4 ms·

> , is this a matter of the health care system EUs have lower chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension than USA. Those are not diseases that have any a

> , is this a matter of the health care system EUs have lower chronic diseases like diabetes and hypertension than USA. Those are not diseases that have any answers in medical system so it wouldn't matter how advanced and available the system is. For example, 40% of ppl in usa are obese vs 12% Switzerland. 50% of ppl in usa have hypertension vs 20% Swiss. So what exactly is a medical system supposed to do if half your population is sickly and obese ? I see this 'medical system' stuff even from very educated ppl but I feel like i am missing something. Do ppl think having access to a doctor is going prevent one from being obese ? whats the logic.

alistairSH 1y ago
I suppose if you extend the definition of "medical system" to include education and intervention, it makes sense. There's also medications in there - hypertension can be controlled with drugs, no? But, yes, I agree with your main point - obesity in the US is widespread and a massive influence on both longevity and health care costs.
deanmen 1y ago
Nowadays maybe they could get Ozempic?
- saintfire 1y ago
  Not sure that will make you live longer.
  - Aurornis 1y ago
    Using a GLP-1 drug to reduce obesity or diabetes will increase lifespan, unquestionably.
    - aswegs8 1y ago
      ...barring unforeseen and severe long-term side effects. But this seems unlikely, agreed.
n4r9 1y ago
> Do ppl think having access to a doctor is going prevent one from being obese ? whats the logic. Doctors can vary in whether or not (and for how long) they advocate trying a healthy diet and exercise before prescribing drugs. In the UK the system is incentivised to avoid drug prescriptions unless necessary, as it reduces the financial burden on the NHS - both for buying the drugs and for managing complications linked to obesity. In the US, pharma companies can offer money and perks to doctors who promote their products.
- apwell23 1y ago
  I have hard time accepting that ppl stop being obese only if their doctor tells them 'eat healthy and move more' . Why do ppl believe this kind of stuff. It is so bizarre and defies any commonsense.
  - johannes1234321 1y ago
    If just the doctor tells it, it won't have much impact. If health education/advertisement from public funds frames it, it has impact. Of course there is the role of availability of options, but they come from demand, which comes from the above.
  - n4r9 1y ago
    Some people have no idea how to diet or exercise, or have no idea that they're overweight, or have specialised conditions that make it hard to follow generic advice. These people might find it really valuable to receive individualised advice and education from their doctor. Also this would often be in the context of the patient coming to the doctor with a complaint. If the doctor says "trying eating healthily and exercising, then come back in a month for a follow-up", some might just do nothing but many people will actually try it.
thrance 1y ago
Having a socialized healthcare system incentivizes the government to ban the worst public heath offenders. High fructose corn syrup would have been long gone from most foods in a sane society, for example. Generally, making the government have a vested interest in its citizenry's good health is a good thing.
- apwell23 1y ago
  no country with socialized medicine has banned hfcs. EU has lower hfcs due to trade reasons not from health advocacy.
Aurornis 1y ago
The difference doesn’t come down to one single factor. Comments that try to reduce population-scale differences to a single factor, like access to healthcare, are overly reductive. When it comes to obesity (not using being overweight, but truly past the obese threshold) you don’t need a doctor to inform you that it’s unhealthy. The reductive claims about access to healthcare are also ignoring the fact that people in the US do actually use a lot of healthcare. The rate of GLP-1 use in America for weight loss is around 1 in 8 people, which is significantly higher than anywhere in Europe last time I checked. Obviously the higher obesity rate contributes to higher usage, but it demonstrates that many obese people in the United States are not lacking access to health care.
markus_zhang 1y ago
I realized that I ate way more chocolate than average Swiss people (Googled and it says around 24 grams per day for average people in Switzerland). I usually eat about 50 grams daily...and 72% dark
wiether 1y ago
You quote: > , is this a matter of the health care system And you say: > I see this 'medical system' stuff To me there is a big difference between a "health care system" and a "medical system". One is only here to try and fix issues, while the other will invest in prevention campains and help direct the overall politics around having an healthy population. To me the recent EPA decision around PFAs is a signal of a deficient "health care system".
- apwell23 1y ago
  now the definition is so nebulous , no one know what the other person is talking about. It can include things like economic system and I can say 'for me stock market is the health care system' .

