 8th 2008, The Financial Times reported that the US healthcare system is at a record low when compared to that of other industrialized countries. It ranks 37 0ut of 190 with France ranking first. This report is based on the number of deaths occuring per 100,000 cases of curable diseases. Although the report speculated that this trend is due to a lack of health care coverage, according to Marie-Ange D. Tardieu, MD, a plastic surgeon practicing in New york, a body image and obesity expert, and author of The Elements of Size due to be published this year, the failure to curtail the trend of overweight and obesity is at the core of this healthcare system decline."This should not come as a surprise," Dr. Tardieu stated. As early as 2002, the Department of Health and Human Services identified specific health habits in need of disease prevention. These included: diabetes, overweight, obesity, smoking among the many. The department also identified lack of physical activities, overeating, overweight, obesity and smoking as greatly increasing the risks of developing diseases like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer. Nevertheless, the trend toward overweight and obesity continued to accelerate as well as the number of related deaths, contributing to the data for the stated Financial Times' report. A number of these death cases were preventable since overweight and obesity are preventable conditions, according to Dr. Tardieu.In 2002, there were 68 percent American adults who were overweight and obese, as of December 2006, two out of three or 71 percent Americans adults were overweight or obese. This increased trend is associated with an 8 fold increase in the prevalence of diabetic cases diagnosed in the United States when compared to earlier years. According to Dr. Tardieu, obesity is now growing at a rate of 1% per year. With that rate, experts project that by year 2015, 85 percent adult Americans will be either overweight or obese, and by 2040, 100 % adult Americans will be overweight or obese. Aside from diet, exercise and behavior modifications which have been the mainstay for preventing such conditions, is there hope for a cure? Ideas? Concerns? Concepts?Copyright(2008) physician non-profit.com
Posted by Physician Non-profit.com at 5:07 PM 1 comments

Dr. Marie-Ange D. Tardieu Proposes Worksite Wellness Centers to Curtail the Obesity Epidemic in America

2008-01-11T10:17:00.000-08:00

Overweight and obesity in America have reached epidemic proportion. Currently, two out of three or 71 percent adult americans are either overweight or obese. According to Dr. Marie-Ange D. Tardieu, a plastic surgeon who directs a body image clinic in New York, "a very promising opportunity for changing health behavior is the location of direct-service weight reduction programs at worksites. "On-the-job training has a long and honorable history in American industry" she stated. "On -the-job training to improve health behavior can be equally rewarded to workers and employers alike." Dr. Tardieu believes that "better health could easily repay the costs of the program through improved work performance." Employees who benefits from such programs," she added, "have decreased absenteeism, and, particularly, decreased hospitalization."

The potential of the worksite as a locus for long-term prevention and wellness care has been demonstrated over and over in major corporations such as Proctor and Gambles that offer wellness programs to their employees.

According to Dr. Tardieu, worksite wellness programs have many advantages. First, time away from work is kept to a minimum - 30 minutes of physical exercise a day, and an extra 30 minutes a month for medical check-ups are sufficient for a serious program of weight reduction and health maintenance. Second, worksite wellness programs obviate the high overhead costs of hospitals. Third, they greatly decrease the probability of missed appointments and treatment dropouts.

Dr. Tardieu is certain that a program, carried out with the collaboration, and in part, at the expense of the employer, exerts far stronger sanctions for attendence than one conducted during leisure time and with varying degrees of personal or family commitment.

Fourth, jobsite programs tap potential for health behavior change which is not fully explored in the US. The organized support and encouragement of fellow workers can constitute an unprecedented stimulus for weight loss. Reward given to groups for improving their collective health could be even more effective than those given to individuals. As these rewards might become even more effective as prizes for a competition between, for example, members of union locals for the number of excess pounds lost.

Dr. Tardieu believes that such program would help curtail the increasing rate of obesity in america, which since 1995 has been growing at the alarming rate of 1% per year. Moreover, the potential clientele for jobsite health programs is enormous. The vast number of persons employed by government agencies and health institutions provide attractive venues for instituting an onsite wellness program to promote weight loss and health behavior intervention.

Physician Non-Profit.com

Dr. Marie-Ange D. Tardieu replies to the Financial Times re: US healthcare system at a record low among other countries. Is Obesity a culprite?

Dr. Marie-Ange D. Tardieu Proposes Worksite Wellness Centers to Curtail the Obesity Epidemic in America