Steps Toward Solving Our Healthcare Crisis, Literally

Two miles a day keeps the doctor away

(with apologies to Ben Franklin)

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/213681.php

I have become discouraged about the impact of obesity and the resultant diabetes epidemic that threatens to overwhelm the American healthcare system. In a prior post I suggested that bariatric surgery was the only workable solution to this long term crisis(12/2/10). The paper referenced today suggests a far more benign, inexpensive and natural way to combat this impending epidemic, the simple act of walking.

The study out of Australia directly correlates diabetic risk with steps taken per day. The more steps taken, the lower the diabetes risk. 3000 steps(about two miles) a day significantly lowers the incidence of type 2 diabetes, with more steps further giving even more benefit.

The result is surprisingly simple, yet makes real sense. Diabetes is related both to the amount of insulin produced, and how your body uses that insulin. Exercise has long been known to improve the bodies response to insulin. What this study confirms is that walking alone is sufficient to obtain the benefits of exercise.

This investigation dovetails well with many other studies about the negative impacts of a sedentary lifestyle. It appears our body is designed to walk, and sitting in front of computer screen or TV may be the genesis of many of our healthcare woes. The impact is independent of calories consumed, and may explain much about why healthcare in America is both more expensive and less effective than other countries where people walk more.

This study may also contain the key to solving our healthcare crisis. Walking represents a free, efficacious and accessible therapy for obesity and diabetes. Walking does not require expensive programs, highly trained personnel, or a new government bureaucracy. Pedometers can be inexpensively used to monitor progress. Incentive based programs tying health insurance costs to distance walked, make both medical and economic sense.

I have been spending many hours attempting to understand the Pelosian level complexity of the rules governing electronic medical record adaption. Obamacare mandates all providers institute these expensive and unproven systems which at best will have limited impact upon the health of Americans. How about a simple law requiring people to walk 20 miles a week in order to buy health insurance. That law might actually work.