Inject or Move

A brief overview of where we stand and what is happening.

According to the Nutrition Center, we can all eat healthier together. "This has many benefits: you feel fitter, you can go to the toilet well. Yes, make sure you stay healthy, then you won’t need such a remedy."

Weight loss aids like Ozempic are said to be a driver of the 'obesity epidemic,' according to a column in VK on July 16.

Reactions to the miracle cure Ozempic and others in the fight against obesity. The Nutrition Center adds that in addition to being fitter, bowel movements also go well—this latter point may seem obvious, but it raises the question of whether there is a bowel movement depression?

Just last January, Minister Fleur Agama responded to the question of whether Ozempic and similar drugs should be included in the basic health insurance package, stating that this topic would require a societal discussion. A poll shows that more than half of the Dutch believe that weight loss aids should be included in the basic package. And as a final kicker, many healthcare professionals believe that Ozempic and similar drugs should be available for combating obesity but only as a temporary measure to enable prevention afterward...(!)

For many years, there has been commitment, evaluation, research, and reports since the recognition of the obesity problem and its negative health consequences. Nutrition and exercise have always been the foundation for gaining control over this problem, with the ambition that by 2040, 75% of the population will exercise sufficiently according to the Movement Guidelines. It is disappointing that the most recently known percentages regarding movement among the Dutch have only increased by a few percentage points compared to 2001 when measurements began. Seventy-five percent is still a long way off, and time is short. Additionally, the fact that obesity continues to develop along a rising curve.

Then we arrive at the Lifestyle Coaches and GLI, or Combined Lifestyle Intervention. A vaguely defined concept, once emerged from the weight loss industry, now encompassing a broad framework of underlying or supporting issues related to a lifestyle that influences the individual's status quo, requiring input from a wide range of agencies. The Lifestyle Coordinator is now on the rise, serving as guidance, knowledge base, and resource for the Lifestyle Coaches, defining processes and procedures. Recently, I wrote about the lack of direction and with whom the direction should lie, so with some interest, I delved further into this and discovered that it is mainly a “toy” for and by agencies and professionals, and is significantly decentralized. Where do we see the client/patient/individual in need in this? There is a strong feeling that we are (again) “about” the 'problem' and are not "in touch with" the individual concerned, who should also have a say in the process. You have become a dossier, and according to processes and procedures, we pass your dossier to the next counter—good luck there, it will be okay, was still called out!

I apologize if this comes across as shocking, but this is at best “new wine in old bags.” The intentions seem good, but the execution is mainly internally focused. The tricky part remains that when the process fails, the client is labeled as “they didn’t want to,” and the dossier is closed.

It certainly doesn’t help that miracle weight loss aids are making their way into the market. Note that this is only for those who can afford them, but sadly, this is the group that everyone looks to or wants to emulate. It’s not surprising, therefore, that more than half would want these to be covered by the basic package. It's also unfortunate that it is insufficiently highlighted that the use of these aids reduces not only fat mass but also muscle mass.

Avoid ending up in such a position. In addition to eating healthily, adequate exercise is, natural, controlling and... prevents difficult bowel movements 😅

Stoelgang