Middle-age Americans Sicker than British

[REWahoo]

More evidence to support the wisdom of FIRE?

Middle-aged Americans Sicker than British

Associated Press-- Middle-aged, white Americans are much sicker than their counterparts in England, startling new research shows, despite U.S. health care spending per person that is more than double what Britain spends....

A higher rate of Americans tested positive for diabetes and heart disease than the British. Americans also self-reported more diabetes, heart attacks, strokes, lung disease and cancer.

The gap between countries holds true for educated and uneducated, rich and poor....

"At every point in the social hierarchy there is more illness in the United States than in England and the differences are really dramatic," said study co-author Dr. Michael Marmot, an epidemiologist at University College London in England.

The study, appearing in Wednesday's Journal of the American Medical Association, adds context to the already-known fact that the United States spends more on health care than any other industrialized nation, yet trails in rankings of life expectancy...

Marmot offered an explanation for the gap: Americans' financial insecurity. Improvements in household income have eluded all but the top 20 percent of Americans since the mid-1970s. Meanwhile, the British saw their incomes improve, he said.

Robert Blendon, professor of health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health, said the stress of striving for the American dream may account for Americans' lousy health. He was not involved in the study.

"The opportunity to go both up and down the socioeconomic scale in America may create stress," Blendon said. Americans have more chances to both succeed and fail. They do not have a reliable government safety net like the English enjoy, Blendon said.

Britain's universal health-care system shouldn't get credit for better health, Marmot and Blendon agreed.

Both said it might explain better health for low-income citizens, but can't account for better health of Britain's more affluent residents.

Marmot cautioned against looking for explanations in the two countries' health-care systems.

"It's not just how we treat people when they get ill, but why they get ill in the first place," Marmot said.

 

[Nords]

I'm going to have to experiment with a diet of British cuisine and more fermented beverages. Both at room temperature, of course.

I'm just not sure which exercise program to adopt-- cricket, rugby, or full-wetsuit surfing.

Considering that just thinking about living the above is already sapping my will to live, I have to admit that I'm just as surprised by the study results!

 

[haha]

There are big things happening in health outcomes, and the US is not doing very well.

Several years ago I went to Holland. I think the average young Dutch woman must be 6 feet tall! Recently I met a US medical researcher who has been in Netherlands for much of his career. He says the unusual height of the younger Dutch population has been widely studied. The thinking is that Dutch society delivers pretty much enough of everything at least to the native population. Food, medical care, especially good pediatrics and obstetrics, fewer unvaccinated children getting and giving infectious diseases, etc., etc.

We Americans are the victims of a hoax. The citizen here exists like a cow exists for the Masai. Milk us, bleed us from time to time, but never forget that we are here to be used.

Ha

 

[audreyh1]

Robert Blendon, professor of health policy at the Harvard School of Public Health, said the stress of striving for the American dream may account for Americans' lousy health. He was not involved in the study.

That's what I think! Americans are so busy working and trying to do everything at once, that they severely neglect their health. Too busy to fix proper meals and eat right, too busy to exercise. Run around everywhere like mad in their cars. Frequent fast-food restaurants so much.

American poor health is a "lifestyle" disease.

Those of us ER'd have figured out that getting off the merry-go-round is a good thing. Slow down. Enjoy life. Take care of our health because it affects daily quality of life more than anything else.

I sometimes get depressed when I go grocery shopping or out in the general public. People look more sick and more obese every year. It's pretty horrifying. That's just no way to live.

Audrey

 

[Martha]

Our society values individualism. This reinforces the feeling of shame for failure.  Statements like "If I can do it, anyone can" or "you can do anything if you just put your mind to it" maybe are supposed to be cheerleading, but I think they can be very demoralizing.  I know a number of people who feel like they "failed" in one way or another. Maybe they didn't get as good a job as they wanted.  Or didn't go to college.  Or made a poor choice, like smoking.   Instead of being a motivater, shame just makes people feel bad. So maybe they eat too much.  Or smoke and have trouble quitting. Or suffer an anxiety disorder.  Or become depressed.  

 

[haha]

Our society values individualism. This reinforces the feeling of shame for failure.  Statements like "If I can do it, anyone can" or "you can do anything if you just put your mind to it" maybe are supposed to be cheerleading, but I think they can be very demoralizing.  I know a number of people who feel like they "failed" in one way or another. Maybe they didn't get as good a job as they wanted.  Or didn't go to college.  Or made a poor choice, like smoking.   Instead of being a motivater, shame just makes people feel bad. So maybe they eat too much.  Or smoke and have trouble quitting. Or suffer an anxiety disorder.  Or become depressed.  

Oh come on Martha, you know it just takes willpower and brainpower. If someone doesn't get the results he wants, he must be weak or stupid or both. 

Speaking seriously, how could anyone fail to notice that there is a giant randomizer in the sky, and that a lot of our results come straight out of it?

Ha

 

[wabmester]

Speaking seriously, how could anyone fail to notice that there is a giant randomizer in the sky, and that a lot of our results come straight out of it?

Cosmic radiation? That's what I used to blame all my software glitches on. Certainly couldn't have been my code.

Oh, and I had a tall blond Dutch girlfriend a while back. I'm generalizing, but the Dutch seem to value individualism (and pig-headedness) just as much as we Americans do. And they bicycle a lot more than we do. And eat raw herring.

