Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

[julirama723]

Why the long face? Obese treated like horses

Thu Apr 5, 8:42 AM ET



Rio de Janeiro hospitals have been sending obese people to share medical test equipment with horses at the local race track, drawing complaints from activists who say the practice is humiliating.

"When people weigh more than the standard equipment can support they have to be directed to the Jockey Club, which is the only place in Rio where they have the appropriate equipment," a spokeswoman for the Rio state health secretariat said on Wednesday.

Patients needing stomach reduction surgery require a tomography, or multiple X-raying of body sections, which is normally carried out inside a chamber.

Rio hospitals only have standard tomography equipment for people weighing up to 265-287 pounds (120-130 kg). Tomographs used on horses are sturdier and more spacious than common devices.

Rosimere Lima da Silva, head of the Group for Salvaging Self-Esteem and Citizenship of the Obese (Graco), said many patients feel embarrassed to go there.

"The obese patients already suffer from a lot of prejudice and having to be treated where animals are is not helping their self-esteem. Many simply refuse to go," she said.

Graco staged a small protest on Tuesday outside the state legislative assembly and met some legislators to try to oblige hospitals to buy stronger equipment, including stretchers and wheelchairs for the obese, and to authorize more hospitals to perform stomach stapling surgeries.

[Grant]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

Mixed feelings. On one hand the thought of sending obese people to the racetrack is just terrible. On the other hand, how many people were inspired to lose weight because of the embarrasment they felt trying to fit into an airline seat, or a roller coaster or something along those lines? Surely a hospital is different and needs to be able to care for all sizes but I worry that changing the world to accomodate our plus size population is only making it easier for people to keep gaining weight.

[julirama723]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

Good point, Grant! I think I agree with the "double-edged sword" theory. It's funny though, when I think of Brazil I don't think of obesity. I think of women wearing postage stamps and dental floss on the beach. I wonder how bad their obesity problem is?

[JMarsa202]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

Julie:

According to Nationmaster.com, the top three obese countries are U.S (big surprise), Mexico, and then U.K., with obesity percentages of 30.6%, 24.2%, and 23% respectively. The website lists the top 29 countries. #29 is Japan with 3.2% of the population. Brazil is not even in the list. I imagine that obesity is virtually nonexistent, especially compared to the U.S. They based the statistics on people with a BMI of 30+.

Perhaps that's why they seem to be insensitive towards obese people and are less able to accommodate them in hospitals.

The website I found this information: http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/he...health-obesity

[JMarsa202]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

Another website I read is projecting the childhood obesity rate in countries like Brazil, Chile, etc., to increase dramatically by 2010. They are expected to reach the likes of the statistics in industrialized nations.

A question that I thought of recently: With medicine having increased our life spans a great deal over the past few decades, do you think that the obesity rates will counteract that? Meaning, as obesity rates climb, do you think that life spans will decrease again?

[julirama723]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

I think what will happen is that while lifespan will increase, quality of life as we age will DECREASE due to things like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

We'll keep figuring out a way to save people's lives at the cost of living peacefully.

[JMarsa202]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

Grant: I agree with your point; perhaps accommodations are making it easier for people to be obese.

Likewise, have you seen those kids' shoes with the wheels on the back end? Well, are they encouraging children to be active or encouraging them to roll rather than walk, thus being less active?

On the flip side though, some people may be encouraged by the embarassment of going to the race track, but others just might get more depressed and spiral into more eating, kwim?

[julirama723]

Re: Article--Obese treated like horses in Brazil

I think if I were one of the obese in Brazil, I'd just be in denial about the whole thing. I'd blame the scale. But thankfully I realized that denial ain't just a river in Egypt and I started to get my butt into shape.

Eekgads, I HATE Heelys. Those things are finally banned at the school I teach in. I'm not sure if they promote sloth or industry; Heelys sure as heck create more accidents, I know that!