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Being lazy is ‘a disease’
Dr Richard Weiler and Dr Emmanuel Stamatakis have put forward the idea because they say the the link between inactivity and poor health is so strong.
Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, they explained: “Given the significant associated mortality and morbidity, we propose that perhaps physical inactivity should also be considered for recognition as a disease in its own right.”
Obesity is already classed as a disease by the World Health Organisation, noted Dr Richard Weiler, a specialist registrar in sports and exercise at Imperial College Healthcare and a GP.
But he said obesity was often at least partially the result of a deeper cause – not doing enough exercise.
Speaking about the article, he said: “Money is pumped at treating the symptoms of physical inactivity – at obesity, diabetes, hypertension, heart disease – but not at the root cause.”
He added: “It is neglected because of the way that modern medicine is taught and the way the NHS is run.
“We need to put the health back into the NHS – we need to promote wellness as well as treat illness.”
In May Dr Weiler said that the evidence showed that lack of fitness was the root cause of more illness than being fat.
Despite such evidence, he said it remained the poor relation of the public health family.
He said GPs should be financially rewarded for promoting exercise through the Quality and Outcomes Framework, an action which he estimated would cost £1 million. This was “peanuts” set against the estimated cost of problems associated with lack of exercise, of £8.2 billion a year, he argued.
His comments follow those made at the weekend by Prof Steve Field, chairman of the Royal College of General Practitioners, who said many people needed to “face facts and take responsibility” for their own health.
Dr Weiler said recent studies showed only one in 20 people took the minimum amount of recommended exercise, but there was still “no co-ordinated plan” to tackle the problem.
He and Dr Stamatakis, of University College London, concluded in their paper: “Can we afford to leave physical activity promotion in primary care as the ‘would-be-nice’ preventive option, offered typically in the form of unstructured advice by inadequately trained professionals?”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7935534/Being-lazy-is-a-disease.html
Well now that we have this how long can it be before the long awaited “Exercise Vaccine” is developed, mandated by law and force injected at the point of a gun into hundreds of millions of us?
Don’t get me wrong exercise IS needed by all of us. So is an honest non-tyrannical government that is not planning to force inject us with worthless drugs and god knows what else.
You’re exactly right, Lou. If I remember correctly, the American experiment was supposed to be about Freedom and Independence; not security and comfort, and a nanny government. At least, I think, that’s what Jefferson and Franklin and Washington had intended.
Yes, Lou and Todd, I agree with both of you, AND, freedom and independence MUST be accompanied by personal responsibility and integrity (aka “Do to others as you would have done to you”), which many businesspeople do not have… any more than governments do. Nor do lazy people have much responsibility or integrity, because they’re not even willing to DO for themselves.
In fact, I would venture to say that “Poor Integrity” is a disease – an epidemic perhaps – and it is responsible for the corruption of governments and the media (including TV sitcoms and movies that celebrate poor integrity), and schools, and families too. How often do children hear “Do as I say not as I do”? What disease does that lead to?
My point is, don’t point fingers unless you are willing to embrace full integrity and responsibility yourself. And the good news is that when you do, you won’t have much to complain about anymore.
What’s with the lame un-American, un-patriotic, total traitor comments have to do with this article on disease labeling?
As an RN for decades in long term care, ‘laziness’ as a disease intrigues me. I agree that a certain amount of individualized physical activity is crucial for a healthy life. But it’s way too simple to think exercise is ‘the cure’ for laziness. Besides the obvious, laziness has many layers in the more subtle mindscapes of emotion, spirit, etc. It’s almost too easy to mentally try, judge and condemn the lazy. ( We have become so conditioned we automatically equate laziness with sin or moral failure.) Viewed as an illness it can now be assessed, evaluated and a treatment plan can be developed. I do believe more study is definitely indicated.
Being a person who tends to be lazy, I have found in my life, laziness is a sign of depression. When I was on anti-dressants, I tended to be much more productive. When I’m not on them, it takes all of my effort and energy to work 40 hours a week. There is nothing left over for when I get off. Just thought I would share that.
I agree that obesity is a health problem, but it’s not only inactivity. If our government was so concerned about our health that it would mandate insurance…why doesn’t it look into the chemicals, additives, preservatives. sugars etc being added to our food.(And the genically engineered produce that is totally lacking in nutriants.) Even the drinking water is messed with, whether it’s public water or bottled. The FDA should be investigated.
And lets not forget fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue. People “look” healthy, but they are exhausted. And exercise makes them ill and in pain, sometimes for 6 to 9 month after a big effort. It looks like “laziness” but it isn’t. And forcing yourself to push through it only makes you sicker and weaker. The “just lazy” ones are the lucky ones! I hope they realize what a privilege it is to get out and do things!