3 ms·

An approach to disease that requires virtuous citizens is unlikely to work. And even if we all stopped smoking and getting fat, we would still die a few years l

An approach to disease that requires virtuous citizens is unlikely to work. And even if we all stopped smoking and getting fat, we would still die a few years later than we would have otherwise. Prevention just means you slow down your inevitable development of cancer until Alzheimers gets you first. Progress on repairing the human body is vastly more important than "preventing" conditions that are inevitable if you live long enough.

davidf18 10y ago
> An approach to disease that requires virtuous citizens is unlikely to work. It's called public health as applied to noncommunicable diseases and it does work. The smoking rate in NYC declined from 21% adults and 21% teens to 14% adults and 7% teens in about a decade through public health policy based on the World Health Organization MPOWER program. Each letter stands for an intervention. Increasing the cost of tobacco through taxation contributes more than half the effect of people quitting and for teens to never start. Banning smoking in public places along with taxation and "hard hitting" anti-smoking ads showing black lungs, etc. contribute most of the effect of getting people to quit or never start. Mike Bloomberg has contributed $600 million and Bill Gates another $125 million to implement the MPOWER program in low- and middle-income countries. More and more communities (Philly, Berkeley, SF, ...) are taxiing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to shift consumption to water and other low-calorie substitutes. > cervical cancer Male circumcision reduces the spread of HPV. Not so clear HPV vaccine is needed if males are circumcised (also lessens the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases).
- kiba 10y ago
  While they are hugely important in improving lifespan, it's not a perfect solution in any case. That's why it's important to have a medical research program along with lifestyle intervention.

davidf18 10y ago

> An approach to disease that requires virtuous citizens is unlikely to work. It's called public health as applied to noncommunicable diseases and it does work. The smoking rate in NYC declined from 21% adults and 21% teens to 14% adults and 7% teens in about a decade through public health policy based on the World Health Organization MPOWER program. Each letter stands for an intervention. Increasing the cost of tobacco through taxation contributes more than half the effect of people quitting and for teens to never start. Banning smoking in public places along with taxation and "hard hitting" anti-smoking ads showing black lungs, etc. contribute most of the effect of getting people to quit or never start. Mike Bloomberg has contributed $600 million and Bill Gates another $125 million to implement the MPOWER program in low- and middle-income countries. More and more communities (Philly, Berkeley, SF, ...) are taxiing sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) to shift consumption to water and other low-calorie substitutes. > cervical cancer Male circumcision reduces the spread of HPV. Not so clear HPV vaccine is needed if males are circumcised (also lessens the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases).

kiba 10y ago
While they are hugely important in improving lifespan, it's not a perfect solution in any case. That's why it's important to have a medical research program along with lifestyle intervention.