A Different Perspective: Obesity as a Disability

Obesity as a disability is a serious issue, especially for those who are obese to the point where it is debilitating.

Statistics from the Social Security Administration show that $77 million dollars are paid out monthly to those who suffer from this condition, a figure that reflects 137,000 people.

Those included in these statistics qualified for a policy which has since been changed that allowed them to claim obesity as a disability.

Most declared problems with their:

• Muscles or
• Skeletal systems.

Today’s policies regarding this condition reflect hard work by a coalition that lobbied hard to ensure that those with obesity as a disability are eligible for disability payments.

Those in the coalition include:

• The American Dietetic Association
• The American Society of Bariatric Physicians
• The American Society for Bariatric Surgery
• The American Society for Clinical Nutrition
• The Council on Size and Weight Discrimination
• The National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives
• The Obesity Law and Advocacy Center and
• Shape Up America!

The new policy shows that obesity is a disease that is both complex and chronic, affected by:

• Genetics
• Environment and
• Behavior.

The extent of this disability is left to the physician, and it is judged over time.

If you believe that you have obesity as a disability, and it is making it difficult or impossible to work, you may want to consider looking into disability coverage by discussing it with your physician and/or a representative of the Social Security Administration.

Of course, a more important step would be to consider what you need to do to overcome obesity before you have obesity as a disability, or to reduce or eliminate your disability.

Most people who are obese need to concentrate on striking a balance between their calorie intake – what they eat, with their calorie output – calories they are burning.

So you need to make sure you are not eating more calories than your body is burning.

If you need to lose weight, you will need to be sure to use more calories than you are eating.

There are two main lifestyle changes you need to make to overcome obesity and ensure that you do not have obesity as a disability.

These include:

• Eating a healthy diet and
• Maintaining an appropriate fitness level.

As far as the diet goes, you will need to create a meal plan that revolves around healthy, nutritious foods that are both low in fat and low in calories.

You should especially focus on:

• Fruits
• Vegetables and
• Lean meats.

As far as exercise goes, begin by increasing your exercise level in small increments until you can exercise up to 30 minutes a day most days of the week.

You will be surprised at how much you can achieve, and how good you will feel doing it.

Obesity as a disability does not need to be a permanent sentence.

With a commitment to overcoming obesity you can get back in the game of life!

Here are some tips to get you started.

• Incorporate a proven, complete nutritional program into your daily life.
• Enhance your nutritional program with a complete mutivitamin supplement because no nutritional program is perfect.
• Use a behavior modification and motivational program that will help you stay on track with your nutritional plan.
• Exercise at home with your own:
  Treadmill

  Stairstepper

  Exercise bike

  Elliptical trainer

  Hand weights or

  An aerobic video.

• See what kinds of weight loss aids your health insurance covers such as:
  Hypnotism

  Gym membership discounts

  Nutritional counseling.

• Don’t skip breakfast.
• Keep track of how many calories you consume.
• Don’t fall into the fat-free food trap – eating a lot of some of these can still pack in a high amount of calories.
• Get a new cookbook with healthy recipes.
• Plan your meals for the week so you don’t wind up ordering pizza.
• Look into attending a weight loss camp.
• Know you body mass index (BMI) and track your progress.
• Know what your weight should be for your height and frame.

All of these tips will get you started on your journey.

Even if you suffer with obesity as a disability, you can still overcome your weight issues.

The decision is yours.

Will you begin your journey to overcoming your weight issues starting right now?