Alberta Newspaper Says It Fat Shamed Health Minister By 'Mistake'

[OMG!WTF!]

Originally Posted by GGG

Is there evidence that this is true.

People who die of heart attacks early in life are very efficient for the healthcare system. Not to mention out CPP and OAS systems. I think it is an open question whether healthy people cost the system more than obese people. I think their was a study on smokers that considering all effects that smokers cost less for government services than non smokers specifically because they died earlier. I will see if I can find it.

But is the system overburdened by the unhealthy? I'd be interested in seeing a study on the lifecycle costs.

True for smokers but not obese people. Diabetes, heart disease, degenerative tissue conditions all cost a lot. Lung cancer is relatively quick.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Despite the fact she's failing at it on a personal level?

You think they are related? How? Explain.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Despite the fact she's failing at it on a personal level? I'm not saying she's not fit for the job and should step down but of all people she should realize the value on society as well as her own well being of taking better care of herself.

Can you imagine if our health minister was battling cancer? She shouldn't be sick if she's in that position, she should be taking better care of herself!

How do you know her weight isn't tied to a more complex health issue? PErhaps genetics? perhaps some sort of illness that she CAN'T control? You have no idea of the facts, and most people don't.

Any reasonable, good natured person would know not to judge a book by her cover - and it's horrendous this is happening in this thread. Good god.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by GGG

The first issue is that you are assuming that obesity is a 100% choice. You wouldn't be saying this if a person had Cancer. Would you have the same position if a person had Aids?

I don't want to get into that debate as it's an endless circle. Speaking of poor analogies you bring in an incurable disease like Aids into the conversation.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Burninator

You think they are related? How? Explain.

Never said they were related.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by GGG

But the health ministers job isn't to give diet advice or be anyone's personal trainer. I'd agree that in those types of positions my bias's would be more prevalent. I think the reason is that I am looking for both information and inspiration when I purchase a dietician, addictions councillor or personal trainers service.

This is not the case for a health minister. Her job is to make the largest bureaucracy in Alberta more efficient.

Health Minister's job is also to advocate for Healthy lifestyles for all Albertans, not just Hospitals or waiting times in the province. That includes things like diet and exercise, which is part of preventative care.

That job is not just for you or me to assess the merits of her ideas, but also to get the highest # of people to buy in to whatever her preventative health initiatives are doing.

[Burninator]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Never said they were related.

What are you saying then?

[para transit fellow]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Is it a superficial level though? She may be great at her job but at the end of the day she's part of the problem with our health care system being overburdened.

I guess we should include Kent Hehr in that category too. He is partly responsible for the health of veterans but his own condition is obviously a drain on the health care system.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I don't want to get into that debate as it's an endless circle. Speaking of poor analogies you bring in an incurable disease like Aids into the conversation.

Obesity has a cure rate of something like 2% and both are caused by previous behaviour of people so they end up being fairly comparable.

[jammies]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Is it a superficial level though?

Yes. You are wrong.

I'd explain why, but you don't get it because you don't want to get it. Erick Estrada, CP's finest SIW: Social Injustice Warrior.

[Oling_Roachinen]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I suppose that's true. To be clear here she's not a little overweight. She's close to obese.

More than 1 in 4 Canadian adults are classified as medically obese. You don't need to be bed-ridden to be obese. A BMI of 30 or greater is all that is required, assuming you're not a super athlete. For the average 5'4'' adult woman, that's anything over 175 pounds. I think there's a very large portion of the population that has a skewed vision of what it's like to be obese and assume it's much higher weight than it is.

I really don't want to come across as insensitive, but based on the medical definition of obese, she's well past it.

Of course I'm not commenting on her ability to do her job, but rather just the skewed perception we as a society have on obesity levels it would appear.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Health Minister's job is also to advocate for Healthy lifestyles for all Albertans, not just Hospitals or waiting times in the province. That includes things like diet and exercise, which is part of preventative care.

That job is not just for you or me to assess the merits of her ideas, but also to get the highest # of people to buy in to whatever her preventative health initiatives are doing.

I would disagree that the health minister's job is to advocate for healthy lifestyles. Her job is to oversee the development of programs which advocate a healthy lifestyle.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by CorsiHockeyLeague

If you're more or less likely to accept her proposal based on what she looks like rather than the merits of the proposal, you're really not worth consulting on the matter.

Oh, I agree completely. But, it depends on what your biggest priority is. Is it to get Albertans to change their eating habits or get legislation passed?

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by GGG

I would disagree that the health minister's job is to advocate for healthy lifestyles. Her job is to oversee the development of programs which advocate a healthy lifestyle.

