Study: Americans sicker than English

As a completely new study shows, the residents of the US are in much poorer health as compared to the British. This is all the more alarming as the US are spending record amounts of money on healthcare.



Basically, I am totally dismayed. How come we as a nation are failing so miserably to ensure the basic quality of life that would be conducive of good health? How come the money are, very likely, spent extremely inefficiently on the prevention of the decease? Is something fundamentally wrong in our society that makes us on average sicker than many if not most other industrialized nations?

It's a mix of fast food and no self control. America is a 'now now now'
society AND many people have adopted a 'blame others' mentality.
We want food fast, we get fat, we get sick from being fat, and we
blame everyone but ourselves for getting that way.

Its especially odd because the US spends more money, per person (this is the government in combination with the public itself), that most other countries, I beleive.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
It's a mix of fast food and no self control. America is a 'now now now'
society AND many people have adopted a 'blame others' mentality.
We want food fast, we get fat, we get sick from being fat, and we
blame everyone but ourselves for getting that way.

I read in the news today that sodas are being phased out of schools' vending machines. This is a small but helpful step.

I wonder though why this (the apparent and grave health problem) is not treated like a matter of utmost urgency in the Congress. Tobacco is tobacco, but we need to address other sides of this issue. It is (pun intended) sick!

Originally posted by Aelita
I wonder though why this is not treated like a matter of
utmost urgency in the Congress.

Congress doesn't treat anything with 'the utmost urgency' unless
it directly affects them PERSONALLY. At least that's what I see.
(I'm so cynical )

I visitd the US a few years ago, and was ASTOUNDED at the size of the portions - especially breakfast.

Doughnuts, waffles, pancakes, all unheard of for breakfast in the UK, and gorgeous - yes, but only for a holiday! I put on 10 pounds in 2 weeks

It's called capitalism baby! The U.S. is a nation that's sick alright, with capitalismitas. The appropriation of wealth has corrupted everything, worse than any cancer.

The American health system it not about healing people anymore, it's about making money. The richest country in the world has one of the poorest health records and highest crime rates.

When Russia had problems what did we blame? Their political and economic system.
So how come ppl can't see our political and economic system aren't good for us either.

Originally posted by Aelita
I wonder though why this (the apparent and grave health problem) is not treated like a matter of utmost urgency in the Congress.

Because individual health isn't under the ambit of congress?

Not trying to be snide, just wanting to point out that there is a big difference between the acceptance of a welfare state in britain and the US.

I agree with all of you, from the incredible sizes of portions. . . that is one of the reasons I can not eat out is a waste of food that I can not eat.

Then the sodas issue is good but will not be fully enforced until 2009 still plenty of money to be make for the big soda business.

We are a country inundated by fast fat food, restaurants and all you can eat buffet, no wonder our health is so poor.

But while the government spend so much money on health care, the ones profiting from it is the pharma and medical industry.

If we all get into healthy eating it will bankrupt the food industry.

If we all get healthy from eating well then we will bankrupt the pharma industry.

So is not incentives to really keep the American population in good health.

the american health system SUCKS.

of course they're paying more!

in australia, the meds i take costs $3 a pack!

in the US the same medication is over $100 a pack.

#ing crazy, backwards government.

It certainly is not surprising. When I lived in the UK, even as a non-UK citizen, when I was ill, I could walk into a local doctor's office, get diagnosed, get a perscription, and walk out, with no appointment and for free.

Here in the US the same procedure would cost me several hundred dollars at least, and I would probably have to wait a few days before a doctor could fit me into his schedule.

And while there may be some difference in the "bedside manner" of US and UK doctors, their medical training, knowledge, and technological resources are quite equal, certainly for the majority of circumstances nessecitating seeing one.

We Americans sadly seem to neglect the public sector yet suck at the corporate teat like it was a substitute, all the while believing we are better off because we just might get taxed slightly less the day we all become millionaires (which as Americans, of course, we all will inevitably do). Cheap gasoline means more to us at the polls than does affordable education and healthcare.

The irony is that while some might decry greater government involvement in the health sector as somehow being contrary to the American Way, the American Way is only made possible because countries like China are financing our debt.

The price of healthcare in the U.S. is IMHO without doubt a huge reason for the differences cited in the study. In the UK, when you feel unwell, you see a doctor. End of story. I'd imagine it's similar in most of the world aside from the ultra-capitalist nations (the U.S. and the asian tigers) and those countries too poor to afford health systems of any sort. Here in the U.S. it's almost taboo to suggest seeing a doctor to someone because you aren't sure if they can afford it. Unless they have good insurance, people will wait until they know something is really wrong rather than see a doctor early on and gain the benefits of an earlier treatment for their problems. In a country like America this state of affairs seems terribly wrong.

I won't pretend the NHS doesn't have it's problems, either, but then it's a lot better than nothing for people who can't afford the alternative.

[edit on 7-5-2006 by koji_K]

Originally posted by Delta Alter
I visitd the US a few years ago, and was ASTOUNDED at the size of the portions - especially breakfast.

Doughnuts, waffles, pancakes, all unheard of for breakfast in the UK, and gorgeous - yes, but only for a holiday! I put on 10 pounds in 2 weeks

The last time I went to the States I only ever had starters - no main courses at all. The portions were far too big for me to eat, and I have a healthy appetitie. The waitresses all I thought I was too thin though.
Going for my daily walk got some odd reactions as well. I like to stay fit by walking at least 2 miles a day. The US does seem to be a car-oriented place, although I must admit that the distances are vast. Still, what's the harm in building more sidewalks in cities?
:bnghd:

As Marg points out, the U.S. pharmaceutical industry doesn't help either, by offering a pill (the more expensive, the better) for every symptom. It goes beyond that, however. Big Pharma has for many years exerted undue influence on the development of medical school curricula. For example, it is no coincidence that medical schools offer minimal coursework on Human Nutition.

In the introduction to "The Great American Detox Diet" (from Alex Jamieson, fiancee of Morgan Spurlock -- Academy Award-nominated director of the documentary movie Supersize Me), an osteopathic physician acknowledges the benefits of 'preventive eating':

"Like most doctors today, I did not get any formal training in preventative (sic) nutrition, and this, I now realize, is a serious shortcoming of our medical education system."

Source: The Great American Detox Diet, by Alex Jamieson (vegan chef). Rodale Press 2005 ISBN: 1594862311

BTW, a newly published book for both kids and adults will help to decode what is in commercially produced food in the U.S. The full title is "Chew on this: everything you don't want to know about fast food" by Eric Schlosser (author of Fast Food Nation) and Charles Wilson. Here is a link to the full description of this new book:

search.barnesandnoble.com...


The underlying problem, though, is the pervasive influence of American corporations on basically every aspect of American life.

Knowledge is power, however. For example, in a recent newsletter from the Organic Consumers Association, when I learned that corporations such as Whole Foods successfully lobbied the U.S. Senate to water down the definition of what is in common ingredients of manufactured organic foods, I decided to discontinue all my food shopping from Whole Foods, Wild Oats, etc., and just purchase food through local farmers markets, my membership food co-op and local L.A. independent food stores such as Erewhon, Co-opportunity, and independently owned food stores in Little Tokyo. For mail order, I also recommend Goldmine Natural Foods online. That link is:

www.goldminenaturalfood.com...




[edit on 12-6-2006 by FutureLibrarian]