Overeating Ranks as Public Health Issue

“Fatwa on Obesity Carries No Weight” (Commentary, Dec. 19) claims that the surgeon general’s “fat war” is an example of a government agency overstepping its legitimate authority since “the surgeon general’s office, if it has any purpose at all, should be dedicated to issues that concern public health “ and asks, “Why is it the government’s concern?”

Well, like smoking and drinking, obesity causes a lot of medical problems in the public that require expensive treatment. And who pays for that expensive treatment? Well, the public pays higher private health insurance premiums to cover those costs. The public also subsidizes Medicare. And the public pays for other government health programs that serve the uninsured public. So, please tell me again why obesity isn’t a public health issue?

Ann Calhoun

Los Osos

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Part of me believes that Brian Doherty’s article is a prank, or perhaps Surgeon General David Satcher’s pronouncement hit too close to home, but either way I’m taking the bait. Doherty’s claim is essentially this: All unhealthy habits or behaviors should not be studied or controlled by taxpayer-funded agencies because these behaviors are chosen, even if such behaviors/habits affect millions of citizens and are dangerous or fatal to participating individuals, as well as unwilling or unknowing others (secondhand smoke, HIV), and even if the medical costs of treating lung cancer, AIDS, heart-attack and stroke patients far outstrip the costs of education and “lectures” by prominent medical experts. Reason magazine needs editors who can reason.

Jim West

Los Osos