Government will require all Americans by 2014 to have a Obesity Rating

[teedubya]

I'm Doooooooomed. LOL.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/69436

Obesity Rating for Every American Included in Stimulus-Mandated Electronic Health Records

New federal regulations issued this week stipulate that the electronic health records--that all Americans are supposed to have by 2014 under the terms of the stimulus law that President Barack Obama signed last year--must record not only the traditional measures of height and weight, but also the Body Mass Index: a measure of obesity.

The obesity-rating regulation states that every American's electronic health record must: “Calculate body mass index. Automatically calculate and display body mass index (BMI) based on a patient’s height and weight.”

The law also requires that these electronic health records be available--with appropriate security measures--on a national exchange.

The new regulations are one of the first steps towards the government’s goal of universal adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) by 2014, as outlined in the 2009 economic stimulus law. Specifically, the regulations issued on Tuesday by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, define the "meaningful use" of electronic records. Under the stimulus law, health care providers--including doctors and hospitals--must establish "meaningful use" of EHRs by 2014 in order to qualify for federal subsidies. After that, they will be subjected to penalties in the form of diminished Medicare and Medicaid payments for not establishing "meaningful use" of EHRs.

Section 3001 of the stimulus law says: "The National Coordinator shall, in consultation with other appropriate Federal agencies (including the National Institute of Standards and Technology), update the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (developed as of June 3, 2008) to include specific objectives, milestones, and metrics with respect to the following: (i) The electronic exchange and use of health information and the enterprise integration of such information.‘‘(ii) The utilization of an electronic health record for each person in the United States by 2014."

Under this mandate in the stimulus law, Secretary Sebelius issued a regulation--developed by Dr. Blumenthal--that requires that all EHRs keep track of a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI) score. Body Mass Index is a ratio between a person’s weight and height, and is used to determine whether or not someone is overweight or obese. It is the preferred method of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for measuring obesity.

Michelle Obama has made dealing with the problem of childhood obesity the main theme of her term as First Lady.

U.S. Surgeon General Regina Benjamin. (Photo by Penny Starr/CNSNews.com)
According to the CDC, “BMI provides a reliable indicator of body fatness for most people and is used to screen for weight categories that may lead to health problems.”

A person’s BMI score is used as a tool to screen for obesity or excessive body fat that could lead to other health problems. While it does not actually measure body fat directly, according to CDC, the BMI scores generally correlate with a person’s body fat percentage.

The new regulations also stipulate that the new electronic records be capable of sending public health data to state and federal health agencies such as HHS and CDC. The CDC, which calls American society “obesogenic” – meaning that American society itself promotes obesity – collects BMI scores from state health agencies every year to monitor obesity nationwide.

“Electronically record, retrieve, and transmit syndrome based public health surveillance information to public health agencies,” the regulations read.

With the spread of electronic health records, the CDC apparently will be able to collect such data more efficiently and with greater accuracy because the electronic record keeping systems can send the data automatically, eliminating the need for government – both state and federal – to keep, send, and process physical records.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Your desire to rip me is clouding your judgment.

You don't need "chops" for this discussion. It's plainly obvious that the food industry is to blame. Portion sizes have increased significantly and there are more unhealthy options for dining out, and more of those options.

Don't get me started on food delivery, the internet, grocery stores....

You are a stunningly shallow thinker.

But I'm sure I'm not the first to tell you that.

I'll even point you in the right direction - Why has a society previously known for self-sufficiency become beholden to "the food industry"?

[luv]

Originally Posted by sedated

I'm sure it has nothing to do with the increase in technology like cars, leading to the suburban sprawl, which made walking obsolete. Or the shift from industrial jobs to office jobs. Or the invention of television that keeps people inside on the couch whenever they have free time, rather than outside doing something physical.

Life is easier than it used to be. Just watch "Wall-E" for a glimpse into our possible future.

Well said.

