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The Big Fat Truth

Is Obesity a Disease?

By Carma Haley Shoemaker

"I've learned quite a bit about insurance companies and their coverage guidelines," says Costa. "It is extremely alarming that the insurance companies would pay for coverage in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for surgeries caused by obesity, rather than to pay for a medically-supervised weight loss program at a fraction of the cost."

Just as much of the public thinks that obesity is a legitimate disease, there are those who feel that the condition can be controlled simply by not eating and exercising.

"Obesity may be a symptom of an illness, but I don't think being obese is a disease by itself," says Hilary Evans, a stay-at-home mom of three from Fort Dodge, Iowa. "There are so many health problems that come from being too heavy that maybe it should be treated as a health risk. As for being covered by insurance, surgery shouldn't be covered unless several other treatments have been attempted first. For most people, being overweight is caused by eating more calories than they burn; surgery alone isn't going to solve that."

There are many who suffer from obesity who will not allow insurance companies to tell them they do not suffer from a disease. For them, if at first you don't succeed, go over, around, under and through whoever is in your way.

"Since late 1997, I battled with an insurance company for coverage of a medically-supervised weight loss program offered through a local hospital," says Costa. "After going through the appeals process and writing to the New Jersey Roster of Senators and Legislatures, I ran into a brick wall. Upon changing insurance companies, my wife and I were finally able to enroll in the program."

Want to see more?

• Plan Early to Head Off Obesity: 10 Tips for Daily Physical Activity
• Obesity Insights: 7 (Sometimes Surprising) Secrets for Stopping Childhood Obesity
• What's Eating Our Kids: An Emotional Component to Obesity?
• Controlled Infant Feeding and the Obesity Link: Should Parents Restrict How Much Their Baby Eats?
• Join the discussion on our Family.com community!

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