Binge Drinking: According to a rent study conducted by Kathryn Graham, et al of the University of Western Ontario psychology department "Depression is most strongly related to a pattern of binge drinking,"
Binge Drinking is defined in the study as consuming at least 5 alcoholic beverages at one sitting.
Whether Binge Drinking resulted in the development depression or whether depression contributed to a persons binge drinking was unclear in this study.
Heroin Rapid Detox As an Opioid heroin use escalates as the body’s tolerance for the drug increases. The increased tolerance is the cause of many overdose deaths given that the heroin user may be injecting 3 to 5 times the lethal dose in order to maintain their high. Rapid detoxification from high tolerance heroin use is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. Relapse for a heroin user after some period of absence can also be fatal as their tolerance level is no longer present and the same amount used during their last episode prior to a period abstinence will often kill the user. Oxycontin Addiction: Oxycontin is a prescription painkiller used for moderate to high
pain relief associated with injuries, bursitis, dislocations, fractures, neuralgia,
arthritis, lower back pain and pain associated with cancer. It contains oxycodone,
an opium derivative and is produced in a time released tablet. Oxycontin commonly
referred to as OC, OX, Oxy, Oxycotton and kicker, was introduced in 1996 and has
had a rapid escalation of abuse. The tablets can be chewed, crushed and snorted
like cocaine, crushed and dissolved in water and then injected like heroin. The
most serious side effect is respiratory depression, particularly dangerous for
the elderly. Oxycontin
addiction and demand has resulted in pharmacy robberies and forged
prescriptions. The estimated number of people aged 12 or older with an oxycontin
addiction has increased from 1.9 million in 2002, to 3.1 million in 2004.
The largest increase occurred among young adults aged 18 to 25.Drug Rehabilitation Drug Rehabilitation
is an umbrella term for a variety of processes by which a person addicted to a
drug stops using that drug. These processes can vary from cold turkey to the use
of substitute drugs which do not have the same action upon the state of consciousness
as the original drug to which the person was addicted.
The Faltering Economy and Compulsive Overeating and Treatment
It’s not earth shattering news that obesity is an issue in the United States. What makes this a larger concern, is instead of the problem getting resolved by the many, many initiatives that are being put into place by both governmental agencies and private sectors, it is continuously getting worse. In light of the recent economic casualties affecting the global economy, continued obesity and all of its many health risks and negative outcomes, place unnecessary pressure on already waning funds. To emphasize the fact that health outcomes are not improving one can look at the results of a 1999 study published in JAMA (Journal of American Medicine Association). Data collected between 1988-1994 for NHANES III (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) were analyzed.
The sample size included 16,844 adults 25 and over who were considered overweight and obese. This is classified as a score of 30 or over by the BMI (Body Mass Index). This tool defines obesity based on the relation between an individual’s weight and height. Fifty five percent of women and 63% of men had a BMI of 25or over. The heavier the individual, the higher the prevalence of obesity related chronic illnesses. These included the following:
type 2 diabetes mellitus
gallbladder disease
coronary heart disease
high blood cholesterol level
high blood pressure
osteoarthritis
These conditions were more prevalent in younger as opposed to older adults. Two or more conditions per individual were found as weight increased, i.e. a correlation between increased illnesses with escalating weight. These results held across all racial and ethnic groups. The conclusion of the study you ask? Quite simple, one must reduce the incident of obesity in order to reduce the prevalence of co morbidities.
An analysis of data collected through the BRFSS (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System) by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) estimated the prevalence of obesity in 2007. When broken down by state, this study found that not one state was able to meet the Health People 2010 objective of 15% weight reduction of obese adults. Obesity per state ranged from 18.7% to 32.0% of the population. Obesity was more prevalent in the South and lowest in the Western states. Of the participants in the BRFSS survey, 2.5.6% were obese. Non-Hispanic black women and black men were found to be the largest obesity group. Twenty seven states had a 25%-29% obesity prevalence.
Talking Numbers: How Much Does Obesity Cost?
From 1997-1999 hospital costs among children were $127 million which is up from 35 million during 1979-1981. The total direct costs of obesity in the United States were estimated to be approximately $117 billion, including $61 billion in direct costs and $56 billion in indirect costs. Just the act of not exercising, or physical inactivity, created associated healthcare costs of $76 billion in 2000.
Direct costs of obesity include any money spent on preventing obesity, diagnostic tests and treatment services which are related to being overweight. Indirect costs include morbidity and mortality costs. Morbidity costs, which are defined as monies related to illness, include the value of income lost from a decrease in job productivity. This also includes restricted activity as well as absenteeism and days spent immobile. Mortality costs, which are defined as death, refer to monies spent on premature deaths of overweight individuals. This includes families in which the primary provider may become disabled due to co morbidities associated with obesity or may die. From here, one can see an increase in welfare costs and in the case of small children, an increase in costs associated with the foster care system.
How Much Money Does Physical Activity Save?
Heart disease costs can be reduced by $5.6 billion if only 10% of adults began walking on a regular basis. If a 10% weight reduction was achieved and maintained, an overweight individual’s lifetime medical costs could be lowered by $2,200-$5,300. This is related to reducing costs associated with heart disease, stroke, type II diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.
Good Ways to Prevent Obesity Include What?
Stop the problem before it begins. How does one do that? Teach children from a young age, to eat well, exercise and generally take care of themselves. Breastfeeding mothers unwittingly reduce the incidence of obesity in children as a correlation has been found between breastfed babies and healthier weight outcomes. Perhaps the most important and easiest way an individual can remain healthy is eating well and exercising regularly. The results of such behavior alterations represent benefits for not only the individual, but as one can infer from the information discussed prior, also help save the country money as well.
Rachel Hayon, MPH, RN
This article was last modified on 11/20/2008.
References
Finkelstein, EA, Fiebelkorn, IC, Wang, G. National medical spending attributable to overweight and obesity: How much, and who’s paying? Health Affairs 2003;W3;219–226.
Finkelstein, EA, Fiebelkorn, IC, Wang, G. State-level estimates of annual medical expenditures attributable to obesity. Obesity Research 2004;12(1):18–24.
CDC. Public health strategies for preventing and controlling overweight and obesity in school and worksite settings: a report on recommendations of the Task Force on Community Preventive Services. MMWR 2005;54(RR-10):1--12.
Must, A., Spadano, J., Coakley, E.H., Field, A.E., Colditz, G., Dietz, W.H. (1999). The Disease Burden Associated With Overweight and Obesity JAMA. 282:1523-1529.
State-Specific Prevalence of Obesity among Adults in the United States, 2007. MMWR, 2008;57(28):765-768.
(NHANES) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2000
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Surgeon General's call to action to prevent and decrease overweight and obesity. [Rockville, MD]: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General; [2001]. Available from: US GPO, Washington.
US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010 (conference ed, in 2 vols). Washington DC: US Department of Health and Human Services; 2000. Available at: http://www.health.gov/healthypeople.
Wolf AM, Colditz GA. Current estimates of the economic cost of obesity in the United States. Obesity Research.1998;6(2):97–106.
Wolf, A. What is the economic case for treating obesity? Obesity Research. 1998;6(suppl)2S–7S.
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