But the biggest difference between Europeans and Americans is how we deal with stress. When Europeans get stressed, they quit their job and the government supports them for the rest of their lives. Hmm, I guess the only real difference between that and ER'ing is that we ERs rely on the stock market instead of the government.

 

[youbet]

Now that the lower holes in the dikes have been patched, it requires stretching way, way up to put your fingers into the remaining holes. Thus, over time Dutch children are becoming taller.

 

[rs0460a]

When Europeans get stressed, they quit their job and the government supports them for the rest of their lives. 

I happen to work for a division of a company based in Sweden, and I can verify that this is mostly correct.  They have a term ("hit the wall") when "they" get stressed.

The answer to their "problem" is to take off a few months to "correct the situation"  

Since Sweden (and the company) are more "socialistic", I don't know the compensation rules for this (if it's just an unpaid leave of absence or comp'ed by the company/government.

I know when I "hit the wall" (in 19 months), I'm just going to retire and take it easy till I leave this "mortal coil"  

- Ron

 

[haha]

I happen to work for a division of a company based in Sweden, and I can verify that this is mostly correct.  They have a term ("hit the wall") when "they" get stressed.

The answer to their "problem" is to take off a few months to "correct the situation" 

I keep on my wall a newspaper clipping from the Seattle PI in the mid 70s. It read, "Don't Worry, Have Sex." It goes on to say that the Finnish government has recommended government paid "sex holidays" for workers worn down by the stresses of modern life. I came across this when I was getting the idea that I needed some respite myself. The only requirement, other than that the worker should feel stressed, was that he/she could find a partner for this holiday. The government in Helsinki made it clear that while it would pick up the check, the details were up to the individual.

Ha

 

[brewer12345]

Now that the lower holes in the dikes have been patched, it requires stretching way, way up to put your fingers into the remaining holes.  Thus, over time Dutch children are becoming taller.

OMG, you have got to stp with these slowball pitches...

 

[Texas Proud]

I'm going to have to experiment with a diet of British cuisine and more fermented beverages.  Both at room temperature, of course.

Nords... they do not drink much at room temp anymore... all the pints I had there were nice and chilled..

Also, they seem to LOVE curry... half the time they wanted to go out and get a curry...

 

[Maximillion]

HaHa, the theory with the Dutch is that due to their lack of Farmland, they have fed their livestock Growth hormones to get the most beef from a limited supply resulting in very tall people.

I was blown away walking around Amsterdam, most everyone was at least 6 feet tall, many much taller.

Now, if they could only learn to play Basketball.?

I will always remember the comment in The Economist in that Canadians and Americans are very similar, except Canadians are much slimmer.

 

[MJ]

Hmm, I guess the only real difference between that and ER'ing is that we ERs rely on the stock market instead of the government.

That'll reduce your stress real quick.

 

[MJ]

Oh, and I had a tall blond Dutch girlfriend a while back. I'm generalizing, but the Dutch seem to value individualism (and pig-headedness) just as much as we Americans do. And they bicycle a lot more than we do. And eat raw herring.

I do prefer pickled herring. I remember eating a lot of delish smoke fish in Amsterdam too.

For me, a match made in heaven. Forgit Thailand, I am heading off to Dutch country.

 

[Maximillion]

Mayonnaise with Fench Fries..

We had some Sweidsh Teenagers stay with us for a summer, they insisted on doing at least 1 hour of physical exercise each day, and they were aware of what they ate.

New Canadian Federal Budget, $500 deduction per child for fitness equipment or Training.

 

[Nords]

The thinking is that Dutch society delivers pretty much enough of everything at least to the native population. Food, medical care, especially good pediatrics and obstetrics, fewer unvaccinated children getting and giving infectious diseases, etc., etc.

By that thinking Hawaii delivers none of those things to our population.

Well, except to big haoles & Samoans.

Gee, I wonder if any of the height differences could be caused by selective-breeding genetics?

 

[youbet]

Gee, I wonder if any of the height differences could be caused by selective-breeding genetics?

Help me. I'm having yet another senior moment. Who was the sports commentator who go fired for making a comment very similar to that? Wasn't it the guy from Vegas famous for odds and betting?

 

[VoyT]

I thnk that was Jimmy the Greek.

 

[youbet]

Yeah, that was it! Thanks.

 

[Jarhead*]

Help me.  I'm having yet another senior moment.  Who was the sports commentator who go fired for making a comment very similar to that? Wasn't it the guy from Vegas famous for odds and betting?

Jimmy the Greek was the Oddsmaker, and commentator that was fired.

However, his comment wasn't related to selective breeding. Actually, he made a comment that (INMHO), was not a racist comment but------.

In a discussion about the superiority of black athletes versus white athletes, he made the observation that when the Slave Traders were
acquiring potential slaves, they selected the largest and strongest available.

Racist? Not in my opinion, but the sponsors thought otherwise.

 

[unclemick]

American cheeseburgers - that's what I blamed it on in 'Vietnamese village' pre Katrina - the kids running about a foot or more taller than their old country parents. That and rap music.

Six foot plus tall girls are fairly common in this part of Missouri - ? the water

heh heh heh heh