"When I was a kid", we didn't need programs designed to remind kids to get outside and play for 60 minutes a day. Hell, our parents had a hard time getting us to come inside.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

To be fair, he did say it helped not caused. Since he used helped, it was an accurate statement.

Well, he could have said that he smoked a cigarette instead of drinking a soda and it helped him lose weight. That doesn't make it a good idea for everybody else.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Skinny asian people come to America and turned into fatasses all the time.

Why? Because the entire culture of food and eating is different here. We're constantly bombarded with MORE FOOD FOR LESS MONEY advertising and shit like TACO BELL FOURTHMEAL!!!!

So it's food that drove the working world?

In essence, "the food industry" dominates the whole of American society?

You couldn't be seeing this more backwards.

Our culinary proclivities are driven by a societal trend away from the family, away from responsibility. It's most certainly not "the food industry" that's driving the engine here, they're simply responding to the trend.

[Kyle DeLexus]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Skinny asian people come to America and turned into fatasses all the time.

Why? Because the entire culture of food and eating is different here. We're constantly bombarded with MORE FOOD FOR LESS MONEY advertising and shit like TACO BELL FOURTHMEAL!!!!

What about the skinny asian people that come here and stay skinny? It's not really the food industry, it's the choices people make...granted there seem to be more unhealthy options than healthy ones these days.

[sedated]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

It's plainly obvious that the food industry is to blame. Portion sizes have increased significantly and there are more unhealthy options for dining out, and more of those options.

advertising exists across all industries. people are still responsible for their own choices.

do you think the gov't should control people's spending, since advertising has caused so many people to run up credit they can't pay for? "Sorry Claythan, you can't have that Jango Fett replica, its not a healthy purchase."

[RJ]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

So it's food that drove the working world?

In essence, "the food industry" dominates the whole of American society?

You couldn't be seeing this more backwards.

Our culinary proclivities are driven by a societal trend away from the family, away from responsibility. It's most certainly not "the food industry" that's driving the engine here, they're simply responding to the trend.

?????

[Brock]

"They gave me too much food to eat, it's their fault I used to be a fatass"

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Kyle DeLexus

What about the skinny asian people that come here and stay skinny? It's not really the food industry, it's the choices people make...granted there seem to be more unhealthy options than healthy ones these days.

Exactly. It's now easier for people to make the unhealthy choice. There's more temptation.

You can get practically whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. Or you can just sit at home and have it delivered.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by sedated

do you think the gov't should control people's spending, since advertising has caused so many people to run up credit they can't pay for?

I'm not advocating control.

[Garcia Bronco]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Even when others' personal business costs us all money?

If we weren't in their business then it wouldn't cost us money.

[RJ]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Exactly. It's now easier for people to make the unhealthy choice. There's more temptation.

You can get practically whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want. Or you can just sit at home and have it delivered.

Yeah, that's because it's what people want.

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by RJ

Yeah, that's because it's what people want.

Advertising makes you want it.

During the last four decades, fast food has infiltrated every nook and cranny of American society. An industry that began with a handful of modest hot dog and hamburger stands in Southern California has spread to every corner of the nation, selling a broad range of foods wherever paying customers may be found. Fast food is now served not only at restaurants and drive-thrus but also at stadiums, airports, college campuses and elementary schools, on cruise ships, trains and airplanes, at Kmarts, Wal-Marts, gas stations and even hospital cafeterias. In 1970, Americans spent about $6 billion on fast food. Last year they spent more than $100 billion on fast food.

Americans now spend more money on fast food than they do on higher education, personal computers, software or new cars. They spend more on fast food than on movies, books, magazines, newspapers, videos and recorded music - combined.

[Brock]

Originally Posted by GoChiefs

Advertising makes you want it.

[/B]

No. Enjoying eating that kind of food makes them want it.

[ClevelandBronco]

If we would just legalize drugs and outlaw Quarter-Pounders we'd solve all our problems.