| Show Is Overweight Important By ByOR OR DR JAMES W BARTON BARTONI I C Dell Bell Service I THOSE HOSE of normal weight and many also who are arc arcI I overweight may have the opinion that too much importance importance tance is being attached to toI I overweight its dangers to health and life If they were I Ito to talk for just five minutes to the actuary of any life or sickness insurance company I they would learn some star star- startling startling facts because insurance companies make or lose money on the types or kinds of risks they accept One of the first facts the insurance ance company actuary will point out is the great amount of diabetes among the He will back this up by showing the figures of Dr E p Joslin Boston the t h e out out- outstanding outstanding standing authority on diabetes who tells us that diabetes i is the result or pen pen- penalty penalty alty of overweight The figures for the thc theDr Dr Barton death rate of dia- dia diabetic diabetic betic men over for tor- five ty-five years Is as follows The per cent ot of overweight to death rate is as follows five to fourteen twice the normal rate fifteen to twenty twenty- four four times the normal tate rate twenty five and over ten times the thc normal rate These figures tell in inmost inmost most dramatic fashion the penalty for overweight As you know the thc commonest cause or of death alter after middle age Is disease of the heart md and kidneys because the heart and have the hard work of carrying a large quantity of nour- nour nourIshment nourishment to the kidneys to have wastes or poisons filtered out and useful substances retained Now high blood pressure hardening ot of the arteries and defective work by bythe bythe the kidneys all accompany over over- overweIght overweight weIght and the simplest method of relieving unnecessary strain is to reduce the weight and size of the patient Thus when an individual gets down to or nearly to normal weight his chances of developing heart and kidney dis- dis disease disease ease becomes very much less British Experts Expert's Views Dr Herbert Y I Coombs in the Brit Brit- British British ish Medical Journal in pointing out the Importance ot of overweight in ad- ad addition addition to diabetes heart sal sel and kidney disease tells us that inflammation arthritis ot of joints joints- Is one of the commonest diseases encountered by the general practitioner practitioner and it Is almost always associated with overweight Another point brought out by Dr Coombs and one that is likely to tobe tobe be overlooked is the thc great change in mentality or outlook with the in- in increase increase crease in weight It Is generally agreed that are rather cheerful and good natured but after a period ot of time this good nature of the sligh slightly ly overweight degenerates into lack of ambition and a dont care attitude toward anything and everything Still another point and one ta- ta familiar to every physician is the bad surgical results that often follow tollow op- op operations operations on very fat patients Me difficulties of nursing heavy patients and the increased risk of infection when large mass masses s of fat tissue are exposed when the knife is used are arc often Important factors in working against recovery of at who come to opera opera- operation operation tion for gall stone diabetic gan- gan gangrene gangrene grene and other conditions Causes of Diarrhoea Figures from private and public hospital clinics show that at least three of tour four give a history ot of be- be belag lag constipated Although these peo peo- pIe are on their feet and are not sick enough to be in bed bcd they can hardly be bc considered normal However even among those who are arc normal or not sick it would appear that at least half or 50 per percent percent cent are constipated It Is Interesting therefore to read of the other type of at cases that is those who do not appear to be sick but Instead of being constipated are lre afflicted with diarrhoea Of course at times when much fruit Is eaten or when something not fresh has been eaten diar- diar diarrhoea diarrhoea often occurs lasting for two or more days But when diarrhoea is present all the time and no excess ex- ex excess cess or ripe over fruit or other food tood has bas been eaten then the cause must be found to prevent the weakening effects of the diarrhoea Dr A Buenos Duenos Aires In Inthe inthe the Argentine Medical Journal states slates that diarrhoea occurs very often in all forms torms of hyperthyroid Ism that Is when the thyroid gland in the thc neck is manufacturIng too I much juice As there may be no other symptoms toms but the diarrhoea no great increase In- In Increase crease In heart rate no enlarge enlarge- enlargement ment ot of the thyroid gland no ing bulging of the eyes no trembling or nervousness ner- ner nervousness it would be difficult to locate the cause as due to an Over Over- Overactive overactive active thyroid gland except for th the 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