I'd argue that outcomes definitely fall under that scope.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

I'd argue that outcomes definitely fall under that scope.

So your saying that when a group of sociologists, scientists and dieticians come to here with a recommended program to promote the health of Albertans some how the fact that she didn't follow this program before it existed will affect its efficacy?

[pylon]

I'm all for people being happy with the skin they are in. If you are OK being overweight, that's your choice. I spent a good 2 or 3 years between 250-270 as a 6'1 man, which is obese. I got down to 205, but I currently still struggle between 220-230, and still consider myself 20 pounds over weight based on my frame. And it isn't genetic, or disease related. It is eating crappy food related.

To say there is automatically a surge in health and genetic related weight gain is just straight up BS. Look at people in the 40's. 50's right up to the 80's and 90's, and people were generally a lot thinner. I even remember the 80's. Being over weight was the exception, not the norm. Why? More people cooked for themselves. McDonalds, Wendy's etc was a treat. I work with people that literally eat Mcdonalds every single day, sometimes twice. And surprise... they are fat. The girls here that are the Yoga queens, eat salad and greens for lunch, are in rocket shape. Why does this surprise anyone?

People are simply lazier, and addicted to fast food, and junky pre-made crap from the grocery store, and I am equally guilty. Crappy convenient food is more accessible than it's ever been, and it's what gets me every time. The second I cook fresh food, myself. Control sauces, oils, butter, cut the meat down to 2-3 servings a week etc.... I can drop 20 in 2 months.

It isn't insensitive at all to point out a fact that someone is living a lifestyle that is a potential time bomb. My mother of all people fat-shamed me into complete humiliation until I decided to make the choice to change, and I thank her for it. I just wish I was even more disciplined, maybe its time for her to start calling me revolting again, so I can dump that last 20.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by GGG

So your saying that when a group of sociologists, scientists and dieticians come to here with a recommended program to promote the health of Albertans some how the fact that she didn't follow this program before it existed will affect its efficacy?

I'm saying it will probably affect how quickly people are willing to adopt it, yeah. Marketing and communication absolutely play a factor on if people are going to buy into a product or program.

[TheAlpineOracle]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I suppose that's true. To be clear here she's not a little overweight. She's close to obese. A lot of people struggle with weight so a health care minister that's in great shape may not be able to relate or not have experience with wait times at hospitals, clinics, etc. On the flip side a person in her position also fully knows first hand that those who don't take care of themselves physically are a strain on the health care system so she's essentially part of that problem yet is employed to be a part of the solution. At the end of the day I don't think it matters in regards to her doing a good job but she should probably know better than anyone that she's putting her personal long term health at risk with her current lifestyle.

I'd like to know on how being overweight makes you a drain on the health system? I know it does it some cases, but to blanket statement that is ridiculous.

I'm overweight, and you know how many times i've been to the doctor since I moved to Alberta almost 12 years ago? 5 times. Once for my original consultation, once for stitches at the ER, once for bloodwork (for the next point), and twice now to discuss with a physician why I workout 6 times a week for 1.5+hours and eat generally the same as a skinny person (count calories and everything) but just maintain my weight without losing anything, but the minute I stop I put weight on. Early consensus is that I have a metabolic disorder, but you know, that's probably my fault because i'm just lazy.

And for the record, I actually think the health minister should be someone who is in reasonably good shape. I think this was an extremely poor appointment by the NDP from an optical standpoint. Not saying the current health minister isn't capable of doing the job, but it sure leaves the government open to all sorts of scrutiny on the health front when they turn around and ban things like flavoured tabacco.

[Ozy_Flame]

Seems like a good place as any to post this:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...line-1.3921866

"In the not too distant future, Albertans will be able to book a medical appointment, track their cholesterol level, or check their blood tests in a new patient health portal through Alberta Health Services.

Health Minister Sarah Hoffman says the new system is intended to put more power into patient hands.

"Getting results from their lab tests to making sure they (patients) know that a referral has been received by the specialist, that's a piece of technology we're hoping to get into the hands of many Albertans."

She's overweight, must not be doing her job right.

[GGG]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

I'm saying it will probably affect how quickly people are willing to adopt it, yeah. Marketing and communication absolutely play a factor on if people are going to buy into a product or program.

Wouldn't they slap Olympic athletes as the face of a well designed program or say Hal Johnson and Joanne McLeod. Who was the health minister when participation started and how good of shape were they in.

The person in charge of overseeing the development isn't necessarily the face of the marketing campaign.