What are you talkin about? Im sure they're knee deep in research. The beakers are being warmed up as we speak.
They do give incentives to do those things. My insurance offers a whole online community with fitness experts where you can submit questions. You can even get a personalized meal and exercise plan through it. It's free with your insurance. They also run a whole bunch of programs throughout the year where you can get money off of your insurance if you do certain things. My actual company does fitness club reimbursement up to $350 per year. As for fruits and vegetables- that's a whole other issue. That's not something the insurance companies can tackle. That stuff shouldn't be so expensive, but I'm really fortunate to live in an area with a TON of farmer's markets (including being able to buy fresh, organic meat!) during the spring/summer/fall. I think it's more just doing your research and having it be a conscious effort to find out more. Sometimes they don't advertise that stuff. ROFLMAO
My company does reimbursements at the end of year too but people need immediate gratification. They need to see results instantly so if you want to promote good health then insurance companies should team up with local fitness clubs to advertise that they take your brand of insurance giving you incentive to join their. You can pay an extra 40 bucks through your insurance for that option along with the four hundred at the end of the year. People need it in their faces and through your insurance their should be an on site nutrionist. Obesity became a problem because fast food is easy and very accessible why not make fitness that way. It will cut down on cost tremendously and we'll have a much healthier populus again everyone wins.
You cannot tackle the obesity epidemic without tackling a whole bunch of other issues as well... What about the impact that GMOs potentially have on the body? What about the impact of general hormones injected into animals into the human body? What about the fact that the fast food companies pretty much run the meat industry, and they're manufacturing it to be purposely addicting? What about the restaurants who act irresponsibly, in my opinion, and make entrees that are over 2000 calories? That seems excessive, doesn't it? Of course! Shouldn't they be forced to disclose ALL of that information all of the time? I think so! And then you get into... Shouldn't schools be teaching nutrition? Moreso than that damned food pyramid? Shouldn't every school require physical activity instead of allowing kids to 'opt out' of it? I could go on and on, but there's more to this than just 'fast food is easy to get'. That's why this becomes a sensitive topic- for some people, obesity is a class issue. They are fat because they are poor and can't afford to feed themselves and their children three meals a day with a lean protein, vegetable, adn whole grain- they get 2-3 meals per day that are big macs and french fries because it's cheap and easy. I agree that the places in your area could be doing more to advertise it...but you can't put the onus on one group and one group alone.
Because they are including a fitness center in a mall revitalization? I suppose that's a little bit of a stride. From what I understand, the revitalization is a way to capitalize on the anticipated influx of workers at Fort Meade. (http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2011/02/14/greenberg-gibbons-brought-on-to.html) I'm sure a lot of those people will use the fitness center. But do you think the average obese person currently living in Prince George's County is going to be buying a gym membership or heading over to Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles? Just sayin'. Yeah, it's a little bit of a stride but a fitness center in a mall isn't going to help the people who really need it in that area. Incorporating fitness and nutrition into one's lifestyle has to begin long before they have the cash to purchase a gym membership.
RIGHT! Over here in Germany they actually started stuff like that some time ago already. My health insurance got a program where you can get money back (150 Euro) when you visit certain classes in the gym for the back or for cardio training which I think is GREAT!
I agree nutrition is a big problem but my suggestion is a great and easy place to start. You can't do it all at once.
I thought that was the great thing about Obamacare. Everyone will have insurance but for the 85% that do I think this is a great start.
My point was more that a lot of the foods we are told to eat because they're 'healthy' are GMO, hormone injected, corn fed, mutilated, e.coli infested, products of a food monopoly that is largely responsible for the start and continuation of the obesity epidemic. Like I said, you can't point fingers at just one thing and expect that to fix it. This problem is bigger than a gym and a carrot, my friend.
NO! *stomping foot* I WANNA ARGUE!! ARGUE! ARGUE! ARGUE!! Nah, I see your point. I just feel like a good starting place would be in the other direction.
Technically, neither of them is feasible because you can't have one without the other and vise versa. HOWEVER...I will concede that theoretically, changing your personal habits would be a simpler starting point. At least for the time being. People should be outraged about this shit though, and they aren't, which is why we end up saying 'Well, nothing can be done about the big companies'. Grrrrr.
Changing habits by definition is extremely difficult. People are mindless and need to be led ie our current obesity problem and I'm sorry fitness actually burning calories is far easier than getting corporations to change their addictive practices. At least my the insurance company gets more revenue the gym gets more revenue through more membership and customers are getting fit and a nutrition plan geared towards hormone satured meats and veggies is better than fast food everytime.
i personally think that nutrition should be a subject taught in primary school through to the end of college. it's the lack of knowledge that's hurting people. i remember watching jamie oliver (english chef for those who don't know him) going round england and america trying to change the food that is supplied in the schools & teaching families how to cook good, nutritious meals for the family instead of the crap brown stuff that they dish up. [YOUTUBE]oLgmk323H6k[/YOUTUBE] [YOUTUBE]bGYs4KS_djg&feature=related[/YOUTUBE] the canteen where my kids go to school do not serve any junk food & it's mandatory that all kids bring in 2 pieces of fruit daily to eat.
Actually not.... ...the start of the obesity epidemic had nothing to do with genetically altered food and had everything to do with the changing life styles of Americans.
Please! Nutrition education has nothing to do with the obesity epidemic. We all know fruits and vegetables are good especially with a meat like chicken or beef but the problem is the junk tastes way better and people are addicted to the taste. I guarantee you that if you ask any obese person do they know the difference between good foods and bad foods they're aware they just rather eat the bad food. Kfc is delicious and fun to eat way more so than food from whole foods. It takes a real conscious effort to eat healthy.
