A Population's Health:  which is more important?

A Population's Health: which is more important?

Debates

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E

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02 Nov 13
2 edits

Which is a more important factor in the health of a country's population?

Medical Care thumbs up.

How the individual decides to live which includes diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choice thumbs down.

I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle decisions.

Cape Town

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet and exercise.
Are you trying to tell me that the reason for the low life expectancy in Zambia as compared to the US is largely a result of personal choices in diet and exercise?
I beg to differ.

E

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by twhitehead
Are you trying to tell me that the reason for the low life expectancy in Zambia as compared to the US is largely a result of personal choices in diet and exercise?
I beg to differ.
You are saying that in Zambia everyone eats a healthy diet and practices healthy lifestyles?

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
Which is a more important factor in the health of a country's population?

Medical Care thumbs up.

How the individual decides to live which includes diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choice thumbs down.

I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
Other factors include genetics, and choices made by others that we have no personal control over; some choices made wittingly, some unwittingly.

The people who substituted methanol for ethanol in patent medicines, killed or blinded numerous people. The man who invented elixir of sulfanilimide using ethylene glycol as the liquid, killed numerous children. The people who thought thalidomide was OK for pregnant women's morning sickness, caused numerous terrible birth defects. These situations led to development and revision of drug safety regulations.

Personal decisions include decisions to regulate.

E

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by JS357
Other factors include genetics, and choices made by others that we have no personal control over; some choices made wittingly, some unwittingly.

The people who substituted methanol for ethanol in patent medicines, killed or blinded numerous people. The man who invented elixir of sulfanilimide using ethylene glycol as the liquid, killed numerous children. Th ...[text shortened]... t and revision of drug safety regulations.

Personal decisions include decisions to regulate.
Genetics is a factor, but this discussion is supposed to be about which is more dominant when it comes to the health of a population: healthcare or personal choices.

T

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
Which is a more important factor in the health of a country's population?
Medical Care thumbs up.
How the individual decides to live which includes diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choice thumbs down.
I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
They're both important. Next question?

K

Germany

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02 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
Which is a more important factor in the health of a country's population?

Medical Care thumbs up.

How the individual decides to live which includes diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choice thumbs down.

I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
Yeah, I bet the reason people lived to age 30 in the 1800s was due to eating too many Big Macs.

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02 Nov 13
1 edit

Originally posted by Eladar
Genetics is a factor, but this discussion is supposed to be about which is more dominant when it comes to the health of a population: healthcare or personal choices.
OK, I won't be so picky about it. People basically have responsibility for their own health, within the limits defined by their genetics and circumstances. People born with a birth defect or in a squalid slum have more limits on their capability to be healthy.

E

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
Yeah, I bet the reason people lived to age 30 in the 1800s was due to eating too many Big Macs.
You don't have to eat Big Macs to have an unhealthy diet. You can lack any number of amino acids, fats, vitamins or nutrient. You can have a lack of food at all.

Unhealthy lifestyle need not be a real choice. If you are forced to do slave labor in a mine, you would suffer because of a poor lifestyle, but not by choice.

E

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by JS357
OK, I won't be so picky about it. People basically have responsibility for their own health, within the limits defined by their genetics and circumstances. People born with a birth defect or in a squalid slum have more limits on their capability to be healthy.
So which do you believe has a bigger impact on their quality of life and how long they live?

How many birth defects are due to choices that the mother made, such as doing drugs?

T

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
So which do you believe has a bigger impact on their quality of life and how long they live?

How many birth defects are due to choices that the mother made, such as doing drugs?
Why does it matter which has the bigger impact? They both have an impact. They are not mutually exclusive. We should aim both to promote healthy lifestyles and to offer top-quality health care.

jb

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
Which is a more important factor in the health of a country's population?

Medical Care thumbs up.

How the individual decides to live which includes diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle choice thumbs down.

I am of the belief that the overall health of the population is decided by personal choices in diet, exercise and other healthy or unhealthy lifestyle decisions.
Actually diet treats the disease and medicine treats the symptoms in a lot of cases. Both are still important. It is like government. It is important so long as it is used appropriately.

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
So which do you believe has a bigger impact on their quality of life and how long they live?

How many birth defects are due to choices that the mother made, such as doing drugs?
I don't know.

E

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by joe beyser
Actually diet treats the disease and medicine treats the symptoms in a lot of cases. Both are still important. It is like government. It is important so long as it is used appropriately.
If personal choices of diet and lifestyle play a major role in the health of a population, then why is it that when one discusses health care, personal choices are not take into consideration? Why is it only healthcare that gets the credit or the blame?

This thought came to mind when I discovered how excitotoxins are so common the US diet and has such a horrible effect on us. Why blame the US medical system for problems that are a result of a horrible food supply, as well as horrible lifestyle choices?

jb

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03 Nov 13

Originally posted by Eladar
If personal choices of diet and lifestyle play a major role in the health of a population, then why is it that when one discusses health care, personal choices are not take into consideration? Why is it only healthcare that gets the credit or the blame?

This thought came to mind when I discovered how excitotoxins are so common the US diet and has such a ...[text shortened]... for problems that are a result of a horrible food supply, as well as horrible lifestyle choices?
Look up codex alimentarius. The diet not only get no credit, but it is under attack!!!! There is more money to be made by the medical system so of course it will be played up and choice will be dictated.