Health Promotions?

James O. Hill is president-elect of the American Society of Nutrition and director of human nutrition at the University of Colorado. Today, at his society's annual meeting--part of EB '07--Hill floated an interesting idea: Find ways to reward people for moving toward a healthier weight.

Two-thirds of Americans can afford to lose a little--or a lot--of weight, he noted. Clinics can treat the excessively heavy, but don't do much for the simply pudgy. Moreover, even people who successfully shed extra pounds usually put them back on again in the next few months or years. The trouble, Hill said, was society hasn't really crafted effective positive feedbacks, incentive structures that encourage exercise and discourage overeating. At least no feedbacks that were stronger than our biology's innate craving to eat and avoid labor.

One proposal he offered was to have people rewarded in the workplace for staying healthy, such as at a near-optimum weight. He noted that many jobs had a dress code. That's based only as aesthetics. How much better, he suggested, to link career advancement or bonus pay to maintaining health, not just pressed shirts and shined shoes.

An intriguing idea.

But not one, I suspect, that will win much favor.

I can imagine all sorts of lawsuits from people who suffer genetic conditions that affect weight or other health issues. Or who have jobs that compromise health at the same time they're being threatened with reduced compensation for poor health. And who decides what constitutes health...or even the ideal weight for any individual?

Although I support Hill's basic thesis, I guess I'd prefer to see society work out carrots to promote health by individuals--not a battery of sticks.