alistairSH 1y ago

I suppose if you extend the definition of "medical system" to include education and intervention, it makes sense. There's also medications in there - hypertension can be controlled with drugs, no? But, yes, I agree with your main point - obesity in the US is widespread and a massive influence on both longevity and health care costs.

deanmen 1y ago

Nowadays maybe they could get Ozempic?

saintfire 1y ago
Not sure that will make you live longer.
- Aurornis 1y ago
  Using a GLP-1 drug to reduce obesity or diabetes will increase lifespan, unquestionably.
  - aswegs8 1y ago
    ...barring unforeseen and severe long-term side effects. But this seems unlikely, agreed.

n4r9 1y ago

> Do ppl think having access to a doctor is going prevent one from being obese ? whats the logic. Doctors can vary in whether or not (and for how long) they advocate trying a healthy diet and exercise before prescribing drugs. In the UK the system is incentivised to avoid drug prescriptions unless necessary, as it reduces the financial burden on the NHS - both for buying the drugs and for managing complications linked to obesity. In the US, pharma companies can offer money and perks to doctors who promote their products.

apwell23 1y ago
I have hard time accepting that ppl stop being obese only if their doctor tells them 'eat healthy and move more' . Why do ppl believe this kind of stuff. It is so bizarre and defies any commonsense.
- johannes1234321 1y ago
  If just the doctor tells it, it won't have much impact. If health education/advertisement from public funds frames it, it has impact. Of course there is the role of availability of options, but they come from demand, which comes from the above.
- n4r9 1y ago
  Some people have no idea how to diet or exercise, or have no idea that they're overweight, or have specialised conditions that make it hard to follow generic advice. These people might find it really valuable to receive individualised advice and education from their doctor. Also this would often be in the context of the patient coming to the doctor with a complaint. If the doctor says "trying eating healthily and exercising, then come back in a month for a follow-up", some might just do nothing but many people will actually try it.

thrance 1y ago

Having a socialized healthcare system incentivizes the government to ban the worst public heath offenders. High fructose corn syrup would have been long gone from most foods in a sane society, for example. Generally, making the government have a vested interest in its citizenry's good health is a good thing.

apwell23 1y ago
no country with socialized medicine has banned hfcs. EU has lower hfcs due to trade reasons not from health advocacy.

Aurornis 1y ago

The difference doesn’t come down to one single factor. Comments that try to reduce population-scale differences to a single factor, like access to healthcare, are overly reductive. When it comes to obesity (not using being overweight, but truly past the obese threshold) you don’t need a doctor to inform you that it’s unhealthy. The reductive claims about access to healthcare are also ignoring the fact that people in the US do actually use a lot of healthcare. The rate of GLP-1 use in America for weight loss is around 1 in 8 people, which is significantly higher than anywhere in Europe last time I checked. Obviously the higher obesity rate contributes to higher usage, but it demonstrates that many obese people in the United States are not lacking access to health care.

markus_zhang 1y ago

I realized that I ate way more chocolate than average Swiss people (Googled and it says around 24 grams per day for average people in Switzerland). I usually eat about 50 grams daily...and 72% dark

wiether 1y ago

You quote: > , is this a matter of the health care system And you say: > I see this 'medical system' stuff To me there is a big difference between a "health care system" and a "medical system". One is only here to try and fix issues, while the other will invest in prevention campains and help direct the overall politics around having an healthy population. To me the recent EPA decision around PFAs is a signal of a deficient "health care system".

apwell23 1y ago
now the definition is so nebulous , no one know what the other person is talking about. It can include things like economic system and I can say 'for me stock market is the health care system' .