Michael Moore’s Personal “Sicko”

Regardless of what you think of his documentary Sicko, or of your political leanings, Michael Moore is a living, breathing example of one way to ease the burden on our nation’s healthcare system: People can take responsibility for their own health and lose weight, which would tackle many health problems at its root.

Two fitness professionals agree. Jim Labadie and Ryan Lee, health advocates in Florida, are challenging the admittedly overweight Moore to live a healthier lifestyle. They created the Michael Moore Health Challenge, and state, “This is about Michael Moore exercising regularly and improving his diet so he can become a better role model for preventative care.”

Being obese can cause a list of health problems, according to WebMD, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep apnea and stroke. And, these problems cost the U.S. healthcare system billions (yes, that’s billions) of dollars each year. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, obesity and its associated health problems have a “significant economic impact on the U.S. healthcare system.”

A study on the costs attributed to obesity found that medical expenses for overweight and obese people accounted for 9.1 percent of total U.S. medical expenditures in 1998, and may have reached as high as $92.6 billion in 2002 dollars.

Michael Moore may have made some good points in his documentary, but the one thing he can achieve right now is control over his own health, and set an example for others who are overweight. Says Jason C. Brown, founder of CrossFit Philly, a training program and studio in Mt. Airy, Pa., “He’s a billboard for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and all those bad things associated with obesity. He’s preaching about healthcare costs, and he’s directly affecting it.”