It seems that the epidemic of obesity has reached such formidable proportions in America that there is now pressure to make super concentrated pharmaceuticals. Since a human can only swallow a pill so big, or take a shot containing so much solution, pharmaceutical companies have to find a way to put more drug into the same volumes currently being manufactured. For example, a syringe containing 5 mL for solution contains a certain concentration of medicine. Since it can be harmful to inject over 5 mL of the solution into the body at once, there is a need to increase the amount of medicine within the same 5 mL syringe. This also applies to pills. A pill contains a certain amount of medicine and to include more would typically mean the pill would get bigger, but many people cannot tolerate swallowing large pills so instead more medication must go into pills of the same size. All this because people are now so large that the original dosages are no longer sufficient. Why is this necessary you ask? Simply because fat cells are gaping craters that attract everything from water to complex molecules such as medicine and toxins; black holes of sorts. Instead of reaching the cells that need it, medication is sucked up by fat cells along the way; enough to render it ineffective in people obese enough. Perhaps the worst part is that this initiative involves only the US. These concentrated drug formulations that will be extremely difficult, and thus expensive, to develop and they will only serve a fraction of the population.
In stating this frustration, I also openly admit my extreme bias for one substantiated reason: After 23 years of obesity I fought against my genetics, and what I thought to be the physical limitations of my Body, and lost the weight. A horrible diet and eating habits, general inactivity and a poor metabolism resulted in my own obesity, beginning at age 5. At 22 years old, 5' 2' and 239 pounds, my BMI was 43.7; within the MORBIDLY obese category. After a complete lifestyle change including my permanent commitment to nutrition and exercise, I lost 114 pounds. I did this despite bad genetics and a metabolism clinically proven to be significantly lower than that of others my weight and height. If I were to ditch my new lifestyle, I would immediately begin to gain the weight back. Of course I believe that if I can, and did, accomplish this feat, anyone is capable of the transformation. Therefore, I have zero compassion for people who use metabolism as an excuse for their girth.
Was the weight loss fun and/or easy? Hell no. Did I want to quit? A zillion times. Was it worth it? FUCK YES. I now feel like the person I was always meant to be, no longer uncomfortable in my own skin. Importantly, normal doses of pharmaceuticals are more than sufficient to heal my affliction. It is critical to point out, however, that the extreme weight loss that I underwent is not necessary to combat this current issue. For one who is obese, losing even 20-40 pounds significantly improves their health. En masse, this modest amount of weight loss would render the need for more concentrated pharmaceuticals moot.
In conclusion, if you're fat and happy, more power to you! If you're fat and unhappy, get off your ass and do something about it. But under no circumstances is it acceptable for Americans alone to require this global impact to pharmaceutical manufacturing, a pricey enterprise which will unsteady our already crumbling economy. All this because we've excused a cultural shift towards obesity as a nation; allowing it to define us a People. Being fat is now accepted and defended to the detriment of the US societal reputation worldwide, and this new drug demand is an affirmation of that statement.
I couldn't agree more! You write wonderfully, Summer. I'm blessed to have known you as a young lady. I can only imagine you've improved with age.
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