Dr John M

cardiac electrophysiologist, cyclist, learner

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Lessons from the checkout…

September 13, 2010 By Dr John

I have witnessed this grocery-store checkout phenomenon countless times.

Haven’t you?

These two paragraphs are a direct quote from the blog, 33 Charts, authored by the very famous blogger, professor, and pediatrician (Dr Bryan Vartabedian)…

“So I’m in the checkout line at the grocery store. In front of me is an overweight mother and child. Their cart is filled with refined carbohydrates, microwave food and snacks. Not a hint of vegetable or fruit. Not a whole grain to be found. Behind me is a mother and daughter with what appear to be balanced weight and height. Their cart is flush with fresh vegetables, meats, fish and the rare-but-appropriate smattering of sinful snack food. A remarkable contrast really.

Every day I confront the parents of the dangerously overweight. And in many cases there’s a failure to ever recognize that habits and choices have even the smallest role in what’s making their children so sick. Obesity is complicated and its solution certainly goes beyond shopping cart critiques. But in many cases the solution’s most common denominator comes down to intake versus expenditure and the recognition that our actions can contribute to the problem.”

Two paragraphs nail the essence of the problem: The intake versus expenditure formula.

My only quarrel with such succinctness and clarity are the words, “our actions can contribute to the problem.”  Would it be too much to say that our actions cause the problem?

But it is so politically incorrect to suggest such simplicity and obviousness.

In the practice of medicine it has become clear to me that in explaining the therapy of a problem, we must speak frankly. Stating the facts is not necessarily judgmental, unkind or insensitive.

The stakes our high; our countries health teeters in the balance.  And we are clearly losing.

JMM

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Filed Under: Health Care, Healthy Living

John Mandrola, MD

Welcome, Enjoy, Interact. john-mandrola I am a cardiac electrophysiologist practicing in Louisville KY. I am also a husband to a palliative care doctor, a father, a bike racer, and a regular columnist at theHeart.org | Medscape

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