Over the last few years, we've chronicled a range of approaches to dealing with obesity. From Atkins to bariatric surgery, to the Zone, we've seen it all. Or so we thought. A new approach to dealing with the weight problem plaguing more and more Americans has been broached at a meeting sponsored by the Public Health Advocacy Institute, according to the Washington Times.
Building on his successful suits against the tobacco industry, and ignoring the unsuccessful recent suits against McDonald's, super-litigator John Banzhaf has come up with new targets to blame -- doctors. The idea is that if a physician fails to warn patients that excess weight can trigger diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, gallbladder disease, and some cancers, he or she could be sued (for malpractice? negligence?). While such a suit probably won't slim the patient, it might fatten the lawyer's wallet. The bottom line is that it won't solve the problem -- ordinarily, only the patient can do that.
Ruth Kava, Ph.D., R.D., is Director of Nutrition at the American Council on Science and Health.
