Americans' "Internal Enemy"
Le Figaro
Thursday 02 March 2006
According to the head of American public health service, the threat of obesity could overtake that of terrorism.
As far as the Department of Health is concerned, if the epidemic of obesity in the United States is not arrested, the threat could overtake by far that of terrorism. "Obesity is the internal terror," warned Richard Carmona, head of the federal public health service [US Surgeon General]. "Unless we act, the magnitude of the problem will exceed that of September 11 or of any other terrorist attempt," he continued, referring to the attacks on the United States in 2001.
The rate of obesity among children and young people has tripled the last 40 years and the risks of diabetes and other illnesses have increased in tandem. For the first time, problems of hypertension are being observed among children, Richard Carmona laments.
Americans Not Capable of Understanding
According to Dr. Carmona, any reduction in rates of obesity demands a change in Americans' behavior. However, he deplores the fact that too many of them are not in a position to understand medical terms and their physician's advice. Moreover, the head of public health deems that political reforms could have little impact, since, according to him, common-sense medical decisions cannot be dictated by the law.
Le Figaro
Thursday 02 March 2006
According to the head of American public health service, the threat of obesity could overtake that of terrorism.
As far as the Department of Health is concerned, if the epidemic of obesity in the United States is not arrested, the threat could overtake by far that of terrorism. "Obesity is the internal terror," warned Richard Carmona, head of the federal public health service [US Surgeon General]. "Unless we act, the magnitude of the problem will exceed that of September 11 or of any other terrorist attempt," he continued, referring to the attacks on the United States in 2001.
The rate of obesity among children and young people has tripled the last 40 years and the risks of diabetes and other illnesses have increased in tandem. For the first time, problems of hypertension are being observed among children, Richard Carmona laments.
Americans Not Capable of Understanding
According to Dr. Carmona, any reduction in rates of obesity demands a change in Americans' behavior. However, he deplores the fact that too many of them are not in a position to understand medical terms and their physician's advice. Moreover, the head of public health deems that political reforms could have little impact, since, according to him, common-sense medical decisions cannot be dictated by the law.
