Obesity Is Not a Disease: Pretending Otherwise Will Stoke an Epidemic and Crush the Nhs

The article is titled Obesity is not a disease: pretending Otherwise will Stoke an Epidemic and Crush the NHS and was written by Max Pemberton on 12th October 2013 who is a psychiatrist (was by then, on general practice placement as a trainee doctor.) The article is intended for all stakeholders from specifically for patients, doctors, policy makers as well as the general public. The author uses his experience while on placement, as well as explores extensive data and information to affirm that obesity is becoming an issue of national concern and should be addressed in the right manner. According to him, the problem of obesity is placing a huge burden on the NHS budget and as such, on the taxpayer. Pemberton (2013) has successfully used his experience and a wide range of related data and information to show why obesity should not be treated as a disease, but as a behavior, although he constantly stereotypes obese people as one category. (has not explored in detail on what the obese people should do to address their problem. )

The fact that the author has started by using an incidence he witnessed at the hospital makes his argument more convincing. (How so?) In addition, it shows how much the NHS is overburdened by having to treat both obesity and "dangerous malnourishment".(Is this what the author was implying?) He has also presented a wide range of relevant data, which also serves as evidence to reinforce his position on the matter.

One of the strengths of the article is that the author brings forward important (relevant) data that goes to a great depth in explaining the (financial) consequences of having so many obese people in Britain. For instances, he gives the extra amount of money needed each year, as well as the number of hospital admissions that occur directly as a result of obesity. Using monetary value will strengthen the impact on the readers. He also presents a case of an ambulance service which found that it had to add a new